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FY2012 Annual Report · Informatica
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InfraStrata plc

2012 Annual Report &
Financial Statements

Contents

3
4-7
8
9

10-14
15-16
16-18
19
20

21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28-53
54-55
56
57

Chairman’s statement
Chief Executive’s operating review
- Corporate and social responsibility
Directors, secretary, advisors and shareholder 
information
Report of the Directors
- Directors of the Company
- Corporate governance
- Directors’ reponsibilities
Independent auditor’s report
Financial statements and notes
- Consolidated statement of comprehensive income
- Consolidated statement of financial position
- Company statement of financial position
- Consolidated statement of changes in equity
- Company statement of changes in equity
- Consolidated statement of cash flows
- Company statement of cash flows
- Notes to the financial statements
Letter from the Chairman with Notice of AGM
Notes to Proxy form
Proxy form

02

InfraStrata plc

Chairman’s statement

The past few years have been challenging and in response to a 
fundamental shift in market conditions, I am pleased to report 
that we have worked successfully to reposition the business and 
identify  routes  to  build  significant  shareholder  value  within 
a  realistic  timeframe.  We  have  made  considerable  progress  on 
our exploration projects and we have advanced the Islandmagee 
gas  storage  project  through  to  successful  receipt  of  planning 
approval.

Chronologically, your company was created on the back of a single 
large  gas  storage  project  based  at  Portland  in  Dorset  and  our 
difficulties in securing funding or otherwise realising value from 
the project have been well documented during an unprecedented 
shift  in  the  fundamental  economics  and  markets  for  seasonal 
gas  storage  facilities.  In  seeking  to  broaden  our  base  we  have 
embraced  a  smaller,  more  flexible  and  commercially  attractive 
gas  storage  project,  at  Islandmagee  in  Northern  Ireland.  In 
addition to being able to meet the demands of seasonal storage, 
this facility would also be able to meet short-term fluctuations 
in demand on the gas network throughout the year, resulting in 
a greater value to the traded markets.  We have also capitalised 
on our knowledge of the areas near to our storage projects and 
secured exploration licences PL1/10 and P1918 close to each and 
in this respect the emphasis of the Company’s development has 
changed. Meanwhile we have continued to preserve the planning 
permissions for the Portland project and looked for additional or 
alternative projects to use both the site and those permissions. 

The  greater  flexibility  of  the  Islandmagee  project  compared  to 
Portland  has  meant  that,  with  our  partner  Mutual  Energy, 
we  were  able  to  secure  investment  from  BP  Gas  Marketing  in 
the  Islandmagee  storage  project.  Our  association  with  BP  Gas 
Marketing  and  Mutual  Energy  in  respect  of  the  Islandmagee 
project  is  poised  to  enter  a  new  phase  now  that  planning 
permission  has  been  granted  and  we  expect  shortly  to  be 
assessing how best to unlock value for shareholders in the near 
term. 

The current poor market conditions for seasonal storage mean 
that we do not consider that it is likely we can realise the Portland 
gas storage project in the short term. As a result, we have been 
obliged to look critically at the cost pool. As a Board, we consider 
it is appropriate to take a conservative approach to the applicable 
accounting treatment of the project and the carrying value of the 

asset in the Company’s accounts. This has resulted in a substantial 
reduction in the financial asset value of the project cost carried 
on our balance sheet. There are no cash cost implications on the 
re-assessment and there remain clear commercial opportunities 
for  the  Portland  site,  which  the  Group  will  continue  to  assess 
and explore. Not least of these are those historic costs associated 
with  the  gas  pipeline  which  has  potential  value  for  the  P1918 
petroleum licence or gas imports. The costs incurred in drilling 
the Portland-1 well and acquiring the Portland seismic data have 
been  recognised  as  an  exploration  and  evaluation  intangible 
asset in the Group’s financial statements. In the shorter term, the 
use of the brownfield site and attendant planning permissions 
are  currently  under  appraisal  as  a  potential  for  a  salt  solution 
mining facility, in its own right.

The  Company  also  made  significant  progress  during  the  year 
to  31  July  2012  with  the  petroleum  exploration  project  in 
Northern Ireland where we are at an advanced stage of reviewing 
the  additional  seismic  data  acquired  earlier  this  year.  The  data 
looks  very  encouraging  and  the  prospects  of  drilling  our  first 
exploration well during 2013 appear strong. 

In offshore Dorset the exploration is at an earlier stage following 
the formal award of the P1918 licence in first half 2012, but the 
presence of existing oil and gas discoveries within the licence area 
marks it out as prospective for the Company and good progress 
is anticipated in the coming year. These exciting developments 
encourage me to believe that there exists potential within these 
exploration projects to unlock significant shareholder value.

May  I  conclude  by  offering  my  thanks  to  our  small  but 
highly  effective  team  for  the  progress  made  over  the  past 
eighteen  months  across  both  the  exploration  acreage  and  the 
Islandmagee  gas  storage  project  and  also  to  our  shareholders 
for their support. 2012 has been another challenging year but 
one in which significant progress has been made, one in which 
the emphasis of the Company has been repositioned and one in 
which our progress justifies my expectation that 2013 could be a 
very good year for your Company.

Ken Ratcliff
Non-executive Chairman

InfraStrata plc

03

Chief Executive’s
operating review

The  Company  has  continued  to  focus  on  oil  and  gas  activities 
in  two  areas  within  the  United  Kingdom;  County  Antrim  in 
Northern Ireland; and Dorset in Southern England. InfraStrata 
works  alongside  strong  and  experienced  partners  in  projects 
in  both  areas.  During  the  past  two  years  the  focus  has  shifted 

towards the exploration projects in both areas where significant 
progress  has  been  made  and  two  wells  are  being  planned  for 
2013,  which  together  with  the  planned  appraisal  well  for  the 
Islandmagee gas storage project – all have the potential to unlock 
very significant value for shareholders.

County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Islandmagee Project

Islandmagee  Storage  Limited  (“IMSL”)  was  granted  planning 
permission  for  a  £400  million  natural  gas  storage  facility  at 
Islandmagee, Co Antrim, in October 2012. IMSL was also granted 
a  Gas  Storage  Licence  from  the  Utility  Regulator  in  October 
2012. IMSL plans to create seven caverns, capable of storing up 
to a total of 500 million cubic metres of gas in Permian salt beds 
approximately 1,500 metres beneath Larne Lough. 

(65%  shareholder)  and  Moyle  Energy 

IMSL is an independent Northern Ireland registered company; a 
joint venture between a wholly-owned subsidiary of InfraStrata 
plc 
Investments 
Limited,  part  of  the  Mutual  Energy  group  of  companies  (35% 
shareholder). In January 2012 we were very pleased to announce 
that IMSL had entered into agreements with BP Gas Marketing 
Limited (“BPGM”) for the appraisal of the project and the option 
for BPGM to acquire a 50.495% equity interest in IMSL. Under 
the terms of a Joint Appraisal Agreement, BPGM has agreed to 
fund  the  activities  necessary  to  develop  the  project,  including 
the drilling of the first borehole, up to the point where a decision 
can be made on whether to proceed with its detailed engineering 
design.  BPGM  has  also  paid  IMSL  a  total  of  £600,000  (a  third 
on signing of an option agreement in September 2011, a third 
on  signing  the  agreement  in  January  2012  and  the  remainder 
on  the  grant  of  planning  permission  in  October  2012).  The 
first  payment  was  used  to  complete  a  land  purchase  for  the 
project and the remaining funds were used to settle a portion of 
InfraStrata’s loan account to IMSL.

The  Islandmagee  project  has  a  number  of  advantages  which 
enhance  its  commercial  case.  These  include  being  immediately 
adjacent  to  gas  and  electrical  infrastructure,  the  salt  being  at 
an  optimum  depth  for  gas  storage  and  close  to  a  water  source 
for solution mining of the salt to create the caverns. The project 
is also designed to access the extrinsic value of the gas storage 
market in the UK and Ireland by being able to respond to short-
term volatility.

The  proposed  gas  storage  facility  will  make  a  significant 
contribution  to  the  security  of  gas  supplies  for  the  whole 
island  of  Ireland.  Ireland  is  dependent  on  gas  for  around  65% 
of electricity generation with 90% of the island’s gas imported 

via a single pipeline from Scotland. The facility, when complete, 
will store enough gas to satisfy Northern Ireland’s demand for 
around 60 days.  Northern Ireland has a target to generate 40% 
of  electricity  from  renewables  by  2020  –  this  will  primarily  be 
achieved through wind-powered generation.  A shift to renewable 
energy  sources  is  likely  to  result  in  an  increasing  reliance  on 
gas-fired power stations to support the inherently intermittent 
supply from wind.  Rapid cycle gas storage facilities, such as this 
planned project, will be important to respond to the increasingly 
fluctuating  demands  for  gas  to  fuel  this  electricity  generation 
requirement.

The estimated timescale for the project is approximately seven 
years,  with  the  first  cavern  becoming  operational  after  five 
years.  The  initial  appraisal  well  drilling  is  planned,  subject  to 
confirmation  on  the  regulatory  framework  for  the  project,  in 
2013.  Samples  of  the  Permian  salt  will  provide  the  technical 
confirmation and final design parameters for the project.

Petroleum Exploration Project – PL1/10 Larne-Lough Neagh Basin

A  group  led  by  InfraStrata  plc  was  awarded  Petroleum  Licence 
PL1/10 in March 2011 by the Department of Enterprise, Trade 
and  Investment  (“DETI”).  The  licence  covers  an  area  of  663 
square  kilometres  over  what  the  Company  believes  is  a  very 
prospective  largely  unexplored  sedimentary  basin.  The  licence 
term is five years with a drill-or-drop decision required by March 
2014. InfraStrata plc has a direct operated interest of 30%, with 
a further 40% shareholding in Brigantes Energy Limited which 
holds a 40% interest in the licence – resulting in an overall net 
licence  interest  of  46%.  The  other  partners  in  the  licence  are 
Cairn Energy (20%) and Terrain Energy (10%).

The  licence  is  located  within  the  Larne-Lough  Neagh  Basin, 
a  SW-NE  trending  Permo-Triassic  Basin,  overlying  an  older 
Carboniferous  sequence.    The  basin  has  historically  received 
little attention from explorers - the primary reason is the thick 
development of Palaeocene Antrim Flood Basalts overlying the 
target  horizons.  This  has  been  a  barrier  to  effective  seismic 
imaging  but  with  the  recent  technological  advances  in  data 
processing, it is now opening up.

The group has acquired, using onshore specialist contractor Tesla 

04

InfraStrata plc

Exploration  International  Limited,  a  total  of  400  kilometres 
of  2D  seismic  data  over  two  campaigns,  the  first  in  October/
November  2011  and  the  second  in  June  2012.  Following  the 
first survey, structures were identified below the basalt and large 
leads mapped in the  east of the licence area. This eastern area 
became the focus for the second survey. The Company believes 
the new data has the potential to open up an exciting new area 
for petroleum exploration with significant potential.

There has been a limited amount of drilling in the Larne-Lough 
Neagh Basin over the past 40 years; largely for coal exploration 
and  geothermal  feasibility.  However  this  has  confirmed  the 
development  of  good  sandstone  reservoirs  and  seals  within 
the  thick  Permo-Triassic  sedimentary  section,  similar  to  those 
found  in  our  analogue,  the  prolific  East  Irish  Sea  Basin.  Oil-
prone source rocks have been identified on the margins of the 
Basin  within  the  Carboniferous  section,  and  gas-prone  coals 
have  also  been  mined  to  the  west  in  the  Coalisland  area,  and 
along the North Antrim coast. The basin is also along trend from 
the Midland Valley of Scotland where oil and gas prone rocks of 
Carboniferous age are well known. It is anticipated that in the 

more deeply buried areas of the Larne-Lough Neagh Basin the 
Carboniferous will have been buried sufficiently to generate oil 
and  possibly  also  gas.  As  with  any  new  exploration  province 
anywhere,  the  presence  of  a  working  petroleum  basin  remains 
the highest risk of the play and can only be resolved by drilling.

The  2011  data,  together  with  the  new  2012  survey  were  both 
processed by Fugro Seismic Imaging Limited, a world leader in 
the processing of challenging land data, during July to October 
2012. Since October 2012 the interpretation has been on-going. 
A trend of large structures within the eastern half of the licence 
has been high-graded. 
The  initial  licence  term  commitments  to  DETI  have  now  been 
exceeded. The joint venture proposes to drill its first exploration 
well  during  2013.  Work  is  now  commencing  on  identifying  a 
suitable  surface  site  from  which  to  drill,  and  engaging  with 
local  stakeholders.  It  is  hoped  that  it  will  be  possible  to  drill 
the well in a coordinated programme with the first well on the 
Islandmagee  gas  storage  project,  to  realise  technical  synergies 
and in particular to save costs for both projects.

Dorset, Southern England

Portland Project – Gas storage and salt solution mining

Planning  permission  was  granted  for  a  1,000  million  cubic 
metres gas storage facility and associated infrastructure in 2008. 
The Company has run two formal processes to unlock value in 
the project. The first in 2007/8 had to be halted when interested 
parties  withdrew  from  the  process  as  the  financial  markets 
collapsed in the autumn of 2008. A second process was run in 
2009/10 and resulted in US company, eCORP International LLC 
(“eCORP”), taking a 50% interest in the project during 2010 in 
return  for  funding  the  project  through  the  next  stage  of  pre-
construction activity. 

Between  2010  and  2012,  eCORP  invested  £1.9  million  in 
the  project,  which  included  lease  payments,  securing  the 
majority  of  landowner  agreements  for  the  37  kilometre  gas 
pipeline  connection  to  the  National  Transmission  System  and 
undertaking  works  on  the  site  to  implement  the  main  site 
planning  permission.  However  this  investment  was  against  a 
backdrop  of  a  closing  of  the  summer-winter  gas  price  spread, 
which undermines the financial case for all but the very flexible 
gas storage projects in the UK, such as the Islandmagee project, 
which are able to respond to the volatility in prices rather than 
longer-term seasonal trends. With the continuing poor market 
conditions for seasonal gas storage facilities and a refocusing of 
eCORP’s  European  operations,  InfraStrata  reached  agreement 
with  eCORP  in  June  2012  whereby  InfraStrata  acquired  100% 
of  the  project  again  and  eCORP’s  former  funding  obligations 
were  restructured  into  an  obligation  to  provide  funding  for  a 
further  US$2.88  million,  in  the  form  of  monthly  payments  of 

US$120,000  until  May  2014.  The  deal  was  structured  so  that 
eCORP would earn a 7.5% share of the future profits from the 
Portland  project  in  return  for  its  total  investment  in  Dorset 
projects of approximately £3.7 million. 

The Company believes it is unlikely that the seasonal gas storage 
market will improve in the short-term, but it remains a longer-
term play as pressure for reliable winter supplies increases and 
the  UK’s  indigenous  production  reduces  further.  Against  this 
backdrop, InfraStrata has conducted a review of all the potential 
projects  which  could  be  sited  at  Portland  in  the  short-term  to 
build  upon  the  existing  planning  permissions.  These  included 
the  generation  and  export  of  electricity,  carbon  capture  & 
storage (“CCS”), salt production and export, gas imports and the 
siting of petroleum production facilities.

An  application  for  funding  for  a  CCS  pilot  at  the  site  to  the 
Department  of  Energy  and  Climate  Change  (“DECC”)  in  2012 
proved  unsuccessful.  The  Company  is  now  focused  on  the 
potential  for  salt  production  at  the  site.  The  location  adjacent 
to  a  deep  water  port  makes  the  export  of  salt  to  UK  and 
international  markets  potentially  attractive.  If  such  a  project 
could  be  established  in  the  shorter-term  it  would  enable  the 
Company to retain the option for gas storage in the longer-term. 

The  gas  pipeline  construction  authorisation  from  DECC  is 
viewed  as  being  of  considerable  potential  value  and  will  be 
maintained pending its future use as a potential export line for 
gas from production in the area (discussed further below), or for 
gas imports.

InfraStrata plc

05

Petroleum Exploration Project – P1918, Wessex Basin

A  group  led  by  InfraStrata  plc  was  awarded  Petroleum  Licence 
P1918 in December 2011, effective February 2012. The licence 
term  is  four  years  with  a  drill-or-drop  decision  required  by 
February 2014. InfraStrata has a direct operated interest of 70%, 
with a further 40% shareholding in Corfe Energy Limited which 
holds a 20% interest in the licence – resulting in an overall net 
licence interest of 78%. The other partner in the licence is Cairn 
Energy (10%). InfraStrata acquired a 50% licence interest from 
eCORP (subject to a 7.5% share of future profits) in June 2012.

The P1918 licence covers three offshore Blocks 97/14, 97/15 and 
98/11, with a total area of 584 square kilometres adjacent to the 
Dorset coast and close to the giant Wytch Farm oilfield. 

UK offshore well in 1963 on Lulworth Banks in Block 97/14. Six 
of these wells encountered oil or gas shows and three flowed oil 
or gas on test. The advances in technology and higher petroleum 
prices mean that the licensees are hopeful of being able to develop 
one of the existing discoveries profitably as a base from which 
to appraise the full potential of the area. The focus has been on 
the  offshore  extension  of  the  Purbeck  Prospect,  an  anticline 
in the east of the licence, up dip of the onshore well Southard 
Quarry-1, which encountered petroleum at several stratigraphic 
levels in 1989 but was not tested. This large structure lies largely 
within Licence P1918. InfraStrata will commence reprocessing of 
existing data to define further the sub-surface target location for 
a new appraisal well. It is proposed to drill the well directionally 
from  an  onshore  location,  subject  to  planning  permission  and 
project funding, in the latter part of 2013.

Within and immediately adjacent to the licence area there are a 
number of active oil and gas seeps. A total of seven wells have 
previously been drilled within the licence area, including the first 

The gas pipeline consent for the Portland project may prove a key 
investment to export gas from the area and realise this potential.

Funding review

BPGM funded the Islandmagee gas storage project to the extent 
of  £475,689  during  the  financial  year  under  the  terms  of  a 
Joint  Appraisal  Agreement.  BPGM  will  continue  funding  the 
development  of  the  Islandmagee  gas  storage  project  through 
2013 including the drilling of an appraisal well.  We anticipate 
that the drilling of this well will trigger the detailed engineering 
and  design  phase  and  an  unlocking  of  value  in  the  project  for 
InfraStrata through a monetising of its interest in the project. 
The project proceeding to construction will also be a further cash 
boost to InfraStrata with settlement of partner Mutual Energy’s 
share of the loan account which is due to InfraStrata and which 
currently stands at £1.2 million.

The Company has no debt and has been successful in attracting 
investment  into  its  projects.  In  addition,  cash  revenue  of 
£253,932  has  been  earned  from  partners  for  managing  the 
various  projects,  resulting  in  a  net  cash  outflow  (before  legal 
costs  relating  to  transactions)  during  the  financial  year  of 
£78,000  per  month.  A  placing  of  shares  in  February  2012  has 
secured the necessary funds to meet administration and general 
expenditure  of  the  Company  and  support  processes  to  unlock 
the inherent value in our range of projects. 

InfraStrata has been funded for its share of the PL1/10 seismic 
programme  through  the 
introduction  of  partners  (gross 
expenditure to year end of £2.2 million). A portion of the first 
well  in  Northern  Ireland  is  already  funded  under  an  existing 
farmout  agreement.  We  expect  to  see  continued  significant 
interest  from  industry  partners  in  our  acreage  and  will  assess 
the options for securing the balance of the funding for the first 
exploration well. 

In the Dorset projects, the restructuring agreement with eCORP 
has secured $120,000 per month funding until May 2014. At the 
same  time  as  reaching  agreement  with  eCORP,  agreement  was 
also reached with Portland Port Limited to modify the existing 
leases at the Portland site. Portland Gas Storage Limited is able 
to  terminate,  without  financial  penalty,  the  leases  annually  in 
June of each year until 2018.

InfraStrata  has  funded  the  majority  of  its  share  of  the  initial 
work programme in the Dorset exploration project, comprising 
seismic  mapping  and  prospect  characterisation,  through  a 
farmout  of  an  8%  interest  to  Corfe  Energy  Limited  in  August 
2012. InfraStrata is likely to seek to farmout a further interest 
in the licence to fund the drilling and testing of an appraisal well. 
The Company holds a large equity position, following the eCORP 
licence  acquisition,  with  which  to  manage  a  farmout  funding 
process during 2013. 

InfraStrata  also  holds  a  shareholding  in  two  independent 
exploration  companies,  Brigantes  Energy  and  Corfe  Energy, 
who are partners in its exploration projects and are self-funding. 
InfraStrata  Director  William  Colvin  represents  the  Company’s 
interest on the Board of each exploration company. 

