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FY2018 Annual Report · EOG Resources
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High Impact
Exploration

Annual Report and Accounts 2018

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc 

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc is an 
AIM listed exploration and production 
company focused on very high impact 
exploration in Atlantic Ireland and 
supported by revenue from oil  
production in onshore UK.

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018

1

HIGHLIGHTS

Operational highlights

Contents

Highlights 
Chairman's statement 

STRATEGIC REPORT

Corrib and Slyne Basin 
Our Strategy 
Operations 
Risks and uncertainties 

GOVERNANCE

Chairman’s introduction to governance 
Audit committee report 
Remuneration committee report 
Nominations committee report 
Board of Directors 
Directors’ report 
Statement of Directors’ responsibilities 
Report of the Independent Auditor 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Consolidated statement of comprehensive income 
Consolidated statement of financial position 
Consolidated statement of changes in equity 
Company statement of financial position 
Company statement of changes in equity 
Consolidated statement of cash flows 
Company statement of cash flows 
Notes to the financial statements 

ADVISERS 

Directors and advisers 

Latest online

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IBC

=  Read all our latest news and  
 information on our website at  
 www.europaoil.com

OFFSHORE IRELAND

•  Six prospects with combined potential of 2.5 trillion cubic feet 
(tcf) of Gas Initially In Place (‘GIIP’) mapped on LO 16/20 in the 
Slyne Basin

•  Completed Pre-stack Depth Migration (‘PSDM’) reprocessing of 

1,548km2 3D seismic covering FEL 1/17 and FEL 3/13, in the South 
Porcupine. Prospect inventory upgraded to 3.5 billion boe gross 
mean unrisked prospective resources (‘GMUPR’) in six prospects

•  Completed PSDM reprocessing of 950km2 3D seismic over FEL 
2/13. Prospect inventory identified 817mmboe GMUPR in three 
top ranked prospects

•  Porcupine virtual data room (‘VDR’) and farmout process opened

•  Commenced PSDM reprocessing of 770km2 3D seismic data over 

LO 16/20 and preliminary drilling planning for a possible 2019 
exploration well on the Inishkea prospect

•  Completed 976km2 3D seismic acquisition over Cairn Energy 

operated LO 16/19

UK

•  PEDL180 (Wressle) the Planning Inspectorate rejected an appeal 
against North Lincolnshire County Council Planning Committee’s 
decision to reject a planning application for the Wressle oil 
development. A new planning application for the Wressle oil 
development has been submitted to North Lincolnshire County 
Council and is in the review process

•  The application to extend planning permission at the Wressle site 
was refused by the planning committee; an appeal against this 
decision has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate 

Financial highlights

•  Group revenue of £1.6m (2017: £1.6m)

•  Exploration write-off £1.3m (2017: nil)

•  Pre-tax loss of £2.3m (2017: loss £0.7m)

•  Post-tax loss for the year £2.6m (2017: loss £0.5m)

•  Cash used in operating activities £0.48m (2017: cash used £0.26m)

•  Net cash balance at 31 July 2018 £1.8m (31 July 2017: £3.6m)

Post reporting date events

•  PEDL143 (Holmwood) the Secretary of State for Environment, 

Food and Rural Affairs, decided not to renew the lease at Bury Hill 
Wood, Coldharbour Lane leading to a withdrawal of the planning 
application to drill from the site

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2

CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT

Focused on building 
a pipeline of drill-ready 
opportunities, each 
of which has game-
changing potential.

For an explorer and producer such as Europa, drilling 
wells is a key value driving activity. While Europa did not 
participate in drilling activity during the review period, 
considerable technical work has been undertaken 
across our asset base to make our prospects drill-
ready. We have initiated the planning phase for drilling 
what could be a transformational well on our Inishkea 
prospect in the Slyne Basin, offshore Ireland as early 
as 2019. Our intention is to participate in not one, but a 
series of high impact wells offshore Ireland and we have 
therefore been focused on building a pipeline of drill-
ready opportunities, each of which has game-changing 
potential. I am pleased to report that we are on target to 
exceed the six drill-ready prospects by the end of 2018 
foreseen in our last Annual Report and Accounts. 

OFFSHORE IRELAND
With six licences covering an area of 4,985km² and containing over 
30 prospects that potentially hold GMUPR of more than 6.4 billion 
barrels of oil equivalent and 2.5 tcf of GIIP, Europa has an industry-
leading position in Atlantic Ireland. For an oil and gas company of 
Europa’s size to be actively involved in opening up an emerging 
hydrocarbon region alongside supermajors, majors and large 
independents such as Exxon, Nexen, Equinor, TOTAL, Woodside 
and Cairn Energy, is a considerable achievement and one which 
we intend to build on.

During the year and post period end, technical work programmes 
have been undertaken across our offshore Ireland portfolio. The 
objective, specifically for our South Porcupine and Slyne licences, 
has been to de-risk existing prospects and leads and deliver 
drill-ready targets. Though work is ongoing, this programme 
has been highly successful and today Europa has six drill-ready 
targets, with more expected by the end of the year. We are now 
in a position to embark on the next phase of exploration in Atlantic 
Ireland, namely drilling. 

In line with this, planning is underway to drill a potentially 
transformational well as early as 2019 on LO 16/20 in the Slyne 
Basin, the Group’s flagship licence where multiple structures with 
potentially over 2.5 tcf GIIP have been mapped. The combination 
of a robust geological model that has undergone rigorous technical 
scrutiny, the targeting of a gas play that has been proven up by the 
nearby producing Corrib field and the Shell 18/20-7 gas discovery 
well drilled in 2010, the close proximity to infrastructure, and 
relatively low drilling costs due to shallow water depths, all make 
LO 16/20 a compelling investment. We are therefore focusing on 
securing industry or financial partners at the project level to enable 
operations to commence as soon as possible.

Elsewhere work on FELs 2/13, 3/13 and 1/17 in the South Porcupine 
has been centred on upgrading previously mapped prospects 
to drill-ready status so that once partners are in place, well 
planning and drilling can commence. The results have exceeded 
expectations. Not only has the multi-billion barrel prospectivity of the 
licences been confirmed and drill-ready targets been defined for 
each of the licences, but the definition of the structures and geology 
have been greatly enhanced. The very positive response by the 
industry to the formal launch of the farmout in July 2018 suggests 
we are not alone in being impressed by the results. 

Subject to farmouts being secured and in line with our strategy, 
shareholders could soon be exposed to a series of high impact 
wells offshore Ireland. Furthermore, following a major seismic 
acquisition programme over the last few years, other operators are 
moving forward with their own drilling plans. Nexen, for example, 
is due to drill a well in FEL 3/18 during 2019. Our licences feature 
all the plays being targeted, including the Cretaceous Fan play 
(a prolific producer offshore West Africa), the Cretaceous Shelf 
(which has yielded large discoveries offshore Senegal), the pre-rift 
play (from which 15 billion barrels have already been produced 
from the UKCS Brent Province) and the Syn-Rift play (which has 
attracted considerable investment offshore Newfoundland). 
As a result, Europa stands to benefit from any and all successes 
in Atlantic Ireland.

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc STRATEGIC REPORT3

OUTLOOK
A significant part of Europa’s strategy is high impact exploration 
centred on gaining early entry into new plays, undertaking 
comprehensive technical work to identify and de-risk targets to the 
point of drilling and then securing partners to take licences forward. 
Having built up an industry leading licence position in the emerging 
hydrocarbon hotspot that is Atlantic Ireland and having subsequently 
established an inventory of high-grade prospects in various plays 
that is attracting the attention of industry heavyweights, Europa’s 
management and technical teams have shown they can deliver. The 
Board is therefore keen to replicate this success elsewhere and as 
a result new ventures that complement Europa’s existing skillset and 
portfolio offshore Ireland and onshore UK licences are being pursued. 

Much work still remains to be done across our existing assets, notably 
securing partners with whom we can drill wells in the South Porcupine 
and also completing well planning in the proven Slyne Basin so that 
we are in a position to drill. A considerable amount of activity is taking 
place both inside and outside our existing portfolio and I look forward 
to providing further updates during the year ahead, as we focus on 
exposing our shareholders to multiple value additive opportunities in 
a cost and risk efficient manner. 

I would like to thank the management, employees, consultants and 
operational personnel for their dedicated work and also the Board 
for their support and help with the changes during the year.

Finally, may I thank our shareholders for their steadfast support over 
the past year when we have seen the beginnings of a recovery in our 
industry which I believe will be to the ultimate benefit of Europa.

SIMON ODDIE 
NON-EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN 
16 October 2018

ONSHORE UK
During the year under review, Europa’s production averaged 94 
boepd from three fields in the East Midlands petroleum province, 
confirming Europa’s position as the third largest onshore UK oil 
producer. We constantly strive to increase our production, not just 
by making new discoveries, but also by evaluating and implementing 
initiatives to increase production and recovery rates at our existing oil 
fields. A number of operational initiatives are underway and we hope 
to be in a position to report the results later in 2018. 

Bringing new discoveries online offers the potential to step up 
production rates. With this in mind, we had hoped the Wressle 
discovery would be brought onstream in the first half of 2018 at an 
estimated rate of 500 bopd gross. At this level, our 30% interest 
would have resulted in more than a doubling of our net production 
to over 240 boepd. Following two unsuccessful planning applications 
to develop the field in 2017, both of which had been recommended 
by North Lincolnshire Council’s own planning officers, Wressle 
remains undeveloped. A new application has since been submitted 
by the operator, Egdon Resources, and a decision by the Council’s 
Planning Committee is expected later in 2018. The partners are 
confident that this latest plan comprehensively deals with all 
outstanding issues and that this lucrative low risk development 
opportunity will soon gain the necessary approvals to enable it to be 
brought on stream without further delay. 

There has been disappointment for our Holmwood prospect on 
PEDL143 which lies close to the Horse Hill discovery and Brockham 
field in the Weald Basin. Post period end the Secretary of State for 
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs declined to renew the lease 
for the drill site. As a consequence we have had to withdraw our 
application to extend planning permission to drill from the Bury 
Hill Wood site. The plan now is to evaluate PEDL143’s remaining 
prospectivity and develop a forward plan for the licence in 
conjunction with our partners.

NEW LICENCE AREAS
In the year we have evaluated a number of new opportunities 
outside our existing portfolio. These have been at various stages 
of development and I am pleased to report that following completion 
of a comprehensive new country screening study an application 
has been made for a high impact exploration licence that has 
technical synergy with our existing Atlantic margin portfolio. We shall 
continue to seek projects that will add value, diversity and strength 
to Europa’s portfolio.

BOARD CHANGES
In January 2018, changes were made to the Board, including my 
appointment as Non-Executive Chairman following Colin Bousfield’s 
decision to step down from this role. I am a petroleum engineer with 
a background in senior oil and gas management, deal evaluation 
and execution, fundraising and investor relations most recently with 
Gemini Oil and Gas and Enterprise Oil. Brian O’Cathain, a geologist 
and petroleum engineer, was also appointed as a Non-Executive 
Director. He has held senior technical and commercial roles in major 
E&P companies, including Shell International, Enterprise Oil and 
Tullow Oil and gained first-hand knowledge of Corrib and the Slyne 
Basin when he was Managing Director of Enterprise Oil Ireland with 
responsibility for advancing Corrib towards development. Together 
we look forward to continuing our contribution to the exciting future 
of Europa.

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements4

CORRIB AND SLYNE BASIN 

Q&A with Brian O’Cathain, 
Non-Executive Director

Q  Can you tell us about the Slyne Basin?
A  The Slyne Basin is a sedimentary basin located off  
the west coast of Ireland. It contains the Corrib gas 
field and Europa’s Inishkea gas prospects in LO 
16/20. The proven hydrocarbon system is the Triassic 
gas play.

Q  How are the Corrib field and Inishkea progressing?
A  Corrib came on stream in late 2015 and is now an  

important supply of gas for Ireland. The gas is used  
for electricity generation and domestic and industrial  
heating. In 2017 Corrib accounted for 66% of Ireland’s  
gas demand. Corrib is now in long-term decline  
whereas Ireland’s demand for gas is forecast to  
rise. Europa’s Inishkea gas prospects can potentially  
provide additional gas supply to Ireland growing  
economy as wells as delivering security of supply,  
jobs and tax revenue.

Q  Can you tell us some more about your  

experience and how you are adding value  
to this project?

A  I’m a geologist and petroleum engineer by 

background. I have significant technical and  
commercial experience of Corrib and the Slyne  
Basin. In the early 2000’s I was managing director  
of Enterprise Oil Ireland and was responsible for 
the Corrib appraisal programme and for obtaining 
government approval for the Corrib gas field plan  
of development and Petroleum Lease. My knowledge 
of Corrib is relevant to Europa’s Inishkea project,  
which is very close to Corrib, and in a similar 
geological setting. 

Q  What are your key Inishkea targets over the next  

few years?

A  The key objectives are to complete 3D PSDM   

reprocessing, interpret the new data, deliver a new  
prospect inventory, define drilling location(s), drill,  
and hopefully appraise, develop and bring on  
stream by 2025. 

Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc STRATEGIC REPORT 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5

Europa mapped 2.5 tcf 
of undiscovered Gas 
Initially In Place (‘GIIP’) in 
six prospects. The new 
3D PSDM seismic data 
will deliver drill ready 
prospects, commercially 
significant prospective 
resources and a drilling 
location for a well to be 
drilled as early as 2019.

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements6

OUR STRATEGY

Europa’s objective is to generate substantial 
shareholder value from the discovery of  
oil and gas.

Strategy

Europa’s strategy is to deploy our technical and evaluation skills 
to make early ground floor entry into basins with good potential 
for high impact exploration projects and to participate in projects 
which can create value for the Company. We seek opportunities 
where fiscal terms are good, entry costs are low, historic data is 
readily available and with a well organised and supportive industry 
regulator. Our preference is for jurisdictions where political, 
regulatory and security risks are low. We build the technical case 
and bring in industry partners sometimes through farmout to 
fund higher cost activity such as 3D seismic acquisition and most 
importantly drilling. 

We will actively manage the portfolio to accelerate, terminate or 
hold projects as appropriate to the prevailing circumstances.

Europa has an industry leading position in Atlantic Ireland across a 
range of hydrocarbon plays and basins and this is a key location for 
high impact exploration. We are actively seeking new opportunities 
for high impact exploration in new jurisdictions. 

Onshore UK is a source of real oil production and is generating 
real revenue. We are seeking to maximise production in our existing 
operated fields as well as considering new opportunities in the 
production space.

Our key performance 
indicators

NON-FINANCIAL KPIs
1.  Health, safety and environmental measures
2. Production (boepd and non-productive time)
3. Progress with all the licences in which the Group 

has interests

4. Participation in ongoing and future licensing rounds
=  Non-financial analysis is provided in the Operations  

review on pages 8 to 13

FINANCIAL KPIs
1.  Revenue
2. Profit
3. Cash from operations
4. Net cash balance
=  Financial analysis is provided in the Operations review  

on page 13

STRATEGY IN ACTION

Read more on our Operations
= page 8

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc STRATEGIC REPORT 
 
 
Operations and 
development

The principal activity of the Group is 
investment in oil and gas exploration, 
development and production. The Group’s 
assets and activities are currently located in 
Ireland and the United Kingdom. The Board 
regards Atlantic Ireland as the main core 
area where we have built a portfolio of 
potentially company-making exploration 
projects. The Board is considering other 
investments in the North Atlantic, Europe 
and the Mediterranean.

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AREAS O

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OPERATOR 

EQUITY 

STATUS

Europa 

100% 

Exploration

OUR PORTFOLIO

COUNTRY 

AREA 

Ireland 

South Porcupine 

Slyne Basin 
Padraig Basin 

East Midlands 

UK 

Weald 

LICENCE 

FEL 2/13 

FEL 3/13 
FEL 1/17 
LO 16/19 

LO 16/20 
LO 16/22 

DL 003 
DL 001 
PL 199/215 
PEDL180 
PEDL181 
PEDL182 
PEDL299 
PEDL343 

PEDL143 

FIELD/
PROSPECT 

9 prospects and leads 
incl. Kiely East
Beckett, Wilde, Shaw 
Ervine, Edgeworth, PR3 
2 leads 

6 prospects and leads 
6 leads 

Europa 
Europa 
Cairn 

Europa 
Europa 

West Firsby 
Crosby Warren 
Whisby-4 
Wressle 

Europa 
Europa 
BPEL 
Egdon 
Europa 
Egdon 
Ineos 
Cloughton  Third Energy 

Broughton North 
Hardstoft 

Holmwood 

Europa 

100% 
100% 
30% 

100% 
100% 

100% 
100% 
65% 
30% 
50% 
30% 
25% 
35% 

20% 

Exploration
Exploration
Exploration

Exploration
Exploration

Production
Production
Production
Development
Exploration
Exploration
Field 
Appraisal

Exploration

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8

OPERATIONS

Offshore Ireland

EXPLORATION
Europa’s portfolio of six licences in Atlantic Ireland covers an area 
of over 4,985km2, includes six play types in three basins and 
contains over 30 prospects and leads that potentially hold over 
6.4 billion barrels GMUPR of oil and 2.5 tcf of gas (‘GIIP’). 

