Sunshine Oilsands Announces Closing of CDN$200 Million Syndicated Credit Facility

HONG KONG, Oct. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunshine Oilsands Ltd. ("Sunshine") (Stock Code: 2012.HK) is pleased to announce that it has closed a CDN$200 million syndicated secured credit facility.  The co-lead institutions that arranged the credit facility were Alberta Treasury Branches and Bank of China (Canada), supported by Bank of America, N.A., Canada Branch; HSBC Bank Canada; Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc.; Scotiabank; The Toronto-Dominion Bank; UBS AG Canada Branch; and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) (Canada).  Alberta Treasury Branches was the agent for the lenders. With strong support, this facility was upsized from its original expectation.

The credit facility will be used to complete the final construction of the ongoing West Ells project, to fund the front end portion of the Thickwood project and to advance program and regulatory development to expand capacity for the West Ells, Thickwood and Legend Lake projects. The capacity of the West Ells, Thickwood and Legend Lake is expected to be 200,000 barrels per day of production when fully completed.

John Zahary, President & CEO, said "We are very pleased to complete this facility with a very high quality syndicate of Asian, global and Canadian banks. It shows strong validation of the company's business plan and establishes a strong platform for future growth."

Sunshine also wishes to announce that it has terminated its share repurchase program, as announced on September 16, 2012.  Pursuant to the share repurchase program, Sunshine repurchased, for cancellation, a total of 61,172,000 Class "A" Voting Common Shares at an average price of HKD $3.08 per share.

About Sunshine Oilsands Ltd.

Sunshine Oilsands Ltd. is one of the largest non-partnered holders of oil sands leases by area in the Athabasca oil sands region, which is located in the province of Alberta, Canada. Since the Company's incorporation on 22 February 2007, Sunshine has secured over 464,897 hectares (1,148,785 acres) of oil sands leases (equal to approximately 7% of all granted leases in this area).

The Company's principal operations are the exploration, development and production of its diverse portfolio of oil sands leases. Its principal operating regions in the Athabasca area are at West Ells, Thickwood, Legend Lake, Harper, Muskwa, Goffer, Pelican and Portage. Sunshine's oil sands leases are grouped into three main asset categories: clastics, carbonates and conventional heavy oil.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND DISCLAIMER

This announcement may contain forward-looking information that is subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors. All statements other than statements and information of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The use of any words "estimate", "forecast", "expect", "project", "plan", "target", "vision", "goal", "outlook", "may", "will", "should", "believe", "intend", "anticipate", "potential", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on Sunshine's experience, current beliefs, assumptions, information and perception of historical trends available to Sunshine, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to those associated with resource definition and expected reserves and contingent and prospective resources estimates, unanticipated costs and expenses, regulatory approval, fluctuating oil and gas prices, expected future production, the ability to access sufficient capital to finance future development and credit risks, changes in Alberta's regulatory framework, including changes to regulatory approval process and land-use designations, royalty, tax, environmental, greenhouse gas, carbon and other laws or regulations and the impact thereof and the costs associated with compliance. Although the Company believes that the expectations represented by such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions and factors discussed in this information release are not exhaustive and readers are not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as our actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Sunshine disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, subsequent to the date of this announcement, except as required under applicable securities legislation. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this announcement and are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing lists are not exhaustive and are made as at the date hereof. For a full discussion of our material risk factors, see "Risk Factors" in our most recent Annual Information Form dated April 30, 2012 ("AIF"), "Risk Management" in our current MD&A and risk factors described in other documents we file from time to time with securities regulatory authorities, all of which are available on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange at www.hkexnews.hk, on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com or our website at www.sunshineoilsands.com.

This document does not constitute and is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy Common Shares of the Company in the United States (including its territories and possessions, any State of the United States and the District of Columbia) or elsewhere.

For further enquiries, please contact:

Sunshine Oilsands Ltd.
Mr. John Zahary
President & CEO
Mr. David Sealock
Executive VP, Corporate Operations
Tel: +1-403-984-1446
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.sunshineoilsands.com 

SOURCE Sunshine Oilsands Ltd.