Brigantes  holds  a  40%  interest  in  licence  PL1/10  in  Northern 
Ireland,  and  Corfe  a  20%  interest  in  offshore  Dorset  licence 
P1918.  The  companies  raised  a  further  £750,000  each  during 
2012 in private share placings, diluting InfraStrata’s shareholding 
from  50%  to  40%.  At  an  appropriate  time  InfraStrata  could 
sell  its  interests  in  these  companies  to  unlock  the  value  of  its 
investments for shareholders.

06

InfraStrata plc

Outlook

Good  progress  has  been  made  in  assessing  and  defining  the 
prospectivity  within  the  Company’s  exploration  acreage.  The 
coming  year  will  see  an  increasing  focus  of  the  Company’s 
activities towards its exploration portfolio. The upside potential 
of the licences for the Company is expected to be very significant. 
Characterisation  of  the  primary  prospects  in  each  licence  will 
continue as preparations commence for drilling and testing the 
plays, which are expected during the second half of 2013.

In  Dorset,  evaluation  of  existing  data  in  licence  P1918  will  be 
progressed  further  with  seismic  reprocessing  of  data  over  the 
most  prospective  structure.  It  is  anticipated  that  preparatory 
work, including the submission of a planning application, will be 
commenced to enable the joint venture to drill the first appraisal 
well in the licence from an onshore location. At Portland options 
to progress projects by building on existing technical work and 
consents will continue to be reviewed. 

The  coming  year  will  see  the  Islandmagee  gas  storage  project 
progressing further following the successful granting of planning 
permission in October 2012. Drilling of the first well is expected 
to take place in 2013 subject to confirmation of the regulatory 
framework for the project. The data from the seismic acquisition 
on  licence  PL1/10  in  Northern  Ireland  will  be  processed  and 
interpreted and is expected to lead to an exploration well being 
drilled, hopefully using the same rig as the Islandmagee well. 

Unlocking the inherent value of the Company’s projects during 
the  coming  12  months  is  management’s  primary  objective. 
The  Company  looks  forward  to  working  with  partners  and 
stakeholders to progress all of our projects.  

Andrew Hindle
Chief Executive Officer

InfraStrata plc

07

Corporate and
Social Responsibility

Through  the  work  of  the  Portland  Gas  Trust,  Portland  Gas 
Limited  continues  to  support  local  communities  in  its  area 
of  operation.  The  Trust  is  a  registered  charity  that  supports 
initiatives  around  education,  geology  and  the  environment.  
Throughout  the  year  the  Trust  has  continued  to  support  local 
projects  both  financially,  and  in  kind,  through  Rachel  Barton, 
Manager  of  the  Trust.  During  the  year  the  Trust  received 
various  applications  for  funding.  The  Trust  has  continued  to 
support suitable local applications and those that fitted with our 
objectives were successful.  

This  year  saw  the  completion  of  the  dry  stone  walling  around 
the back of the Old Engine shed. Various walling courses were 
held over the winter months which meant lots could be achieved. 
Scrub was cleared with blackthorn and bramble being sprayed.
The  Trust  is  very  grateful  to  Wessex  Water  for  supporting  the 
Trust with the costs of the spraying. Over 300 individuals helped 
as volunteers to complete the walling.

The Trust held two very successful fundraiser archive film nights 
at the Boat that Rocks which were oversubscribed and the Trust 
intends to host similar events in the coming year.  

The responsible dog owner campaign was a great success. The Dog 
Fun day held in September was well attended with lots of people 
getting  up  to  date  information  relating  to  dog  ownership.  The 
Trust has had awareness days out in the community promoting 
the  bags,  car  stickers  and  information  leaflets  with  the  Island 
Ranger and the local authority Dog Warden.  

Financial support was given, by the Trust, to the Project Pliosaur, 
the creation of a large dinosaur by local school children as part 
of  the  Cultural  Olympiad.  The  Trust  once  again  sponsored  the 
Budmouth Geology Award.

The Trust supported various projects in kind which included the 
Portland Community Partnership. The Trust is also represented 
on the Board of Expia, a Community Interest Company based at 
HMP The Verne.

Looking  forward,  work  will  continue  around  the  engine  shed 
site, with the intent to rebuild the walls on the second field and 
clear away the remaining areas of scrub.

The Trust will continue to hold its own fundraising events and 
ensure  that  the  local  community  is  included  and  aware  of  the 
works that are undertaken.

Subject  to  obtaining  full  project  funding,  Islandmagee  Storage 
Limited  intends  to  set  up  a  Trust  with  objectives  around 
education, geology and the environment. An initial investment 
of £1 million over three years, with a further £50,000 per annum 
for a minimum of six years thereafter is planned. Consultation 
with local residents and interest groups indicated that there is 
a need to upgrade the community centre. Islandmagee Storage 
Limited  has  agreed  to  assist  with  this  as  part  of  its  primary 
investment phase which in turn will help with the development 
of  the  Gobbins  tourism  project  sponsored  by  Larne  Borough 
Council.

The company is continuing discussions with local residents and 
community groups in the Larne Lough area with regard to ideas 
and  initiatives  which  could  be  funded  through  the  proposed 
Trust.  Local  businesswoman,  Judith  Tweed,  is  the  company 
Community Liaison Consultant; Judith is collating a wide range 
of ideas for potential funding.

08

InfraStrata plc

Directors, secretary, advisors 
and shareholder information

Directors

Kenneth Maurice Ratcliff (Non-executive Chairman)
Andrew David Hindle (Chief Executive Officer)
Craig Stuart Gouws (Chief Financial Officer)
Walter Rookehurst Roberts (Legal and Commercial Director)
Maurice Edward Hazzard (Non-executive Director)
William Colvin (Non-executive Director)

Company secretary

Walter Rookehurst Roberts

Registrars

Registered office

Principal office

Auditor

Tax advisors

Blackstable House
Longridge
Sheepscombe
Stroud
Gloucestershire, GL6 7QX

80 Hill Rise
Richmond
Surrey, TW10 6UB

Nexia Smith & Williamson
1 Bishops Wharf, Walnut Tree Close
Guildford
Surrey, GU1 4RA

Smith & Williamson LLP
1 Bishops Wharf, Walnut Tree Close
Guildford
Surrey, GU1 4RA

Capita Registrars Limited
The Registry
34 Beckenham Road
Beckenham
Kent, BR3 4TH

Arden Partners plc
125 Old Broad Street
London, EC2N 1AR 

Nominated advisor 
and broker 

Solicitors

Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP
35 Vine Street
London, EC3N 2AA

Bankers

Bank of Scotland plc
33 Old Broad Street
London, EC2N 1HZ

Investor and
public relations

Buchanan Communications Limited
107 Cheapside
London, EC2V 6DN

InfraStrata plc

09

Report of the Directors
for the year ended 31 July 2012

The Directors have pleasure in presenting their report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012.

Principal activities and review of business

The principal activities of the Group throughout the year were 
petroleum exploration and the development of sub-surface gas 
storage facilities.

General

InfraStrata  plc  is  incorporated  and  domiciled  in  England  and 
Wales. 

Business review

During the year the Group continued to develop its gas storage 
and petroleum exploration business.

Funding

In  February  2012  the  Company  completed  the  placing  of 
12,727,273  new  ordinary  shares  at  11p  per  share  and  raised 
£1,400,000  before  expenses.  Following  the  placing,  the 
Company  has  90,991,599  ordinary  shares  in  issue.  The  shares 
were  placed  by  Seymour  Pierce  Limited  largely  with  existing 
and new institutional investors. The net proceeds of the placing 
receivable by the Company together with the existing cash prior 
to the placing and anticipated income, particularly from project 
partners in return for management activities, are being applied 
to the general and administrative expenditure of the Company 
with the majority of the proceeds of the placing being used to 
strengthen  the  balance  sheet  of  the  Company  and  assist  the 
Company to unlock the inherent value in its four projects as they 
all  proceed  to  key  milestones  through  its  2012/2013  financial 
year. 

An agreement was entered into with BP Gas Marketing Limited 
(“BPGM”) regarding the appraisal of the Islandmagee gas storage 
facility  development  project  in  County  Antrim,  and  the  grant 
of an option to BPGM  to  acquire  a  50.495% equity interest in 
Islandmagee Storage Limited (“IMSL”). In consideration for the 
work undertaken in developing the project, Islandmagee Storage 
Limited received an amount of £400,000. £200,000 was paid on 
signature of a Joint Appraisal Agreement (“JAA”) and a further 
£200,000 was paid following award of planning permission for 
the project on the 18 October 2012. These funds were used to 
repay a portion of the InfraStrata plc loan account to Islandmagee 
Storage Limited. In addition, Islandmagee Storage Limited was 
paid £200,000 by BPGM on the grant of exclusivity in 2011.

The  Company  signed  a  Restructuring  Agreement  with  eCORP 

Oil  &  Gas  UK  Limited  (“eCORP”)  during  June  2012,  following 
a  refocusing  of  eCORP’s  European  operations.  The  provisions 
of  the  Restructuring  Agreement  include  a  revised  funding 
arrangement.  eCORP’s  50%  interest  in  Portland  Gas  Limited 
(“PGL”)  was  converted  into  preference  shares  and  eCORP’s 
former  funding  obligations  have  been  restructured  into  an 
obligation  to  subscribe  a  further  US$2.88  million  for  further 
preference  shares  over  a  period    of  two  years.  The  preference 
shares will provide eCORP with a 7.5% share of the future profits 
distributed by Portland Gas Limited. 

Associate  companies  Brigantes  Energy  Limited  (“Brigantes”) 
and Corfe Energy Limited (“Corfe”) have each raised £750,000 
through  a  placing  of  shares  during  July  2012.  The  InfraStrata 
plc  interest  in  each  Company  was  reduced  to  40%  however 
these  associate  companies  are  now  adequately  funded  for  the 
foreseeable future. 

Following  year  end  the  Company  also  farmed  out  a  further 
8%  interest  in  English  Channel  licence  P1918  to  Corfe  Energy 
Limited. Under the terms of the agreement Corfe will carry the 
first  £96,000  of  InfraStrata’s  expenditure  under  the  licence. 
The  farmout  to  Corfe  is  part  of  InfraStrata’s  strategy  to  bring 
investment  into  its  projects  and  de-risk  its  programme  on  the 
licence.

Islandmagee project 

On  19  January  2012  an  agreement  was  entered  into  with 
BPGM  regarding  the  appraisal  of  the  Islandmagee  gas  storage 
facility  development  project  in  County  Antrim,  and  the  grant 
of an option to BPGM to  acquire  a  50.495% equity  interest in 
Islandmagee  Storage  Limited.  Islandmagee  Storage  Limited  is 
the gas storage developer in Northern Ireland currently owned 
by  InfraStrata  (65%)  and  Moyle  Energy  Investments  Limited 
(“Moyle”)  (35%).  Should  the  option  be  exercised,  InfraStrata’s 
equity  interest  in  Islandmagee  Storage  Limited  will  become 
32.178% and the remaining 17.327% will be owned by Moyle.

Under  the  terms  of  the  JAA,  BPGM  has  agreed  to  fund  the 
activities necessary to develop the project, including the drilling 
of the first well, up to the point where a decision can be made 
on  whether  to  proceed  with  a  detailed  engineering  design.  In 
addition to the planning permission, now received, the drilling of 
the well is subject to Islandmagee Storage Limited confirmation 
that  a  regulatory  and  operational  framework  will  be  adopted 
by the Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland authorities to 

10

InfraStrata plc

facilitate commercial operations of the facility on a level playing 
field with storage elsewhere in the UK and Ireland.

in  the  same  year)  and  the  50%  interest  in  the  P1918  licence 
acquired from eCORP.

During the appraisal stage of the project, BPGM is responsible 
for  managing  surface  and  sub-surface  engineering  matters. 
Islandmagee  Storage  Limited  is  managing  the  regulatory,  land 
and  stakeholder  relations  together  with  drilling  and  operating 
the  well.  All  costs  incurred  by  Islandmagee  Storage  Limited 
in  undertaking  these  activities  are  and  will  be  recovered  from 
BPGM.

Islandmagee Storage Limited had received £475,689 from BPGM 
at 31 July 2012 in accordance with the agreement. 
The  Islandmagee  gas  storage  project  is,  with  the  valued 
participation of stakeholders, progressing as anticipated.

Portland project

Planning permission for this project was granted in May 2008 by 
Dorset County Council and implemented in June 2011 following 
completion  of  permanent  works  within  the  wellpad  area  at 
Upper Osprey on the Isle of Portland. 

Following  a  very  challenging  time  and  facing  the  unlikely 
prospect of securing full funding for the gas storage project in 
the near to medium term, alternative business streams have and 
are being investigated and developed for the site.  

During  June  2012  the  Company  signed  a  Restructuring 
Agreement  with  eCORP  (a  subsidiary  of  eCORP  International, 
LLC), following a refocusing of eCORP’s European operations.

The  provisions  of  the  Restructuring  Agreement  included  the 
following:

•	

•	

eCORP’s  50%  interest  in  Portland  Gas  Limited  has  been 
converted  into  preference  shares  and  eCORP’s  former 
funding  obligations  have  been  restructured 
into  an 
obligation to subscribe a further US$2,880,000 for further 
preference  shares  over  the  next  two  years.  The  preference 
shares will provide eCORP with a 7.5% share of the future 
profits distributed by Portland Gas Limited. Following the 
restructuring,  InfraStrata  UK  Limited,  a  wholly  owned 
subsidiary  of  InfraStrata  plc,  now  holds  100%  of  the 
ordinary shares in Portland Gas Limited;
InfraStrata plc has also acquired eCORP’s 50% interest in the 
26th Round petroleum exploration licence P1918, offshore 
Dorset  (increasing  the  Company’s  direct  interest  to  78%). 
In return InfraStrata  plc has  granted eCORP a 7.5%  share 
of the future net profits generated on the acquired licence 
interest.

As  a  consequence  of  the  Restructuring  Agreement  the  Group 
de-recognized  its  50%  interest  in  the  Portland  Gas  Limited 
joint venture and recognized an investment in a wholly owned 
subsidiary being the same company. The transaction resulted in 
the Group recognizing the fair value of intangible assets being 
the Portland-1 well data (well data obtained from the well which 
was drilled on Portland in 2006  and the  seismic data acquired 

An  agreement  was  also  reached  with  Portland  Port  Limited 
to  modify  the  existing  leases  at  the  Portland  site.  These 
modifications  include  permission  for  a  wider  range  of  uses 
of  the  land,  such  as  the  generation  and  export  of  electricity, 
carbon capture & storage, salt production and export, and the 
siting of petroleum production facilities. A restructuring of lease 
payments was also agreed, whereby the rental payments in the 
early years are reduced, but could be higher in the longer term 
if there are multiple uses of the land. There is also flexibility for 
Portland Gas to terminate the leases during the next five years. 

The  Company  has  been  reviewing  a  range  of  business  options 
which build on synergies with Portland Port, together with the 
engineering, environmental and consenting work undertaken to 
date on the gas storage project. 
The  unique  combination  of  thick  Triassic  salt  strata  present 
below  the  Portland  area,  and  access  to  Port  facilities,  provides 
an attractive opportunity to establish the production and export 
of salt as an initial business. This opportunity is under appraisal 
and is the current focus of the Company with investment being 
sought for the project.
There  is  potential  to  store  CO2  in  salt  caverns.  A  bid  was 
submitted  in  the  Carbon  Capture  Storage  (“CCS”)  Innovation 
Programme of the Department of Energy and Climate Change 
(“DECC”) for a research and development project at Portland but 
this application was not successful.

The  Pipeline  Construction  Authorisation  from  the  DECC  was 
most recently renewed in June 2012. An eight year extension to 
planning permissions related to the pipeline infrastructure was 
approved  by  the  Dorset  County  Council  in  December  2011.  In 
the face of the uncertainty surrounding the development of the 
gas storage project, the Company believes the pipeline could be 
used exporting hydrocarbons from the P1918 licence area, or for 
gas importation.

Petroleum exploration activities

During  the  financial  year  the  main  conventional  exploration 
activities were focused on the central part of the Larne - Lough 
Neagh  Basin  following  the  award  of  petroleum  exploration 
licence  PL1/10  in  March  2011.  The  licence  covers  an  area  of 
663  square  kilometres.  The  initial  licence  term  is  five  years 
with  a  decision  on  drilling  a  well  required  within  three  years. 
InfraStrata  plc  is  the  operator  of  the  licence  and  holds  a  30% 
direct  interest,  with  an  additional  net  16%  interest  via  a  40% 
shareholding  in  partner  company  Brigantes  Energy  Limited 
which has a 40% interest. The other partners in the licence are 
Cairn Energy plc (20%) and Terrain Energy Limited (10%). The 
acquisition of approximately 275 line kilometres of 2D seismic 
data commenced in mid-September 2011 and was completed in 
early November 2011. 

Tesla  Exploration  International  Limited  completed  a  further 
infill  Vibroseis  seismic  programme  in  June  2012  comprising 
a  total  of  111  kilometres  of  2D  seismic  data.  Processing  the 

InfraStrata plc

11

seismic data was undertaken by Fugro Seismic Imaging Limited 
between  July  and  October  2012.  The  new  survey  has  enabled 
the project partners to refine their evaluation of the petroleum 
prospectivity  of  the  licence  area,  and  plans  are  being  made  to 
drill the first well during 2013.

The Dorset petroleum licence, P1918, comprising Blocks 97/14, 
97/15 and 98/11 was offered to the Company in December 2011 
and  formally  awarded  to  InfraStrata  plc  and  eCORP  effective 
February  2012.  InfraStrata  plc  acquired  eCORP’s  50%  interest 
in the licence P1918 in June 2012. In return InfraStrata plc has 
granted eCORP a 7.5% share of the future profits generated on 
the acquired licence interest.

InfraStrata  is  the  operator  of  the  P1918  licence  with  a  70% 
interest, Cairn Energy plc has a 10% interest and Corfe Energy 
Limited has the remaining 20% interest. Corfe is 40% owned by 
InfraStrata plc.

A  total  of  seven  wells  have  been  previously  drilled  within  the 
P1918 licence area, including the first UK offshore well in 1963 

Key performance indicators

on Lulworth Banks in Block 97/14. Six of these wells encountered 
oil or gas shows and three flowed oil or gas.

Following  year  end  the  Company  also  farmed  out  a  further 
8%  interest  in  the  P1918  licence  to  Corfe  Energy  Limited.  In 
the  terms  of  the  agreement,  Corfe  will  carry  the  first  £96,000 
of  InfraStrata’s  expenditure  under  the  licence.  The  farmout  to 
Corfe is part of InfraStrata’s strategy to bring investment into its 
projects and de-risk its programme on the licence.

The  priority  of  the  initial  2012/13  work  programme  will  be  to 
establish  the  potential  commerciality  of  the  most  highgraded 
of the existing discoveries in the licence. The work will include 
reprocessing of existing seismic data to better define the extent 
and size of the prospect.

Health, safety and environment

There  were  no  reportable  health,  safety  or  environmental 
incidents during the period.

Key performance indicators, both financial and non-financial, are used by the Board to 
monitor progress against predetermined objectives:

Objective

Definition

Strategy

We seek to identify new project 
opportunities

Identify new project opportunities which 
are expected to increase shareholder 
value once development commences

Develop a balanced portfolio of projects

We endeavour to develop projects in 
accordance with project schedules

Predetermined and agreed project 
development schedules adhered too 
including submission of planning 
applications

Delivery of projects to sensible time 
schedules. Submit and achieve planning 
permission approvals in a cost effective 
and timely manner

We aim to control general and 
administrative costs keeping costs as 
low as possible

Management and control of group 
general and administrative costs

We aim to prudently manage Group 
working capital

Management and control of working 
capital ensuring liquidity as is necessary

Maintain low cost of Group general 
and administration expenditure and 
conserve cash to the extent possible

Management of working capital to 
ensure liquidity to develop projects as 
planned in development schedules

Our  Group  KPIs  provide  a  measure  of  our  progress  and 
performance  against  our  strategy.  Key  performance  indicators 
include  identification  of  new  economic  project  opportunities, 
submission of project planning applications in accordance with 
project  scheduling,  project  development  in  accordance  with 
project  development  programme,  management  of  general  and 
administrative costs and Group working capital management.

The KPIs are reported at Board meetings. Measurement entails 
analysing  variance  between  expected  and  actual  progress, 
financial  position  and  financial  performance.  Relevant 

performance measures for 2012 include:

•	

A  number  of  new  business  opportunities  including  salt 
production and carbon capture and storage where considered 
during  the  financial  year.  The  carbon  capture  and  storage 
business proposal was not pursued following the Portland 
project application to DECC being unsuccessful.