The region has seen considerable activity and investment by 
supermajors, majors and leading independents in recent years. 
Specifically, ~30,000km² of 3D seismic has been acquired by blue 
chip operators such as Exxon, Woodside, Nexen, Cairn and Equinor 
as part of work programmes centred on de-risking a diverse range 
of plays that have proven to be prolific elsewhere in the North 
and South Atlantic margins. In the South Porcupine Basin, these 
include the Cretaceous Fan and Shelf plays which are considered 
to be analogous to the Jubilee and Mahogany oil fields in the 
equatorial Atlantic Margin province and Cairn’s SNE discovery, 
offshore Senegal; the Pre-rift that is analogous to the North Sea 
Brent Province and Syn-rift plays that are analogous to the Flemish 
Pass play offshore Newfoundland. Meanwhile due to the producing 
Corrib gas field, Triassic gas is a proven play in the Slyne Basin. 
Europa has a diversified prospect portfolio and is exposed to 
all these hydrocarbon plays. Any success in the region by other 
operators is therefore expected to have a positive read across 
for the Company.

The acquisition and interpretation of substantial volumes of 3D 
seismic data by the industry has taken place over the last five years 
and represents the first phase of exploration in the Irish Atlantic 
Margin. The next five-year stage is likely to involve a sustained 
period of drilling activity, starting in 2019 with Nexen testing the 
Iolar prospect on FEL 3/18. Europa intends to play an active role in 
this drilling phase, initially at its flagship Inishkea gas exploration 
project near the Corrib gas field in LO 16/20. Here the Company 
has identified 2.5 tcf of GIIP across six prospects on the licence. 
In parallel with ongoing work to upgrade the prospects on LO 16/20 
to drill ready status, planning has commenced with a view to drilling 
a well in 2019. 

Outside LO 16/20, during the period a substantial 2,498km² 
Pre- Stack Depth Migration (‘PSDM’) 3D seismic reprocessing 
project was completed over the Company’s three operated licences 
in the South Porcupine, FELs 2/13, 3/13 and 1/17. Following this work, 
Europa now has six drill-ready targets in the basin: Kiely East and 
Kiely West in FEL 2/13, Beckett and Wilde in FEL 3/13 and Edgeworth 
and Ervine in FEL 1/17. Our top ranked prospects for site survey and 
drilling are Kiely East, Wilde and Edgeworth. A virtual data room for 
prospective farminees was opened in July 2018 with the objective 
to secure partners to drill wells on the Company’s Porcupine 
licences. Target farminees are supermajors, majors and large 
independents and they are currently active in both the physical 
and virtual data rooms.

Slyne Basin: LO 16/20 (Inishkea)
LO 16/20 is located in the Slyne Basin adjacent to the producing 
Corrib gas field. Unlike licences in the South Porcupine Basin, 
LO 16/20 is very much exploration in a proven basin comprised of 
Triassic sandstone reservoirs in tilted fault block structures, with gas 
generated from Carboniferous source rocks.  

In 2010, Shell drilled the 18/20-7 exploration well into the Corrib 
North structure on LO 16/20, 7km from the Corrib gas field. Recently 
released well data has revealed that the well encountered a 70m 
gas column in the same Triassic sandstone reservoir as the Corrib 
field. As drilling was terminated in the reservoir, Europa believes 
the full gas column could be up to 170m and the surface area of the 
structure could extend to 5.75km². The presence of a gas reservoir 
substantially de- risks not just Corrib North but other prospects on 
the licence. 

Based on the interpretation of historic 3D and 2D seismic, Europa 
has to date identified 2.54 tcf GIIP in six prospects and leads in the 
Triassic Gas hydrocarbon play on LO 16/20 (see table):

PROSPECT

Corrib North discovery

Inishkea

Inishkea NW

Inishkea W

Corrib NW

Bofin lead

Total

GIIP (TCF

)

0.04

1.10

1.09

0.21

0.03

0.07

2.54

The over 2 tcf of prospective GIIP on LO 16/20 is likely to result in 
significant prospective resources assuming the 80% recovery factor 
achieved at Corrib is appropriate. The Inishkea prospects are in 
relatively shallow water in a proven gas play some 18km from the 
Corrib gas field and associated infrastructure connecting it to the 350 
million cubic feet of gas per day Bellanaboy gas processing plant. 
The Corrib field production is currently in decline and spare capacity 
may become available in the Corrib gas infrastructure well before any 
LO 16/20 discovery would be developed. LO 16/20 offers low risk, 
high impact exploration prospects that can be potentially fast tracked 
to commercialisation. As a result, during the year under review the 
Inishkea prospects were upgraded by the Group to flagship status.

EL 3/05 

LO 16/20 
(100%)

LO

 16/23 

LO

 16/26 

Shell E&P

Corrib

EL 1/06 

LO
 11/13 

EL
4/06 

Bellanaboy

Gas Terminal

km

0

20

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc STRATEGIC REPORT9

The new PSDM datasets for FEL 3/13, FEL 1/17 and FEL 2/13 from 
reprocessing completed in October 2017 and May 2018 has not 
only resulted in changes to the respective prospect volumes but, by 
significantly improving the accuracy of the maps, have substantially 
increased the Company’s confidence in the numbers. For example, 
the reprocessed data provided new insights into the Cretaceous 
fan prospects including the best evidence yet of hydrocarbons 
including updip pinchout, a gas-oil contact and conformance 
to structure.

The completion of the PSDM programme and new prospect 
inventory acted as the trigger for the opening of a virtual data room 
for prospective farminees to our three South Porcupine licences. 
Despite only launching in July 2018, the Company has been highly 
encouraged by the numbers of companies who have already 
entered or are seeking access to both the physical and virtual 
data rooms.

The 2019 Nexen well in FEL 3/18 will drill the Iolar prospect. 
We understand that this is a pre-rift play, Europa has five pre-
rift prospects in FEL 2/13 and FEL 1/17 with combined GMUPR of 
just over 1 billion boe. If Iolar is successful there may be positive 
technical and commercial read-across resulting in a de-risking 
of Europa’s prospects. 

The objective is to be able to drill a well on LO 16/20 in 2019.  
To get to this point, various work streams are being run concurrently 
to upgrade the prospects to drill ready status, oversee well planning, 
find a rig and secure funding partners. PSDM reprocessing of the 
existing 3D seismic is being undertaken to upgrade the quality of the 
data, deliver a new prospect inventory and de-risk the prospects. 
Reprocessing started in March 2018 and remains on course to be 
completed on schedule and on budget in Q4 2018. At this point 
and subject to the results, a drill location for an Inishkea exploration 
well will be identified and we anticipate adding further drill ready 
prospects to the six already identified in the South Porcupine. OPC, 
a specialist subsurface and production engineering group, has been 
engaged for porosity and permeability modelling, development 
scenarios and costings.

Given these circumstances, the Company is confident its dual 
focused strategy to fund an Inishkea exploration well will be 
successful either by securing industry partners via a conventional 
farmout or financial partners investing directly into the Company’s 
wholly owned subsidiary Europa Oil & Gas (Inishkea) Limited.

South Porcupine Basin: FELs 1/17, 2/13 and 3/13
Europa holds four licences in the South Porcupine Basin. These 
include three operated licences, FELs 1/17, 2/13 and 3/13, which are 
estimated to hold gross mean un-risked prospective resources 
of 4.3 billion barrels of oil equivalent (‘boe’) across our top nine 
prospects, including firm drilling targets Edgeworth in FEL 1/17, 
Wilde in 3/13 and Kiely East in 2/13. The above volumetrics utilise 
prospect mapping based on the 2017 and 2018 reprocessed PSDM 
3D seismic data originally acquired in 2013. This has resulted in a 
marked improvement in seismic quality and a substantial de-risking 
of the prospect inventory. The table below summarises the GMUPR 
across selected prospects in FELs 1/17, 2/13 and 3/13 in the South 
Porcupine Basin:

LICENCE

PROSPECT

FEL 1/17

FEL 1/17

FEL 1/17

FEL 3/13

FEL 3/13

FEL 3/13

FEL 2/13

FEL 2/13

FEL 2/13

TOTAL

Ervine

Edgeworth

Egerton

Beckett

Shaw+

Wilde

Kiely East+

Kiely West+

Kilroy+

PLAY

Pre-rift

Pre-rift

Syn-rift

Mid-Cretaceous Fan

Mid-Cretaceous Fan

Early Cretaceous Fan

Pre-rift

Pre-rift

Cret. Slope Apron

GROSS UN-RISKED PROSPECTIVE RESOURCES (MMBOE*)

LOW

BEST

HIGH

MEAN

63

49

59

111

20

45

52

23

37

159

156

148

758

196

241

187

123

177

363

476

301

4,229

1,726

1,082

612

534

734

192

225

167

1,719

747

462

280

225

312

4,329

*Million barrels of oil equivalent. The hydrocarbon system is considered an oil play and mmboe is used to take account of associated gas. 
+Prospect extends outside licence, volumes are on-licence.

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements10

OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)

Offshore Ireland (continued)

South Porcupine Basin: LO 16/19
Europa holds a 30% interest in the Cairn-operated LO 16/19 on 
the west side of the South Porcupine. 3D seismic was acquired 
in mid-2017 and delivery of a final processed product is expected 
in Q4 2018 leading to a prospect inventory in 2019. Following the 
farm-out in April 2017, Europa is carried on this work programme 
by Cairn Energy up to a cap of US$6 million. 

Padraig Basin: LO 16/22
LO16/22 is located in the Padraig Basin on the eastern margin of 
the Rockall Trough. The most relevant analogue for Padraig, which 
is a remnant Jurassic basin, is the conjugate margin play offshore 
Newfoundland in the Flemish Pass Basin and which hosts the 300 
million barrel Bay du Nord oil discovery made in 2013. While the 
South Porcupine Basin is also a possible analogue for the Flemish 
Pass Basin, Europa’s restoration of the conjugate margin prior to the 
spreading of the Atlantic seafloor suggests the Padraig could be a 
better fit. Recent geochemical studies on light oil recovered from 
seabed cores show the presence of the bisnorhopane biomarker 
and indicates an affinity with Late Jurassic sourced oil similar to the 
Dooish discovery in Rockall and West of Shetland oil fields. 

Structures of significant size have been mapped on 2D seismic 
acquired in 1998, along with multiple leads in both pre-rift and 
syn-rift hydrocarbon plays in water depths ranging from 800m to 
2,000m. Gross mean un-risked indicative resources are estimated 
to be approximately 500 million boe. Work is underway to mature 
the leads to prospect status using historic 2D seismic and building 
on the high-quality technical work previously conducted by major 
oil companies. 

Slyne Basin: LO 16/21
Following completion of the agreed work programme, including a 
full technical assessment, Europa concluded that the prospectivity 
of LO 16/21 was limited. Europa believes that the licence would 
compete poorly with other prospects in Atlantic Ireland and be 
unlikely to attract drilling funds in the short to medium term. On that 
basis, we decided to relinquish the licence. Relinquishment became 
effective 30 June 2018. Accumulated expenditure of £97,000 was 
written-off in the period.

LO 16/19 – 3D seismic data 
acquired

•  Farmed out to Cairn April 2017
•  Summer 2017: 3D seismic acquired
•  3D seismic processing in progress
•  Convert to FEL late 2018
•  Final 3D product H2 2018
•  Prospect inventory H1 2019
•  Cretaceous fan play
•  Fed by channels in FEL 2/13

FEL
 5/14 

LO
 16/18 

LO
 16/19
(30%) 

FEL
 2/13
(100%) 

LO
 16/27 

FEL
 3/14 

FEL
 5/13 

FEL
 1/13 

FEL
 3/04 

LO
 16/17 

FEL
 4/14 

LO
 16/25 

LO
 16/28 

LO
LO
 16/7 
 16/7 

FEL
 2/14 

FEL
 3/13
(100%) 

FEL
1/17
(100%) 

km

0

20

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc STRATEGIC REPORT11

Onshore UK

PRODUCTION
East Midlands: West Firsby; Crosby Warren; Whisby-4
Europa produces from three oilfields in the East Midlands: West 
Firsby (100% working interest); Crosby Warren (100% working 
interest); and the Whisby-4 well (65% non-operated interest). During 
the 12 months to 31 July 2018, 94 boepd were recovered from the 
three fields (2017: 113 boepd) with all the oil transported by road 
to the Immingham refinery. In terms of UK onshore oil production 
(excluding gas) Europa ranks third behind the Wytch Farm Group 
and IGas.

At current oil prices the Company’s existing production covers our 
operating overhead. Initiatives are underway to increase production 
at the existing operated oil fields at Crosby Warren and West Firsby. 
This work is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2018.

DEVELOPMENT
East Midlands: PEDL180 (Wressle); PEDL182 (Broughton North)
The Wressle oil discovery is located on PEDL180 which lies on the 
same structural trend as, and 5km southeast of, Europa’s producing 
Crosby Warren field. The Wressle-1 conventional exploration well 
was drilled in August 2014 and production testing in 2015 delivered 
a combined flowrate of over 700 boepd from three reservoir 
intervals: Ashover Grit; Wingfield Flags; and Penistone Flags. 
Reservoir engineering analyses indicate an initial production flow 
rate of 500 bopd gross from the Ashover Grit interval at Wressle. 
The Broughton North exploration prospect on PEDL182 lies adjacent 
and north of PEDL180. In 1984, a well drilled by BP discovered oil 
at Broughton.

Glentworth

East
Glentworth

DL3 (100%)

West Firsby

Torksey

RAF Scampton

W4 (65%)

Whisby

Scampton
North

Dunholme

Scampton

Welton

Nettleham

Lincoln

Barton upon
Humber

DL1 (100%) Crosby Warren

PEDL182 (30%)

Broughton

Wressle

Scunthorpe

0

km

10

0

km

10

PEDL180 (30%)

A CPR undertaken in 2016 by ERCE assigned gross 2P reserves 
of 0.65 million boe to the Wressle structure in the Ashover and 
Wingfield Flags and gross 2C contingent resources of 1.86 million 
boe in the Penistone Flags. The CPR also assigned gross mean 
un-risked prospective resources of 0.6 million boe and a geological 
chance of success of 50% to Broughton North.

In January 2018 the Planning Inspectorate rejected an appeal 
by the partnership against North Lincolnshire Council Planning 
Committee’s decision to refuse planning permission for the Wressle 
oil development. A new planning application for the Wressle oil field 
development was submitted in July 2018 by the operator Egdon 
Resources. This is currently being processed by North Lincolnshire 
Council’s planning officers ahead of their recommendation being 
made to the Council’s Planning Committee, expected later in 
2018. A separate application to extend planning consent at the 
Wressle site to 1 August 2019 was also submitted but, despite 
being recommended for approval by the Council’s planning 
officers, was refused by the Planning Committee in August 2018. 
The partners have submitted an appeal against this refusal to the 
Planning Inspectorate. 

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements12

OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)

Onshore UK

We have considered the possible impairment of the PEDL180 asset 
in the light of the planning decisions. The Council’s professional 
planning officers have consistently recommended the development 
for approval and we continue to believe that the case for a 
development of the Wressle discovery is strong and the partnership 
is committed to bringing the field into production (see note 1 – 
Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation 
uncertainty and note 10).

Europa holds a 30% working interest in PEDLs 180 and 182. On 24 
November 2016, Europa agreed the sale of a 10% interest in the two 
licences to Upland Resources. Completion of the sale was subject 
to planning and Field Development Plan (‘FDP’) approvals. Following 
the decision by the Planning Inspector in January 2018 to reject the 
appeals by the operator Egdon against the two planning refusals by 
North Lincolnshire County Council’s Planning Committee, Upland 
elected to withdraw from the sale agreement and Europa has repaid 
the £160,000 deposit to Upland in the period.

EXPLORATION
Weald Basin: PEDL143 (Holmwood)
Europa holds a 20% interest in and is the operator of PEDL143, 
which lies in the Weald Basin, Surrey, 8km to the East of the Horse 
Hill discovery. PEDL143 contains the Holmwood conventional oil 
prospect which was assigned gross mean prospective resources 
of 5.6 million boe. 

M25

M23

Dorking

Brockham 

Albury-1

Holmwood-1
(proposed)

PEDL143 (20%)
PEDL143

Horsehill-1

Gatwick

Crawley

0

km

10

In September 2015 planning permission was granted to drill a 
temporary exploratory borehole from the Bury Hill Wood site to 
a depth of 1,400m. In July 2018, the Environment Agency granted 
a permit to allow the drilling and testing of a single well for the 
purposes of oil and gas exploration. The initial term of PEDL 143 
was extended by the Oil and Gas Authority to 30 September 2020.

Post period end, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food 
and Rural Affairs, refused an application to extend the site lease 
and acting on behalf of the partnership, Europa withdrew its 
application to extend planning permission to drill the Holmwood 
exploration well from the Bury Hill Wood site. The partnership has 
since reinstated the site. The remaining prospectivity of PEDL143 
will now be considered which, in addition to the established 
Portland sandstone reservoirs, includes the Kimmeridge Limestone, 

an emerging play in the Weald Basin. As evidence of possible 
impairment existed prior to the reporting date, we have written 
down the value of the intangible asset being largely the investment 
to date in obtaining planning permission to drill from the Bury Hill 
Wood site, a charge to income of £1,145,000. 

East Midlands: PEDL299 (Hardstoft) 
PEDL299 contains the Hardstoft oil field which was discovered 
in 1919 by the UK’s first ever exploration well. Hardstoft produced 
26,000 barrels of oil from Carboniferous limestone reservoirs in 
the 1920s. We believe there is more oil in the Hardstoft structure 
and gross 2C contingent resources of 3.1 million boe and gross 3C 
contingent resources of 18.5 million boe were identified in a CPR 

Chesterfield
Calow

PEDL299 
(25%)

Bothamshall

Farleys Wood

Egmanton

Whisby

Eakring

Mansfield

Hardstoft

km

0

10

Newark

issued by joint venture partner Upland Resources. We believe that 
application of modern production testing and drilling methodologies 
could well lead to commercial oil flowrates being achieved. 
Europa’s interest in PEDL299, which is restricted to the conventional 
prospectivity including Hardstoft, is 25%, alongside Upland 25% and 
INEOS, the operator, 50%.