•	 The  prudent  application  of  available  cash  resources.  The 
cash  balance  at  the  financial  year  end  was  £1,918,201, 
£1,203,232 higher than that at the previous year end.
•	 Net  general  and  administration  expenditure  was  well 

12

InfraStrata plc

controlled during the financial year, a decrease of £48,989 
before legal transaction costs when compared to the prior 
year.
Issuance of new capital to raise £1,400,000 to meet working 
capital requirements during the financial year.
Completion  of  the  Portland  Gas  Limited  restructuring 
transaction  with  eCORP  and  securing  an  agreement 
whereby  eCORP  is  to  subscribe  for  $2,880,000  preference 
shares in Portland Gas Limited.
Completion  of  the  initial  Islandmagee  Storage  Limited 
funding transaction with BPGM concluded.
Completing the PL1/10 seismic acquisition to schedule and 
budget.
P1918 exploration licence award effective February 2012.
Although no planning awards took place during the financial 
year,  the  grant  of  the  Islandmagee  gas  storage  project 
planning permission occurred on 18 October 2012.

•	

•	

•	

•	

•	
•	

Principal risk factors

The Directors are responsible for the effectiveness of the Group’s 
risk management activities and internal control processes. As a 
participant in the gas storage development and upstream oil & 
gas industries, the Group is exposed to a wide range of business 
risks in the conduct of its operations. The Group is exposed to 
financial,  operational,  strategic  and  external  risks  which  are 
further  described  below.  These  risks  are  not  exhaustive  and 
additional risks or uncertainties may arise or become material 
in  the  future.  Any  of  these  risks,  as  well  as  other  risks  and 
uncertainties in this document, could have a material effect on 
the Group’s business.

Financial risks - failure to meet financial obligations
•	
•	

Cost inflation and over runs.
Access to working capital.

Loss of key employees.

Sustained exploration failures.
Failure of third party services.

Operational  risks  -  damage  to  shareholder  value,  environment, 
personnel or communities caused by operational failures
•	
•	 Delays in planning application awards.
•	
•	
•	 Once hydrocarbon production projects become operational 
there  will  be  an  increased  environmental  risk  for  example 
hydrocarbon spillage. 
Failure  to  be  seen  to  be  acting  in  a  socially  responsible 
manner  and/or  failure  to  maintain  good  local  community 
relations.

•	

Strategic and external risks - failure to manage and grow the business 
while creating shareholder value
•	

Future deterioration of capital markets, reducing ability to 
raise new equity funding.
•	 Misalignment with partners.
Shareholder sentiment.
•	
•	 Mix of storage and upstream interests.
•	

Corporate governance failings.

There  is  no  assurance  that  the  Group’s  exploration  and 
development  activities  will  be  successful.  The  Directors  seek 
to  manage  and  mitigate  these  risks  by  developing  a  balanced 
portfolio  of  projects,  recruitment  and  retention  of  suitably 
skilled personnel, through compliance with applicable legislation 
and careful management of cash resources and requirements.  

The successful progression of the Group’s activities depends not 
only  on  technical  success,  but  also  on  the  ability  of  the  Group 
to obtain appropriate financing through equity financing, farm 
downs, disposing of interest in projects or other means. If the 
Group is unable to obtain additional financing needed to fulfil its 
planned work programmes some interests may be relinquished 
and/or the scope of operations reduced.

Share capital

On the 15 February 2011 the Company placed 12,727,273 new 
ordinary shares of 10 pence each at 11 pence per share to raise 
£1,400,000 before expenses. The shares were placed by Seymour 
Pierce  Limited  with  existing  and  new  institutional  investors. 
Following  the  placing,  the  Company  has  90,991,599  ordinary 
shares in issue.

Outlook

Good  progress  has  been  made  in  assessing  and  defining  the 
prospectivity  within  the  Company’s  exploration  acreage. 
The  coming  year  will  see  an  increasing  focus  of  the  Company 
activities towards its exploration portfolio. The upside potential 
of the licences for the Company is expected to very significant. 
Characterisation  of  the  primary  prospects  in  each  licence  will 
continue as preparations commence for drilling and testing the 
plays, which are expected during the second half of 2013.

The  coming  year  will  see  the  Islandmagee  gas  storage  project 
progressing further following the successful granting of planning 
permission in October 2012. Drilling of the first well is expected 
to take place in 2013 subject to confirmation of the regulatory 
framework for the project. The data from the seismic acquisition 
on  licence  PL1/10  in  Northern  Ireland  will  be  processed  and 
interpreted  and  expected  to  lead  to  an  exploration  well  being 
drilled, hopefully using the same rig as the Islandmagee well. 

In  Dorset,  evaluation  of  existing  data  in  licence  P1918  will  be 
progressed  further  with  seismic  reprocessing  of  data  over  the 
most  prospective  structure.  It  is  anticipated  that  preparatory 
work,  including  the  submission  of  a  planning  application,  will 
be  commenced  to  enable  the  joint  venture  to  drill  the  first 
exploration  well  in  the  licence  from  an  onshore  location.  At 
Portland  options  to  progress  projects  building  on  existing 
technical work and consents will continue to be reviewed.

Unlocking the inherent value of the Company’s projects during 
the  coming  12  months  is  management’s  primary  objective. 
The  Company  looks  forward  to  working  with  partners  and 
stakeholders to progress all of our projects. 

InfraStrata plc

13

Results and dividends

The 2012 financial year was an active period for the Group during 
which an exploration programme of £2,261,262 was undertaken 
of which the Company incurred a cash cost of only £34,564. 

A non-cash share of loss of the joint venture of £10,306,395 and 
non-cash share of loss of associates of £174,869 was accounted 
for during the year. The loss on the joint venture primarily arose 
from impairment charges in respect of the Portland project as 
it is now unlikely that the project will secure full funding in the 
near to medium term. The Company derecognised its 50% joint 
venture investment in Portland Gas Limited and an investment 
in  a  100%  held  subsidiary,  being  the  same  Company,  was 
recognised. This gave rise to a net non-cash accounting loss of 
£8,113,730.

The  Group  recognised  cash  revenue  of  £253,932  which  arose 
from  operatorship  income,  consulting  and  technical  services. 
These revenues offset corporate and administrative expenditure. 
Corporate  and  administrative  expenditure,  before  gas  storage 
lease  costs  and  transaction  legal  fees  of  £190,659,  was 
£1,068,547.

Largely as a result of non-cash transactions, the Group incurred 
a  loss  after  tax  of  £19,727,362  (2011:  profit  after  tax  of 
£4,310,311).  The  loss  for  the  year,  together  with  the  balance 
of  £138,605  loss  brought  forward  leaves  a  retained  loss  of 
£19,865,967 to be carried forward. 

Following  the  impairments  of  the  Portland  project,  the 
InfraStrata  plc  investment  in  InfraStrata  UK  Limited  and  the 
related inter-company receivable were impaired and this resulted 
in a non-cash expense of £23,141,684 being recognised in the 
InfraStrata plc company loss for the year. 

The  Directors  do  not  recommend  the  payment  of  a  dividend 
(2011: £nil).

In accordance with international financial reporting standards, 
the  Islandmagee  Storage  project  assets  and  liabilities  continue 
to be classified as a disposal group and they are shown as held 
for sale and in the consolidated statement of financial position 
- note 21. As a corollary, the net loss attributable to this project 
company,  representing  costs  that  could  not  be  capitalized,  has 
been  classified  as  arising  from  discontinued  operations  in  the 
statement of comprehensive income.

Charitable and political donations

During the year the Group made various charitable contributions in the UK totalling £250 (2011: £200).
No donations were made for political purposes (2011: £nil). 

Events after the reporting period

Islandmagee Storage Limited received planning approval on 18 October 2012 for its development of a natural 
gas storage facility at Islandmagee, County Antrim.

Payment of creditors

The  Group’s  policy  for  all  suppliers  is  to  fix  terms  of  payment  when  entering  into  a  business  transaction, 
ensure that the supplier is aware of those terms and to abide by the agreed terms of payment. The number of 
days’ trade creditors was 26 (2011: 16) for the Group.

Risk Management

The  financial  risk  management  objectives  and  policies  of  the  Company  in  relation  to  the  use  of  financial 
instruments, and the exposure of the Company and its subsidiary undertakings to its main risks, credit risk 
and liquidity risk, are set out in note 24 to the financial statements. 

14

InfraStrata plc

Directors

The Directors, who served during the year and subsequently, were as follows:
Executive Directors: A D Hindle, C S Gouws, W R Roberts. Non-executive Directors: K M Ratcliff, M E Hazzard, W Colvin

All  Directors  benefit  from  the  provisions  of  individual  Directors’  Personal  Indemnity  insurance  policies. 
Premiums payable to third parties are as described in note 6. The Company operates a share option scheme 
and the particulars of share options granted to Directors are detailed in note 6 to the financial statements. 
Directors of the Company at 31 July 2012 and their abridged CVs are as follows:

Ken Ratcliff (Non-Executive Chairman)
Ken Ratcliff, JP, BSc., FCA, (62) is a Chartered Accountant with 
extensive finance and business experience. He is currently College 
Accountant  at  Epsom  College  and  co-founder  of  Geokinetics 
Processing UK Limited, an oil and gas industry seismic contractor. 
He  was  an  audit  manager  with  Touche  Ross  &  Co  in  London 
before  moving  into  accountancy  and  finance  positions  within 

Andrew Hindle (Chief Executive Officer)
Andrew  Hindle,  BSc.,  MSc.,  PhD,  FGS,  CGeol,  (50)  is  a  highly 
experienced geologist with over 25 years worldwide experience. 
He  holds  a  degree  in  Geological  Sciences  gained  in  1983  from 
Leeds  University  and,  following  a  year  with  BP,  gained  a  MSc. 
degree in Petroleum Geology in 1985 from Aberdeen University. 
In  1998  he  completed  a  PhD  (part-time)  through  the  Open 
University. He received the J. C. “Cam” Sproule Memorial Award 
from  the  American  Association  of  Petroleum  Geologists  in 
1999. He worked for Texaco from 1985 until 1996 on UK and 

Craig Gouws (Chief Financial Officer)
Craig Gouws, BSc., CA (SA) ACA, (45) is a Chartered Accountant 
and  holds  an  engineering  degree.  He  worked  within  the 
forestry sector in South Africa before qualifying as a Chartered 
Accountant with Ernst & Young in 2001. His finance experience 

the oil and gas industry in 1978. Ken has previously held senior 
management positions with Ensign Geophysics Limited, Seismic 
Geocode Limited, Tenneco Corporation and Merlin Geophysical 
Limited. He joined the Board in 2007 and became Chairman in 
October 2007. Ken has been a non-executive director of Egdon 
Resources plc since 2001.

international petroleum exploration and development projects, 
working overseas from 1990 to 1994. Subsequently, he worked 
for Anadarko Algeria Corporation from 1996 to 1997. In 1997 
he  became  a  founding  director  of  Egdon  Resources  plc  and, 
following  the  demerger  of  Egdon  and  InfraStrata,  remained  a 
non-executive  director  of  Egdon  until  February  2011.  Andrew 
has been the Chief Executive of the Group since 2005. Andrew is 
also a director of Geofocus Limited and Toffee Limited

includes  working  for  major  auditing  organisations  in  senior 
financial  positions  in  South  Africa,  the  Middle  East  and  the 
United  Kingdom.  Craig  joined  the  Group  in  an  executive  role 
during 2007.

Walter Roberts (Legal and Commercial Director and Company Secretary)
Walter Roberts, MA (Cantab.), (61) is an oil and gas lawyer with 
a  strong  record  in  commercial  and  legal  management.  Walter 
qualified as a solicitor with Simmons & Simmons before joining 
Phillips Petroleum in 1980. He then worked for Lasmo in both 
the  UK  and  in  Australia  where  he  set  up  its  legal  department. 
Walter  was  the  principal  negotiator  for  UK  joint  venture 
commercial negotiations and gas sales for Talisman Energy (UK) 

Limited (previously Bow Valley Petroleum (U.K.) Limited) until 
1995. More recently he was the London partner of Cummings & 
Co. and he is currently an executive director of Pinnacle Energy 
Limited  and  a  non-executive  director  of  Egdon  Resources  plc. 
Walter joined the Board of Egdon Resources plc in 2001 as a non-
executive director. He joined the Group in an executive role in 
2007.

Maurice Hazzard (Non-Executive Director)
Maurice Hazzard, (74) has extensive business experience in the 
oil and gas industry, particularly in large  offshore projects. He 
has  held  senior  positions  with  Phillips  Petroleum,  Hamilton 
Bros. Oil & Gas Limited and Halyard Offshore Limited. Between 
1979  and  1989  Maurice  was  responsible  for  development  of 
the Energy Division of the Tung Group of companies, based in 
Hong Kong, and during this period was Executive Chairman of 

William Colvin (Non-Executive Director)
William Colvin, BCom. CA, (54) is a Chartered Accountant and 
has wide experience in the oil and gas, and healthcare sectors in 
senior management and board positions of large corporations. 
He was Finance Director of British-Borneo Oil & Gas Plc from 
1992 to 1999. From 1990 to 1992, William was Finance Manager/
Director at Oryx UK Energy. From 1984 to 1989, he worked in 

Houlder Marine Drilling Limited. From 1989 to 1996 he was a 
consultant  with  Maritime  Audit  &  Technical  Services  Limited, 
consulting to the international offshore oil and marine services 
industry. From 1996 to 1999 he was Chairman and CEO of PD 
Systems International Limited, a UK electronics manufacturer. 
He  is  also  non-executive  Chairman  of  Orbitron  Technologies 
Limited, a software company.

a variety of financial roles for Atlantic Richfield (ARCO) Inc. He 
qualified as a Scottish Chartered Accountant in 1982 and holds a 
Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Edinburgh. 
William  is  currently  a  non-executive  director  of  Energy  XXI, 
the  independent  oil  &  natural  gas  exploration  and  production 
company.

InfraStrata plc

15

Directors’ emoluments

The Directors’ emoluments are disclosed in note 6 to the financial statements.

Directors and substantial shareholdings

The Directors of the Company held the following beneficial shareholdings as at 20 November 2012.

Ordinary shares of 10p each

Ken Ratcliff
Andrew Hindle
Craig Gouws
Walter Roberts
Maurice Hazzard
William Colvin

Number

104,000
7,172,625
277,226
1,132,378
19,326
272,727

The Company has received notification of the following interests in 3% or more of the Company’s 
issued share capital at 20 November 2012. The percentages presented are at the date of notification. 

Ordinary shares of 10p each

JP Morgan Asset Management Holdings Inc
Mark Abbott
Investec Wealth and Investment Management
Maven Income and Growth VCT 5 PLC
Calculus Nominees Limited

Number

15,516,600
6,294,806
5,299,112
2,974,013
1,858,950

%

0.11
7.88
0.30
1.24
0.02
0.30

%

19.83
6.92
5.82
3.80
3.60

Corporate Governance

The UK Corporate Governance Code

The Directors recognise the value of the UK Corporate Governance 
Code (“the Code”) and whilst under the AIM rules compliance is 
not required the Directors believe that the Company applies the 
recommendations in so far as is appropriate for a public company 
of its size. The Company therefore does not fully comply with the 
Code.

The Board

At  the  financial  year  end  the  Board  was  comprised  of  three 
Executive  Directors  and  three  Non-executive  Directors  whose 
background  and  experience  are  relevant  to  the  Company’s 
activities.  As  such,  the  Directors  are  of  the  opinion  that  the 
Board has a suitable balance and that the recommendations of 

the  Code  have  been  implemented  to  an  appropriate  level.  The 
Board,  through  the  Directors,  maintain  regular  contact  with 
its advisors and public relations consultants in order to ensure 
that the Board develops an understanding of the views of major 
shareholders about the Company. All Directors have access to the 
advice and services of the company secretary who is responsible 
to the Board for ensuring that the Board procedures are followed 
and that the applicable rules and regulations are complied with. 
In addition, the company secretary will ensure that the Directors 
receive appropriate training as necessary. The appointment and 
removal of the company secretary is a matter for the Board as a 
whole.

The table overleaf contains details on the number of meetings 
held during the period and individual director attendance.

16

InfraStrata plc

Number of meetings held 
during the 2012 financial 
year

Executive directors
Andrew Hindle
Craig Gouws
Walter Roberts

Non-executive directors
Ken Ratcliff
Maurice Hazzard
William Colvin

Board

Audit Committee

Renumeration Committee

7§

4

1

Number of meetings 
attended

Number of meetings 
attended

Number of meetings 
attended

6
7
7

5
5
4

-
-
-

4
-
4

-
-
-

1
1
1

§ Of which 2 were minimally attended but to finalise business already approved by all directors

Audit Committee

The  Audit  Committee  met  four  times  in  the  year  to  31  July 
2012.  Its  members  are  William  Colvin  (Chairman)  and  Ken 
Ratcliff.  Members  of  the  committee  at  the  time  of  meetings 
attended  all  meetings  either  in  person  or  by  telephone.  In 
addition, the committee met in August and November 2012 and 
senior  representatives  of  the  external  auditors  attended  these 
meetings.  The  external  auditor  has  unrestricted  access  to  the 
Chairman of the committee.

The role of the Audit Committee includes:

•	

•	

Consideration  of  the  appointment  of  the  external  auditor 
and the audit fee.
Reviewing  the  nature,  scope  and  results  of  the  external 
audit.

•	 Monitoring  the  integrity  of  the  financial  statements  and 

Renumeration Committee

The  members  of  the  Remuneration  Committee  are  Maurice 
Hazzard  (Chairman),  Ken  Ratcliff  and  William  Colvin.  The 
committee  met  once  during  the  year  and  the  meeting  was 
attended  by  all  current  members.  The  Group’s  policy  is  to 
remunerate  senior  executives  fairly  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
facilitate  the  recruitment,  retention  and  motivation  of  staff. 
The  Remuneration  Committee  recommends  to  the  Board  a 
framework for the remuneration of the Chairman, the Executive 
Directors and the senior management of the Group. During the 
year,  the  Remuneration  Committee  discussed  the  continuing 
need  to  maintain  motivation  of  the  Executive  during  a  period 
of intense activity and changing focus. The conclusion of their 
considerations  was  that,  while  current  salary  burden  was 
regarded as being high in the overall context of the Company’s 
performance, it would not be wise to do anything to jeopardise 
the  possible  outcome  of  current  negotiations  but  the  focus 
during  2012/13  would  be  on  reducing  the  overall  burden.  The 
Executive was invited to propose possible ways of achieving this 

interim report.

•	

•	 Discussing  with  the  Group’s  auditors  problems  and 
reservations arising from the interim and final results.
Reviewing  the  external  auditor’s  management  letter  and 
management’s response.
Reviewing  on  behalf  of  the  Board  the  Group’s  system  of 
internal control and making recommendations to the Board.

•	

The  Committee  also  keeps  under  review  the  necessity  for 
establishing  an  internal  audit  function  but  considers  that, 
given the size of the Group and the close involvement of senior 
management  in  day-to-day  operations,  there  is  currently  no 
requirement for such a function. Notwithstanding the absence 
of  an  internal  audit  function,  the  Committee  keeps  under 
review the effectiveness of the Group’s internal controls and risk 
management systems.

and  recommendations  put  forward  during  the  financial  year 
have been implemented.

The principal objectives of the Committee include:

•	 Determining  and  recommending  to  the  Board  the 
remuneration policy for the Chief Executive and Executive 
Directors;
Reviewing the design of share incentive plans for approval 
by  the  Board  and  determining  the  annual  award  policy  to 
Executive Directors under existing plans.

•	

The view of the Committee is that the salaries remain competitive, 
but are not over generous, and therefore did not recommend an 
adjustment during the current financial year. Non-executive fees 
are considered and agreed by the Board as a whole and there has 
been no specific review in this regard during the period.

InfraStrata plc

17

Nomation Committee

The Company has not established a Nomination Committee as the Directors are of the opinion that 
such a committee is inappropriate given the current size of the Company.

Relations with Shareholders

Communication with shareholders is given high priority and the 
Company  therefore  communicates  regularly  with  shareholders 
including  the  release  of  announcements  for  the  interim 
and  annual  results  and  after  significant  developments.  The 
Annual General Meeting is normally attended by all Directors. 
Shareholders,  including  private  investors,  are  invited  to  ask 
questions  on  matters  including  the  Group’s  operations  and 
performance  and  to  meet  with  the  Directors  after  the  formal 
proceedings have ended.

The  Company  maintains  a  website  (www.infraStrata.co.uk)  for 
the  purpose  of  improving  information  flow  to  shareholders 
as  well  as  potential  investors.  The  website  contains  all  press 
announcements  and  financial  reports  as  well  as  extensive 
operational  information  about  the  Group’s  activities  and 
enquiries  from  individual  shareholders  on  matters  relating  to 
their shareholdings and the business of the Group are welcomed. 
The Board encourages shareholders to attend the Annual General 
Meeting, at which members of the Board are available to answer 
questions.

Representatives  of  the  Board,  at  least  twice  per  year,  together 
with  the  Company  brokers  go  on  road  shows  during  which 
existing  and  new  investors  are  updated  on  Company  affairs. 

Arden  Partners  plc  was  appointed  as  Nominated  Advisor  and 
broker to the Company during the financial year.

Internal controls

The Directors are responsible for the Group’s system of internal 
controls,  the  setting  of  appropriate  policies  on  those  controls, 
and regular assurance that the system is functioning effectively 
and  that  it  is  effective  in  managing  business  risk.  Internal 
control systems are designed to meet the particular needs of the 
Group and to manage rather than eliminate the risk of failure to 
meet business objectives. The internal controls cover financial, 
operational and compliance matters and are reviewed on an on-
going basis.  

The  Directors  consider  that  the  frequency  of  Board  meetings 
and  the  information  provided  to  the  Board  in  relation  to 
Going concern

Group  operations  assists  the  identification,  evaluation  and 
management of significant risks relevant to its operations on a 
continuous basis.

The  Group’s  internal  controls  can  only  provide  reasonable  and 
not  absolute  assurance  against  material  misstatement  or  loss 
or  the  risk  of  failure  to  meet  business  objectives.  Having  thus 
monitored  risk  management  and  internal  control  processes  in 
place, the Board considers that the Company’s internal control 
systems  operated  appropriately  during  the  year  and  up  to  the 
date of signing of the Annual Report and Financial Statements.

The  Directors  have  prepared  the  financial  statements  on  the 
going concern basis which assumes that the Group will continue 
in operational existence for the foreseeable future.

years. It is anticipated that these funds will enable the Company 
to settle existing commitments. Petroleum exploration activities 
in  P1918  have  largely  been  and  are  expected  to  be  funded 
through farmouts as and when considered necessary. 

The  Islandmagee  gas  storage  project,  in  which  InfraStrata  plc 
currently holds a 65% interest, is funded by BPGM. Under the 
terms of a JAA, BPGM agreed to fund the activities necessary to 
develop the project, including the drilling of the first well, up to 
the point where a decision can be made on whether to proceed 
with its detailed engineering design. 

The  exploration  of  licence  PL1/10  has  largely  been  funded  to 
date by partners, however InfraStrata plc will be required to fund 
its interest once the initial phase of exploration is complete and 
the partners decide to drill an exploration well. InfraStrata plc is 
currently funded for a third of its interest of a well and will be 
seeking to farmout a further interest to complete the funding. 

On 1 June 2012, eCORP agreed to subscribe for US$2.88 million 
of Portland Gas Limited preference shares over the following two 

The  Directors  believe  that  the  disposal  of  an  interest  in 
Islandmagee  Storage  Limited  is  the  best  way  of  maximising 
shareholder value by allowing an entity other than InfraStrata 
plc  to  develop  this  project.  It  is  expected  that  such  a  disposal 
will  provide  working  capital  for  the  Group  and  will  transfer 
responsibility for funding future development of the Islandmagee 
gas storage project to the new shareholder. 

After making inquiries and considering all the relevant factors 
in  relation  to  the  Group,  the  Directors  have  a  reasonable 
expectation that the Group has adequate resources to continue in 
operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, 
they continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in 
preparing the annual financial statements.

18

InfraStrata plc

Directors’ responsibilities

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

UK  Company  law  requires  the  directors  to  prepare  Group  and 
Company financial statements for each financial year. Under that 
law  the  Directors  have  elected  (as  required  by  the  rules  of  the 
AIM  market  of  the  London  Stock  Exchange)  to  prepare  Group 
financial statements in accordance with International Financial 
Reporting  Standards  (“IFRS”)  as  adopted  by  the  European 
Union (“EU”) and have elected to prepare the Company financial 
statements in accordance with IFRS as adopted by the EU and 
as applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies 
Act 2006. 

The  Group  financial  statements  are  required  by  law  and  IFRS 
adopted  by  the  EU  to  present  fairly  the  financial  position  and 
performance  of  the  Group;  the  Companies  Act  2006  provides 
in  relation  to  such  financial  statements  that  references  in  the 
relevant  part  of  that  Act  to  financial  statements  giving  a  true 
and fair view are references to their achieving a fair presentation.

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 Company and of the Group and 
of the profit or loss of the group for that period.

In  preparing  each  of  the  Group  and  Company  financial 

statements, the Directors are required to:

•	

select  suitable  accounting  policies  and  then  apply  them 
consistently;

•	 make  judgements  and  estimates  that  are  reasonable  and 

•	

•	

prudent;
state whether they have been prepared in accordance with 
IFRSs as adopted by the EU;
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis 
unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Group and 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  to  enable  them  to 
ensure that the financial statements comply with 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.

The Directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity 
of  the  corporate  and  financial  information  included  on  the 
InfraStrata plc website. 

Legislation  in  the  United  Kingdom  governing  the  preparation 
and  dissemination  of  financial  statements  may  differ  from 
legislation in other jurisdictions.

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 the Director was aware there was 
no relevant available audit information of which the Company’s 
auditor was unaware; and that the Director had taken all steps 
that  the  Director  ought  to  have  taken  as  a  director  to  make 
himself aware of any relevant information and to establish that 

the Company’s auditor was aware of that information.

This information is given and should be interpreted in accordance 
with the provisions of s418 of the Companies Act 2006.

Auditor

A resolution to re-appoint the auditor, Nexia Smith & Williamson, 
will be proposed at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.

By order of the Board

A Hindle 
Director
23 November 2012

InfraStrata plc

19

        
 
 
 
 
 
Independent auditor’s report to the members of InfraStrata plc

We have audited the financial statements of InfraStrata plc for 
the year ended 31 July 2012 which comprise the Consolidated 
Income,  the  Consolidated 
Statement  of  Comprehensive 
and  Parent  Company  Statements  of  Financial  Position,  the 
Consolidated  and  Parent  Company  Statements  of  Cash  Flow, 
the  Consolidated  and  Parent  Company  Statements  of  Changes 
in Equity, and the related notes 1 to 38. The financial reporting 
framework  that  has  been  applied  in  their  preparation  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.

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.

Respective responsibilities of Directors and auditors

As  explained  more  fully  in  the  Directors’  Responsibilities 
Statement  on  page  19,  the  directors  are  responsible  for  the 
preparation  of  the  financial  statements  and  for  being  satisfied 
that they give a true and fair view. Our responsibility is to audit 
the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and 
International  Standards  on  Auditing  (UK  and  Ireland).  Those 
standards  require  us  to  comply  with  the  Auditing  Practices 
Board’s (APB’s) Ethical Standards for Auditors.

Scope of the audit of the financial statements

A  description  of  the  scope  of  an  audit  of  financial  statements 
is provided on the APB’s website at www.frc.org.uk/apb/scope/
private.cfm

Opinion on financial statements

In our opinion:

•	

•	

•	

•	

the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state 
of  the  Group’s  and  the  parent  Company’s  affairs  as  at  31 
July 2012 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; 
and
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.

Opinion on other matter prescribed by the Companies Act 
2006

In  our  opinion  the  information  given  in  the  Report  of  the 
Directors’ for the financial year for which the financial statements 
are prepared is consistent with the financial statements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We  have  nothing  to  report  in  respect  of  the  following  matters 
where 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.

Andrew Bond

Senior Statutory Auditor

for and on behalf of
Nexia Smith & Williamson
Statutory Auditor
Chartered Accountants

Walnut Tree Close
1 Bishops Wharf
Walnut Tree Close
Guildford, GU1 4RA

23 November 2012

20

InfraStrata plc

 
Consolidated statement of comprehensive income for the year 
ended 31 July 2012

Continuing operations

Revenue

Cost of sales

Gross profit

Administrative expenses

Operating loss

Finance income
Share of loss of Joint Venture
Impairment of interest in Joint Venture
Gain arising on assuming control of the former Joint Venture
Share of loss of Associates

Loss before taxation

Taxation

Notes

2012
£

2011
£

253,932

240,290

-

-

253,932

240,290

(1,259,206)

(1,180,485)

(1,005,274)

(940,195)

2,596
(10,306,395)
(10,626,210)
2,512,480
(174,869)

11,139
(452,089)
-
-
-

(19,597,672)

(1,381,145)

-

-

4

9
16
16
16
16

10

Loss for the year from continuing operations

(19,597,672)

(1,381,145)

(Loss)/profit for the year from discontinued operations

11

(129,690)

5,691,456

(Loss)/profit  for  the  year  attributable  to  the  equity 
holders of the parent

(19,727,362)

4,310,311

Other comprehensive income

-

-

Total  comprehensive 
attributable to the equity holders of the parent

(loss)/profit 

for 

the  year 

(19,727,362)

4,310,311

Basic and diluted earnings per share
Continuing operations
Discontinued operations
Continuing and discontinued operations

12

(23.30)p
(0.15)p
(23.45)p

(1.82)p
7.49p
5.67p

InfraStrata plc

21

Consolidated statement of financial position as at 31 July 2012

Non-current assets
Intangible fixed assets
Property, plant and equipment
Investment in joint venture 
Investments in associates
Other receivables

Total non-current assets

Current assets
Trade and other receivables
Available for sale financial assets
Cash and cash equivalents

Assets classified as held for sale

Total current assets

Current liabilities
Trade and other payables
Liabilities directly associated with assets classified as held 
for sale

Total current liabilities

Net current assets 

Non-current liabilities
Deferred income tax liabilities

Net assets

Shareholders’ funds
Share capital 
Share premium
Merger reserve 
Share based payment reserve
Retained earnings

Attributable to owners of the parent
Non-controlling interests

Notes

14
15
16
16
17

18
19
20

21

22

21

23

25

26
27

28

2012
£

3,399,473
7,471
-
2,705,131
768,102

2011
£

-
15,161
22,473,516
2,880,000
-

6,880,177

25,368,677

1,114,145
12,500
1,918,201

140,526
12,500
714,969

3,044,846

867,995

3,206,003

2,744,731

6,250,849

3,612,726

(905,750)

(104,158)

(73,032)

(29,928)

(978,782)

(134,086)

5,272,067

3,478,640

(1,201,296)

-

10,950,948

28,847,317

9,099,160
11,920,219
8,988,112
333,735
(19,865,967)

7,826,433
11,848,946
8,988,112
322,431
(138,605)

10,475,259
475,689

28,847,317
-

Total equity

10,950,948

28,847,317

Company registration number: 06409712
Approved and authorised for issue by the Board on 23 November 2012

A Hindle
Director

C Gouws
Director

22

InfraStrata plc

Company statement of financial position as at 31 July 2012

Non-current assets
Intangible exploration assets
Property, plant and equipment
Investments

Total non-current assets

Current assets
Trade and other receivables
Available for sale assets
Cash and cash equivalents

Total current assets

Current liabilities
Trade and other payables

Net current assets

Net assets

Shareholders’ funds
Share capital 
Share premium
Merger reserve 
Share based payment reserve
Retained earnings

Notes

14
15
16

18
19
20

22

25

26
27

2012
£

34,564
7,153
600

2011
£

-
14,022
15,249,611

42,317

15,263,633

3,623,518
12,500
1,814,603

11,765,975
12,500
118,448

5,450,621

11,896,923

(858,636)

(86,261)

4,591,985

11,810,662

4,634,302

27,074,295

9,099,160
11,920,219
8,466,827
333,735
(25,185,639)

7,826,433
11,848,946
8,466,827
322,431
(1,390,342)

Total equity

4,634,302

27,074,295

Company registration number: 06409712
Approved and authorised for issue by the Board on 23 November 2012

A Hindle
Director

C Gouws
Director

InfraStrata plc

23

Consolidated statement of changes in equity for the year ended 
31 July 2012

Share 
capital
£

Share 
premium
£

Merger 
reserve
£

Share 
based 
payment 
reserve
£

Retained 
earnings
£

Attributable 
to the owners 
of the parent
£

Non-
controlling 
interest
£

Total 
equity
£

Balance at 31 July 2010

7,380,420

11,381,095

8,988,112

302,435

(4,489,808)

23,562,254

Profit for the year

Total comprehensive profit 
for the year

-

-

-

-

Shares issued

446,013

467,851

Share based payments
Share options lapsed

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

60,888

(40,892)

4,310,311

4,310,311

4,310,311

4,310,311

-

-

40,892

913,864

60,888

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

23,562,254

4,310,311

4,310,311

   913,864

60,888

-

Balance at 31 July 2011

7,826,433

11,848,946

8,988,112

322,431

(138,605)

28,847,317

-

28,847,317

Loss for the year

Total comprehensive loss 
for the year

-

-

-

-

Shares issued

1,272,727

71,273

Share based payments

BP Gas Marketing Limited 
- Islandmagee Storage 
Limited option (note 28)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

(19,727,362)

(19,727,362)

-

(19,727,362)

-

-

11,304

-

(19,727,362)

(19,727,362)

-

(19,727,362)

-

-

-

1,344,000

11,304

-

-

1,344,000

11,304

-

475,689

475,689

Balance at 31 July 2012

9,099,160

11,920,219

8,988,112

333,735

(19,865,967)

10,475,259

475,689

10,950,948

24

InfraStrata plc

Company statement of changes in equity for the year ended
31 July 2012

Share 
capital
£

Share 
premium
£

Merger 
reserve
£

Share 
based 
payment 
reserve
£

Retained 
earnings
£

Total 
equity
£

Balance at 31 July 2010

7,380,420

11,381,095

8,466,827

302,435

(574,996)

26,955,781

Loss for the year

Total comprehensive loss 
for the year

-

-

-

-

Shares issued

446,013

467,851

Share based payments
Share options lapsed

-
-

-
-

-

-

-

-
-

-

-

-

(856,238)

(856,238)

(856,238)

(856,238)

-

913,864

60,888
(40,892)

-
40,892

60,888
-

Balance at 31 July 2011

7,826,433

11,848,946

8,466,827

322,431

(1,390,342)

27,074,295

Loss for the year

Total comprehensive loss 
for the year

-

-

-

-

Shares issued

1,272,727

71,273

Share based payments

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

(23,795,297)

(23,795,297)

-

-

11,304

(23,795,297)

(23,795,297)

-

-

1,344,000

11,304

Balance at 31 July 2012

9,099,160

11,920,219

8,466,827

333,735

(25,185,639)

4,634,302

InfraStrata plc

25

Consolidated statement of cash flows for the year ended
31 July 2012

Net cash (used in) operating activities

29

(266,553)

(982,526)

Notes

2012
£

2011
£

Investing activities
Interest received
Purchase of intangible assets
Purchase of plant and equipment
Cash outflow on disposal of subsidiary
Cash inflow on acquisition of subsidiary

2,596
(34,564)
(371,510)
-
53,574

11,139
(324,520)
(108,706)
(6,264)
-

Net cash (used in) investing activities

(349,904)

(428,351)

Financing activities
Proceeds on issue of ordinary shares
Non-controlling interest

1,344,000
475,689

864,864
-

Net cash generated from financing activities

1,819,689

864,864

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

1,203,232

(546,013)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

714,969

1,260,982

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year

1,918,201

714,969

Cash and cash equivalents consist of:

Cash at bank

20

£1,918,201

£714,969

Significant non-cash transactions
The  significant  non-cash  transaction  for  the  year  ended  31  July  2012  was  the 
assumption of control over the previous joint venture – see note 16. 

Significant non-cash transactions for the year ended 31 July 2011 comprise the loss of 
control of three companies which were previously subsidiaries – see note 16. 

Cash flows arising from discontinued activities
Cash flows arising from discontinued operations are analysed in note 29.

26

InfraStrata plc

Company statement of cash flows for the year ended
31 July 2012

Notes

2012
£

2011
£

Net cash (used in) operating activities

29

385,086

(1,803,324)

Investing activities
Interest received
Purchase of intangible assets
Purchase of plant and equipment

1,633
(34,564)
-

2,228
-
(17,380)

Net cash (used in) investing activities

(32,931)

(15,152)

Financing activities
Proceeds on issue of ordinary shares

1,344,000

864,864

Net cash generated from financing activities

1,344,000

864,864

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

1,696,155

(953,612)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

118,448

1,072,060

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year

1,814,603

118,448

Cash and cash equivalents consist of:

Cash at bank

20

£1,814,603

£118,448

InfraStrata plc

27

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended
31 July 2012

1. General information

InfraStrata plc is a company incorporated in England & Wales under the Companies 
Acts 2006 and is domiciled in the United Kingdom and is listed on the AIM market of 
the London Stock Exchange.

2. Accounting policies

The financial statements are based on the following accounting 
policies which have been consistently applied. 

Basis of preparation

InfraStrata  plc  adopted  International  Financial  Reporting 
Standards  (IFRS)  as  adopted  by  the  European  Union  effective 
in  July  2012,  as  the  basis  for  preparation  of  its  financial 
statements. The financial information has been prepared under 
the historical cost convention as modified by the revaluation of 
certain financial assets. 

Going concern

The  Directors  have  prepared  the  financial  statements  on  the 
going concern basis which assumes that the Group will continue 
in operational existence for the foreseeable future.

The  Islandmagee  gas  storage  project  in  which  InfraStrata  plc 
currently  holds  a  65%  interest  is  funded  by  BPGM.  Under  the 
terms of a JAA, BPGM agreed to fund the activities necessary to 
develop the project, including the drilling of the first well, up to 
the point where a decision can be made on whether to proceed 
with its detailed engineering design. 

The  exploration  of  licence  PL1/10  has  largely  been  funded  to 
date by partners, however InfraStrata plc will be required to fund 
its interest once the initial phase of exploration is complete and 
the partners decide to drill an exploration well. InfraStrata plc is 
currently funded for a third of its interest of a well and will be 
seeking to farmout a further interest to complete the funding. 

On 1 June 2012, eCORP agreed to subscribe for US$2.88 million 
of Portland Gas Limited preference shares over the following two 
years. It is anticipated that these funds will enable the Company 
to settle existing commitments. Petroleum exploration activities 
in  P1918  have  largely  been  and  are  expected  to  be  funded 
through farmouts as and when considered necessary. 

The  Directors  believe  that  the  disposal  of  an  interest  in 
Islandmagee  Storage  Limited  is  the  best  way  of  maximising 
shareholder value by allowing an entity other than InfraStrata 
plc  to  develop  this  project.  It  is  expected  that  such  a  disposal 
will  provide  working  capital  for  the  Group  and  will  transfer 
responsibility for funding future development of the Islandmagee 
gas storage project to the new partner. 

After making inquiries and considering all the relevant factors 
in  relation  to  the  Group,  the  Directors  have  a  reasonable 

expectation that the Group has adequate resources to continue in 
operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, 
they continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in 
preparing the annual financial statements.

Adoption of new and revised standards

At  the  date  of  approval  of  these  financial  statements,  the 
following  Standards  and  Interpretations  which  have  not  yet 
been applied in these financial statements were in issue but not 
yet effective (and in some cases, had not yet been adopted by the 
EU) and that may have an impact going forward:

IFRS  9  Financial  Instruments:  Recognition  and  measurement 
(revised 2009)
IFRS 10 Consolidated Financial Statements
IFRS 11 Joint Arrangements 
IFRS 12 Disclosure of Interests in Other Entities
IFRS 13 Fair Value Measurement
IAS 27 Separate Financial Statements (revised 2011)
IAS  28  Investments  in  Associates  and  Joint  Ventures  (revised 
2011)

The  Directors  anticipate  that  all  of  the  above  standards 
and  interpretations  will  be  adopted  in  the  Group’s  financial 
statements in future periods. Adoption of these standards is not 
expected to have a material impact on the Group. 

Basis of consolidation

The financial information incorporates the financial information 
of the Company and entities controlled by the Company. Control 
is achieved where the Company has power to govern the financial 
and  operating  policies  of  an  investee  entity  so  as  to  obtain 
benefits from its activities. 

Business combinations and goodwill

On acquisition, the assets and liabilities and contingent liabilities 
of  subsidiaries  are  measured  at  their  fair  values  at  the  date  of 
acquisition. Any excess of cost of acquisition over the fair values 
of the identifiable net assets acquired is recognised as goodwill. 
Any deficiency of the cost of acquisition below the fair values of 
the identifiable net assets acquired (i.e. discount on acquisition) 
is credited to the income statement in the period of acquisition. 
Goodwill arising on consolidation is recognised as an asset and 
reviewed  for  impairment  at  least  annually.  Any  impairment  is 
recognised  immediately  in  the  income  statement  and  is  not 
subsequently reversed.