Cleveland Basin: PEDL343 (Cloughton)
PEDL343 contains the Cloughton gas discovery, which was 
successfully drilled by Bow Valley in 1986 and flowed a small 
amount of gas to surface on production test from conventional 
Carboniferous sandstone reservoirs. Europa regards Cloughton as a 
gas appraisal opportunity with the critical challenge being to obtain 
commercial flowrates from future production testing operations. 
Europa holds a 35% interest in PEDL343 alongside Arenite 15%, 
Third Energy 20% (operator), Egdon Resources 17.5% and Petrichor 
Energy 12.5%.

Southern North Sea: Block 41/24 
In December 2017, Europa announced the sale of its 50% interest 
in Promote Licence P2304 (UKCS Block 41/24) to Egdon along 
with joint venture partner Arenite Petroleum Limited (‘Arenite’) 
which also sold its 50% interest to Egdon as part of the same 
transaction. P2304 is located to the immediate south of Egdon’s 
100% owned licence P1929 (UKCS Blocks 41/18 and 41/19) offshore 
North Yorkshire. £46,000 spent on the licence was written-off in 
the period.

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc STRATEGIC REPORT13

A deferred tax asset in respect of accumulated tax losses of 
the Group was de-recognised in the period, to the extent that it 
exceeded the deferred tax liability as the timing of utilisation of 
those losses is uncertain. That resulted in a £0.7 million charge 
to the income statement.

The Group’s cash balance at 31 July 2018 was £1.8 million  
(31 July 2017: £3.6 million).

CONCLUSION AND OUTLOOK
The team’s confidence in the Company’s Atlantic Ireland licences 
has never been stronger. The results of the technical work on our 
three operated licences in the South Porcupine are eye-catching 
and have already attracted the target blue-chip audience to the 
recently opened data rooms. Ongoing work in the proven Triassic 
gas play in the Slyne Basin meanwhile has encouraged us to 
commence well planning so that we are able to drill a well in 
2019. With 2.5 tcf GIIP, a well on LO 16/20 would target substantial 
commercial volumes of gas. At a time when the decline of the 
nearby Corrib field is expected to gather pace, a discovery on 
LO 16/20 could become a major part of Ireland’s energy supply. 
Together with access to existing infrastructure and a strong gas 
price outlook, the Inishkea project is worthy of flagship status.

Nexen’s upcoming well in FEL 3/18 is anticipated to herald a new 
wave of drilling activity in Atlantic Ireland. We are working hard 
to ensure Europa does not merely watch from the sidelines in 
the knowledge that our industry leading licence position, which 
provides us with exposure to all the various plays being targeted, 
will benefit from any success in the region. Europa has played a 
pioneering role in Atlantic Ireland exploration and we intend to 
continue doing so by being directly involved in the next phase 
of activity, either by drilling wells as an operator or as a partner 
alongside major industry players. 

HGD MACKAY
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 
16 October 2018

East Midlands: PEDL181
PEDL181 provides exposure to the hydrocarbon potential of 
the Humber Basin. The licence has technical synergy with the 
adjacent PEDL334 which was awarded to an Egdon Resources-
led group in the 14th Round for the purpose of conventional and 
unconventional exploration.

NEW VENTURES
In the period, Europa has considered potential new venture 
opportunities in seven countries outside of Ireland and the UK. 
These range from greenfield exploration to brownfield re-
development projects in North Africa, Western Europe, and Central 
Europe. Only those opportunities which stand up to robust technical 
and commercial scrutiny and which meet the Company’s strict 
investment criteria, particularly in terms of cost, strategic fit, political, 
security and regulatory risk, and have clearly defined paths to 
value creation are being pursued. We continue to screen possible 
new ventures in areas which fit well with Europa’s strategy and 
technical skillset.

NON-FINANCIAL KPIs
There were no reportable accidents or incidents in the year 
(2017: zero). The Environment Agency completed the repermitting 
of the Crosby Warren and West Firsby sites in the year.

There were no new licence awards in the year (2017: zero).

FINANCIALS
Revenue was £1.6 million (2017: £1.6 million). An improving oil price 
offset the decline in production and unfavourable exchange rates 
during the period. The average oil price achieved was US$64.5/
bbl (2017: US$48.9/bbl) and the average Sterling exchange rate was 
US$1.35 (2017: US$1.27). An average of 94 boepd (2017: 113 boepd) 
was recovered from our three UK onshore fields, down as a result 
of natural decline and the loss of around 10 boepd from the West 
Firsby 6 well. Work aimed at restoring production from West Firsby 
6 is ongoing.

Stringent cost controls continue to be implemented. Cost of sales 
was £1,365,000 (2017: £1,459,000). 

Administrative expenses of £967,000 (2017: £553,000) included 
£151,000 spent on projects and £229,000 on new licence 
evaluations. In January 2018 salaries of head office staff were 
restored to their 2016 levels.

Net cash spent on operating activities was £479,000 (2017: cash 
spent £255,000).

Purchase of intangible fixed assets of £1.3 million (2017: £1.5 million) 
was largely spent advancing the Irish portfolio and on Holmwood. 
The Holmwood intangible asset was subsequently largely written 
off. As a result of the delay in receipt of planning consent for the 
Wressle development, £160,000 was repaid to Upland Resources.

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements14

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc 

STRATEGIC REPORT

RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES

Europa’s activities are subject to a range of financial 
risks including commodity prices, liquidity, exchange 
rates and loss of operational equipment or wells. 

These risks are managed with the oversight of the Board and the Audit Committee through ongoing review taking into account the 
operational, business and economic circumstances at that time.  The primary risk facing the business is that of liquidity.

KEY RISK

DESCRIPTION AND IMPACT

MITIGATION

FINANCIAL RISK

Funding

Significant expenditure is required to establish the extent of oil and 
gas reserves through seismic surveys and drilling and there can be no 
certainty that oil and gas reserves will be found. 

Detailed cash forecasts are prepared 
frequently and reviewed by 
management and the Board.

Licences may be revoked by the relevant issuing authority if 
commitments under those licences are not met. Further details of current 
licence commitments are given in notes 11 and 22.

Commodity 
price and foreign 
exchange

Each month’s oil production is sold at a small discount to Brent price 
in US Dollars. These funds are matched where possible against 
expenditures within the business. As most capital and operating 
expenditures are Sterling denominated, US Dollars are periodically 
sold to purchase Sterling. A fall in oil price could make some projects 
economically unviable.

All oil production is sold to one UK based refinery – if they were to stop 
buying Europa’s crude, additional transportation costs would be incurred.

OPERATIONAL 
RISK

Exploration, 
drilling and 
operational risk

The business of exploration and production of oil and gas involves a high 
degree of risk. Few prospects that are explored are ultimately developed 
into producing oil and gas fields.

There are numerous risks inherent in drilling and operating wells, 
many of which are beyond the Company’s control. Operations may be 
curtailed, delayed or cancelled as a result of environmental hazards, 
industrial accidents, occupational and health hazards, technical failures, 
weather, reservoir pressures, shortage or delays in the delivery of 
rigs and other equipment, labour disputes and compliance with 
governmental requirements. 

Drilling may involve unprofitable efforts, not only with respect to dry 
wells, but also to wells which, though yielding some oil or gas, are not 
sufficiently productive to justify commercial development. Completion of 
a well does not assure a profit on the investment or recovery of drilling, 
completion and operating costs. 

The Group’s production provides a 
monthly inflow of cash and is the main 
source of working capital and project 
finance. Additional cash is available 
through the placing of Europa shares in 
the market and the trading of assets.

The Board has considered the use 
of financial instruments to hedge oil 
price and US Dollar exchange rate 
movements. To date, the Board has not 
hedged against price or exchange rate 
movements but intends to regularly 
review this policy.

Current production comes from four oil 
wells located at three different sites. 
This diversity of producing assets gives 
Europa resilience in the event of a 
problem with one well, or site.

Appropriate insurance cover is obtained 
annually for all of Europa’s exploration, 
development and production activities.

Planning risk

Securing planning consent for onshore wells takes times and the 
outcome of planning applications is not certain.

The Group engages planning and legal 
specialists in the field.

On behalf of the Board 

PHIL GREENHALGH 
FINANCE DIRECTOR
16 October 2018

GOVERNANCE

CHAIRMAN’S INTRODUCTION TO GOVERNANCE

15

The Board intends to 
continuously review its 
governance framework 
in line with the Company’s 
plans for growth. 

HOW WE GOVERN THE GROUP
As Chairman of Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc, it is my 
responsibility to ensure that the Board is performing its role 
effectively and has the capacity, ability, structure and support 
to enable it to continue to do so.

Changes to AIM rules introduced on 30 March 2018 require  
AIM-quoted companies to apply a recognised corporate 
governance code by 28 September 2018. The information on 
Corporate Governance set out below and, on the website,  
www.europaoil.com is, in the opinion of the Board, fully in 
accordance with the revised requirements of AIM Rule 26.

The Board has determined that the Quoted Companies Alliance 
(‘QCA’) Corporate Governance Code for small and mid-size quoted 
companies (revised in April 2018 to meet the new requirements 
of AIM Rule 26) would be the most appropriate for the Group to 
adhere to.

The QCA Code is constructed around ten broad principles and 
a set of disclosures. The QCA has stated what it considers to 
be appropriate arrangements for growing companies and asks 
companies to provide an explanation of how they are meeting the 
principles through the prescribed disclosures. We have considered 
how we apply each principle to the extent that the Board judges 
these to be appropriate in the circumstances, and below we provide 
an explanation of the approach taken in relation to each. The Board 
considers that it does not depart from any of the principles of the 
QCA Code during the period under review.

The last twelve months has seen, amongst others, the following 
governance developments: 

•  Appointment of two new independent Non-Executive Directors – 
Simon Oddie as Non-Executive Chairman and Brian O’Cathain as 
Non-Executive Director 

•  Brian O’Cathain appointed as chair of the Remuneration 

Committee 

•  Roderick Corrie appointed as Senior Independent Director 

•  Simon Oddie and Roderick Corrie resolved to attend more 

shareholder meetings in 2019

•  A board evaluation review in September 2018, the main action 

points arising being:

•  To reduce the number of Board meetings in 2019 with a likely 

increase in the number of subcommittee meetings
•  To look for a female member at the next opportunity
•  To reconsider succession planning, remuneration 

and incentives

•  To review and test emergency action plans

For the purposes of clarity, the description of how the Group 
complies with the ten principles of the QCA Code begins with a 
summary of those areas where the Group does not fully comply, 
followed by a review of each of the principles in turn. 

Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statementsAnnual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 201816

CHAIRMAN’S INTRODUCTION TO GOVERNANCE
(CONTINUED)

PRINCIPLE 6:

ACTION

Ensure that between them the Directors have the necessary up-to-
date experience, skills and capabilities.

The Board has resolved to look for a female member at the 
next opportunity to add or replace a director.

“The Board should understand and challenge its own diversity, 
including gender balance, as part of its composition.”

PRINCIPLE 7:

ACTION

Evaluate board performance based on clear and relevant 
objectives, seeking continuous improvement.

The Remuneration Committee has resolved to reconsider 
succession planning in the coming year. 

“Succession planning is a vital task for boards.”

REVIEW OF EACH OF THE QCA PRINCIPLES

PRINCIPLE 1:

Establish a strategy and business model which promote long-term 
value for shareholders.

Our strategy is described here:
http://www.europaoil.com/strategy.aspx 

Also note:

•  The Board holds an annual review of strategy, the next is 

scheduled for November 2018

•  Strategy is assessed by discussion between the Directors
•  We do not use risk assessment as a strategy

PRINCIPLE 2:

Seek to understand and meet shareholder needs and expectations. The Company engages with shareholders by:

•  Publishing periodic newsletters
•  Emailing Regulatory News Service (‘RNS’) announcements to its 

subscriber list

•  Replying to investor questions sent to mail@europaoil.com either 

directly or through St Brides Partners Limited 

•  Proactive Investor presentations and interviews (made available 

on the website by links to “YouTube” recordings)

•  Conducting at least twice-yearly meetings with major 

shareholders on its results roadshows to obtain a balanced 
understanding of their issues and concerns

Shareholder liaison is the responsibility of the CEO and Chairman, 
with assistance from the Finance Director and the SID. 

At the last AGM, voting did not indicate any specific 
shareholder concerns. 

The Chairman and SID have resolved to meet more key 
shareholders in the coming year.

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc GOVERNANCE17

PRINCIPLE 3:

Take into account wider stakeholder and social responsibilities and 
their implications for long-term success.

Key stakeholders are:

PRINCIPLE 4:

Embed effective risk management, considering both opportunities 
and threats, throughout the organisation.

•  Phillips 66
•  Employees and consultants
•  Regulators (PAD, OGA, EA, HSE, Local Authorities)
•  Local communities

The CEO provides a weekly report to the Board which includes 
a section on Stakeholder and Social Responsibility. This includes 
Stakeholder feedback from multiple sources. 

Europa is a member of the UK Onshore Operator Group (‘UKOOG’) 
and through this forum has regular meetings with the EA and HSE.

As part of the planning process at Holmwood, Europa ran a number 
of town hall meetings to help explain the proposed development.

Engagement with UKOOG has helped improve our submissions to 
various regulatory authorities.

Europa is a member of the Irish Offshore Operators Association 
(‘IOOA’) which enables engagement with key stakeholders 
in Ireland.

The CFO has prepared a risk register for the Group that identifies 
key operational and financial risks. All members of the Board are 
provided with a copy of the register. The register is reviewed at 
least annually and is updated as and when necessary.

The Audit Committee monitors the integrity of the financial 
statements and related announcements, reviews the Company’s 
internal control processes and risk management systems, and 
reports its conclusions to the Board. The committee regularly 
reviews the effectiveness of the Company’s systems and 
risk management.

Within the scope of the annual audit, specific financial risks 
including foreign currency, interest rates, liquidity and credit are 
evaluated in detail.

All members of staff and contractors are provided with a handbook 
which includes sections on share dealing, bribery and whistle-
blowing. The handbook is updated and reissued regularly.

We do not currently have a risk management framework, a risk 
management improvement programme a risk training programme, 
workshops, “risk appetite” or monitoring dashboard but will review 
if any of these would be beneficial in the coming year.

Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statementsAnnual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 201818

CHAIRMAN’S INTRODUCTION TO GOVERNANCE
(CONTINUED)

PRINCIPLE 5:

Maintain the Board as a well-functioning, balanced team led by 
the chair.

All of the four NED’s are considered by the Board to be 
independent.

Biographies are available at:
http://www.europaoil.com/directors.aspx

Three of the Board’s Non-Executive Directors, Simon Oddie, 
Roderick Corrie and Brian O’Cathain hold share options. Whilst 
recognising that the granting of options to Non-Executive Directors 
can be deemed to compromise independence in accordance 
with the principles of the QCA Corporate Governance Code, the 
Board views this to be part of a balanced remuneration package 
to attract and retain high quality candidates and considers the 
numbers of options to have no effect upon the independence of 
these Directors as the sums are insignificant in the context of the 
individual’s financial circumstances.

Two of the Board’s Non-Executive Directors, William Ahlefeldt-
Laurvig and Roderick Corrie, have been members for more than 
the nine years recommended by QCA Corporate Governance 
Code. The Board believes them to be independent in character 
and free from any relationship that could affect their independent 
judgement. This is demonstrated by their objective and active 
contribution in Board meetings and their voting record. 

The appointment of Simon Oddie and Brian O’Cathain in January 
2018 has compensated somewhat for their seniority and reduced 
the average tenure of the Board. Directors serving more than 6 
years will be proposed for re-election at each AGM.

Hugh Mackay (CEO) and Phil Greenhalgh (FD and Company 
Secretary) are full time employees. 

Simon Oddie (Non-Executive Chairman); Brian O’Cathain, Roderick 
Corrie and William Ahlefeldt-Laurvig (all Non-Executive Directors) 
are all expected to devote such time as is necessary for the proper 
performance of their duties including attendance at up to eleven 
Board meetings per year, the AGM, and Board committee meetings. 

The minimum numbers of meetings for committees are: Audit 
Committee – two; Remuneration Committee – one (though there 
was no Remuneration Committee meeting held in the period – the 
last meeting was held 8 June 2017); and Nomination Committee – 
one. Meetings held and attendance records of all directors for the 
period 1 August 2017 to 31 July 2018 are set out on the website.

The Board is balanced in terms of experience, and the split 
between Executive and Non-Executive Directors.

All Board and Board committee members received agenda and 
associated papers a few days in advance of meetings.

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc GOVERNANCEPRINCIPLE 6:

Ensure that between them the Directors have the necessary up-to-
date experience, skills and capabilities.

PRINCIPLE 7:

Evaluate Board performance based on clear and relevant 
objectives, seeking continuous improvement.

19

Members of the Board of Directors are listed at  
http://www.europaoil.com/directors.aspx including their relevant 
experience, skills and personal qualities. There is an appropriate 
breadth of experience covering the key aspects of the business 
including technical, operational, financial and international. The 
gender balance needs to be addressed and is under consideration. 
It is the responsibility of each director to keep skills up to date with 
the assistance of the Chairman who has a core responsibility in 
addressing the development needs of the Board as a whole with 
a view to enhancing its overall effectiveness.

Board Committees call on external advisers where this is 
deemed necessary. 