28

InfraStrata plc

 
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

When a business combination is achieved in stages, the Group’s 
previously  held  equity  interest  in  the  acquiree  is  re-measured 
to  fair  value  at  the  acquisition  date  and  the  resulting  gain  or 
loss,  if  any,  is  recognised  in  profit  or  loss  in  the  statement  of 
comprehensive income. 

Interests in joint venture entities 

A  joint  venture  is  a  contractual  arrangement  whereby  two  or 
more parties undertake an economic activity that is subject to 
joint control and a jointly controlled entity is a joint venture that 
involves a separate entity in which each venturer has an interest. 
The  Group  recognises  its  interest  in  jointly  controlled  entities 
using  equity  accounting.  The  financial  statements  of  the  joint 
venture are prepared for the same reporting year as the parent 
company, using consistent accounting policies. 

Oil and gas exploration joint ventures

The Group is engaged in oil and gas exploration and development 
which  may  lead  to  production  through  unincorporated  joint 
ventures. The Group accounts for its share at cost of the results 
and net assets of these joint ventures as jointly controlled assets 
based  on  its  percentage  ownership  of  these  joint  ventures.  In 
addition, where the Group acts as operator to the joint venture, 
the  gross  liabilities  and  receivables  (including  amounts  due 
to  and  from  non-operating  partners)  of  the  joint  venture  are 
included  in  the  statement  of  financial  position.  Details  of  the 
Group’s  oil  &  gas  exploration  joint  ventures  accounted  for  as 
jointly controlled assets are provided in note 36.

Interests in associates

The  Group  has  interests  in  associates,  which  are  entities  over 
which  the  Group  has  significant  influence  but  not  control  and 
which are not joint ventures. The Group recognises its interest 
in associates using equity accounting. The financial statements 
of the associates are prepared for the same reporting year as the 
parent company, using consistent accounting policies. 

Disposal groups held-for-sale

Disposal groups are classified as assets held for sale when their 
carrying  amount  is  to  be  recovered  principally  through  a  sale 
transaction  and  a  sale  is  considered  highly  probable.  They  are 
stated at the lower of carrying amount and fair value less costs 
to  sell  if  their  carrying  amount  is  to  be  recovered  principally 
through a sale transaction rather than through continuing use.

Segment reporting

Operating  segments  are  reported  in  a  manner  consistent  with 
the internal reporting provided to the chief operating decision-
maker  as  required  by  IFRS  8  “Operating  Segments”.  The  chief 
operating  decision-maker,  who  is  responsible  for  allocating 
resources and assessing performance of the operating segments, 
has been identified as the Board of Directors.

The accounting policies of the reportable segments are consistent 

with the accounting policies of the Group as a whole. Segment 
profit  represents  the  profit  earned  by  each  segment  without 
allocation of gains or losses on the disposal of available-for-sale 
investments, investment income, interest payable and tax. This 
is the measure of profit that is reported to the Board of Directors 
for  the  purpose  of  resource  allocation  and  the  assessment  of 
segment performance. 

When  assessing  segment  performance  and  considering  the 
allocation of resources, the Board of Directors review information 
about segment assets and liabilities. 

Property plant and equipment

Property plant and equipment is stated at cost less accumulated 
depreciation and any recognised impairment loss.

The  initial  cost  of  an  asset  comprises  its  purchase  price  or 
construction cost and any costs directly attributable to bringing 
the asset into operation. 

Depreciation is charged so as to write off the cost of assets, over 
their estimated useful lives, using the straight-line method, once 
the asset has been brought into use, on the following basis:

Office equipment  
Freehold land 

20-33%
0%

Capitalised tangible gas storage inclusive of related and pipeline 
costs  are  not  depreciated  as  the  facility  is  under  construction 
and not in use.

The carrying values of property plant and equipment are reviewed 
for  impairment  when  events  or  changes  in  circumstances 
indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable.

Gas storage research and development costs

Research  expenditure,  incurred  when  undertaking  exploration 
activities for gas storage opportunities, is written off in the year 
in which it is incurred.

Capitalisation and impairment of intangible gas storage 
assets

Costs of development of gas storage facilities are capitalised as 
intangible assets once it is probable that future economic benefits 
that  are  attributable  to  the  assets  will  flow  to  the  Group  and 
until consent to construct has been awarded, at which time the 
capitalised costs are transferred to plant and equipment provided 
there being reasonable certainty of construction proceeding. The 
nature of these costs includes all direct costs incurred in project 
development. No amortisation or depreciation is provided until 
the storage facility is brought into commercial use. 

An impairment test is performed annually and whenever events 
or circumstances arising during the development phase indicate 
that  the  carrying  value  of  a  development  asset  may  exceed  its 
recoverable amount.  The aggregate carrying value is compared 

InfraStrata plc

29

 
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

against the expected recoverable amount of the cash generating 
unit,  generally  by  reference  to  the  present  value  of  the  future 
net cash flows expected to be derived from storage revenue.  The 
present value of future cash flows is calculated on the basis of 
future  storage  prices  and  cost  levels  as  forecast  at  the  balance 
sheet  date.  Capitalisation  of  project  rental  costs  are  reviewed 
on a regular basis and expensed when the physical progress on 
the  project  is  in  the  Directors  opinion,  significantly  less  than 
expected. 

The cash generating unit applied for impairment test purposes is 
generally an individual gas storage facility.  Where the carrying 
value of the facility is greater than the present value of its future 
cash flows a provision is made.  Any such provisions are charged 
to cost of sales.

Oil  &  gas  exploration  and  evaluation  expenditure  and 
assets

The Group accounts for oil & gas expenditure under the full cost 
accounting method. 

Pre-licence  costs  (other  than  payments  to  acquire  rights  to 
explore) are those costs incurred prior to acquiring the rights to 
explore are charged directly to the income statement. 

All costs incurred after the rights to explore an area have been 
obtained,  such  as  geological,  geophysical,  data  costs  and  other 
direct  costs  of  exploration  and  appraisal  are  accumulated  and 
capitalised as exploration and evaluation assets (“E&E”). 

E&E costs are not amortised prior to the conclusion of appraisal 
activities. If technical feasibility is demonstrated and commercial 
reserves  are  discovered,  then  following  development  sanction, 
the carrying value of the relevant E&E asset will be reclassified as 
a development and production asset, but only after the carrying 
value of the E&E asset has been assessed for impairment, and 
where  appropriate,  its  carrying  value  adjusted.  Development 
assets will be depreciated on the unit production method. 

If  after  completion  of  appraisal  activities  in  an  area,  it  is  not 
possible  to  determine  technical  feasibility  or  commercial 
viability,  then  the  costs  of  such  unsuccessful  exploration 
and  evaluation  are  written  off  to  the  income  statement  as  a 
component  of  costs  of  sales  in  the  period  the  relevant  events 
occur. The costs associated with any wells which are abandoned 
are fully amortised when the abandonment decision is taken. 

When oil or gas is sold from E&E assets, the carrying value of the 
E&E asset is reduced by the gross profit generated from the sale.

Investments

Investments in subsidiaries are stated at cost less provision for 
impairments.

Taxation

Tax expense represents the sum of the tax currently payable and 

any deferred tax. The taxable result differs from the net result 
as reported in the income statement because it excludes items 
of  income  or  expense  that  are  taxable  or  deductible  in  other 
years  and  it  further  excludes  items  that  are  never  taxable  or 
deductible. The Company’s liability for current tax is calculated 
using tax rates that have been enacted or substantially enacted 
by  the  balance  sheet  date.  Deferred  tax  is  the  tax  expected  to 
be  payable  or  recoverable  on  differences  between  the  carrying 
amounts of assets and liabilities in the financial statements and 
the corresponding tax bases used in the computation of taxable 
profit,  and  is  accounted  for  using  the  balance  sheet  liability 
method.  Deferred  tax  liabilities  are  generally  recognised  for 
all  taxable  temporary  differences  and  deferred  tax  assets  are 
recognised to the extent that it is probable that taxable profits 
will be available against which deductible temporary differences 
can be utilised. Such assets and liabilities are not recognised if 
the temporary difference arises from goodwill or from the initial 
recognition  (other  than  in  a  business  combination)  of  other 
assets  and  liabilities  in  a  transaction  that  affects  neither  the 
taxable profit nor the accounting profit. Deferred tax liabilities 
are  recognised  for  taxable  temporary  differences  arising  on 
investments in subsidiaries, except where the Group is able to 
control the reversal of the temporary difference and it is probable 
that the temporary difference will not reverse in the foreseeable 
future.

The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each 
balance sheet date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer 
probable that sufficient taxable profits will be available to allow 
all or part of the asset to be recovered. Deferred tax is calculated 
at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the period when the 
liability is settled or the asset realised. 

Deferred  tax  is  charged  or  credited  to  the  income  statement, 
except  when  it  relates  to  items  charged  or  credited  directly  to 
equity, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with in equity.

Deferred  tax  assets  and  liabilities  are  offset  when  there  is  a 
legally  enforceable  right  to  set  off  current  tax  assets  against 
current tax liabilities and when they relate to income taxes levied 
by the same taxation authority and the Group intends to settle 
its current assets and liabilities on a net basis.

Foreign currency

Transactions  in  foreign  currency  are  recorded  at  the  rates  of 
exchange  prevailing  on  the  dates  of  the  transactions.  At  each 
balance  sheet  date,  monetary  assets  and  liabilities  that  are 
denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates 
prevailing on the balance sheet date and gains or losses are taken 
to operating profit.

Leases

Leases  are  classified  as  finance  leases  or  hire  purchase  lease 
contracts whenever the terms of the lease transfer substantially 
all  the  risks  and  rewards  of  ownership  to  the  lessee.  All  other 
leases are classified as operating leases. 

30

InfraStrata plc

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

Rental  costs  under  operating  leases  are  charged  on  a  straight-
line basis over the lease term.

Share based payment transactions

Employees  (including  senior  executives)  of  the  Group  receive 
part of their remuneration in the form of share based payment 
transactions, whereby employees render services as consideration 
for equity instruments (equity settled transactions).

The  cost  of  equity  settled  transactions  is  recognised,  together 
with  a  corresponding  increase  in  equity,  over  the  period  in 
which  the  performance  and  or  service  conditions  are  fulfilled, 
ending  on  the  date  on  which  the  relevant  employees  become 
fully  entitled  to  the  award  (the  vesting  date).  The  cumulative 
expense  recognised  for  equity  settled  transactions  at  each 
reporting date until the vesting date reflects the extent to which 
the vesting period has expired and the Group’s best estimate of 
the number of equity instruments that will ultimately vest. The 
income  statement  charge  or  credit  for  a  period  represents  the 
movement in cumulative expense recognised as at the beginning 
and  end  of  that  period.  No  expense  is  recognised  for  awards 
that  do  not  ultimately  vest,  except  for  awards  where  vesting 
is  conditional  upon  a  market  condition,  which  are  treated  as 
vesting  irrespective  of  whether  or  not  the  market  condition  is 
satisfied,  provided  that  all  other  performance  conditions  are 
satisfied. 

Where  the  terms  of  an  equity  settled  award  are  modified,  as 
a  minimum  an  expense  is  recognised  as  if  the  terms  had  not 
been  modified.  In  addition,  an  expense  is  recognised  for  any 
modification,  which  increases  the  total  fair  value  of  the  share 
based  payment  arrangement,  or  is  otherwise  beneficial  to  the 
employee as measured at the date of modification. 

Where an equity settled award is cancelled, it is treated as if it 
had vested on the date of cancellation, and any expense not yet 
recognised for the award is recognised immediately. However, if a 
new award is substituted for the cancelled award, and designated 
as a replacement award on the date that is granted, the cancelled 
and new awards are treated as if they were a modification of the 
original award, as described in the previous paragraph.

Retirement benefit costs

The  Company  has  a  defined  contribution  plan  which  requires 
contributions  to  be  made  into  an  independently  administered 
fund. The amount charged to  the  income statement in  respect 
of pension costs reflects the contributions payable in the year. 
Differences between contributions payable during the year and 
contributions actually paid are shown as either accrued liabilities 
or prepaid assets in the balance sheet. 

Trade and other receivables are measured at initial recognition 
at fair value and  are subsequently  measured  at amortised cost 
using  the  effective  interest  method.  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 income statement. Cash and cash equivalents 
comprise cash held by the Group and short-term bank deposits 
with an original maturity of three months or less.

Trade and other payables are initially measured at fair value, and 
are subsequently measured at amortised cost, using the effective 
interest rate 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. Equity instruments issued by 
the Company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of direct 
issue costs. 

Interest  bearing  bank  loans,  overdrafts  and  other  loans  are 
recorded  at  the  proceeds  received,  net  of  direct  issue  costs. 
Finance  costs  are  accounted  for  on  an  accruals  basis  in  the 
income statement using the effective interest method.

Available  for  sale  financial  assets  are  those  non-derivative 
financial assets that are designated as available for sale or are not 
classified as financial assets at fair value through profit and loss, 
held  to  maturity  investments  or  loans  and  receivables.  After 
initial recognition available for sale financial assets are measured 
at fair value with gains or losses being recognised as a separate 
component of equity until the investment is derecognised or until 
the investment is determined to be impaired at which time the 
cumulative gain or loss previously reported in equity is included 
in the income statement. The fair value of investments that are 
actively traded in organised financial markets is determined by 
reference to quoted market bid prices at the close of business on 
the balance sheet date. For investments where there is no active 
market,  fair  value  is  determined  using  appropriate  valuation 
techniques. 

Revenue

Revenue  is  recognised  as  the  fair  value  of  the  consideration 
received  or  receivable  and  represents  the  amounts  receivable 
for  services  delivered  during  the  normal  course  of  business. 
Revenue is recognised as the services are delivered. 

Operating activities

The  activities  of  investments  controlled  by  InfraStrata  plc  are 
treated as operating activities in the Group financial statements.

Financial instruments

Finance income

Financial  assets  and  financial  liabilities  are  recognised  on  the 
balance sheet when the Group becomes a party to the contractual 
provisions of the instrument. 

Finance  income  is  recognised  when  it  is  probable  that  the 
economic  benefits  will  flow  to  the  group  and  the  amount  of 
income  can  be  measured  reliably.  Income  is  accrued  on  a  time 
basis, by reference to the principal outstanding and the effective 
interest rate applicable.

InfraStrata plc

31

                                                              
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

3. Segment information

The  Directors  have  determined  the  Group’s  operating  segments  by  reference  to  the 
risk  profile  of  the  Group’s  activities,  which  are  affected  predominately  by  location 
of the Group’s assets. The Group’s head office is located in the United Kingdom with 
operations located in Dorset and Northern Ireland. The segmental businesses activities 
are  the  development  and  construction  of  gas  storage  and  associated  facilities,  and 
petroleum exploration.

2012
Continuing activities 
Revenue from services provided to 
joint venture and associates
Administrative expenses 
Share of loss of joint venture 
Share of loss of associates
Impairment of interest in joint venture
Gain arising on assuming control of 
the former joint venture
Finance income 

Dorset
Gas storage Exploration
£
£

Northern Ireland
Gas storage Exploration
£
£

Unallocated

Total

£

£

150,000 
(183,559) 
(10,306,395)
-
(10,626,210)

- 
- 
- 
(83,354)
-

1,218,334
- 

1,294,146
- 

(19,747,830)

1,210,792

- 
- 
- 
-
-

-
- 

- 

97,142
- 
- 
(91,515)
-

6,790 
(1,075,647)
- 
-
-

253,932 
(1,259,206)
(10,306,395)
(174,869)
(10,626,210)

-
- 

-
2,596 

2,512,480
2,596

5,627 

(1,066,261)

(19,597,672)

Discontinued activities 
Administrative expenses 

Analysis of: 
Assets by segment 
Liabilities by segment 

-

- 

(129,690)

- 

- 

(129,690)

(19,747,830)

1,210,792

(129,690)

5,627

(1,066,261)

(19,727,362) 

1,846,155 
(567,201)

4,721,556 
(773,930) 

*3,206,003 
*(73,032)

1,383,048 
- 

1,974,265 
(765,916)

13,131,027 
(2,180,079)

Net assets per segment 

1,278,954 

3,947,626

*3,132,971

1,383,048

1,208,349

10,950,948

Capital expenditure 
Depreciation 

* discontinued activities

2011
Continuing activities 
Revenue from services provided to 
joint venture
Administrative expenses 
Share of loss of joint venture 
Finance income 

- 
- 

- 
- 

*371,510 
- 

34,564 
- 

- 
7,690 

406,074
7,690

Dorset
Gas storage Exploration
£
£

Northern Ireland
Gas storage Exploration
£
£

Unallocated

Total

£

£

240,290 
- 
(452,089)
- 

(211,799)

- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
(1,180,485)
- 
11,139 

240,290 
(1,180,485)
(452,089)
11,139 

- 

(1,169,346)

(1,381,145)

32

InfraStrata plc

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

2011
Discontinued activities 
Administrative expenses 
Profit arising on loss of control of 
subsidiaries

Dorset
Gas storage Exploration
£
£

Northern Ireland
Gas storage Exploration
£
£

(31,570)

2,964,014 

- 

- 

(120,388)

- 

- 

- 

Unallocated

Total

£

- 

- 

£

(151,958)

5,843,414 

2,932,444 

1,439,700 

(120,388)

1,439,700 

- 

5,691,456 

2,720,645 

1,439,700 

(120,388)

1,439,700 

(1,169,346)

4,310,311

Analysis of: 
Assets by segment 
Liabilities by segment 

22,473,516 
- 

1,439,700 
-

*2,744,731 
*(29,928)

1,439,700 
-

883,156 
(104,158)

28,981,403 
(134,086)

Net assets per segment 

22,473,516 

1,440,000 

*2,714,803

1,440,000 

778,998

28,847,317

Capital expenditure 
Depreciation 

* discontinued activities

*252,977 
- 

- 
- 

*286,003 
- 

- 
- 

17,380 
9,499 

556,360 
9,499 

4. Other expenditure
Fees payable to the Group’s auditor and its associates:
- for the audit of the Company’s annual financial statements
- for the audit of the Company’s subsidiaries 
- other services relating to taxation
- all other services 
Depreciation 
Net foreign exchange (profit)
Operating lease rentals – land and buildings
Research costs

5. Employee information

Executive Directors and staff

Staff costs for the above persons and Non-executive Directors were:
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Defined contribution pension plan expenditure
Share based payments

2012
£
16,000
21,650
9,150
6,550
7,690
(961)
180,000
55,791

2011
£
15,610
8,290
7,780
6,100
9,499
(2,024)
154,262
43,217

2012
Number

2011
Number

5

£

698,670
82,416
17,925
11,304

5

£

682,851
77,080
18,190
60,888

810,315

839,009

InfraStrata plc

33

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

6. Directors’ and key management emoluments and compensation
Group and company

2012

Executive Directors
Andrew Hindle
Craig Gouws
Walter Roberts
Non-executive Directors
Ken Ratcliff
Maurice Hazzard
William Colvin

Salary & fees
£

Bonus
£

*279,167
120,000
123,960

37,500
15,000
15,000

590,627

-
-
-

-
-
-

-

Benefits
£

2,358
1,674
3,363

-
-
-

Pension
£

-
6,000
6,000

1,875
750
-

Total
2012
£

281,525
127,674
133,323

39,375
15,750
15,000

7,395

14,625

612,647

Share based payment attributable to Directors
Employers national insurance contributions

*Andrew Hindle agreed during the financial year to reduce his cash remuneration for 12 months by the sum 
of £50,000 and in return he was issued 454,545 ordinary shares in the February 2012 placing at the placing 
price.  The  £50,000  was  expensed  on  issuance  of  the  ordinary  shares,  resulting  in  a  proportionally  greater 
salary falling within the current year. 

2011

Executive Directors
Andrew Hindle
Craig Gouws
Walter Roberts
Non-executive Directors
Ken Ratcliff
Mark Abbott
Jonathan Davie
Maurice Hazzard
William Colvin

Salary & fees
£

Bonus
£

250,000
121,067
86,320

25,000
12,000
12,000

37,500
7,500
5,000
15,000
7,500

-
-
-
-
-

Benefits
£

2,170
1,552
2,971

-
-
-
-
-

Pension
£

-
6,000
6,000

1,875
-
-
750
-

-
72,000

684,647

Total
2011
£

277,170
140,619
107,291

39,375
7,500
5,000
15,750
7,500

529,887

49,000

6,693

14,625

600,205

Share based payment attributable to Directors
Employers national insurance contributions

36,285
67,378

703,868

The bonus of £49,000 awarded to Executive Directors during the 2011 financial year 
which was paid by way of the issue of shares. 

The total of short-term employee benefits for Directors was £670,022 (2011: £652,958).

The Directors are considered to be the Group’s key management.

34

InfraStrata plc

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

Aggregate  emoluments  above  include  amounts  for  the  value  of  options  to  acquire  ordinary  shares  in  the 
Company  granted  or  held  by  Directors.  Details  of  Enterprise  Management  Incentive  and  other  options 
granted on the 25 January 2008 are as follows:

Executive Directors
Andrew Hindle
Craig Gouws
Walter Roberts
Non-executive Directors
Ken Ratcliff
Maurice Hazzard

Number

Exercise price
£

Exercisable from

Exercisable to

43,859
43,859
43,859

21,929
21,929

2.28
2.28
2.28

2.28
2.28

1 January 2011
1 January 2011
1 January 2011

31 December 2017
31 December 2017
31 December 2017

1 January 2011
1 January 2011

31 December 2017
31 December 2017

No options were granted to Directors and 
no options were exercised by Directors in 
2012 or 2011.

Key  man  insurance  premiums  of  £1,927  (2011:  £1,862)  were  paid  for  Executive 
Directors  and  directors’  indemnity  insurance  premiums  of  £23,479  (2011:  £20,140) 
were paid in respect of all Directors. Two Executive and two Non-executive Directors 
participate  in  the  Group  Stakeholder  Pension  Plan  under  which  Group  Life  Cover  is 
offered. 

7. Share based payment plans

A share based payment plan was created in the year ended 31 July 2008. All Directors and employees 
are entitled to a grant of options subject to the Board of Directors’ approval. The options do not 
have  a  cash  settlement  alternative.   The  options  granted  are  Enterprise  Management  Incentive 
share options for qualifying employees. 

There  were  no  options  issued  during  2012  (2011:  98,879).  The  following  table  illustrates  the 
number and weighted average exercise prices (WAEP) of, and movements in, share options during 
year.

Outstanding at the beginning of the year
Granted during the year 
Forfeited during the year

2012
Number

352,407
-
-

Outstanding at the end of the year

352,407

Exercisable at the end of the year

352,407

The  weighted  average  remaining  vesting  period  for  the  share 
options  outstanding at  31 July  2012 is 0.06 years (2011: 0.39 
years).  The  range  of  exercise  prices  for  options  outstanding  at 
the  end  of  the  year  was  £0.15  -  £2.28.  The  weighted  average 
remaining  option  life  for  the  share  options  outstanding  at  31 
July 2012 is 7 years (2011: 8 years).

Expected volatility (%)
Risk free interest rate
Weighted average contractual life of option (years)
Expected dividend yield
Exercise price of options
Weighted average share price (£)

2011
35%
0.5%
10
Nil
0.15
0.1517

2012
WAEP
£
1.50
-
-

1.50

1.50

2011
Number

301,098
98,879
(47,570)

352,407

208,328

2011
WAEP
£
2.06
0.15
2.28

1.50

2.28

The fair value of equity settled options granted is estimated as 
at the date of the grant using a Black- Scholes model, taking into 
account the terms and conditions upon which the options were 
granted. The following table lists the inputs to the model used to 
value the options issued in 2011 and 2010.

The expected volatility reflects the assumption that the historical 
volatility  of  a  sample  of  oil  and  gas  companies  is  indicative  of 
future trends for InfraStrata plc, which may not necessarily be 
the actual outcome. The expected life of the options is based on 
Directors’ best estimate and may not necessarily be indicative of 
the patterns that may occur. 

InfraStrata plc

35

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

8. Retirement benefits

9. Finance income

2012
£

2011
£

Interest on bank deposits

2,596

11,139

The  Group  operates  a  defined  contribution  retirement  plan  for  all 
qualifying  employees  who  wish  to  participate.  The  assets  of  the  scheme 
are held separately from those of the Group in funds under the control of 
independent trustees. 

The total cost charged to expenses of £17,925 (2011: £17,398) represents 
contributions payable to the scheme by the Group at rates specified in the 
rules of the scheme for the year. As at 31 July 2012, employer and employee 
contributions of £3,295 (2011: £3,295) due in respect of the current period 
had  not  been  paid  over  to  the  scheme,  the  payment  was  made  on  the  10 
August 2012 (2011: 10 August 2011).

10. Income tax 

The major components of income tax expense for the years ended 31 July 2012 and 
2011 are:

a) Income tax recognised in profit or loss

Current income tax charge
Adjustments in respect of current income tax of previous years
Deferred tax

b)  A  reconciliation  between  tax  expense  and  the  product  of  accounting  loss  from 
continuing operations for the years ended 31 July 2012 and 2011 is as follows:

2012
£

-
-
-

2011
£

-
-
-

Accounting loss before tax from continuing operations

(19,597,672)

(1,381,145)

Loss on continuing activities multiplied by the standard rate of tax
(25.33%; 2011:27.33%)
Expenses not permitted for tax purposes and pre-trading expenditure 
Other timing differences  
Tax losses carried forward

Income tax expense reported in the profit or loss relating to continuing 
operations

A reconciliation between tax expense and the product of accounting profit/(loss) for 
discontinued operations for the years ended 31 July 2012 and 2011 is as follows:

(4,996,941)

(377,467)

4,500,328
-
496,613

-

2012
£

29,792
2,596
345,079

-

2011
£

Accounting (loss)/profit before tax from discontinued operations

(129,690)

5,691,456

(Loss)/profit on discontinued activities multiplied by the standard rate of tax 
(25.33%; 2011:27.33%)
Expenses not permitted for tax purposes and pre-trading expenditure 
Non-taxable income

(32,850)

1,555,475

32,850
-

(1,782)
(1,553,693)

Income tax expense reported in the profit or loss relating to discontinued 
operations

-

-

c) Factors that may affect the future tax charge  

The  Group  has  trading  losses  of  £1,573,810  (2011:  £1,341,015)  which  may  reduce 
future  tax  charges.  Future  tax  charges  may  also  be  reduced  by  capital  allowances  on 
cumulative capital expenditure.

36

InfraStrata plc

The  Government  has  announced  a 
reduction in the corporation rate to 22% 
to be in force for 2013/14 but this has not 
yet been substantively enacted.

 
 
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

10. Income tax (continued)

The Group’s potential charge to tax arising from its investments in the associates is dependent on 
the source of future inflows to the Group. Inflows arising from the partial or complete disposal by 
way of sale are not expected to be subject to tax. The Group has no current expectation of receiving 
distributions of profits from these investments in the foreseeable future and therefore no deferred 
tax liability arises.

11. Discontinued operations

Revenue
Net operating costs

Profit arising on loss of control of subsidiaries
Portland Gas Limited
Corfe Energy Limited
Brigantes Energy Limited

(Loss)/profit before tax

Tax charge (note 10)

2012
£
-
(129,690)

-
-
-

2011
£
-
(151,958)

2,964,014
1,439,700
1,439,700

(129,690)

5,691,456

-

-

(Loss)/profit  after tax

(129,690)

5,691,456

2012
£

2011
£

(19,597,672)
(129,690)
(19,727,362)

(1,381,145)
5,691,456
4,310,311

84,122,359

75,978,414

(23.30)p
(0.15)p
(23.45)p

(1.82)p
7.49p
5.67p

Details of the discontinued operations are given in note 21.

12. Earnings per share

(Loss)/profit
The (loss)/profit  for the purposes of basic and diluted loss per share 
being the net loss attributable to equity shareholders:
Continuing operations
Discontinued operations
Continuing and discontinued operations

Number of shares
Weighted average number of ordinary shares for the purposes of 
basic earnings per share

Basic and diluted earnings per share
Continuing operations
Discontinued operations
Continuing and discontinued operations

For  2012,  the  share  options  were  not  dilutive  as  a  loss  was  incurred.  For 
2011 diluted earnings per share calculations are not presented as there was 
no material difference between the weighted average number of ordinary 
shares for the purposes of basic earnings per share and the weighted average 
number of ordinary shares for the purposes of diluted earnings per share; 
the basic and diluted earnings per share are the same for both years.

13. Losses attributable to InfraStrata plc

The loss for the period dealt with in the financial statements of InfraStrata plc 
was £23,795,297 (2011: £856,238).  As provided by s408 of the Companies 
Act 2006, no income statement is presented in respect of InfraStrata plc.

InfraStrata plc

37

-
34,564

34,564

-
-

-

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

14. Intangible assets - Group

Intangible assets - Company

2012

Cost

Exploration & evaluation
£

2012

Cost

Exploration & evaluation
£

At 1 August 2011
Additions
Arising on acquisition (note 16)

-
34,564
3,364,909

At 1 August 2011
Additions

At 31 July 2012

3,399,473

At 31 July 2012

Amortisation

At 1 August 2011
Charge for the year

At 31 July 2012

Net book value

At 31 July 2012

Amortisation

-
-

At 1 August 2011
Charge for the year

-

At 31 July 2012

Net book value

3,399,473

At 31 July 2012

34,564

15. Plant and equipment - Group

Plant and equipment - Group

2012

Cost

At 1 August 2011
Additions

Office equipment
£

2011

Cost

87,028
-

At 1 August 2010
Additions

At 31 July 2012

87,028

At 31 July 2011

Depreciation

At 1 August 2011
Charge for the year

Depreciation

71,867
7,690

At 1 August 2010
Charge for the year

At 31 July 2012

79,557

At 31 July 2011

Net book value

At 31 July 2012

Net book value

7,471

At 31 July 2011

Office equipment
£

69,648
17,380

87,028

62,368
9,499

71,867

15,161

38

InfraStrata plc

Plant and equipment - Company

Plant and equipment - Company

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

2012

Cost

At 1 August 2011
Additions

Office equipment
£

2011

Cost

17,380
-

At 1 August 2010
Additions

At 31 July 2012

17,380

At 31 July 2011

Depreciation

At 1 August 2011
Charge for the year

Depreciation

3,358
6,869

At 1 August 2010
Charge for the year

At 31 July 2012

10,227

At 31 July 2011

Office equipment
£

-
17,380

17,380

-
3,358

3,358

Net book value

At 31 July 2012

16. Investments
Group

Investment in joint venture (note 16A)

At 1 August 
Additions
Share of losses
Impairment
Disposal

At 31 July

Net book value

7,153

At 31 July 2011

14,022

2012
£

2011
£

22,473,516
-
(10,306,395)
(10,626,210)
(1,540,911)

-
22,925,605
 (452,089)
-
-

-

22,473,516

Investment in associates (note 16B)

At 1 August 
Additions
Disposals
Share of losses

2,880,000
-
-
(174,869)

-
2,880,000
-
-

At 31 July

2,705,131

2,880,000

Total investments at the end of the year

2,705,131

25,353,516

InfraStrata plc

39

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

A. Joint venture - Portland Gas Limited

The Group held 50% of the ordinary shares of Portland Gas Limited as at 31 July 2011. Portland Gas Limited 
is involved in developing a gas storage facility on the Isle of Portland, Dorset and the related gas pipelines 
between Portland and Mappowder. This joint venture is a private company, registered in England and Wales 
and is not listed on any public exchange. 

Under  the  terms  of  a  Restructuring  Agreement  on  1  June  2012,  the  50%  interest  of  the  ordinary  shares 
of Portland Gas Limited, held by eCORP, were converted into non-voting preference shares. Accordingly, as 
from that date, the Group owned all the ordinary shares and held all the voting rights. In accordance with 
IFRS, the change in the control is accounted for as the disposal of the interest in the joint venture and the 
acquisition of a subsidiary. Therefore the investment is accounted for as a wholly owned subsidiary in the 
Group financial statements at 31 July 2012. The primary reason for the Restructuring Agreement was the 
refocusing of eCORP’s European operations. 

The provisions of the Restructuring Agreement, include the following: 

•	

•	

eCORP’s 50% interest in Portland Gas Limited has been converted into preference shares and 
eCORP’s former funding obligations have been restructured into an obligation to subscribe a 
further US$2,880,000 ($120,000 per month; eCORP receivable) for further preference shares 
of Portland Gas Limited over the next two years. The preference shares will provide eCORP 
with a 7.5% share of the future profits distributed by Portland Gas Limited.
InfraStrata  plc  has  also  acquired  eCORP’s  50%  interest  in  the  26th  Round  petroleum 
exploration licence P1918, offshore Dorset (increasing the Company’s direct interest to 78%). 
In return InfraStrata plc has granted eCORP a 7.5% share of the future profits generated on 
the acquired licence interest.

Portland  Gas Limited  fully impaired its  investment  in the Portland  Project prior  to the restructuring. The 
Portland gas storage project, like many other developing gas storage projects in the United Kingdom has not 
achieved full funding. This is largely due to the project being only marginally economic at the current winter/
summer natural gas price differential and the project construction start date is thus uncertain. The Group’s 
share of the impairment charge and other losses was £10,306,395. 

The Group’s investment in the joint venture was then subject to an impairment review and as a result, an 
impairment loss of £10,626,210 was recognised. The impairment reduced the group’s investment in the joint 
venture to its estimated fair value. This fair value was estimated by considering the estimated value of the 
underlying assets of Portland Gas Limited; the only assets considered to have a value for accounting purposes 
is the Portland-1 well data and seismic data, which are described more fully below.  

The Portland Gas Limited gain on bargain purchase, as described below, arises due to the net assets acquired 
having  a  higher  fair  value  than  the  fair  value  of  the  Group’s  50%  interest  in  the  ordinary  share  capital  of 
Portland Gas Limited immediately prior to the Restructuring Agreement. The gain on bargain purchase has 
been  credited  to  profit  or  loss  in  the  statement  of  comprehensive  income  and  will  not  impact  the  Group 
income tax. 

40

InfraStrata plc

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

Portland Gas Limited assets acquired at 1 June 2012:

Non-current assets
Intangible assets  
- Portland-1 well data
- P1918 licence interest
Financial asset
- eCORP receivable
Current assets
eCORP receivable
Cash 
Accounts receivable
Current liabilities
Accounts payable
Non-current liabilities
Inter-company balance
Deferred tax liabilities

Book value of 
assets acquired
£

Fair value 
adjustments
£

Fair value of 
assets acquired
£

-
-

-

-
53,574
226,111

(248,026)

(127,437)
-

2,764,909
600,000

2,764,909
600,000

922,763

935,356
-
-

922,763

935,356
53,574
226,111

-

(248,026)

127,437
(1,201,296)

-
(1,201,296)

Total identifiable net assets

(95,778)

4,149,169

4,053,391

Consideration (fair value of interest 
previously accounted for as a joint 
venture)

Gain on bargain purchase 

1,540,911

2,512,480

The fair value of the Portland-1 well data comprises the fair value of the well data obtained from the well which 
was drilled on Portland in 2006 and the seismic data acquired in the same year.  Reference was made to the 
historic cost to estimate the fair value. The fair value of the 50% interest in the P1918 licence acquired from 
eCORP was determined by reference to the farmout of an 8% interest to Corfe Energy Limited in August 2012. 
The fair value of the eCORP receivable was determined by estimating the present value of future Portland Gas 
Limited preference share subscription receipts expected. The deferred tax liability raised is attributable to the 
assets acquired based on the difference between the respective fair values recognised and the tax based of the 
underlying assets at an enhanced tax rate of 23%. 
The fair value of the joint venture interest (£1,540,911) represents the Group’s 50% share of the Portland-1 
well data and seismic data value. 

Net cash inflow arising on acquisition:

Cash consideration
Cash acquired

Amount of revenue and net loss of Portland Gas Limited since the acquisition date:

Revenue
Net loss

Amount of revenue and net loss of the combined entity as if the acquisition date had 
been as of the beginning of the reporting period (the net loss presented below includes 
the impairment of the Portland Gas Limited net assets):

Revenue
Net loss

InfraStrata plc

£

-
53,574

-
183,430

73,932
21,121,970

41

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

B. Associates

The  Group  has  40%  interests  (2011:  50%)  in  both  of  Corfe  Energy  Limited  and  Brigantes  Energy  Limited 
which  are  involved  in  the  hydrocarbon  exploration.  The  associates  are  private  companies,  incorporated  in 
England and Wales and are not listed on any public exchanges. 

The  following  table  summarises  the  Group’s  share  of  the  assets  and  liabilities  of  each  of  these  associates 
as  recorded  in  each  associates’  audited  financial  statements  made  up  to  31  July  2012  and  after  making 
adjustments to align the accounting policies of the associates with those of the Group:

Corfe Energy Limited

2012
£

2011
£

Brigantes Energy Limited

2012
£

2011
£

Long-term asset
Current assets
Current  liability 
Long-term liability

32,320
781,356
(10,012)
(1,210)

99,372
719,694
(106,334)
-

Long-term asset
Current assets
Current  liability 
Long-term liability

376,234
428,412
(7,335)
(1,210)

108,284
720,839
(117,028)
-

Group’s share of net assets of associates 

802,454

712,732

Group’s share of net assets of associates 

796,101

712,095

The  revenue  and  net  loss  of  each  of  these  associates  as  recorded  in  each  associates’ 
audited financial statements made up to 31 July 2012 and after making adjustments to 
align the accounting policies of the associates with those of the Group:

Corfe Energy Limited

Revenue

2012
£
69,491

2011
£
14,911

Brigantes Energy Limited

Revenue

2012
£
69,491

2011
£
14,911

Total loss for the year

63,864

13,776

Total loss for the year

60,653

13,776

Group’s share of losses

Group’s share of other 
comprehensive loss

83,354

-

-

-

Group’s share of losses

Group’s share of other 
comprehensive loss

91,515

-

-

-

The 2011 share of associate losses are accounted for in the 2012 financial year.

42

InfraStrata plc

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

C. Company

Cost
Balance at 1 August 
Additions
Disposals

2012
£

15,249,611
-
(2,000)

2011
£

15,257,966
500
(8,855)

Balance at 31 July

15,247,611

15,249,611

Impairment
Balance at 1 August 
Charge for the year

-
(15,247,011)

Balance at 31 July

(15,247,011)

Net book value

-
-

-

Subsidiaries
The  Company’s  subsidiary  undertakings  at  31  July  2012,  all 
of  which  are  wholly  owned  unless  indicated  otherwise,  are  as 
follows:

Principal undertaking

InfraStrata UK Limited

Holding and corporate

Country of
incorporation
England

InfraStrata UK Limited 
owns the following 
subsidiary:
Islandmagee Storage 
Limited (65% owned)

Sub surface gas 
storage developer

Northern Ireland

Balance at 31 July

600

15,249,611

In January 2010 InfraStrata UK Limited, Moyle and Islandmagee Storage Limited entered into a preliminary 
shareholders  agreement  whereby  Moyle  acquired  a  35%  interest  in  Islandmagee  Storage  Limited.  On  19 
January  2012  an  agreement  was  entered  into  with  BPGM  regarding  the  appraisal  of  the  Islandmagee  gas 
storage  facility  development  project  in  County  Antrim,  and  the  grant  of  an  option  to  BPGM  to  acquire  a 
50.495% equity interest in Islandmagee Storage Limited. Under the terms of a JAA, BPGM has agreed to fund 
the activities necessary to develop the project up to the point where a decision can be made on whether to 
proceed with a detailed engineering design. InfraStrata UK Limited continues to assume one hundred percent 
of the risks and rewards of ownership of Islandmagee Storage Limited (including voting rights) and therefore 
InfraStrata plc includes the total assets and liabilities in its consolidated results.

InfraStrata UK Limited also owns 100% (2011: 50%) of the issued equity share capital of Portland Gas Limited. 
Portland Gas Limited, which was a joint venture at the prior year end and is now classified as a subsidiary, 
owns the subsidiaries listed below:

Principal undertaking

Country of
incorporation

Portland Gas Storage Limited

Sub surface gas storage developer

England

Portland Gas Transportation Limited

Gas storage pipeline developer

England

The Company impaired the Infrastrata UK Limited investment and the loan receivable by £15,247,011 and 
£7,894,673  respectively  during  the  year.  These  impairments  follow  the  impairment  of  the  Portland  Gas 
Limited project investments as described in this note.

Investment in associates

Balance at beginning of year
Reclassifications

2012
£

600
-

Balance at the end of the year

600

2011
£

-
600

600

The  company  owns  40%  (2011:  50%)  of  the  issued  share  capital  of  the 
following  companies,  both  of  which  are  incorporated  in  England  and  are 
involved in oil and gas exploration:

Corfe Energy Limited
Brigantes Energy Limited

InfraStrata plc

43

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

17. Non-current receivables

Group
2012
£

Group
2011
£

Other receivables

768,102

768,102

-

-

18. Trade and other receivables

Amounts due from Group undertakings
Trade receivables
Other receivables 
Prepayments

The  non-current  receivables  are  amounts  due  from  eCORP. 
The  receivable  is  denominated  in  United  States  dollars  and  is 
expected to be received within a period of 22 months.  The fair 
value of the receivable is £768,102. 