No significant matters of a corporate governance nature arose 
during the period covered by the 2018 Annual Report nor 
subsequently to the date of this statement on which it was 
considered necessary for the Board or any of its committees to 
seek specific external advice, although the Board consults with 
its Nominated Adviser and other professional advisers on routine 
matters arising in the ordinary course of its business.

The main internal advisory functions are those of Senior 
Independent Director and Company Secretary (shared with the 
Finance Director function).

New directors receive training from the Company Nominated 
Adviser and broker.

In 2018 with two new directors in place, the Board undertook 
an effectiveness review utilising a PwC developed assessment 
tool. Each director fed back to the Chairman and results were 
assimilated and considered at the following Board meeting. This 
was the first formal review. In future reviews will take place annually, 
with third party facilitation of the process every third year. The main 
action points arising being:

•  To reduce the number of Board meetings in 2019 with a likely 

increase in the number of subcommittee meetings

•  To look for a female member at the next opportunity to add or 

replace a director

•  To reconsider succession planning, remuneration and incentives
•  To review and test emergency action plans

This was the first effectiveness review undertaken.

Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statementsAnnual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 201820

CHAIRMAN’S INTRODUCTION TO GOVERNANCE
(CONTINUED)

PRINCIPLE 8:

Promote a corporate culture that is based on ethical values and 
behaviours.

Members of the Board are committed to observing and promoting 
the highest standards of ethical conduct in the performance of their 
responsibilities on the Board of Europa. The Board believes that 
a culture that is based on the highest ethical standards provides 
a competitive advantage and is consistent with fulfilment of the 
Group’s strategy.

Board meetings are held usually at the head office and once a year 
at one of the production sites. Directors are encouraged to spend 
time with, listen to, and act upon any concerns of, staff members 
and contractors.

•  The Board considers that cultural differences between UK and 

Ireland are immaterial

•  We do not have a culture policy, nor a specific culture related 

employee training / induction programme - but resolve to review 
the need for such a programme annually
•  Culture and strategy are deeply aligned 
•  The Board ensures that the Company has the means to 

determine that ethical values and behaviours are recognised 
and respected

PRINCIPLE 9:

Maintain governance structures and processes that are fit for 
purpose and support good decision making by the Board.

Role of the Chairman – Simon Oddie

•  Runs the Board and sets its agenda 
•  Promotes the highest standards of corporate governance
•  Ensures that the members of the Board receive accurate, timely 

and clear information, to promote the success of the Group

•  Ensures effective communication with shareholders 
•  Takes the lead in identifying and meeting the development 

needs of individual directors, ensure that the performance of 
individuals and of the Board as a whole and its committees is 
evaluated at least once a year

Role of the CEO – Hugh Mackay

•  Develops group objectives and strategy 
•  Executes of strategy following approval by, the Board
•  Identifies and executes licence acquisitions and disposals, 

joint venture opportunities, approving major work programmes

•  Leads geographic diversification initiatives
•  Identifies and executes new business opportunities outside 

the current core activities

•  Manages the Group’s risk profile, including the health and 
safety performance of the business, in line with the extent 
and categories of risk identified as acceptable by the Board

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc GOVERNANCE21

PRINCIPLE 9 (CONTINUED):

Maintain governance structures and processes that are fit for 
purpose and support good decision making by the Board.

Role of the SID – Roderick Corrie 

•  Works closely with the Chairman, acting as a sounding board  

and providing support 

•  Acts as an intermediary for other directors as and when 

necessary 

•  Is available to shareholders and other Non-Executives to address 
any concerns or issues they feel have not been adequately dealt 
with through the usual channels of communication

•  Meets at least annually with the Non-Executives to review the 
Chairman’s performance and carrying out succession planning 
for the Chairman’s role 

•  Attends sufficient meetings with major shareholders to obtain 

a balanced understanding of their issues and concerns

Role of the Company Secretary – Phil Greenhalgh

Given Europa’s size and desire to manage its resources effectively, 
the role of Company Secretary is performed by the Finance 
Director. The Board reviews this structure at least annually.

•  Distributes documents to the Board
•  Is available to the Audit, Remuneration and Nominations 

Committees as required
•  Keeps minutes of meetings
•  Updates Companies House records for the Company and 

subsidiaries

Committee terms of reference and Matters Reserved for the Board 
are available at:  
http://www.europaoil.com/corporatedocuments.aspx

The Board intends to continuously review its governance 
framework in line with the Company’s plans for growth.

PRINCIPLE 10:

Communicate how the Company is governed and is performing 
by maintaining a dialogue with shareholders and other relevant 
stakeholders

The Audit Committee has met to review the interim and preliminary 
accounts for the Group, and held meetings with the external auditor 
without executives present. 

During the year the Company has focused on advancing its 
portfolio towards drilling and looked at new asset opportunities. 

Simon Oddie and Roderick Corrie have resolved to attend more 
shareholder meetings in the coming year.

Past Notice of AGMs are available at  
http://www.europaoil.com/reportsandpresentations.aspx

Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statementsAnnual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 201822

CHAIRMAN’S INTRODUCTION TO GOVERNANCE
(CONTINUED)

BOARD
The Board is responsible for the overall governance of the 
Company. Its responsibilities include setting the strategic direction 
of the Company, providing leadership to put the strategy into action 
and to supervise the management of the business.

NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE
The Nominations Committee reviews the size, structure and 
composition of the Board and gives consideration to succession 
planning. The committee identifies and nominates candidates to fill 
Board vacancies for approval of the Board.

The Board comprises four Non-Executive Directors (‘NEDs’), the 
CEO and Finance Director. Biographies of the Directors are on 
pages 26 to 27. All four NED’s are considered by the Board to be 
independent. The roles and responsibilities of the Chairman, CEO, 
Senior Independent Director (‘SID’) and Company Secretary are set 
out on the website and summarised on page 21.

Simon Oddie is Non-Executive Chairman, Brian O'Cathain, William 
Ahlefeldt-Laurvig and Roderick Corrie are Non-Executive Directors. 
Roderick Corrie is the SID.

The Nominations Committee convened in 2018 in order to find a 
successor to Colin Bousfield who announced his intention to step 
down from the Board. In accordance with the terms of reference of 
the committee, Colin did not participate in the selection process and 
William Ahlefeldt-Laurvig chaired the committee until Simon Oddie 
was appointed. Simon Oddie now chairs the Committee. William 
Ahlefeldt-Laurvig, Brian O’Cathain, Roderick Corrie and Hugh 
Mackay are members.

TERMS OF REFERENCE
The Terms of Reference of all Board Committees are available on 
the website.

RECORD OF MEETINGS
Meetings held and attendance records of all directors for the period 
1 August 2017 to 31 July 2018 are set out below:

BOARD MEETINGS

AUDIT COMMITTEE

REMUNERATION 
COMMITTEE

NOMINATIONS 
COMMITTEE

Possible

Attended Possible

Attended Possible

Attended Possible

Attended

5

6

11

11

6

11

11

5

6

11

10

6

11

11

1

1

2

2

1

–

–

1

1

2

2

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

2

2

–

2

–

–

–

2

2

–

2

–

SUMMARY

C Bousfield

SG Oddie

CW Ahlefeldt-Laurvig

RJHM Corrie

BJ O’Cathain

HGD Mackay

P Greenhalgh

SIMON ODDIE 
CHAIRMAN 

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc GOVERNANCEAUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

23

The Audit Committee meets twice a year and is 
chaired by Roderick Corrie. William Ahlefeldt-Laurvig, 
Brian O’Cathain and Simon Oddie are members. 

During the year, the Committee has reviewed:

•  Internal financial controls systems and other internal control and risk management systems; 
•  The statements to be included in the annual report concerning internal control, risk management and the going concern statement;
•  The carrying values of the producing and intangible assets;
•  The adequacy and security of the Company’s arrangements for its employees and contractors to raise concerns, about possible 

wrongdoing in financial reporting or other matters;

•  The procedures for detecting fraud; 
•  The systems and controls for the prevention of bribery; 
•  The need for an internal audit function.

The Committee has overseen the relationship with the external auditor, including: 

•  Approve their remuneration for audit and non-audit services; 
•  Approve their terms of engagement and the scope of the audit; 
•  Satisfied itself that there are no relationships between the auditor and the Company which could adversely affect the auditor’s 

independence and objectivity; 

•  Monitored the auditor’s processes for maintaining independence, its compliance with relevant UK law, regulation, other professional 

requirements and the Ethical Standard, including the guidance on the rotation of audit partner and staff; 

•  Assessed the qualifications, expertise and resources, and independence of the external auditor and the effectiveness of the external 

audit process, 

•  Evaluated the risks to the quality and effectiveness of the financial reporting process in the light of the external auditor’s communications 

with the committee; 

•  Met with the external auditor without management being present, to discuss the auditor’s remit and any issues arising from the audit;
•  Discussed with the external auditor the factors that could affect audit quality and review and approve the annual audit plan, ensuring  
it is consistent with the scope of the audit engagement, having regard to the seniority, expertise and experience of the audit team.

The committee reviewed the findings of the audit with the external auditor, including:

•  A discussion of issues which arose during the audit, including any errors identified during the audit; and the auditor’s explanation of how 

the risks to audit quality were addressed; 

•  Key accounting and audit judgements; 
•  The auditor’s view of their interactions with senior management; 
•  A review of any representation letters requested by the external auditor before they were signed by management; 
•  A review of the management letter and management’s response to the auditor’s findings and recommendations; 
•  A review of the effectiveness of the audit process, including an assessment of the quality of the audit, the handling of key judgements 

by the auditor, and the auditor’s response to questions from the committee.

RODERICK CORRIE
AUDIT COMMITTEE CHAIR

Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statementsAnnual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 201824

REMUNERATION COMMITTEE REPORT

The Remuneration Committee reviews the scale and 
structure of the Executive Directors’ remuneration 
and the terms of their service contracts.

The remuneration and terms and conditions of appointment of the Non-Executive Directors are set by the Board.

Though the Remuneration Committee aims to meet once per year, in 2018 the full Board considered staff and executive remuneration 
and decided that here was no need for a separate Remuneration Committee meeting as the Board wished to keep all employment 
conditions unchanged (with the exception of restoring London office salaries to their 2016 levels effective January 2018). Brian O’Cathain 
was appointed chair of the Committee with effect from September 2018. William Ahlefeldt-Laurvig, Roderick Corrie and Simon Oddie 
are members.

•  There were no changes to remuneration policy, pension rights and any compensation payments 
•  There were no other changes to pay and employment conditions across the Company or Group, and no salary increases 
•  There was no performance-related pay scheme in operation 

BRIAN O’CATHAIN
REMUNERATION COMMITTEE CHAIR

NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE REPORT

The Nominations Committee reviews the size, 
structure and composition of the Board and gives 
consideration to succession planning.

The Committee identifies and nominates candidates to fill Board vacancies for approval of the Board.

The Nominations Committee convened in 2018 in order to find a successor to Colin Bousfield who announced his intention to step down 
from the Board. In accordance with the terms of reference of the committee, Colin did not participate in the selection process and William 
Ahlefeldt-Laurvig chaired the Committee until Simon Oddie was appointed. Simon Oddie now chairs the Committee. William Ahlefeldt-
Laurvig, Brian O’Cathain Roderick Corrie and Hugh Mackay are members.

Within the terms of the agreed policy and in consultation with the CEO, agreed the total individual remuneration package of the new 
Chairman and Non-Executive Director including share options. 

WILLIAM AHLEFELDT-LAURVIG
NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR 

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc GOVERNANCEBOARD OF DIRECTORS

25

Members of the Board of Directors are listed 
overleaf, including their relevant experience, skills 
and personal qualities.

There is an appropriate breadth of experience covering the key aspects of the business including technical, operational, financial and 
international. The gender balance needs to be addressed and is under consideration. It is the responsibility of each director to keep skills 
up to date with the assistance of the Chairman who has a core responsibility in addressing the development needs of the Board as a whole 
with a view to enhancing its overall effectiveness. 

Board Committees call on external advisers where this is deemed necessary. During 2018 this has been for advice on security only.

The main internal advisory functions are that of Senior Independent Director (Roderick Corrie) and Company Secretary (shared with the 
Finance Director function), whose responsibilities are described overleaf. 

Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statementsAnnual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 201826

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
(CONTINUED)

HUGH MACKAY
Chief Executive Officer

SIMON ODDIE
Non-Executive Chairman

WILLIAM AHLEFELDT-LAURVIG
Non-Executive Director

APPOINTED
October 2011

APPOINTED
January 2018

APPOINTED
October 2004

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
•  Hugh, a geologist who joined Europa 
in 2011, has a wealth of experience 
in the oil and gas sector, including 
eight years at BP in a variety of roles 
in the UK, Oman and Egypt, then ten 
years at Enterprise Oil in leadership 
roles, culminating as head of the SE 
Asia division. Hugh was part of the 
leadership team that sold the Peak 
Group to AGR and founded Avannaa 
Resources, a leading mineral 
exploration company in Greenland 
which later sold to Cairn Energy. 

•  Hugh has a BSc in Geology from the 
University of Edinburgh and a Sloan 
MSc in Management from London 
Business School.

•  Technical skills are maintained 

through membership of Geological 
Society, Petroleum Exploration 
Society of Great Britain and 
American Association of Petroleum 
Geologists, Petroleum Infrastructure 
Project and Irish Centre for Applied 
Geosciences. Management 
development is maintained through 
participation as an alumnus of 
London Business School.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
•  Simon has over 40 years of relevant 
experience as a petroleum engineer, 
technical consultant, manager and 
investment adviser in upstream 
oil and gas. He has worked with 
Schlumberger, ERC Energy Resource 
Consultants, Enterprise Oil and 
Gemini Oil and Gas Advisors LLP.

•  He was CEO of Enterprise Italy during 
its first operated exploration drilling 
both on and offshore. Simon recently 
was the architect of the Gemini Oil 
and Gas royalty funds where he 
established a solid track record in 
fundraising, investor relations, and 
execution of oil and gas deals.

•  He has completed the Advanced 
Management Program at Harvard 
Business School, holds an MSc. in 
Petroleum Engineering from Imperial 
College and a BSc (First Class) 
in Electronics from Manchester 
University. Simon keeps his skills 
up-to-date through consultancy and 
participation in key professional 
societies and industry groups.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
•  William helped take Europa onto AIM 
and remains its largest shareholder. 
He started his career at Maersk 
as a petroleum engineer in 1982, 
followed, in 1987, by IPEC, a London 
based consultancy, where he 
was responsible for field reserves 
estimations. 

•  In 1990, he became an independent 
consultant, undertaking field and 
portfolio evaluations for acquisitions 
and field development work on a 
range of projects in the North Sea, 
former Soviet Union and Middle East. 
He was also, in 1991, a founder and 
non-exec director of IFX Infoforex Ltd 
which was successfully sold in 2000. 

•  William has continued to work as an 
independent consultant petroleum 
engineer, latest in 2013 – 2016 for a 
client in Norway. Outside of his oil 
and gas interests, William is currently 
involved in a new IT start-up which 
will launch early 2019.

COMMITTEES

N

COMMITTEES
A    R    N

COMMITTEES
A    R    N

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc GOVERNANCE27

COMMITTEES MEMBER KEY

A  Audit Committee
R  Remuneration Committee
N  Nomination Committee
  Chair of committee
  Member of committee

BRIAN O’CATHAIN
Non-Executive Director

RODERICK CORRIE
Non-Executive Director

PHIL GREENHALGH
Finance Director

APPOINTED
January 2018

APPOINTED
January 2008

APPOINTED
January 2008

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
•  Brian has worked as a Geologist and 
Petroleum Engineer in the oil and 
gas sector since 1984. He began his 
career with Shell International, and 
worked at Enterprise Oil and Tullow 
Oil in senior roles. He served as CEO 
of Afren plc to 2007, and as CEO 
of Petroceltic International plc, until 
2016. He is a non-executive director 
of Eland Oil and Gas, an AIM listed 
company producing over 20,000 
bopd in Nigeria.

•  His skills include market 

understanding, fund-raising, and the 
technical, legal and financial aspects 
of running a publicly listed Oil and 
Gas company. He led and negotiated 
the agreed nil-premium merger of 
Petroceltic and Melrose Resources 
in 2012. 

•  He holds a BSc (First Class) in 

Geology from the University of Bristol. 
Brian keeps his knowledge and 
awareness current by participation in 
Industry conferences, IOD workshops, 
and by networking with other 
directors and executives in the Oil 
and Gas industry.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
•  Roderick is a graduate of Cambridge 

University, an Associate of the 
Chartered Institute of Banking 
and a past member of the 
Securities Institute. 

•  He has been strategic adviser 
and financier with a variety of 
companies and holds or has held 
executive or non-executive roles in 
corporate finance, strategic advice, 
TV advertising, financial services, 
health, property, internet services, 
mineral exploration & development, 
investment and manufacturing 
companies. He has been or is a 
director of three listed companies, the 
other two as CFO as well. 

•  As CFO Roderick was extensively 

vetted by both the European Bank of 
Reconstruction and Development and 
the International Finance Corporation 
– for probity and competence. As the 
current CFO and director of another 
listed company, Roderick is required 
to keep his skills up to date.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
•  Phil graduated from Imperial College 
with a BEng in chemical engineering 
and subsequently became a 
member of the Chartered Institute of 
Management Accountants. 

•  He began his financial career as 
Financial Controller with Kelco 
International, a subsidiary of Merck 
& Co. He moved to Monsanto plc 
before becoming Finance Director 
of Pharmacia Ltd through the 
acquisition by Pfizer. He moved to 
Whatman plc, a FTSE 250 company, 
where he led the financing of a 
€50 million company acquisition, 
oversaw a substantial share price 
recovery and was a key player in 
the Whatman turnaround.