Group
2012
£

-
107,829
970,449
35,867

Group
2011
£

-
83,754
12,900
43,872

Company
2012
£

3,478,924
107,629
1,205
35,760

Company
2011
£

11,625,452
83,754
12,897
43,872

1,114,145

140,526

3,623,518

11,765,975

An element of the Company and Group’s credit risk is attributable to its trade and other receivables.  
Based on prior experience and an assessment of the current economic environment, the Directors 
did  not  consider  any  provision  for  irrecoverable  amounts  was  required  and  consider  that  the 
carrying amounts of these assets approximates to their fair value.

19. Available for sale financial assets

Group
2012
£

12,500

Group
2011
£

12,500

Company
2012
£

Company
2011
£

12,500

12,500

At 1 August

At 31 July

12,500

12,500

12,500

12,500

The investment in securities above represents an investment in Egdon Resources plc redeemable 
preference shares. The assets are held at cost as an approximation of fair value. These are the only 
financial assets which the Group and Company are required to carry at fair value.

20. Cash and cash equivalents

Group
2012
£

Group
2011
£

Company
2012
£

Company
2011
£

Cash at bank

1,918,201

714,969

1,814,603

118,448

The  Directors  consider  that  the  carrying  amount  of  these  assets 
approximates  their  fair  value.    The  credit  risk  on  liquid  funds  is  limited 
because the counter-parties are banks with high credit ratings.

44

InfraStrata plc

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

21. Assets held for sale and discontinued operations (disposal group)

The Company has announced, together with Moyle, that it has 
entered into an agreement with BPGM regarding the acquisition 
of an equity interest in Islandmagee Storage Limited owned by 
InfraStrata plc (65%) and Moyle (35%). Under the agreements, 
the  equity  interest  will  arise  through  the  issue  of  shares  by 
Islandmagee  Storage  Limited  rather  than  the  sale  of  equity  by 
the  Group  and  the  majority  of  the  proceeds  from  the  issue  of 
equity will be retained in Islandmagee Storage Limited to fund 
project development. Islandmagee Storage Limited was classified 
as held for sale in 2011 and continues to be so classified as, in 
the  opinion  of  the  directors,  it  is  highly  probable  that  BPGM 
will exercise its option and the delay in the disposal was due to 
events outside the control of the company. 

Whilst the assets held for sale are classified as current assets, due 
to the nature of the arrangements described above, the Group 
does not expect to receive cash inflows equivalent to, or in excess 
of, the book value of the assets so classified. The measurement 
basis is the carrying amount.

22. Trade and other payables

Assets classified as held for sale
Freehold land
Intangible assets – gas storage 
development costs
Trade and other receivables
Cash and cash equivalents

Liabilities classified as held for sale
Current liabilities 
Trade creditors
Accruals

2012
£

2011
£

440,100

-

2,631,755
64,772
69,376

2,700,345
1,066
43,320

3,206,003

2,744,731

69,518
3,514

1,192
28,736

73,032

29,928

Trade creditors
Preference shares (note 25)
Other taxation and social security
Accruals 

Group
2012
£

818,782
12,500
18,137
56,331

Group
2011
£

27,138
12,500
30,540
33,980

Company
2012
£

794,267
12,500
17,126
34,743

Company
2011
£

14,393
12,500
30,540
28,828

905,750

104,158

858,636

86,261

The Directors consider that the carrying amount of trade and other payables approximates their fair value.

23. Non-current liabilities – Deferred tax

Deferred income tax liabilities in relation to:
Intangible assets
Financial assets

Group
2012
£

773,929
427,367

1,201,296

Group
2011
£

-
-

-

The gross movement on the 
deferred tax account is as 
follows:

Group
2012
£

Group
2011
£

At August
Acquisition of subsidiary (note 16)

-
1,201,296

At 31 July

1,201,296

-
-

-

Deferred tax has been calculated at a rate of 23% which is the tax 
rate which is the currently enacted tax rate for tax years starting 
on 1 April 2013. The Government has announced a reduction in 
the corporation rate to 22% to be in force for 2013/14 but this 
has not yet been substantively enacted.

InfraStrata plc

45

 
 
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

24. Financial assets and liabilities

The  Group  and  Company’s  financial  instruments  comprise  financial  assets,  cash  and  cash  equivalents  and 
items  such  as  trade  payables  and  other  receivables  which  arise  directly  from  the  Group’s  operations.  The 
Group’s operations expose it to a variety of financial risks including credit risk, liquidity risk, interest rate 
risk and foreign currency exchange risk. Given the size of the Group, the Directors have not delegated the 
responsibility of monitoring financial risk management to a subcommittee of the board. The objectives of the 
financial instrument policies are to reduce the Group and Company’s exposure to financial risk. The policies 
set  by  the  board  of  Directors  are  implemented  by  the  Company’s  finance  department.  The  Group  is  also 
indirectly exposed to risks arising from its interests its associates. The Group is not required to give detailed 
information relating to these risks. 

Credit risk
The credit risk on liquid funds is limited because the Group and Company policy is to only deal with counter 
parties with high credit ratings and more than one institution is utilised to deposit cash holdings. The Group 
held funds in the Bank of Scotland, Investec, Northern Rock and Lloyds TSB bank accounts during the last 
two years, at year end all of the funds were held in Bank of Scotland, Investec and Lloyds TSB accounts. In 
the Directors’ view there is a low risk of one of the banks holding the Groups funds at year end failing in the 
foreseeable future. As at 31 July 2012, the Group is also exposed to the credit risk in relation to the eCORP 
receivable (£1,706,592), which is payable over 22 months.  

The carrying amount of financial assets represents the maximum credit exposure. The maximum exposure to 
credit risk at the reporting date was:

Non-current receivables
Trade and other receivables
Cash and cash equivalents 

Group
2012
£

784,314
1,101,820
1,918,201

Group
2011
£

-
96,654
714,969

Company
2012
£

-
107,629
1,814,603

Company
2011
£

-
96,651
118,448

The  reconciling  item  between  non-current  receivables  as  shown  above  and  as  presented  in  note  17  is  the 
discount to fair value. The reconciling items between the trade and other receivables presented above and that 
presented in note 18 and 21 are VAT receivable, prepayments and the discount to fair value. No receivables 
are past due but not impaired. 

Interest rate risk
The Company and Group is exposed to interest rate risk as a result of positive cash balances, denominated in 
sterling, which earn interest at a variable rate. These attract interest at rates that vary with bank interest rates. 
Cash at bank at floating rates consisted of money market deposits which earn interest at rates set in advance 
from periods of 1-3 months by reference to Sterling LIBOR. An effective interest rate increase or decrease 
by 1% on the cash and cash equivalents balance at year end would result in a before tax financial effect of an 
increase or decrease in investment revenues and equity for the Group of £19,182 (2011: £7,344) and for the 
Company of £18,146 (2011: £1,184).

Foreign currency risk
The Group is exposed to foreign currency rate risk as a result of the eCORP receivable, which is denominated in 
dollars and trade payables, which are settled in Euros. During the year the Group and Company did not enter 
into any arrangements to hedge these risks, as the Directors did not consider the exposure to be significant 
given the short term nature of the balances. The Group and Company will review this policy as appropriate 
in the future. As at 31 July 2012, if the Euro had weakened or strengthened 10% against sterling with all 
other variables held constant, the Group’s net loss and equity would have decreased or increased by £782 
(2011: £1,178). As at 31 July 2012, if the USD had weakened or strengthened 10% against sterling with all 
other variables held constant, the Group’s net loss and equity would have decreased or increased by £267,593 
(2011: £nil).

46

InfraStrata plc

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

The currency risk disclosures at 31 July 2012 are as follows:

Accounts payable 
Non-current accounts receivable
Current accounts receivable

USD
-
£768,102
£938,491

Euro
£6,145
-
-

The currency risk disclosures at 31 July 2011 are as follows:

Accounts payable

-

£10,606

The book value of financial assets and liabilities disclosed is considered to be equal to fair value.

Liquidity risk
The Group and Company policy is to actively maintain a mixture of long-term and short-term deposits that 
are designed to ensure it has sufficient available funds for operations. The total carrying value of Group and 
Company financial liabilities is disclosed in notes 21 (assets held for sale and discontinued operations) and 22 
(trade and other payables). The Company issues share capital when external funds are required. The reconciling 
items between the contractual maturities presented below and that presented in notes 21 and 22 are taxes. 
The following table shows the contractual maturities of the Group’s and Company’s financial liabilities, all of 
which are measured at amortised cost. 

Group
2012
£

Within one month

951,439

Group
2011
£

98,371

Company
2012
£

Company
2011
£

826,953

42,789

25. Share capital and redeemable preference shares

Authorised

Alloted, called up and fully paid

Ordinary share capital

Number

£

Number

£

At 31 July 2010 
- Ordinary shares of 10 pence each

100,000,000

10,000,000

73,804,201

7,380,420

Issue 10 pence ordinary shares

-

-

4,460,125

446,013

At 31 July 2011
Ordinary shares of 10p each

100,000,000

10,000,000

78,264,326

7,826,433

Issue 10 pence ordinary shares

-

-

12,727,273

1,272,727

At 31 July 2012
Ordinary shares of 10p each

Redeemable preference shares of 
£1 each (classified as liabilities)

100,000,000

10,000,000

90,991,599

9,099,160

At 31 July 2012, 2011 and 2010

50,000

50,000

50,000

12,500

On  15  February  2012  the  Company  completed  a  placing  of 
12,727,273  new  ordinary  shares  at  11p  per  share  and  raised 
£1,400,000  before  expenses.  The  expenses  of  the  issue,  which 
were taken to the share premium account, were £56,000.

On  the  7  February  2011  the  Company  completed  a  placing  of 
4,095,000  new  ordinary  shares  of  10p  each  at  22p  per  share 
with an existing institutional investor to raise £900,900 before 
expenses.  The  expenses  of  the  issue,  which  were  taken  to  the 
share premium account, were £36,063.

InfraStrata plc

47

 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

Preference shares
The  preference  shares  carry  the  right  to  an  annual  dividend  out  of  distributable  profits  of  0.00001%  per 
annum on the amount for the time being paid up on each such share and do not carry any voting rights. The 
Company may redeem the shares at any time by giving preference shareholders one week’s notice. Preference 
shareholders may require the Company to redeem their shares at any time by giving six months’ notice. In 
each case, any redemption is at par and is subject to the provisions of the Companies Act. The preference 
shares are treated as short-term liabilities and included within trade payables.

Objectives, policies and processes for managing capital

The  Group’s  objectives  when  managing  capital  are  to  safeguard  the  Group’s  ability  to  continue  as  a  going 
concern in order to achieve its operational objectives. 

The Group defines capital as being share capital plus reserves. The Board of Directors monitors the level of 
capital as compared to the Group’s forecast cash flows and long term commitments and when necessary issues 
new shares. Dilution of existing shareholder value is considered during all processes which may result in an 
alteration of share capital in issue.

Ordinary  share  capital  in  issue  is  managed  as  capital  and  the  redeemable  preference  shares  in  issue  are 
managed as current liabilities.

The Group is not subject to any externally imposed capital requirements.

26. Merger reserve

Company

Group

The  merger  reserve  arose  on  the  demerger  of  the  Portland 
Gas  Group  of  companies  from  Egdon  Resources  Plc  when  the 
Company  issued  shares  at  a  premium  to  their  nominal  value 
on  acquisition  of  InfraStrata  UK  Limited.  The  reserve  is  not 
distributable.

The  merger  reserve  represents  the  difference  between  the 
nominal  value  of  the  shares  issued  on  the  demerger  and  the 
combined  share  capital  and  share  premium  of  InfraStrata  UK 
Limited at the date of the demerger.

27. Share based payment reserve

The reserve for share based payments is used to record the value 
of  equity  settled  share  based  payments  awarded  to  employees 
and transfers out of this reserve are made upon the exercise or 
expiration of the share awards.

The  transfer  in  of  £11,304  (2011:  £60,888)  relates  to  share 
options granted in prior periods. There were no options forfeited 
during the year (2011: £40,892). For further information on the 
share based payment scheme see note 7. 

28. Non-controlling interest

BPGM  paid  an  amount  of  £475,689  to  Islandmagee  Storage 
Limited in relation to their option to acquire an interest in that 
Company  during  the  financial  year.  Should  BPGM  exercise  its 
option,  as  described  below,  this  amount  will  form  part  of  the 
consideration for the equity issued to BPGM.

consents  and  approvals  for  the  project,  and  a  regulatory  and 
operational framework being adopted by the Northern Ireland 
and  Republic  of  Ireland  authorities  to  facilitate  commercial 
operations  of  the  facility  on  a  level  playing  field  with  storage 
elsewhere in the UK and Ireland. 

On  19  January  2012  an  agreement  was  entered  into  with 
BPGM  regarding  the  appraisal  of  the  Islandmagee  gas  storage 
facility  development  project  in  County  Antrim,  and  the  grant 
of an option to BPGM  to  acquire  a  50.495% equity interest in 
Islandmagee Storage Limited. 

During the appraisal stage of the project, BPGM is responsible 
for  managing  surface  and  sub-surface  engineering  matters. 
Islandmagee  Storage  Limited  is  managing  the  regulatory,  land 
and  stakeholder  relations  together  with  drilling  and  operating 
the well. 

Under the terms of a JAA, BPGM has agreed to fund the activities 
necessary to develop the project up to the point where a decision 
can be made on whether to proceed with a detailed engineering 
design. The greatest item of the expenditure during the appraisal 
period is the drilling of the first well. The drilling of the well is 
subject  to  Islandmagee  Storage  Limited  obtaining  other  key 

Islandmagee Storage Limited has received £200,000 on the grant 
of exclusivity to BPGM in 2011, £200,000 was paid on signature 
of  the  agreement  and  a  further  £200,000  was  paid  on  the 
grant  of  planning  permission  for  the  project  in  October  2012. 
Islandmagee Storage Limited received £75,689 during the year 
for works undertaken on the project which BPGM undertook to 
fund in terms of the JAA. 

48

InfraStrata plc

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

29. Cash (used in) operations
Group

Operating loss for the year from continuing operations
Depreciation
Increase in trade and other receivables
Increase/(Decrease) in trade and other payables
Share option expense
Shares issued in lieu of salary or bonus
Loss on sale of subsidiary

2012
£

(1,005,274)
7,690
(35,128)
801,592
11,304
50,000
-

2011
£

(940,195)
9,499
(29,794)
(174,449)
60,888
49,000
8,355

Cash (used in)/from discontinued operations

(96,737)

34,170

Cash (used in) continuing and discontinued operations

(266,553)

(982,526)

Cash flows arising from discontinued activities 
Group

2012
£

2011
£

Cash (used in)/from discontinued operations

(96,737)

34,170

Investing activities 

Financing activities

Cash from/(used in) operations
Company

Operating loss for the year
Depreciation
Decrease/(Increase) in trade and other receivables
Increase/(Decrease) in trade and other payables
Share option expense
Shares issued in lieu of salary or bonus
Loss on sale of subsidiary 
Impairment of inter-company receivables

(371,510)

(415,846)

475,689

2012
£

(23,793,664)
6,869
8,142,456
721,110
11,304
50,000
-
15,247,011

-

2011
£

(858,467)
3,358
(892,408)
(174,050)
60,888
49,000
8,355
-

Cash from/(used) in operations

385,086

(1,803,324)

30. Operating lease commitments

Future minimum rentals payable under non-cancellable operating leases as at 31 July are as follows:

Amounts due:

Within one year
Within 2 to 5 years
After more than 5 years

Land and 
buildings
2012
£

765,000
-
-

Land and 
buildings
2011
£

30,000
22,438
-

765,000

52,438

InfraStrata plc

49

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

Operating lease payments represent rentals payable by the Group for office premises and land which is for the 
purposes of gas storage facility development. 

The office premises lease rentals are fixed for 5 years and the escalation clause is linked to market rates agreed 
between the landlord and tenant. The lease provides for a break clause at the fifth anniversary of the lease 
which is on 30 October 2012, exercisable at the Company’s option. The landlord and the Company agreed on 
16 May 2012 that there will be no rent review and that either party may terminate the lease at any time on or 
after 30 October 2012 by serving six months written notice.  

At 31 July 2012 rent due by Portland Gas Storage Limited is payable under the gas storage development land 
leases and deed of variation dated 1 June 2012. The lease payments are fixed with variations linked to business 
development trigger events.  The deed has break dates of 1 June 2013, 1 June 2014, 1 June 2015, 1 June 2016 
and 1 June 2017. Prior to the execution of the deed of variation the leases were fixed to the first review date 
on the 20 October 2011 and the escalation clause is linked to the Retail Price Index published by the Office for 
National Statistics in terms of lease agreements entered into in April 2008 and 20 October 2006. These leases 
provided for a break clauses at the fifteenth anniversary of the lease, exercisable at the Company’s option. 
Until such time as the Group has secured funding for the Portland project only minimal cash payments were 
due, with the balance of the liability being settled by way of interest bearing loans, which are payable once 
the associated gas storage project is fully funded. This loan liability ceased to exist on execution of the 1 June 
2012 lease deed of variation. 

31. Contingent liability

Portland Gas Storage Limited entered into a Section 106 deed of agreement relating to the development of the 
gas storage facility on the Isle of Portland on 13 June 2012 which supersedes the original deed of agreement 
dated 17 June 2008. 

On first material operation of the development of the gas storage facility gas pipeline block value at Osmington, 
Dorset, Portland Gas Storage Limited covenants:

•	

To work with the Portland Gas Trust to complete the Engine Shed refurbishment at a cost of approximately 
£2,000,000.

•	 On completion of the Engine Shed to pay to the Portland Gas Trust a sum of £100,000 per annum for a 

•	

period of not less than twenty years. 
To pay to the Portland Gas Trust a sum of not less than £350,000 to fund projects on the gas storage 
pipeline route and Portland. 

32. Related party transactions

InfraStrata UK Limited leases the Group’s head office from Toffee Limited, a company of which Andrew Hindle 
is a director and shareholder. A fair market rent paid during the period was £45,000 (2011: £45,000). The 
balance outstanding at 31 July 2012 was £nil (2010: £nil). The Company paid professional fees to Pinnacle 
Energy  Limited  of  £nil  (2011:  £35,000),  a  company  of  which  Walter  Roberts  is  a  director.  The  balance 
outstanding at 31 July 2012 was £nil (2011: £nil). 

The  Group  has  related  party  relationships  with  its  associates  and  joint  ventures  in  the  course  of  normal 
operations.  The Group recovered overhead and technical support costs from its joint venture of £161,856 
(2011: £212,655). 

The following balances were outstanding at
31 July 2012:

Amounts owed
by related parties
£

Amounts owed
to related parties
£

Associates
Other

-

600

50

The following balances were outstanding at 31 July 2011:

Amounts owed
by related parties
£

Amounts owed
to related parties
£

22,865,368
21,090

-

-
-

600

Joint ventures
Nominal value of convertible 
unsecured loan notes
Other
Associates
Other

InfraStrata plc

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

Company

The Company has related party relationships with its subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures in the course 
of normal operations.  

InfraStrata  plc  recovered  overhead  and  technical  support  costs  from  InfraStrata  UK  Limited  of  £177,242 
(2011: £182,863), Portland Gas Storage Limited of £35,746 (2011: £193,450), Islandmagee Storage Limited 
of £123,282 (2011: £113,826) and Portland Gas Transportation Limited of £nil (2011: £19,205). 

The balances outstanding at 31 July 2012, which are not secured, 
are provided in the following table.

The balances outstanding at 31 July 2011, which are not secured, 
are provided in the following table.

Related party

Amounts owed by 
related parties
£

Amounts owed to 
related parties 
£

Related party

Amounts owed by 
related parties
£

Amounts owed to 
related parties 
£

Subsidiaries
InfraStrata UK Limited
Portland Gas Storage Limited
Islandmagee Storage Limited
Corfe Energy Limited
Brigantes Energy Limited

10,687,534
102,247
583,818
-
-

-
-
-
300
300

Subsidiaries
InfraStrata UK Limited
Islandmagee Storage Limited
Corfe Energy Limited
Brigantes Energy Limited

11,082,221
543,231
-
-

-
-
300
300

The amounts due from Group undertakings in note 18 are stated net of an impairment provision of £8,248,775 
(2011 - £nil) relating to Infrastrata UK Limited. 

33. Judgements in applying accounting policies and key sources of estimation uncertainty

Amounts included in the financial statements involve the use of judgement and/or estimation. These estimates 
and judgements are based on management’s best knowledge of the relevant facts and circumstances, having 
regard  to  previous  experience,  but  actual  results  may  differ  from  the  amounts  included  in  the  financial 
statements. Information about such judgements and estimation is contained in the accounting policies and/
or the notes to the financial statements, and the key areas are summarised below.