•  Phil joined Europa in 2008 and has 
used his engineering background 
in his role as adviser to the Board 
on HSE matters. He has been 
extensively involved in farm-in / 
farm-out negotiations, asset disposals 
and improving the Group’s financial 
reporting and forecasting and 
regularly attends meetings of the UK 
Onshore Operating Group (‘UKOOG’).

COMMITTEES
A    R    N

COMMITTEES
A    R    N

Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statementsAnnual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 201828

DIRECTORS’ REPORT

BUSINESS REVIEW
A detailed review of the Group’s business is set out in the Chairman’s statement on page 2 and Strategic report on page 6. 

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
Details of expected future developments for the Group are set out in the Chairman’s statement on page 2 and Strategic report on page 6.

DIVIDENDS
The Directors do not recommend the payment of a dividend (2017: £nil).

DIRECTORS AND THEIR INTERESTS
The Directors’ interests in the share capital of the Company at 31 July were: 

CW Ahlefeldt-Laurvig1 
C Bousfield 
RJHM Corrie2 
P Greenhalgh  
HGD Mackay 
BJ O’Cathain 
SG Oddie 

Number of 
Ordinary Shares

Number of 
ordinary share options

2018 

2017 

2018 

2017

33,752,442 
n/a 
1,251,631 
605,973 
4,700,000 
— 
250,000 

33,752,442 
273,958 
1,251,631 
605,973 
4,700,000 
— 
— 

— 
— 
450,000 
4,525,000 
11,700,000 
1,200,000 
1,200,000 

—
500,000
950,000
5,775,000
11,700,000
—
—

1.  CW Ahlefeldt-Laurvig holds his shares with HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited.
2.  RJHM Corrie has interest in 1,062,951 shares held directly, plus 94,720 shares held by Corrie Limited, of which Mr. Corrie is a Director and 93,960 shares held via a 50% interest  

in RT Property Investments Limited.

Details of the vesting conditions of the Directors’ stock options are included in note 19. 

DIRECTORS’ INTERESTS IN TRANSACTIONS
No Director had, during the year or at the end of the year, other than disclosed above, a material interest in any contract in relation to the 
Group’s activities except in respect of service agreements.

Subject to the conditions set out in the Companies Act 2006, the Company has arranged appropriate Directors’ and Officers’ insurance  
to indemnify the Directors against liability in respect of proceedings brought by third parties. Such provisions remain in force at the date  
of this report. 

FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
See note 1 and note 20 to the financial statements.

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
See note 23 to the financial statements.

POST REPORTING DATE EVENTS
See note 24 to the financial statements.

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc GOVERNANCE 
 
 
 
29

CAPITAL STRUCTURE AND GOING CONCERN
Further details on the Group’s capital structure are included in note 18. Comments on going concern are included in note 1.

ACCOUNTING POLICIES
A full list of accounting policies is set out in note 1 to the financial statements. The Group has not made any material changes to its 
accounting policies in the year to 31 July 2018.

DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO THE AUDITOR
In the case of each person who was a Director at the time this report was approved:
•  So far as that Director was aware there was no relevant available information of which the Company’s auditor was unaware; and
•  That Director had taken all necessary steps to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information, and to establish that the 

Company’s auditors was aware of that information

AUDITOR
A resolution to re-appoint the auditor, BDO LLP will be proposed at the next Annual General Meeting.

On behalf of the Board

PHIL GREENHALGH
FINANCE DIRECTOR
16 October 2018

Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statementsAnnual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 201830

STATEMENT OF DIRECTORS’ RESPONSIBILITIES

DIRECTORS’ RESPONSIBILITIES
The Directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. 

Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the Directors have elected  
to prepare the Group and Company financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRSs’) as adopted 
by the European Union. Under Company law the Directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give 
a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Group and Company and of the profit or loss of the Group for that year. The Directors are 
also required to prepare financial statements in accordance with the rules of the London Stock Exchange for companies trading securities 
on the Alternative Investment Market. 

In preparing these financial statements, the Directors are required to:
•  Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
•  Make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent
•  State whether they have been prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union, subject to any material departures 

disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

•  Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Company will continue 

in business

The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Company’s transactions 
and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Company and enable them to ensure that the financial 
statements comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the 
Company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

WEBSITE PUBLICATION
The Directors are responsible for ensuring the Annual Report and the financial statements are made available on a website. Financial 
statements are published on the Company's website in accordance with legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and 
dissemination of financial statements, which may vary from legislation in other jurisdictions. The maintenance and integrity of the Company's 
website is the responsibility of the Directors. The Directors' responsibility also extends to the ongoing integrity of the financial statements 
contained therein.

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc GOVERNANCE 
REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR

31

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF EUROPA OIL & GAS (HOLDINGS) PLC
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Europa Oil and Gas (Holdings) Plc (the ‘parent company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘Group’) 
for the year ended 31 July 2018 which comprise the consolidated statement of comprehensive income, the consolidated and Company 
statement of financial position, the consolidated and Company statement of changes in equity, the consolidated and Company statement  
of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. 

The financial reporting framework that has been applied in the preparation of the financial statements is applicable law and International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union and, as regards the parent company financial statements, as 
applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006.

In our opinion:
•  the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the Group’s and of the parent company’s affairs as at 31 July 2018 and of 

the Group’s loss for the year then ended

•  the Group financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union
•  the parent company financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union and 

as applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006; and

•  the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006

Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities 
under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. 
We are independent of the Group and the parent company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of 
the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard as applied to listed entities, and we have fulfilled our other ethical 
responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate  
to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the ISAs (UK) require us to report to you where:
•  the Directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is not appropriate; or
•  the Directors have not disclosed in the financial statements any identified material uncertainties that may cast significant doubt about the 
Group’s or the parent company’s ability to continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting for a period of at least twelve months 
from the date when the financial statements are authorised for issue

Key audit matters
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in our audit of the financial statements 
of the current period and include the most significant assessed risks of material misstatement (whether or not due to fraud) we identified, 
including those which had the greatest effect on: the overall audit strategy, the allocation of resources in the audit; and directing the efforts 
of the engagement team. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial statements as a whole, and in forming 
our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.

Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statementsAnnual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018 
32

REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR
(CONTINUED)

MATTER

OUR RESPONSE 

Carrying value of producing assets 
As detailed in note 1 and 11, the assessment of any impairment to 
the carrying value of the three producing fields requires significant 
estimation by management. The key estimates and judgements 
include oil price, reserves, decline rate, and discount rate. 

There was an impairment of £142,000 recognised in the year 
relating to the producing assets. Also impairments have been 
previously recognised against the carrying values of the producing 
assets. Judgement is required as to whether there should be 
any further impairment recognised or whether an assessment 
that there has been an increase in value should give rise to any 
impairment reversals. 

Carrying amount of intangible assets 
The non-producing exploration assets of the Group are classified 
as intangible assets within non-current assets in the statement 
of financial position. There was an impairment of £1,289,000 
recognised in the year relating to these exploration assets 
of which £1,145,000 related to the post balance sheet event 
disclosed in note 24. As detailed in notes 1 and 10, given the 
inherent uncertainties around the recoverability of exploration and 
evaluation assets, and the judgements involved, we consider the 
carrying amount of intangible assets to be a significant risk. 

Going Concern 
When preparing the financial statements, Management and the 
Directors are required to make an assessment of the Group’s 
ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least 12 
months from the date of signing the financial statements. Details of 
management’s consideration of the appropriateness of the going 
concern basis are set out in note 1.

This represented a significant risk for our audit due to the inherent 
judgements and estimates required.

We reviewed management’s discounted cash flow forecasts  
for each of the three producing fields and critically challenged the 
appropriateness of the key estimates and assumptions used by 
management in the discounted cash flow models with reference 
to operational results, independent competent persons report and 
other external evidence where available.

We verified that the licences remain valid.

We agreed the reserves used in the models to the most recent 
independent competent persons reports and assessed the 
objectivity, competence and independence of these experts.

We challenged management’s sensitivity assessments and 
performed our own sensitivity calculations in respect of oil prices, 
decline rates and discount rate, along with considering the 
appropriateness of the related disclosures given in notes 1 and 11.

We tested a sample of additions to exploration and evaluation 
assets to confirm they meet the criteria for capitalisation in 
accordance with accounting standards. 

We reviewed and challenged management’s impairment 
assessment which was carried out in accordance with  
IFRS 6 in order to determine whether there were any indicators  
of impairment.

We confirmed there is an ongoing plan to develop the licence 
areas (other than Holmwood) and verified that the licences 
remain valid.

We challenged management’s assessment of the adjusting post 
balance sheet event in order to determine whether conditions for 
impairment existed prior to the reporting date.

We assessed the appropriateness of the disclosures included in 
the financial statements given in notes 1 and 10.

We critically assessed management’s financial forecast models 
and the key underlying assumptions, including oil prices, 
reserves, production and expenditure. In doing so, we considered 
factors such as actual performance against budget and external 
market data.

We reviewed management’s sensitivity analysis performed  
in respect of key assumptions underpinning the forecasts.  
We performed our own sensitivities in respect of oil prices, 
operating and capital expenditure.

We assessed the appropriateness of the disclosures included in 
the financial statements given in note 1.

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc GOVERNANCE33

OUR APPLICATION OF MATERIALITY

Group materiality

£133,000  
(2017: £167,000)

Parent company materiality

Basis for materiality

£21,000 
(2017: £61,000)

We consider total assets to be the most 
appropriate basis for materiality given 
the Group is focused on exploration and 
development. 

We apply the concept of materiality both in planning and performing our audit, and in evaluating the effect of misstatements. We consider 
materiality to be the magnitude by which misstatements, including omissions, could influence the economic decisions of reasonable users 
that are taken on the basis of the financial statements. Importantly, misstatements below these levels will not necessarily be evaluated as 
immaterial as we also take account of the nature of identified misstatements, and the particular circumstances of their occurrence, when 
evaluating their effect on the financial statements as a whole. 

Performance materiality is the application of materiality at the individual account or balance level set at an amount to reduce to an 
appropriately low level the probability that the aggregate of uncorrected and undetected misstatements exceeds materiality for the financial 
statements as a whole. Performance materiality was set at £100,000 (2017: £125,250) for the group and at £15,750 (2017: £45,750) for the 
parent company which represents 75% (2017: 75%) of the above materiality levels. 

Whilst materiality for the financial statements as a whole was £133,000, each significant component of the group was audited to a lower level 
of materiality ranging from £9,000 to £100,000. We agreed with the Audit Committee that we would report to the committee all individual 
audit differences identified during the course of our audit in excess of £6,650 (2017: £8,000). We also agreed to report differences below 
these thresholds that, in our view warranted reporting on qualitative grounds.

There were no misstatements identified during the course of our audit that were individually, or in aggregate, considered to be material in 
terms of their absolute monetary value or on qualitative grounds. 

AN OVERVIEW OF THE SCOPE OF OUR AUDIT
Our group audit scope focused on the Group’s principal four operating subsidiaries, all being located in the UK, which were all subject to full 
scope audits. Together with the parent company which was also subject to a full scope audit, these represent the significant components  
of the Group. All of the components were audited by BDO UK LLP and 100% of the Group’s revenue and assets were subject to audit. 
The remaining three components of the Group were considered non-significant as these components were non-trading and had no 
transactions during the year. These components were principally subject to analytical review procedures to confirm there are no significant 
risks of material misstatements within these components. 

Other information
The Directors are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Annual Report, 
other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other 
information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether 
the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears 
to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine 
whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work 
we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have 
nothing to report in this regard.

Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statementsAnnual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018 
34

REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR
(CONTINUED)

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
•  the information given in the strategic report and the Directors’ report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared 

is consistent with the financial statements; and

•  the strategic report and the Directors’ report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements

Matters on which we are required to report by exception
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the Group and the parent company and its environment obtained in the course of the 
audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the Directors’ report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, 
in our opinion:
•  adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from 

branches not visited by us; or

•  the parent company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
•  certain disclosures of directors’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or 
•  we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit

Responsibilities of directors
As explained more fully in the Directors’ responsibilities statement set out on page 30, the Directors are responsible for the preparation 
of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Directors determine 
is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the Directors are responsible for assessing the Group’s and the parent company’s ability to continue 
as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the 
Directors either intend to liquidate the Group or the parent company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, 
whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, 
but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists.

Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be 
expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: 
www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

USE OF OUR REPORT
This report is made solely to the Company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our 
audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an 
auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other 
than the Company and the Company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

J DRAYCOTT (SENIOR STATUTORY AUDITOR)
For and on behalf of BDO LLP, Statutory Auditor
London 
16 October 2018

BDO LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales (with registered number OC305127).

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc GOVERNANCE 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME 
For the year ended 31 July

35

Revenue 

Cost of sales 
Impairment of producing fields 
Exploration write-off 

Total cost of sales 

Gross (loss)/profit 

Administrative expenses 
Finance income 
Finance expense 

Loss before taxation 

Taxation (charge)/credit  

Total comprehensive loss for the year attributable to the equity shareholders of the parent 

Earnings per share (‘EPS’) attributable to the equity shareholders of the parent
Basic and diluted EPS  

The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.

Note 

2 

2 
11 
10 

6 
7 

3 

8 

2018 
£000 

1,634 

(1,365) 
(142) 
(1,289) 

(2,796) 

(1,162) 

(967) 
10 
(171) 

(2,290) 

(341) 

(2,631) 

2017
£000

1,569

(1,459) 
— 
—

(1,459)

110

(553)
2
(234)

(675)

184

(491)

Note 

Pence  
per share 

Pence
per share

9 

(0.87)p 

(0.19)p

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
36

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION 
As at 31 July  

Assets 
Non-current assets 
Intangible assets 
Property, plant and equipment 
Deferred tax asset 

Total non-current assets 

Current assets 
Inventories 
Trade and other receivables 
Cash and cash equivalents 

Total assets 

Liabilities 
Current liabilities 
Trade and other payables 

Total current liabilities 

Non-current liabilities 
Long-term provisions 

Total non-current liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Net assets 

Capital and reserves attributable to equity holders of the parent  
Share capital 
Share premium  
Merger reserve 
Retained deficit 

Total equity 

Note 

2018 
£000 

2017
£000

10 
11 
16 

13 
14 

15 

17 

18 
18 
18 

5,959 
668 
— 

6,627 

20 
471 
1,771 

2,262 

8,889 

(1,299) 

(1,299) 

(2,735) 

(2,735) 

(4,034) 

4,855 

3,014 
18,481 
2,868 
(19,508) 

4,855 

5,276
882
341

6,499

14
886
3,591

4,491

10,990

(945)

(945)

(2,570)

(2,570)

(3,515)

7,475

3,014
18,481
2,868
(16,888)

7,475

These financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors and authorised for issue on 16 October 2018 and signed on its behalf by: 

P GREENHALGH
FINANCE DIRECTOR

Company registration number 5217946
The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

37

Balance at 1 August 2016 

Comprehensive loss for the year  
Total comprehensive loss for the year 

Total comprehensive loss for the year 

Contributions by and distributions to owners 
Issue of share capital (note 18) 
Issue of share options (note 19) 
Share based payment (note 19) 

Total contributions by and distributions to owners 

Balance at 31 July 2017 

Share 
capital 
£000 

2,449 

— 

— 

565 
— 
— 

565 

3,014 

Share 
premium 
£000 

15,901 

— 

— 

2,603 
(23) 
— 

2,580 

18,481 

Attributable to the equity holders of the parent

Merger 
reserve 
£000 

2,868 

Retained 
deficit 
£000 

(16,536) 

— 

— 

— 
— 
— 

— 

(491) 

(491) 

— 
23 
116 

139 

2,868 

(16,888) 

Total
equity
£000

4,682

(491)

(491)

3,168
—
116

3,284

7,475

Balance at 1 August 2017 

3,014 

18,481 

2,868 

(16,888) 

7,475

Comprehensive loss for the year 
Loss for the year attributable to the equity shareholders of the parent  — 

Total comprehensive loss for the year 

Contributions by and distributions to owners 
Share based payment (note 19) 

Total contributions by and distributions to owners 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(2,631) 

(2,631) 

(2,631)

(2,631)

11 

11 

11

11

Balance at 31 July 2018 

3,014 

18,481 

2,868 

(19,508) 

4,855

The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
38

COMPANY STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
As at 31 July  

Assets 
Non-current assets 
Intangible assets 
Property, plant and equipment 
Investments 
Amounts due from Group companies 

Total non-current assets 

Current assets
Other receivables 
Cash and cash equivalents 

Total assets 

Liabilities 
Current liabilities 
Trade and other payables 

Total current liabilities 

Total non-current liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Net assets 

Capital and reserves attributable to equity holders of the parent 
Share capital 
Share premium 
Merger reserve 
Retained deficit 

Total equity 

Note 

2018 
£000 

2017
£000

10 
11 
12 
23 

14 

15 

18 
18 
18 

198 
1 
2,341 
2,139 

4,679 

83 
806 

889 

5,568 

(688) 

(688) 

— 

(688) 

4,880 

3,014 
18,481 
2,868 
(19,483) 

4,880 

577
3
2,340
714

3,634

156
2,863

3,019

6,653

(199)

(199)

—

(199)

6,454

3,014
18,481
2,868
(17,909)

6,454

The Company has taken advantage of the exemption provided under Section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 not to publish its individual 
statement of comprehensive income and related notes. The loss dealt with in the financial statements of the parent Company is £1,585,000 
(2017: loss of £825,000). 

These financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors and authorised for issue on 16 October 2018 and signed on their  
behalf by: 

P GREENHALGH
FINANCE DIRECTOR

Company registration number 5217946
The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements. 

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COMPANY STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY 

39

Balance at 1 August 2016 
Comprehensive loss for the year  
Total comprehensive loss for the year 

Total comprehensive loss for the year 

Contributions by and distributions to owners 
Issue of share capital (note 18) 
Issue of share options (note 19) 
Share based payment (note 19) 

Total contributions by and distributions to owners 

Balance at 31 July 2017 

Balance at 1 August 2017 
Comprehensive loss for the year 
Loss for the year attributable to the equity shareholders  
of the parent 

Total comprehensive loss for the year 

Contributions by and distributions to owners 
Share based payment (note 19) 

Total contributions by and distributions to owners 

Share  
capital 
£000 

2,449 

— 

— 

565 
— 
— 

565 

3,014 

Share 
premium 
£000 

15,901 

— 

— 

2,603 
(23) 
— 

2,580 

18,481 

Merger 
reserve 
£000 

2,868 

— 

— 

— 
— 
— 

— 

Retained 
deficit 
£000 

(17,223) 

(825) 

(825) 

— 
23 
116 

139 

2,868 

(17,909) 

Total
equity
£000

3,995

(825)

(825)

3,168
—
116

3,284

6,454

3,014 

18,481 

2,868 

(17,909) 

6,454

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(1,585) 

(1,585) 

(1,585)

(1,585)

11 

11 

11

11

Balance at 31 July 2018 

3,014 

18,481 

2,868 

(19,483) 

4,880

The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
40

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS 
For the year ended 31 July

Cash flows used in operating activities 
Loss after tax from continuing operations 
Adjustments for: 
 Share based payments 
 Depreciation  
 Impairment of producing field 
 Exploration write-off 
 Finance income 
 Finance expense 
 Taxation charge/(credit)  
 Decrease/(increase) in trade and other receivables 
 (Increase)/decrease in inventories 
 Increase/(decrease) in trade and other payables 

Net cash used in operations 
Income taxes paid 

Net cash used in operating activities 

Cash flows used in investing activities 
Purchase of property, plant and equipment 
Purchase of intangible assets 
Sale of part interest in licence 
Interest received 

Net cash used in investing activities 

Cash flows (used in)/from financing activities 
Proceeds from issue of share capital (net of issue costs) 
(Decrease)/increase in payables relating to share capital issue costs 
Option based equity movement on share issue 
Finance costs 

Net cash (used in)/from financing activities 

Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents 
Exchange gain/(loss) on cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 

The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.

Note 

19 
11 
11 
10 
6 
7 
8 

18 

2018 
£000 

(2,631) 

11 
72 
142 
1,289 
(10) 
171 
341 
69 
(6) 
73 

(479) 
— 

(479) 

— 
(1,336) 
— 
10 

(1,326) 

— 
(16) 
— 
(3) 

(19) 

(1,824) 
4 
3,591 

1,771 

2017
£000

(491)

116
184
—
—
(2)
234
(184)
(108)
9
(13)

(255)
(144)

(399)

(6)
(1,491)
600
2

(895)

3,145
16
23
(3)

3,181

1,887
(14)
1,718

3,591

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COMPANY STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS 
For the year ended 31 July

Cash flows used in operating activities 
Loss after tax from continuing operations 
Adjustments for: 
 Share based payments 
 Depreciation 
 Exploration write off 
 Movement in intercompany loan provision 
 Finance income 
 Finance expense 
 Decrease/(increase) in trade and other receivables 
 Increase/(decrease) in trade and other payables 

Net cash used in operating activities 

Cash flows used in investing activities 
Purchase of property, plant and equipment 
Purchase of intangible assets 
Movement on loans to Group companies 
Interest received 

Net cash used in investing activities 

Cash flows (used in)/from financing activities 
Proceeds from issue of share capital (net of issue costs) 
(Decrease)/increase in payables relating to issue of share capital 
Option based equity movement on share issue 

Net cash (used in)/from financing activities 

Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 

The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.

41

2017
£000

(825)

111
2
—
1,024
(460)
—
(36)
(74)

(258)

(1)
(556)
(756)
—

(1,313)

3,145
16
23

3,184

1,613
1,250

2,863

Note 

11 
10 

18 

2018 
£000 

(1,585) 

11 
2 
97 
1,791 
(532) 
4 
73 
59 

(80) 

— 
(372) 
(1,593) 
4 

(1,961) 

— 
(16) 
— 

(16) 

(2,057) 
2,863 

806 

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
42

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES
General information
Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc is a Company incorporated and domiciled in England and Wales with registered number 5217946.  
The address of the registered office is 6 Porter Street, London, W1U 6DD. The Company’s administrative office is at the same address.

The functional and presentational currency of the Company is Sterling (UK£).

Basis of accounting
The consolidated and individual company financial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable International Financial 
Reporting Standards (‘IFRS’) as adopted by the EU. The policies have not changed from the previous year.

Exploration and evaluation assets are measured at historical cost and tested at least twice annually for impairment. Internally generated 
intangibles are measured at historic cost.

The accounting policies that have been applied in the opening statement of financial position have also been applied throughout all periods 
presented in these financial statements. These accounting policies comply with each IFRS that is mandatory for accounting periods ending 
on 31 July 2018.

Going concern
Given the continuing cash inflow from the Group’s producing assets, the cash held by the Group at the year-end, less administrative 
expenses and planned capital expenditure, the Directors have concluded, at the time of approving the financial statements, that there is a 
reasonable expectation, based on the Group’s cash flow forecasts, that the Group can continue in operational existence for the foreseeable 
future, which is deemed to be at least 12 months from the date of signing these financial statements. Accordingly they continue to adopt the 
going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.

Future changes in accounting standards
The IFRS financial statements have been drawn up on the basis of accounting standards, interpretations and amendments effective at the 
beginning of the accounting period. 

The following are amendments to existing standards and new standards which will apply to the Group in future accounting periods. 

IFRS 15 is intended to introduce a single framework for revenue recognition and clarify principles of revenue recognition. This standard 
modifies the determination of when to recognise revenue and how much revenue to recognise. The core principle is that an entity 
recognises revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods and services to the customer of an amount that reflects the consideration  
to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard is not expected to have any impact  
on the Group’s revenue recognition.

IFRS 16 introduces a single lease accounting model. This standard requires lessees to account for all leases under a single on-balance 
sheet model. Under the new standard, a lessee is required to recognise all lease assets and liabilities on the balance sheet; recognise 
amortisation of leased assets and interest on lease liabilities over the lease term; and separately present the principal amount of cash paid 
and interest in the cash flow statement. Under the new standard three property leases and four contract hire vehicles currently treated as 
operating leases will be recognised in the statement of financial position.

IFRS 9 will replace existing accounting Standards in relation to Financial Instruments. It is applicable to financial assets and liabilities and will 
introduce changes to existing accounting concerning classification, measurement and impairment (introducing an “expected credit loss” 
method, different to the current “incurred loss” method applied under IAS 39). As the Group has minimal trade debtors the impact on the 
Group’s consolidated results is expected to be immaterial. The Company is quantifying the effect that will have the new expected credit loss 
model for impairment of intercompany loans made by the company to its subsidiaries on the company financial statements.

The Group will adopt the above Standards at the time stipulated by that Standard. 

IFRS 9 
IFRS 15 
IFRS 16 

Financial instruments 
Revenue from Contracts with Customers 
Leases 

Effective date
(periods beginning on or after)

1 Jan 2018
1 Jan 2018
1 Jan 2019

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
43

1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Basis of consolidation
Where the Company has control over an investee, it is classified as a subsidiary. The Company controls an investee if all three of the 
following elements are present: power over the investee, exposure to variable returns from the investee, and the ability of the investor to 
use its power to affect those variable returns. Control is reassessed whenever facts and circumstances indicate that there may be a change 
in any of these elements of control. Intra Group balances are eliminated on consolidation. Unrealised gains on transactions between the 
Group and its subsidiaries are eliminated. Unrealised losses are also eliminated unless the transaction provides evidence of an impairment 
of the asset transferred. Amounts reported in the financial statements of subsidiaries have been adjusted where necessary to ensure 
consistency with the accounting policies adopted by the Group.

The Group is engaged in oil and gas exploration, development and production through unincorporated joint ventures.

Joint arrangements
Joint arrangements are those arrangements in which the Group holds an interest on a long-term basis which are jointly controlled by the 
Group and one or more venturers under a contractual arrangement. When these arrangements do not constitute entities in their own right, 
the consolidated financial statements reflect the relevant proportion of costs, revenues, assets and liabilities applicable to the Group’s 
interests in accordance with IFRS 11. The Group’s exploration, development and production activities are presently conducted jointly with 
other companies in this way.

For the licences where the Group does not hold 100% equity (refer to the Licence Interests table on page 7) a joint arrangement exists. The 
equity and voting interest of the Group is disclosed in the table, activities are typical for activities in the oil and gas sector and are strategic 
to the Group’s activities. The principal place of business for all the joint arrangements is the UK. 

Revenue Recognition
Revenue, excluding value added tax and similar taxes, represents net invoiced sales of the Group’s share of oil and gas revenues in the 
year. Revenue is recognised at the end of each month based upon the quantity and price of oil and gas delivered to the customer. 

Non-current assets
Oil and gas interests
The financial statements with regard to oil and gas exploration and appraisal expenditure have been prepared under the full cost basis.  
This accords with IFRS 6 which permits the continued application of a previously adopted accounting policy. The unit of account for 
exploration and evaluation assets is the individual licence.

Pre-production assets
Pre-production assets are categorised as intangible assets on the statement of financial position. Pre-licence expenditure is expensed  
as directed by IFRS 6. Expenditure on licence acquisition costs, geological and geophysical costs, costs of drilling exploration, appraisal 
and development wells, and an appropriate share of overheads (including Directors’ costs) are capitalised and accumulated on a licence by 
licence basis. These costs which relate to the exploration, appraisal and development of oil and gas interests are initially held as intangible 
non-current assets pending determination of technical feasibility and commercial viability. On commencement of production these costs are 
tested for impairment prior to transfer to production assets.

Production assets
Production assets are categorised within property, plant and equipment on the statement of financial position. With the determination of 
commercial viability and approval of an oil and gas project the related pre-production assets are transferred from intangible non-current 
assets to tangible non-current assets and depreciated upon commencement of production within the appropriate cash generating unit. 

Impairment tests
For the purposes of assessing impairment, assets are grouped at the lowest levels for which there are separately identifiable cash flows 
(cash generating units) as disclosed in notes 10 and 11. As a result, some assets are tested individually for impairment and some are tested  
at cash generating unit level.

Impairment tests are performed when indicators as described in IFRS6 are identified. In addition, indicators such as a lack of funding or 
farm-out options for a licence which is approaching termination, or the implied value of a farm-out transaction are considered as indicators 
of impairment.

An impairment loss is recognised for the amount by which the asset's or cash generating unit's carrying amount exceeds its recoverable 
amount. The recoverable amount is the higher of fair value, reflecting market conditions less costs to sell, and value in use based on 
an internal discounted cash flow evaluation. All assets are subsequently reassessed for indications that an impairment loss previously 
recognised may no longer exist.

Property, plant and equipment
Items of property, plant and equipment are initially recognised at cost. As well as the purchase price, cost includes directly attributable 
costs and the estimated present value of any future unavoidable costs of dismantling and removing items. The corresponding liability 
is recognised within provisions.

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements44

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
(CONTINUED)

1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Depreciation
All expenditure within tangible non-current assets is depreciated from the commencement of production, on a unit of production basis, 
which is the ratio of oil and gas production in the period to the estimated quantities of proven plus probable commercial reserves at the end 
of the period, plus the production in the period. Costs used in the unit of production calculation comprise the net book value of capitalised 
costs plus the estimated future field development costs within each licence. Changes in the estimates of commercial reserves or future field 
development costs are dealt with prospectively. 

Furniture and computers are depreciated on a 25% per annum straight line basis.

Reserves
Proven and probable oil and gas reserves are estimated quantities of commercially producible hydrocarbons which the existing geological, 
geophysical and engineering data shows to be recoverable in future years. The proven reserves included herein conform to the definition 
approved by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and the World Petroleum Congress (WPC). The probable and possible reserves 
conform to definitions of probable and possible approved by the SPE/WPC using the deterministic methodology. Reserves used in 
accounting estimates for depreciation are updated periodically to reflect management’s view of reserves in conjunction with third party 
formal reports. Reserves are reviewed at the time of formal updates or as a consequence of operational performance, plans and the 
business environment at that time.

Reserves are adjusted in the year that formal updates are undertaken or as a consequence of operational performance and plans, and the 
business environment at that time, with any resulting changes not applied retrospectively. 

Future decommissioning costs
A provision for decommissioning is recognised in full at the point that the Group has an obligation to decommission an appraisal, 
development or producing well. A corresponding non-current asset (included within producing fields in note 11) of an amount equivalent to 
the provision is also created. The amount recognised is the estimated cost of decommissioning, discounted to its net present value and is 
reassessed each year in accordance with local conditions and requirements. For producing wells, the asset is subsequently depreciated 
as part of the capital costs of production facilities within tangible non-current assets, on a unit of production basis. Any decommissioning 
obligation in respect of a pre-production asset is carried forward as part of its cost and tested annually for impairment in accordance with 
the above policy.

Changes in the estimates of commercial reserves or decommissioning cost estimates are dealt with prospectively by recording an 
adjustment to the provision, and a corresponding adjustment to the decommissioning asset. The unwinding of the discount on the 
decommissioning provision is included within finance expense.

Acquisitions of Exploration Licences 
Acquisitions of Exploration Licences through acquisition of non-operational corporate structures that do not represent a business, 
and therefore do not meet the definition of a business combination, are accounted for as the acquisition of an asset. Related future 
consideration that is contingent is not recognised as an asset or liability until the contingent event has occurred.

Taxation
Current tax is the tax payable based on taxable profit / (loss) for the year.

Deferred income taxes are calculated using the balance sheet liability method on temporary differences. Deferred tax is generally provided 
on the difference between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax bases. However, deferred tax is not provided on the 
initial recognition of goodwill, nor on the initial recognition of an asset or liability unless the related transaction is a business combination 
or affects tax or accounting profit. Deferred tax on temporary differences associated with shares in subsidiaries and joint ventures is not 
provided if reversal of these temporary differences can be controlled by the Group and it is probable that reversal will not occur in the 
foreseeable future. Tax losses available to be carried forward as well as other income tax credits to the Group are assessed for recognition 
as deferred tax assets.

Deferred tax liabilities are provided in full, with no discounting. Deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that 
the underlying deductible temporary difference will be able to be offset against future taxable income. Current and deferred tax assets 
and liabilities are calculated at tax rates that are expected to apply to their respective period of realisation, provided they are enacted or 
substantively enacted at the reporting date.

Changes in deferred tax assets or liabilities are recognised as a component of tax expense in the statement of comprehensive income, 
except where they relate to items that are charged or credited directly to equity in which case the related deferred tax is also charged or 
credited directly to equity.

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc FINANCIAL STATEMENTS45

Foreign currency
The Group and Company prepare their financial statements in Sterling. 

Transactions denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the rates of exchange ruling at the date of the transaction. Monetary 
assets and liabilities in foreign currencies are translated at the rates of exchange ruling at the reporting date. Non-monetary items that are 
measured at historical cost in a foreign currency are translated at the exchange rate at the date of transaction. Non-monetary items that are 
measured at fair value in a foreign currency are translated using the exchange rates at the date the fair value was determined.

Any exchange differences arising on the settlement of items or on translating items at rates different from those at which they were  
initially recorded are recognised in the Statement of comprehensive income in the period in which they arise. Exchange differences  
on non-monetary items are recognised in the Statement of changes in equity to the extent that they relate to a gain or loss on that 
non-monetary item taken to the Statement of changes in equity, otherwise such gains and losses are recognised in the Statement of 
comprehensive income.

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc is domiciled in the UK, which is its primary economic environment and the Company’s functional currency 
is Sterling. The Group’s current operations are based in the UK and Ireland and the functional currencies of the Group's entities are the 
prevailing local currencies in each jurisdiction. Given that the functional currency of the Company is Sterling, management has elected  
to continue to present the consolidated financial statements of the Group and Company in Sterling.

Investments
Investments, which are only investments in subsidiaries, are carried at cost less any impairment. Additions include the net value of share 
options issued to employees of subsidiary companies less any lapsed, unvested options.

Financial instruments
Financial assets and liabilities are recognised on the statement of financial position when the Group becomes a party to the contractual 
provisions of the instrument. The Group and Company classifies its financial assets into loans and receivables, which comprise trade and 
other receivables and cash and cash equivalents. The Group has not classified any of its financial assets as held to maturity or available for 
sale or fair value through profit or loss.

Trade and other receivables are measured initially at fair value plus directly attributable transaction costs, and subsequently at amortised 
cost using the effective interest rate method, less provision for impairment. A provision is established when there is objective evidence that 
the Group will not be able to collect all amounts due. The amount of any provision is recognised in the Statement of comprehensive income.

Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash held by the Group, short-term bank deposits with an original maturity of three months or less and 
bank overdrafts. 