Capitalisation of project costs

The  assessment  of  whether  costs  incurred  on  project  exploration  and  evaluation  should  be  capitalised  or 
expensed  involves  judgement.  Any  expenditure  which  is  considered  to  relate  to  gas  storage  exploration 
research activities or where it is not probable that future economic benefits will flow to the Group are expensed. 
Management considers the nature of the costs incurred and the stage of project development and concludes 
whether it is appropriate to capitalise the costs. The key assumptions depend on whether rights to explore 
an area have been obtained, the rock mechanical properties of the halite, the availability of a suitable site for 
construction of the required facilities and the likelihood of gaining the relevant permissions. 

Review of project asset carrying values

The  assessment  of  capitalised  project  costs  for  any  indications  of  impairment  involves  judgement.  When 
facts or circumstances suggest that impairment exists, a formal estimate of recoverable amount is performed 
and  an  impairment  loss  recognised  to  the  extent  that  the  carrying  amount  exceeds  recoverable  amount. 
Recoverable amount is determined to be the higher of fair value less costs to sell and value in use. The key 
assumptions are the net income expected to be generated from the facilities, the cost of construction and the 
date from which the facilities become operational. Management assigns values and dates to these inputs after 
taking into account market information, engineering design costing and the project programme. A discount 
rate of 8% is applied in determining gas storage project net present values.  Salt cavern gas storage projects are 
long term investments and cash flows are therefore projected over periods greater than 5 years. Engineering 
design provides for Project life of 40 years.  It is assumed that 100% of a project’s capacity will be sold from 
the date that the capacity becomes operational, therefore no cash flow growth is used when performing cash 
flow projections.

InfraStrata plc

51

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

Impairments of exploration and evaluation assets

IFRS 6 requires that exploration and evaluation assets be assessed for impairment when facts and circumstances 
suggest that the carrying amount of an exploration and evaluation asset may exceed its recoverable amount. 
Management  therefore  consider  annually  whether  there  are  any  such  facts  and  circumstances  and,  if  so, 
undertake an impairment review. In making the initial judgements, management consider the outcome of 
exploration and evaluation activities to date and, in particular, data from any seismic surveys and drilling 
activities. Management also consider the continuity of the license interests and market data, including oil 
and gas prices. 

Where an impairment test is required, a comparison is made between the carrying value of the assets at the 
reporting date with the expected discounted cash flow from the Group’s license interest. For the discounted 
cash flows to be calculated, management use production profiles based on its best estimate of reserves and a 
range of assumptions, including oil/gas prices and discount rates.

Share based payments 

The estimation of share based payment costs requires the selection of an appropriate valuation model and 
consideration as to the inputs necessary for the valuation model chosen. The Group has made estimates as to 
the volatility of its own shares, the probable life of options granted, and the time of exercise of those options. 
The model used by the Group is the Black-Scholes model. The key assumptions are detailed in note 7.

Going concern 

The  preparation  of  the  financial  statements  requires  an  assessment  on  the  validity  of  the  going  concern 
assumption and the estimates supporting that assumption. The validity of the going concern assumption is 
dependent on the availability of adequate financial resources to allow the Group to continue in operational 
existence for the foreseeable future.  Should the going concern basis not be appropriate, adjustments would 
have to be made to the assets and liabilities in the balance sheet of the Group. 

Investments in joint ventures and associates

In order to establish whether an entity is a consolidated subsidiary, a joint venture or an associate, key areas 
of judgment include:  

•	

•	 Quantitative  analysis  of  an  entity  including  review  of,  amongst  other  factors,  its  capital  structure, 
contractual terms, which interests create or absorb variability, related party relationships and design of 
the entity. 
Rights  of  partners  reflecting  significant  business  decisions,  including  dispositions  and  acquisitions  of 
assets. 
Board and management representation. 
Ability to make financing decisions. 

•	
•	
•	 Operating and capital budget approvals and contractual rights of other parties.

Refer to note 16 for additional information.

Identification of assets and liabilities arising on a business combination 

Management  are  required  to  identify  the  assets  and  liabilities  arising  on  a  business  combination,  having 
regard to contractual rights and obligations and whether cash flows are expected to arise from such rights 
and obligations.

52

InfraStrata plc

  
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2012

Fair values 

Management are required to assess the fair value of assets and liabilities acquired on business combinations. 
As part of this assessment management considers: 

•	 Third party disposals or acquisitions of the asset or liability (or part thereof) 
•	
•	

In respect of assets, any costs avoided as a result of owning the asset 
Expected future discounted cash flows  

Management also need to fair value the interests in the joint venture on disposal. Management consider the 
fair value of any underlying assets and liabilities and use these to impute a value to the joint venture as a 
whole and thence to the Group’s share of the interest in the joint venture.

34. Significant change to estimated amounts reported in the interim report

The Group interim result at 31 January 2012 were presented prior to the impairment of the Portland Project 
assets and the investment in the Portland Gas Limited joint venture. Following the issue of these interim 
results the Portland Project assets and the investment were impaired – refer to note 16. The significant change 
in estimate relates predominately to the uncertainty of project construction commencement date.

35. Guarantee

The Company has guaranteed the lease payments to be made by Portland Gas Storage Limited to Portland
Port Limited. The financial commitment under this guarantee at 31 July 2012 is £750,000 (2011: £18,474,200). 

36. Jointly controlled oil & gas exploration activities

Group and Company

Country

Northern Ireland
England

Licence

PL1/10
PL1918

Field name

Operator

Licence

Larne-Lough Neagh Basin
English Channel

InfraStrata
InfraStrata

46%
78%

The Company has entered into agreements with partners whereby the Company’s share of initial exploration 
costs to reporting date are covered by the partners to the extent of £2.3 million, therefore the company has  
incurred expenditure to the extent of £34,564 (2011: £nil) in developing its share of the assets. 

37. Events after the reporting period

Islandmagee Storage Limited received planning approval on 18 October 2012 for its development of a natural 
gas storage facility at Islandmagee, County Antrim.

38. Control of the Group

There is no ultimate controlling party of InfraStrata plc.

InfraStrata plc

53

Letter from the Chairman
with Notice of Annual General Meeting

Directors:
Kenneth Ratcliff (Non-executive Chairman)
Andrew Hindle (Chief Executive Officer)
Craig Gouws (Chief Financial Officer)
Walter Roberts (Legal and Commercial Director)
William Colvin (Non-executive Director)
Maurice Hazzard (Non-executive Director)

Dear Shareholder,

1 

Introduction

Registered Office:
Blackstable House
Longridge
Sheepscombe
Stroud
GL6 7QX

12 December 2012

Notice of the Company’s forthcoming annual general meeting to be held on Friday 25 January 2013 (“AGM” 
or “Annual General Meeting”) appears on the following pages.

As in previous years your Board is not recommending the payment of a dividend.

2 

Resolutions to be proposed at the AGM

Ordinary Business

Annual Report and Accounts (Resolution 1)

A copy of the annual report and accounts (together with the Directors’ and Auditors’ reports on the annual 
report and accounts) for the Company for the financial year ended 31 July 2012 (the “Accounts”) has been 
sent to you with this document. Shareholders will be asked to receive the Accounts at the Annual General 
Meeting.

Re-appointment of Auditors (Resolution 2)

The Company is required at each general meeting at which accounts are presented to appoint auditors to hold 
office until the next such meeting. Nexia Smith & Williamson Audit Limited have indicated their willingness 
to continue in office. Accordingly, Resolution 2 proposes their re-appointment as auditors of the Company 
to hold office from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting until the conclusion of the next annual 
general meeting of the Company at which Accounts are laid, and authorises the Directors to determine their 
remuneration.

Retirement by Directors (Resolutions 3 & 4)

Craig Gouws and Maurice Hazzard are the Directors retiring by rotation this year and each offers himself for 
reelection. All members of the Board are required to submit themselves for re-election at least once every 
three years. Brief biographical details of each of the Directors appear on page 15 of the Accounts.

Special Business

Authority of Directors to Allot Shares (Resolution 5)

The authority given to the Directors to allot further shares in the capital of the Company requires the prior 
authorisation  of  the  shareholders  in  general  meeting  under  section  551  Companies  Act  2006.  Upon  the 
passing of Resolution 5, pursuant to paragraph (A) of the Resolution, the Directors will have authority to allot 
shares up to a maximum of £3,033,053 which is approximately one third of the current issued share capital 
as at 12 Decemeber 2012, being the latest practicable date before the publication of this Letter. This authority 
will expire immediately following the next annual general meeting or, if earlier, six months following the date 

54

InfraStrata plc

to which the Company’s next annual report and accounts are made up.

In  addition,  in  accordance  with  the  guidance  from  the  Association  of  British  Insurers  (“ABI”)  on  the 
expectations  of  institutional  investors  in  relation  to  the  authority  of  directors  to  allot  shares,  upon  the 
passing of Resolution 5, the Directors will have authority (pursuant to paragraph (B) of the Resolution) to 
allot  an  additional  number  of  ordinary  shares  up  to  a  maximum  of  £3,033,053,  which  is  approximately  a 
further third of the current issued ordinary share capital as at 12 December 2012, being the latest practical 
date before the publication of this Letter. However, the Directors will only be able to allot those shares for the 
purposes of a rights issue in which the new shares are offered to existing shareholders in proportion to their 
existing shareholdings. This authority will also expire immediately following the next annual general meeting 
or, if earlier, six months following the date to which the Company’s next annual report and accounts are made 
up to.

As a result, if Resolution 5 is passed, the Directors could allot shares representing up to two-thirds of the 
current issued share capital pursuant to a rights issue.

Disapplication of Pre-emption Rights (Resolution 6)

If the Directors wish to exercise the authority under Resolution 5 and offer unissued shares (or sell any shares 
which the Company may purchase and elect to hold as treasury shares) for cash, the Companies Act 2006 
requires that unless shareholders have given specific authority for the waiver of the statutory pre-emption 
rights, the new shares be offered first to existing shareholders in proportion to their existing shareholdings. 
In certain circumstances, it may be in the best interests of the Company to allot new shares (or to grant rights 
over shares) for cash without first offering them to existing shareholders in proportions to their holdings.

Resolution 6 would authorise the Directors to do this by allowing the Directors to allot shares for cash (i) by 
way of a rights issue (subject to certain exclusions), (ii) by way of an open offer or other offer of securities 
(not being a rights issue) in favour of existing shareholders in proportions to their shareholdings (subject to 
certain exclusions) and (iii) to persons other than existing shareholders up to an aggregate nominal value of 
£1,819,831 which is equivalent to 20 per cent of the issued share capital of the Company on 12 December 
2012, being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this Letter. If given, the authority will expire 
on the conclusion of the next annual general meeting or, if earlier, six months following the date to which the 
Company’s next annual reports and accounts are made up.

For this purpose the ABI recommendation for companies on the LSE main list is 5% although it is generally 
recognised  that  for  smaller  companies  and  those  on  AIM  this  may  be  too  constrictive.  The  nature  of  our 
business and the critical phase of so many of the projects in which we are involved, which can both be expected 
to require up-front investment and can take a long time to fully develop means that your Board considers 5% 
to be insufficient. Consequently I would ask that you approve a 20% disapplication of pre-emption rights to 
provide your Board with the flexibility to pursue such opportunities without incurring the costs of a rights 
issue or the need to market part of the investment opportunity to third parties.

3 

Recommendation

Your Directors consider the Resolutions to be proposed at the AGM to be in the best interests of the Company 
and its shareholders as a whole. Consequently, the Directors recommend shareholders to vote in favour of 
the Resolutions as they intend to do in respect of their own beneficial holdings totalling 8,943,282 ordinary 
shares (representing 9.83 per cent. of the Company’s issued share capital as at the date of this Letter).

A form of proxy is included for use at the AGM. Forms of proxy should be completed, signed and returned 
as soon as possible and in any event so as to be received by Capita Registrars at The Registry, 34 Beckenham 
Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 4TU not less than 48 hours prior to the time appointed for the holding of the 
AGM on 25 January 2013.

Completion of a proxy form will not prevent you from attending the AGM in person if you so wish.

Yours sincerely,
Ken Ratcliff
Non-executive Chairman

InfraStrata plc

55

Notes:
1. A proxy need not be a member of the Company but must attend the meeting 
to  represent  you.  If  you  wish  to  appoint  as  a  proxy  a  person  other  than  the 
Chairman of the AGM, please delete the words “the Chairman of the AGM” and 
insert  the  name  of  the  other  person.  All  alterations  made  to  this  Proxy  Form 
must be initialled by the signatory. If you sign and return this Proxy Form with 
no name inserted in the box, the Chairman of the AGM will be deemed to be your 
proxy.  If  the  proxy  is  being  appointed  in  relation  to  less  than  your  full  voting 
entitlement,  please  enter  the  number  of  shares  in  relation  to  which  they  are 
authorised  to  act  as  your  proxy.  If  left  blank  your  proxy  will  be  deemed  to  be 
authorised in respect of your full voting entitlement (or if this Proxy Form has 
been issued in respect of a designated account for a shareholder, the full voting 
entitlement for that designated account).
2. To be effective, this Proxy Form (together with any power of attorney or other 
authority (if any) under which it is signed, or a notarially certified copy of such 
authority) must be received by post or (during normal business hours only) by 
hand at the office of the Company’s Registrars, being Capita Registrars at PXS, 
The Registry, 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 4TU, by no later than 
11.00 a.m. on 23 January 2013.
3. You are entitled to appoint more than one proxy provided that each proxy is 
appointed to exercise rights attached to a different share or shares held by you. 
You may not appoint more than one proxy to exercise rights attached to any one 
share. To appoint more than one proxy, (an) additional Proxy Form(s) may be 
obtained by contacting the Registrars helpline on 0871 664 0300 if calling within 
the United Kingdom or +44 (0)20 8639 3399 if calling from outside the United 
Kingdom. Lines are open 8:30am – 5:30pm Mon-Fri. Calls to the helpline from 
within  the  United  Kingdom  cost  10  pence  per  minute  (including  VAT)  from  a 
BT landline. Other service providers’ costs may vary. Calls to the helpline from 
outside  the  United  Kingdom  will  be  charged  at  applicable  international  rates. 
Calls may be recorded for security and training purposes. Or you may photocopy 
this form. Please indicate next to the proxy holder’s name the number of shares in 
relation to which they are authorised to act as your proxy. Please also indicate by 
ticking the box provided if the proxy instruction is one of multiple instructions 
being given. All forms must be signed and should be returned together in the 
same envelope.
4. Completion and return of this Proxy Form will not prevent you from attending 
in person and voting at the AGM should you subsequently decide to do so.
5. If you wish your proxy to cast all of your votes “For” or “Against” a resolution 
you should insert an “X” in the appropriate box. If you wish your proxy to cast 
only certain votes “For” and certain votes “Against”, insert the relevant number 
of shares in the appropriate box. In the absence of instructions, your proxy may 
vote or abstain from voting as he or she thinks fit on the specified resolution and, 
unless instructed otherwise, may also vote or abstain from voting as he or she 
things fit on any other business (including on a motion to amend a resolution 
to propose a new resolution or to adjourn the AGM) which may properly come 
before the AGM.
6. The “Vote Withheld” option is provided to enable you to instruct your proxy 

to abstain from voting on a particular resolution. A “Vote Withheld” is not a vote 
in law and will not be counted in the calculation of the proportion of the votes 
“For” or “Against” a resolution. The “Discretionary” option is provided to enable 
you to give discretion to your proxy to vote or abstain from voting on a particular 
resolution as he or she thinks fit.
7.  In  accordance  with  the  permission  in  Regulation  41  of  the  Uncertificated 
Securities Regulations 1001 (SI 2001 No. 3755), only those holders of ordinary 
shares who are registered on the Company’s share register at 1800 hours on 23 
January 2013 shall be entitled to attend the above AGM (or 1800 hours on the 
day which is two days before the day of any adjourned meeting) and to vote in 
respect of the number of shares registered in their names at that time. Changes 
to entries on the share register after 1800 hours on 23 January 2013 shall be 
disregarded  in  determining  the  rights  of  any  person  to  attend  and/or  vote  at 
the AGM.
8. This Proxy Form must be signed by the shareholder or his/her attorney. Where 
the shareholder is a corporation, the signature must be under seal or signed by a 
duly authorised representative stating their capacity (e.g. Director, secretary). In 
the case of joint shareholders, any one shareholder may sign this Proxy Form or 
may vote in person at the Meeting. If more than one joint shareholder is present 
at the AGM either in person or by proxy, that one of them whose name stands 
first in the register of members in respect of the share shall alone be entitled to 
vote (whether in person or by proxy) in respect of it.
9. To change your proxy instructions simply submit a new proxy appointment 
using the methods set out above. Note that the cut-off time for receipt of proxy 
appointments  (see  above)  also  apply  in  relation  to  amended  instructions;  any 
amended  proxy  appointment  received  after  the  relevant  cut-off  time  will  be 
disregarded.
10. In order to revoke a proxy instruction you will need to inform the Company 
by sending notice in writing clearly stating your intention to revoke your proxy 
appointment to the Company’s Registrars, being Capita Registrars at PXS, The 
Registry,  34  Beckenham  Road,  Beckenham,  Kent  BR3  4TU.  In  the  case  of  a 
member which is a company, the revocation notice must be executed under its 
common seal or signed on its behalf by an officer of the company or an attorney 
for the company. Any power of attorney or any other authority under which the 
revocation notice is signed (or a duly certified copy of such power or authority) 
must  be  included  with  the  revocation  notice.  The  revocation  notice  must  be 
received by the Company no later than 48 hours before the time of the holding 
of the meeting or any adjournment thereof. If you attempt to revoke your proxy 
appointment  but  the  revocation  is  received  after  the  time  specified  then  your 
proxy appointment will remain valid. If you have appointed a proxy and attend 
the meeting in person, your proxy appointment will automatically be terminated.
11. If you submit more than one valid proxy appointment in respect of the same 
share  or  shares,  the  appointment  received  last  before  the  latest  time  for  the 
receipt of proxies will take precedence. If the Company is unable to determine 
which was received last, none of the proxy appointments in respect of that share 
or shares shall be valid.

56

InfraStrata plc

Proxy form
InfraStrata plc (the “Company”)

(Incorporated and registered in England
and Wales with registered number 06409712)

Proxy Form for use by Shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) of InfraStrata plc (the “Company”) 
to be held at the offices of Buchanan Communications Limited, 107 Cheapside, London, EC2V 6DN, United 
Kingdom on Friday 25 January 2013 at 11.00 a.m.

Please  read  the  Notice  of  the  AGM  and 
the  accompanying  notes  carefully  before 
completing this Proxy Form.

As a Shareholder of the Company you have the right to attend, speak at and vote at the 
AGM. If you cannot, or do not want to attend the AGM, but still want to vote, you can 
appoint someone to attend the AGM and vote on your behalf. That person is known as a 
“proxy”. You can use this Proxy Form to appoint the Chairman of the AGM, or someone 
else, as your proxy. Your proxy does not need to be a Shareholder of the Company.

I/We, 

(in BLOCK CAPITALS please)

being a Shareholder/Shareholders of InfraStrata plc, appoint the Chairman of the AGM or

(see note 1) as my/our proxy to attend and, on a poll, to vote for me/us and on my/our behalf as 
indicated below at the AGM and at any adjournment thereof (see notes below).

Please clearly mark the boxes below to instruct your proxy how to vote.

Ordinary resolutions

For

Against

Vote Withheld

Discretionary

1. To receive the Report and Accounts for 
1. To receive the Report and Accounts for 
the year ended 31 July 2012
the year ended 31 July 2012

2.  To 
re-appoint  Nexia  Smith  & 
re-appoint  Nexia  Smith  & 
2.  To 
Williamson  Audit  Limited  as  auditors  at 
Williamson  Audit  Limited  as  auditors  at 
a  renumeration  to  be  determined  by  the 
a  renumeration  to  be  determined  by  the 
Directors
Directors

3. To re-elect Craig Gouws
3. To re-elect Craig Gouws

4. To re-elect Maurice Hazzard
4. To re-elect Maurice Hazzard

5. To grant the Directors authority to allot 
5. To grant the Directors authority to allot 
shares on the basis set out in the Notice 
shares on the basis set out in the Notice 
of AGM
of AGM

Special resolutions

6. To disapply pre-emption rights one the 
basis set out in the Notice of AGM

Signature(s) 

Date

(see note 8)

InfraStrata plc

PLEASE
AFFIX
POSTAGE
STAMP
HERE

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e
h
1
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Fold 2 here

Capita Registrars
PXS
The Registry
34 Beckenham Road
Beckenham
Kent
BR3 4TU

Fold 3 here and tuck in

 
 
InfraStrata plc
80 Hill Rise
Richmond
Surrey
TW10 6UB
www.infrastrata.co.uk