The Group and Company classify all financial liabilities into one category. The accounting policy for each category is as follows:

Other financial liabilities.
Include the following items:

Bank and other borrowings are initially recognised at fair value net of any transaction costs directly attributable to the issue of the 
instrument. Such interest-bearing liabilities are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method, which 
ensures that any interest expense over the period to repayment is at a constant rate on the balance of the liability carried in the statement 
of financial position. Interest expense in this context includes initial transaction costs and any interest or coupon payable while the liability  
is outstanding.

Trade payables and other short-term monetary liabilities, which are initially recognised at fair value and subsequently carried at amortised 
cost using the effective interest method.

Financial liabilities and equity instruments issued by the Group are classified in accordance with the substance of the contractual 
arrangements entered into and the definitions of a financial liability and an equity instrument. An equity instrument is any contract that 
evidences a residual interest in the assets of the Group. after deducting all of its liabilities. Equity instruments issued by the Company are 
recorded at the proceeds received, net of direct issue costs.

Leased assets
During the current and prior year the Group and Company did not have any finance leases. All leases are regarded as operating leases and 
the payments made under them are charged to the statement of comprehensive income on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Lease 
incentives are spread over the term of the lease. 

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements46

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
(CONTINUED)

1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Treatment of finance costs
All finance costs are expensed through the income statement. The Group does not incur any finance costs that qualify for capitalisation.

Defined contribution pension schemes
The pension costs charged against profits are the contributions payable to the scheme in respect of the accounting period.

Inventories
Inventories comprise oil in tanks stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Cost is determined by reference to the actual cost  
of production in the period.

Share-based payments
All goods and services received in exchange for the grant of any share-based payment are measured at their fair values. Where employees 
are rewarded using share-based payments, the fair values of employees' services are determined indirectly by reference to the fair value 
of the instrument granted to the employee. This fair value is appraised at the grant date and excludes the impact of non-market vesting 
conditions (for example, profitability and sales growth targets).

All equity-settled share-based payments are ultimately recognised as an expense in the statement of comprehensive income with a 
corresponding credit to reserves. Where options over the parent Company’s shares are granted to employees of subsidiaries of the parent, 
the charge is recognised in the statement of comprehensive income of the subsidiary. In the parent Company accounts there is an increase 
in the cost of the investment in the subsidiary receiving the benefit. 

If vesting periods or other non-market vesting conditions apply, the expense is allocated over the vesting period, based on the best 
available estimate of the number of share options expected to vest. Estimates are subsequently revised if there is any indication that the 
number of share options expected to vest differs from previous estimates. Any cumulative adjustment prior to vesting is recognised in the 
current period. No adjustment is made to any expense recognised in prior periods if the number of share options ultimately exercised is 
different to that initially estimated.

Upon exercise of share options the proceeds received, net of attributable transaction costs, are credited to share capital, and where 
appropriate share premium.

Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty
Details of the Group’s significant accounting judgements and critical accounting estimates are set out in these financial statements  
and include:

Accounting judgements and estimates:
•  Carrying value of intangible assets (note 10) – carrying values are justified with reference to indicators of impairment as set out in IFRS 6. 
Based on judgements at 31 July 2018, the investment in securing planning permission to drill the Holmwood well from the Bury Hill Wood 
site was written-off and no impairment was recognised in respect of the Wressle project. (Please see page 12 – “PEDL180 (Wressle); 
PEDL182 (Broughton North)” for the conclusion reached as to why no impairment was recognised)

•  Carrying value of property, plant and equipment (note 11) – carrying values are justified by reference to future estimates of cash flows, 

discounted at appropriate rates

•  Deferred taxation (note 16) – assumptions regarding the future profitability of the Group and whether the deferred tax assets will 

be recovered

•  Decommissioning provision (note 17) – inflation and discount rate estimates (2% and 10% respectively) are used in calculating the provision, 

along with third party estimates of remediation costs

•  Share-based payments (note 19) – various estimates, referenced to external sources where possible, are used in determining the fair value 

of options

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc FINANCIAL STATEMENTS47

2 OPERATING SEGMENT ANALYSIS
In the opinion of the Directors the Group has three reportable segments as reported to the Chief Executive Officer, being the UK, Ireland 
and new ventures. 

The reporting on these segments to management focuses on revenue, operating costs and capital expenditure. The impact of such criteria 
is discussed further in the Chairman’s statement and Strategic report of this Annual Report. 

Income statement for the year ended 31 July 2018

Revenue 

Cost of sales 
Impairment of producing fields 
Exploration write-off 

Cost of sales 

Gross profit 
Administrative expenses 
Finance income 
Finance costs 

Loss before tax 
Taxation 

Loss for the year 

Segmental assets and liabilities as at 31 July 2018

Non-current assets 
Current assets 

Total assets 

Non-current liabilities 
Current liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Other segment items 
Capital expenditure 
Depreciation 
Share based payments 

UK 
£000 

1,634 

(1,365) 
(142) 
(1,192) 

(2,699) 

(1,065) 
(738) 
10 
(171) 

(1,964) 
(341) 

(2,305) 

UK 
£000 

3,632 
2,262 

5,894 

(2,735) 
(520) 

(3,255) 

762 
72 
11 

Ireland 
£000 

New Ventures 
£000 

— 

— 

(97) 

(97) 

(97) 
— 
— 
— 

(97) 
— 

(97) 

Ireland 
£000 

2,995 
— 

2,995 

— 
(779) 

(779) 

574 
— 
— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 
(229) 
— 
— 

(229) 
— 

(229) 

New Ventures 
£000 

— 
— 

— 

— 
— 

— 

— 
— 
— 

Total
£000

1,634

(1,365) 
(142) 
(1,289)

(2,796)

(1,162)
(967)
10
(171)

(2,290)
(341)

(2,631)

Total
£000

6,627
2,262

8,889

(2,735)
(1,299)

(4,034)

1,336
72
11

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
48

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
(CONTINUED)

2 OPERATING SEGMENT ANALYSIS (CONTINUED)
Income statement for the year ended 31 July 2017

Revenue 

Cost of sales 
Exploration write-off 

Cost of sales 

Gross profit 
Administrative expenses 
Profit on disposal of fixed asset 
Finance income 
Finance costs 

Loss before tax 
Taxation 

Loss for the year 

Segmental assets and liabilities as at 31 July 2017

Non-current assets 
Current assets 

Total assets 

Non-current liabilities 
Current liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Other segment items 
Capital expenditure 
Depreciation 
Share based payments 

UK 
£000 

1,569 

(1,459) 
— 

(1,459) 

110 
(553) 
— 
2 
(237) 

(678) 
184 

(494) 

UK 
£000 

4,855 
4,491 

9,346 

(2,570) 
(795) 

(3,365) 

587 
184 
116 

Ireland 
£000 

— 

— 
— 

— 

— 
— 
— 
— 
3 

3 
— 

3 

Ireland 
£000 

1,644 
— 

1,644 

— 
(150) 

(150) 

904 
— 
— 

Total
£000

1,569

(1,459) 
—

(1,459)

110
(553)
—
2
(234)

(675)
184

(491)

Total
£000

6,499
4,491

10,990

(2,570)
(945)

(3,515)

1,491
184
116

100% of the total revenue (2017: 100%) relates to UK based customers. Of this figure, one single customer (2017: one) commands more than 
99% of the total.

3 LOSS BEFORE TAXATION
Loss before taxation is stated after charging:

Depreciation on property, plant & equipment 
Staff costs including Directors 
Impairment of producing fields 
Exploration write-off 
Fees payable to the auditor for the audit 
Fees payable to the auditor for taxation services 
Operating leases – land and buildings 
Amount of inventory recognised as an expense 
Foreign exchange loss 

Note 

11 
5 
11 
10 

22 

2018 
£000 

72 
907 
142 
1,289 
51 
— 
40 
— 
3 

2017
£000

184
903
—
—
46
1
40
9
12

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4 DIRECTORS’ EMOLUMENTS
Directors’ salaries and fees – Company and Group 

CW Ahlefeldt-Laurvig 
C Bousfield (resigned 25 January 2018) 
RJHM Corrie 
P Greenhalgh 
HGD Mackay  
BJ O’Cathain (appointed 25 January 2018) 
SG Oddie (appointed 25 January 2018) 

Directors’ pensions   
P Greenhalgh 
HGD Mackay 

The above charge represents premiums paid to money purchase pension plans during the year. 

Directors’ share-based payments

C Bousfield (resigned 25 January 2018) 
RJHM Corrie 
P Greenhalgh 
HGD Mackay  
BJ O’Cathain (appointed 25 January 2018) 
SG Oddie (appointed 25 January 2018) 

49

2017
£000

20
32
20
123
143
—
—

338

18
21

39

2017
£000

3
4
32
55
—
—

94

2018  
£000 

23 
17 
23 
141 
163 
13 
20 

400 

21 
24 

45 

2018 
£000 

— 
— 
— 
— 
5.5 
5.5 

11 

The above represents the accounting charge in respect of share options. No share options were exercised during the period (2017: none). 

Directors’ total emoluments 

Salaries and fees 
Social security costs 
Pensions 
Share based payments 

2018 
£000 

400 
49 
45 
11 

505 

2017
£000

338
42
39
94

513

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
50
50 Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
(CONTINUED)

5 EMPLOYEE INFORMATION
Average monthly number of employees including Directors – Group

Management and technical 
Field exploration and production 

Staff costs – Group

Wages and salaries (including Director’s emoluments) 
Social security 
Pensions 
Share based payment (note 19) 

Average monthly number of employees including Directors – Company

Management and technical 

Staff costs – Company

Wages and salaries (including Directors’ emoluments) 
Social security 
Pensions 
Share based payment (note 19) 

6 FINANCE INCOME

Bank interest received 

7 FINANCE EXPENSE

Unwinding of discount on decommissioning provision (note 17) 
Other finance expense 

2018 
Number 

2017
Number

9 
4 

13 

2018 
£000 

714 
88 
94 
11 

907 

8
4

12

2017
£000

631
77
79
116

903

2018  
Number 

2017
Number

9 

9 

2018 
£000 

546 
66 
71 
11 

694 

2018 
£000 

10 

10 

2018 
£000 

165 
6 

171 

8

8

2017
£000

467
55
56
111

689

2017
£000

2

2

2017
£000

223
11

234

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018

51
51

8 TAXATION

Movement in deferred tax asset (note 16) 
Movement in deferred tax liability (note 16) 

Tax charge/(credit) 

2018 
£000 

668 
(327) 

341 

2017
£000

(239)
55

(184)

UK corporation tax is calculated at 30% (2017: 30%) of the estimated assessable profit for the year being the applicable rate for a ring-fence 
trade excluding the Supplementary Charge of 10%.

Loss before tax 

2018 
£000 

(2,290) 

Tax reconciliation 
Loss multiplied by the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK including Supplementary Charge of 40% (2017: 40%) 
Expenses not deductible for tax purposes 
Partial write off prior year deferred tax asset 
Other reconciling items 

Total tax charge/(credit) 

(916) 
111 
668 
478 

341 

2017
£000

(675)

(270)
35
—
51

(184)

9 EARNINGS PER SHARE 
Basic earnings per share EPS has been calculated on the loss after taxation divided by the weighted average number of shares in issue 
during the period. Diluted EPS uses an average number of shares adjusted to allow for the issue of shares on the assumed conversion of all 
in-the-money options. 

As the Group made a loss from continuing operations in both the current and prior years, any potentially dilutive instruments are considered 
to be anti-dilutive. Therefore the diluted EPS is equal to the basic EPS. As at 31 July 2018 there were 23,414,440 (2017: 23,264,440) 
potentially dilutive instruments in issue. 

The calculation of the basic and diluted earnings per share is based on the following:

Loss for the year attributable to the equity shareholders of the parent 

Weighted average number of shares 
For the purposes of basic and diluted EPS 

10 INTANGIBLE ASSETS 
Intangible assets – Group

At 1 August 
Additions 
Sale of 3.34% interest in PEDL180 and PEDL182  
Exploration write-off 

At 31 July 

2018 
£000 

(3,846) 

2017
£000

(491)

  301,388,379 

252,472,992

2018 
£000 

5,276 
1,972 
— 
(1,289) 

5,959 

2017
£000

4,453
1,423
(600)
—

5,276

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
52

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
(CONTINUED)

10 INTANGIBLE ASSETS (CONTINUED)
Intangible assets comprise the Group’s pre-production expenditure on licence interests as follows:

Ireland FEL 2/13 (Doyle A, B, C, Kilroy, Keane & Kiely) 
Ireland FEL 3/13 (Beckett, Wilde, Shaw) 
Ireland FEL 1/17  
Ireland LO 16/19 
Ireland LO 16/20 
Ireland LO 16/21 
Ireland LO 16/22 
UK PEDL143 (Holmwood) 
UK PEDL180 (Wressle) 
UK PEDL181 
UK PEDL182 (Broughton North) 
UK PEDL299 (Hardstoft) 
UK PEDL343 (Cloughton) 
UK Block 41/24 

Total 

Exploration write-off 
UK PEDL143 (Holmwood) 
Ireland LO 16/21 
UK Block 41/24 

Total 

2018 
£000 

799 
1,093 
453 
71 
454 
— 
125 
10 
2,745 
95 
26 
12 
76 
— 

5,959 

1,145 
97 
47 

1,289 

2017
£000

340
725
224
61
206
38
48
901
2,527
60
24
12
69
41

5,276

—
—
—

—

If the Group is not able to or elects not to continue in any other licence, then the impact on the financial statements will be the impairment  
of some or all of the intangible assets disclosed above. Further details of commitments are included in note 21.

Intangible assets – Company

At 1 August 
Additions 
Transfer to Group Companies  
Exploration write-off 

At 31 July 

Intangible assets comprise the Company’s pre-production expenditure on licence interests as follows:

Ireland FEL 1/17 (LO 16/2) 
Ireland LO 16/19 
Ireland LO 16/20 
Ireland LO 16/21 
Ireland LO 16/22 

Total 

Exploration write-off 
Ireland LO 16/21 

2018 
£000 

577 
380 
(662) 
(97) 

198 

2018 
£000 

— 
71 
2 
— 
125 

198 

2017
£000

43
534
—
—

577

2017
£000

224
61
206
38
48

577

97 

—

In 2018 the interest and accumulated expenditure in respect of FEL 1/17 was transferred to the subsidiary company Europa Oil & Gas  
(Ireland East) Limited and LO16/20 was transferred to Europa Oil & Gas (Inishkea) Limited.

LO 16/21 was relinquished due to a lack of commercial prospects and the £97,000 spent to date was written-off.

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
53

Total
£000

10,836
6

10,842

Furniture &  
computers 
£000 

Producing
fields 
£000 

51 
1 

52 

— 

52 

47 
2 

49 

2 
— 

51 

4 

3 

1 

10,785 
5 

10,790 

— 

—

10,790 

10,842

9,729 
182 

9,911 

70 
142 

9,776
184

9,960

72
142

10,123 

10,174

1,056 

879 

667 

1,060

882

668

11 PROPERTY, PLANT & EQUIPMENT
Property, plant & equipment – Group

Cost 
At 1 August 2016 
Additions 

At 31 July 2017 

Additions 

At 31 July 2018 

Depreciation, depletion and impairment 
At 1 August 2016 
Charge for year 

At 31 July 2017 

Charge for year 
Impairment in year 

At 31 July 2018 

Net book value 
At 31 July 2016 

At 31 July 2017 

At 31 July 2018 

The producing fields referred to in the table above are the production assets of the Group, namely the oilfields at Crosby Warren and  
West Firsby, and the Group’s interest in the Whisby W4 well, representing the Group’s three cash generating units. 

The carrying value of each producing field was tested for impairment by comparing the carrying value with the value-in-use. The value 
in use was calculated using a discounted cash flow model with production decline rates of 7.5-11%, Brent crude prices rising from US$72 
per barrel in 2019 to US$77 per barrel in 2022 and a pre-tax discount rate of 19%. The pre-tax discount rate is derived from a post-tax rate 
of 10% and is high because of the applicable rates of tax in the UK. Cash flows were projected over the expected life of the fields which 
is expected to be longer than five years. There was an impairment in the year of £142,000 relating to the West Firsby site  
(2017: no impairment).

Sensitivity to key assumption changes
Variations to the key assumptions used in the value-in-use calculation would cause impairment of the producing fields as follows: 

Production decline rate (current assumption 7.5-11%) 
15% 
20% 
Brent crude price per barrel (current assumption US$72/bbl in 2019 rising to US$77/bbl in 2022) 
10% reduction in the assumed forward price 
15% reduction in the assumed forward price 
Pre-tax discount rate (current assumption 19%)
30% 
40% 

  Further impairment 
of producing fields
£000

309
605

300
474

—
164

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
54

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
(CONTINUED)

11 PROPERTY, PLANT & EQUIPMENT (CONTINUED)
Property, plant & equipment – Company

Cost
At 1 August 2016 
Additions 

At 31 July 2017 
Additions 

At 31 July 2018 

Depreciation 
At 1 August 2016 
Charge for the year 

At 31 July 2017 
Charge for year 

At 31 July 2018 

Net book value 
At 31 July 2016 

At 31 July 2017 

At 31 July 2018 

12 INVESTMENTS – COMPANY 
Investment in subsidiaries

At 1 August 
Current year additions 

At 31 July 

Furniture & 
computers 
£000 

Total
£000

51 
1 

52 
— 

52 

47 
2 

49 
2 

51 

4 

3 

1 

51
1

52
—

52

47
2

49
2

51

4

3

1

2018 
£000 

2,340 
1 

2,341 

2017
£000

2,335
5

2,340

The Company’s investments at the reporting date include 100% of the share capital in the following unlisted companies:
•  Europa Oil & Gas Limited, which undertakes oil and gas exploration, development and production in the UK
•  Europa Oil & Gas (West Firsby) Limited, which is non-trading
•  Europa Oil & Gas (Ireland West) Limited, which holds the interest in the FEL 2/13 licence
•  Europa Oil & Gas (Ireland East) Limited, which holds the interest in the FEL 3/13 and FEL 1/17 licences 
•  Europa Oil & Gas (Inishkea) Limited, which holds the interest in the LO16/20 licence 
•  Europa Oil & Gas (New Ventures) Limited

All six companies are registered in England and Wales, all having their registered office at 6 Porter Street, London W1U 6DD.

The results of the six companies have been included in the consolidated accounts. 

Europa Oil & Gas Limited owns 100% of the ordinary share capital of Europa Oil & Gas (UK) Limited (registered in England and Wales and 
non-trading).

Additions to the cost of investments represent the net value of options over the shares of the Company issued to employees of subsidiary 
companies less any lapsed, unvested options.

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
55

2017
£000

14

Company

2017
£000

—
30
126

156

714

Company

2017
£000

151
48

199

2017
£000

157
184

341

2018 
£000 

20 

2018 
£000 

— 
7 
76 

83 

2018 
£000 

301 
30 
140 

471 

Group  

2017 
£000 

612 
117 
157 

886 

— 

— 

2,139 

2018 
£000 

1,090 
209 

1,299 

Group  

2017 
£000 

697 
248 

945 

2018 
£000 

620 
68 

688 

2018 
£000 

341 
(341) 

— 

13 INVENTORIES – GROUP

Oil in tanks 

14 TRADE AND OTHER RECEIVABLES  

Current trade and other receivables 
Trade receivables 
Other receivables 
Prepayments 

Non-current other receivables
Owed by Group undertakings (note 23) 

15 TRADE AND OTHER PAYABLES 

Trade payables 
Other payables 

Group other payables includes advances received from partners on projects in UK. 

16 DEFERRED TAX – GROUP
Recognised deferred tax asset:

As at 1 August  
(Charged)/credited to statement of comprehensive income 

At 31 July  

The Group has a deferred tax liability of £1,215,000 (2017: £1,542,000) arising from accelerated capital allowances and a deferred tax asset 
of £1,215,000 (2017: £1,883,000) arising from trading losses which will be utilised against future taxable profits. These were offset against 
each other resulting in a £nil net asset/liability (2017: £341,000 net asset). This offsetting was required because the Group settles current tax 
assets and liabilities on a net basis.

Non-recognised long-term deferred tax asset
The Group has a non-recognised deferred tax asset of £4,040,000 (2017: £3,162,000), which arises in relation to ring-fence UK trading 
losses of £5.9 million (2017: nil), non-ring-fence UK trading losses of £12.0 million (2017: £11.7 million) and subsidiary losses of £2.9m 
(2017: Company losses £0.5 million) that have not been recognised in the accounts as the timing of the utilisation of the losses is 
considered uncertain. 

No deferred tax assets or liabilities are recognised in the Company. 

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
56

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
(CONTINUED)

17 PROVISIONS – GROUP
Decommissioning provisions are based on third party estimates of work which will be required, and the judgement of Directors. By its 
nature, the detailed scope of work required and timing is uncertain. 

Long-term provisions

As at 1 August 
Charged to statement of comprehensive income (note 7) 

At 31 July 

No provisions have been recognised in the Company. 

18 CALLED UP SHARE CAPITAL

Allotted, called up and fully paid Ordinary Shares of 1p 
At 1 August 301,388,379 shares (2017: 244,888,011) 
Issued in the year: nil shares (2017: 56,500,368) 

At 31 July 301,388,379 shares (2017: 301,388,379) 

Date 

Type of Issue 

Number of shares 

Issue price 

Ordinary Shares issued 2017 

13 June 2017 
13 June 2017 

Placing 
Open offer 

35,000,000 
21,500,368 

56,500,368 

6p 
6p 

All of the allotted shares are Ordinary Shares of the same class and rank pari passu. 

2018 
£000 

2,570 
165 

2,735 

2018 
£000 

3,014 
— 

3,014 

Raised net 
of costs 
£000 

1,927 
1,218 

3,145 

2017
£000

2,347
223

2,570

2017
£000

2,449
565

3,014

Nominal
value
£000

350
215

565

In 2005, the Company issued 39,999,998 Ordinary Shares of 1p at a nil premium in exchange for the entire shareholding of Europa Oil & 
Gas Limited. This gave rise to the merger reserve at 31 July 2018 of £2,868,000 (2017: £2,868,000).

The following describes the purpose of each reserve within owners’ equity:

Reserve 

Share premium 
Merger reserve 
Retained deficit 

Description and purpose

Amount subscribed for share capital in excess of nominal value
Reserve created on issue of shares on acquisition of subsidiaries in prior years
Cumulative net gains and losses recognised in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income.

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
57

19 SHARE BASED PAYMENTS 
The Group operates an approved Enterprise Management Incentive (‘EMI’) share option scheme for employees and an unapproved scheme 
for grants in excess of EMI limits and for non-employees. Both schemes are equity settled share-based payments as defined in IFRS 2 
Share-based payments. A recognised valuation methodology is employed to determine the fair value of options granted as set out in the 
standard. The charge incurred relating to these options is recognised within operating costs. 

Combined information for the two schemes operated by the Group is set out below:

There are 23,414,440 ordinary 1p share options outstanding (2017: 23,264,440). 

These are held as follows: 

Holder 

CD Bousfield (resigned 25 January 2018) 
RJHM Corrie 
P Greenhalgh 
HGD Mackay 
BJ O’Cathain 
SG Oddie 
Employees of the Group 
Consultants and advisors 

Total 

31 July  
2018 

— 
450,000 
4,525,000 
11,700,000 
1,200,000 
1,200,000 
2,490,000 
1,849,440 

31 July
2017

500,000
950,000
5,775,000
11,700,000
—
—
2,490,000
1,849,440

23,414,440 

23,264,440

The fair values of all options were determined using a Black Scholes Merton model. Volatility is based on the Company's share price 
volatility since flotation. 

The inputs used to determine the values of the 2,400,000 options granted in 2018 are detailed in the table below:

Grant date 

Number of options 
Share price at grant 
Exercise price 

Volatility 
Dividend yield 
Risk free investment rate 
Option life in years 
Fair value per share 

25 January
 2018

2,400,000
4.5p
6.5p

70%
nil
1.17%
6
0.46p

The 2,400,000 options vest if the share price is above 10p for 30 days and expire on the 10th anniversary of the grant date. 

The inputs used to determine the values of the 7,899,440 options granted in 2017 are detailed in the table below:

Grant date 

Number of options 
Share price at grant 
Exercise price 

Volatility 
Dividend yield 
Risk free investment rate 
Option life in years 
Fair value per share 

13 June  
2017 

1,399,440 
6.2p 
6p 

13 June 
2017 

450,000 
6.2p 
8p 

13 June
2017

6,050,000
6.2p
8p

60% 
nil 
0.07% 
1.5 
1.65p 

60% 
nil 
0.08% 
2.5 
0.48p 

60%
nil
0.29%
6
0.83p

The 1,399,440 options are subject to no further vesting conditions and expire on the second anniversary of the grant date.

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
58

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
(CONTINUED)

19 SHARE BASED PAYMENTS (CONTINUED)
The 450,000 options vest if the share price is above 10p for 30 days and expire on the 3rd anniversary of the grant date.

The 6,050,000 options vest if the share price is above 10p for 30 days and expire on the 10th anniversary of the grant date.

Based on the fair values above, the charge arising from employee share options was £11,000 (2017: £114,000). The charge relating to non-
employee share options was £nil (2017: £2,000). The charge allocated direct to equity, relating to the issue of options on the issue of share 
capital, was £nil (2017: £23,000).

In the year 1,750,000 options expired, 500,000 were forfeited and none were exercised (2017: 80,000 expired, none forfeited and none 
were exercised).

Outstanding at the start of the year 
Granted 
Expired 
Forfeited 

Outstanding at the end of the year 
Exercisable at the end of the year 

2018 
Number  
of options 

2018 
Average 
exercise price 

2017 
Number 
of options 

2017
Average
exercise price

23,264,440 
2,400,000 
(1,750,000) 
(500,000) 

23,414,440 
12,411,102 

11.62p 
6.5p 
20p 
8.9p 

10.22p 
10.67p 

15,445,000 
7,899,440 
(80,000) 
— 

23,264,440 
14,494,436 

11.62p
6.65p
25p
—

10.22p
11.75p

Share options outstanding at the end of the period have exercise prices ranging from 6p to 16p. 

The weighted average remaining contractual life of share options outstanding at the end of the period was 6.0 years (2017: 6.1 years).

20 FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS 
The Group’s and Company’s financial instruments comprise cash and cash equivalents, bank borrowings, loans, and items such as trade and 
other receivables and trade and other payables which arise directly from its operations. Europa’s activities are subject to a range of financial 
risks the main ones being: credit; liquidity; interest rates; commodity prices; foreign exchange and capital. These risks are managed through 
ongoing review taking into account the operational, business and economic circumstances at that time.

Credit risk
The Group is exposed to credit risk as all crude oil production is sold to one multinational oil company. The customer is invoiced monthly 
for the oil delivered to the refinery in the previous month and invoices are settled in full on the 15th of the following month. At 31 July 2018 
trade receivables were £301,000 (2017: £612,000) representing one month of oil revenue and receivables due from project partners). The 
fair value of trade receivables and payables approximates to their carrying value because of their short maturity. Any surplus cash is held 
on short-term deposit with Royal Bank of Scotland. The maximum credit exposure in the year was £161,000 (2017: £155,000). The Company 
exposure to third party credit risk is negligible. The intercompany balance with Europa Oil & Gas Limited has been fully provided due to the 
questionability of its recovery.

Liquidity risk
The Company currently has no overdraft or overdraft facility with its bankers. 

The Group and Company monitor their levels of working capital to ensure they can meet liabilities as they fall due. The following table 
shows the contractual maturities (representing the undiscounted cashflows) of the Group’s and Company’s financial liabilities. 

At 31 July 

6 months or less 

Total 

Group  
Trade and 
other payables

2017 
£000 

945 

945 

2018 
£000 

1,299 

1,299 

Company
Trade and
other payables

2017
£000

199

199

2018 
£000 

688 

688 

Cash and cash equivalents in both Group and Company are all available at short notice.

Trade and other payables do not normally incur interest charges. There is no difference between the fair value of the trade and other 
payables and their carrying amounts.

Interest rate risk
The Group has no interest bearing liabilities. 

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
59

20 FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (CONTINUED)
Commodity price risk
The selling price of the Group’s production of crude oil is set at a small discount to Brent prices. The table below shows the range of 
prices achieved in the year and the sensitivity of the Group’s Loss Before Taxation (‘LBT’) to such movements in oil price. There would be a 
corresponding increase or decrease to net assets. There is no commodity price risk in the Company.

Oil price 

Highest  
Average 
Lowest  

Month 

May 18 

Aug 17 

2018 
Price 
US$/bbl 

75.4 
64.6 
50.6 

2018 
LBT 
£000 

(2,017) 
(2,291) 
(2,644) 

2017 
Price 
US$/bbl 

54.1 
49.0 
44.1 

2017
LBT
£000

(478)
(675)
(804)

Foreign exchange risk
The Group’s production of crude oil is invoiced in US$. Revenue is translated into Sterling using a monthly exchange rate set by reference 
to the market rate. The table below shows the range of average monthly US$ exchange rates used in the year and the sensitivity of the 
Group’s LBT to similar movements in US$ exchange. There would be a corresponding increase or decrease to net assets.

US Dollar 

Highest 
Average 
Lowest 

Month 

Jan 18 

Aug 17 

2018 
Rate 
US$/£ 

1.422 
1.351 
1.289 

2018 
LBT 
£000 

(2,369) 
(2,287) 
(2,206) 

2017 
Rate 
US$/£ 

1.318 
1.272 
1.221 

2017
LBT
£000

(697)
(641)
(574)

The table below shows the Group’s currency exposures. Exposures comprise the net financial assets and liabilities of the Group that are not 
denominated in the functional currency.

Currency  

Euro 

US Dollar 

Total 

Item 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Trade and other payables 
Cash and cash equivalents 
Trade and other receivables 
Trade and other payables 

2018 
£000 

9 
(423) 
715 
115 
— 

416 

 Group  

2017 
£000 

11 
(5) 
691 
118 
(71) 

744 

2018 
£000 

9 
(423) 
— 
— 
— 

(414) 

 Company

2017
£000

11
(5)
4
—
—

10

Capital risk management
The Group’s objectives when managing capital are to safeguard the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern in order to provide 
returns for shareholders and maintain an optimal capital structure to reduce the cost of capital. The Group defines capital as being the 
consolidated shareholder equity (note 18) and bank borrowings (currently nil). The Board monitors the level of capital as compared to the 
Group’s long-term debt commitments and adjusts the ratio of debt to capital as is determined to be necessary, by issuing new shares, 
reducing or increasing debt, paying dividends and returning capital to shareholders. The Group is not subject to any externally imposed 
capital requirements.

21 CAPITAL COMMITMENTS AND GUARANTEES
The work commitments on FEL 1/17, FEL 2/13, FEL 3/13, LO 16/19 and LO 16/20 have been fulfilled and the only remaining activity is reporting 
to the Petroleum Affairs Division (‘PAD’) of the Department of Communications Climate Action and Environment (‘DCCAE’). LO 16/22 has a 
remaining work commitment which is expected to cost £0.25 million.

At the reporting date, the Group had a commitment to drill a well on PEDL143 (Holmwood) before September 2020. Europa’s share of the 
well cost is expected to be £0.2 million. 

For PEDL299 (Hardstoft) and PEDL343 (Cloughton) there is a commitment to acquire seismic and Europa’s share of combined cost is 
expected to be £1.25 million. 

If the Group is not able to raise funds, farm-down, or extend licences; or elects not to continue in an exploration licence, then the impact on 
the financial statements will be the impairment of the relevant intangible asset disclosed in note 11.

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018Strategic reportGovernanceFinancial statements 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
60

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
(CONTINUED)

22 OPERATING LEASE COMMITMENTS
Europa Oil & Gas Limited pays annual site rentals for the land upon which the West Firsby and Crosby Warren oil field facilities are located. 
The West Firsby lease runs until September 2022 and can be terminated upon giving two months’ notice. The annual cost is currently 
£21,000 (2017: £20,000) and increases annually in line with the retail price index. The Crosby Warren lease runs until December 2022  
and can be terminated on three months’ notice. The annual cost is currently £20,000 (2017: £20,000).

Future minimum lease payments are as follows:

Less than 1 year 
2-5 years 
5+ years 

Total 

2018 
£000 

40 
120 
— 

160 

2017
£000

40
160
—

200

23 RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Key management are those persons having authority and responsibility for planning, controlling and directing the activities of the Group. In 
the opinion of the Board, the Group’s and the Company’s key management are the Directors of Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc. Information 
regarding their compensation is given in note 4.

During the year, the Company provided services to subsidiary companies as follows:

Europa Oil & Gas Limited 
Europa Oil & Gas (Ireland West) Limited 
Europa Oil & Gas (Ireland East) Limited 
Europa Oil & Gas (Inishkea) Limited 

Total 

At the end of the year the Company was owed the following amounts by subsidiaries:

Europa Oil & Gas (Ireland West) Limited 
Europa Oil & Gas (Ireland East) Limited 
Europa Oil & Gas (Inishkea) Limited 

Total 

2018 
£000 

1,256 
5 
7 
1 

1,269 

2018 
£000 

584 
1,143 
412 

2,139 

2017
£000

1,165
4
4
—

1,173

2017
£000

240
474
—

714

The Directors consider it is prudent to provide fully against the Company’s intercompany loan to Europa Oil & Gas Limited due to the 
questionability of its recovery. The movement in the provision was as follows:

Provision against intercompany loan at start of year 
Increase in provision during the year 

Provision against intercompany loan at end of year 

2018 
£000 

13,235 
1,791 

15,026 

2017
£000

12,197
1,038

13,235

24 POST REPORTING DATE EVENTS
PEDL143 (Holmwood) the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, decided not to renew the lease at Bury Hill Wood, 
Coldharbour Lane leading to a withdrawal of the planning application to drill from the site.

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2018

ADVISERS

DIRECTORS AND ADVISERS

Company registration number 

5217946

Registered office 

Directors 

Secretary 

Banker 

Solicitor 

Auditor 

Nominated advisor and broker 

Registrar 

6 Porter Street
London
W1U 6DD

CW Ahlefeldt-Laurvig – Non-Executive 
CD Bousfield – Non-Executive Chairman (resigned 25 January 2018) 
RJHM Corrie – Non-Executive
P Greenhalgh – Finance Director
HGD Mackay – Chief Executive Officer
BJ O’Cathain – Non-Executive (appointed 25 January 2018)
SG Oddie – Non-Executive Chairman (appointed 25 January 2018)

P Greenhalgh

Royal Bank of Scotland plc
1 Albyn Place
Aberdeen
AB10 1BR

Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
5 Fleet Place
London
EC4M 7RD

BDO LLP
55 Baker Street
London
W1U 7EU

finnCap Ltd
60 New Broad Street  
London
EC2M 1JJ

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PO Box 82
The Pavilions
Bridgwater Road
Bristol 
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Keem Bay, Achill Island, Ireland

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc
6 Porter Street
London, W1U 6DD
Tel: +44 (0)20 7224 3770

www.europaoil.com