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IOG PLC

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FY2021 Annual Report · IOG PLC
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IOG plc 

Report and Audited Financial Statements 

Year Ended 

31 December 2021 

Company Number 07434350  

ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2021 

Contents 

Page 

Chief Executive’s Review ............................................................................................................. 2 

Strategic Report ............................................................................................................................ 4 

2021 Highlights .................................................................................................................. 4 

Post Year End Developments ........................................................................................... 5 

Statement of Reserves & Resources .............................................................................. 10 

Corporate Governance Statement .................................................................................. 30 

Report of the Directors ............................................................................................................... 38 

Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities ................................................................................... 40 

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income ................................................................ 51 

Consolidated and Company Statements of Changes in Equity ............................................... 52 

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position .......................................................................... 53 

Company Statement of Financial Position ................................................................................ 54 

Consolidated Cash Flow Statement ........................................................................................... 55 

Company Cash Flow Statement ................................................................................................. 56 

Notes forming part of the financial statements ......................................................................... 57 

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Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REVIEW FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 

Chief Executive’s Review  

2021 Review  

Last year saw an immense effort by the whole IOG team to progress towards production, culminating in the safe and 
successful delivery of First Gas from the Blythe and Elgood fields on  13 and 15 March 2022 respectively. I am very 
proud of our team for overcoming the many challenges we’ve faced and achieving this major milestone. By working 
closely together, guided by our core values of resourcefulness, innovation, drive, efficiency, resilience and safety, we 
have turned IOG from an unfunded micro-cap into a material UK gas producer with exciting further growth plans.  

I cannot understate the huge effort from all involved from Phase 1 Final Investment Decision (FID) in late October 2019 
to delivering First Gas less than two and a half years later. However, First Gas has never been the destination, it is just 
the first step on a very exciting journey. We can now start to reap the benefits of our strategic focus on UK gas, which 
has always had compelling economic logic: the UK remains highly dependent on this commodity that will be pivotal in 
the global energy transition. Phase 1 production gives IOG both the operational platform and the financial capacity to 
deliver incremental value for our shareholders.  

To put this milestone in its strategic context: IOG is a Net Zero UK gas and infrastructure operator focused on high-
return projects. Each element of this definition is important. We aim continually  to reduce emissions courtesy of our 
inherently low carbon intensity operating model and we set the standard as the first London-listed E&P company to 
commit to Scope 1 and 2 Net Zero from 2021. We play to our strengths with a focused but diverse portfolio in the UK 
Southern North Sea. We are a specialist gas developer and producer but also an infrastructure owner, leveraging our 
expanded offshore Saturn Banks Pipeline System to capture further opportunities, supported by our onshore presence 
at Bacton. We operate our entire offshore portfolio, giving us good control, while benefitting from a constructive 50:50 
joint venture partnership with CalEnergy Resources (UK) Limited (CER), part of Berkshire Hathaway Energy. Finally, 
we  focus  on  maximising  risked  returns  above  all  other  metrics,  through  synergistic  incremental  investments  and 
selective portfolio additions.  

Achieving First Gas is undoubtedly a key step in delivering this strategy. Our vision is a “project factory” whereby Phase 
1 breeds several complementary further phases: commercialising discovered assets, leveraging owned infrastructure, 
maximising operating efficiencies, increasing cost synergies and driving up returns. A key pillar of this strategy is our 
continued investment in subsurface understanding to ensure the best technical interpretation of all opportunities across 
our Saturn Banks catchment area. That includes discovered resources like Nailsworth, Abbeydale, Panther and Grafton, 
appraisal assets like Goddard, Kelham North and Kelham Central, step-out exploration targets like Thornbridge and 
Southsea, or the many potential inorganic opportunities that we continually review. While we take a disciplined approach 
to screening potential acquisitions against our existing portfolio, we can move quickly to capture opportunities we see 
as both economically and environmentally synergistic.  

There were a number of important operational firsts for IOG in 2021. We progressed from engineering and construction 
activities to start putting substantial infrastructure offshore and drilling key wells. The two Phase 1 normally unmanned 
platform (NUI) installations, Blythe and Southwark, were completed at HSM Offshore’s yard in Schiedam, Netherlands, 
and then installed at their field locations over the summer. Delivering our first development well at Elgood, which tested 
at a maximum rate of 57.8 mmscf/d gas and 959 bbl/d condensate, was another key milestone. As expected, it was 
technically  challenging,  being  the  only  subsea  tie-back  in  the  programme  drilled  horizontally  through  the  reservoir 
section to a Total Depth of 15,472 ft MD. After Elgood we continued on to drill the Blythe development well, which tested 
at a maximum rate of 45.5 mmscf/d. These first two development wells were safely and successfully completed in six 
months thanks to the hard work, resourcefulness and diligent collaboration of the IOG, Petrofac and Noble Corporation 
teams. We were then able to complete the offshore subsea and hook-up scopes later in the year, leaving the onshore 
recommissioning work to be completed at Bacton before being able to safely start production.  In light of this tangible 
progress it was very pleasing to see a significant recovery in the share price, ending the year at 36p (an increase of 
over 170% from the 13.2p close a year earlier) and strengthening further still since then.  

The most important element of any  strategy is of course the people who deliver it. As with our portfolio, so with the 
organisation: focusing on quality rather than quantity to best achieve our strategic plans. Our objective has always been 
to build a dynamic culture of continuous improvement and effective collaboration, with the agility to respond quickly to 
both threats and opportunities, underpinned by fundamental respect for each other and for the environment. Phase 1 
has  put  this  objective  to  the  test  in  unprecedented  circumstances,  with  remote  working  and  digital  communications 
becoming a new reality, and we have responded accordingly. With several high-calibre post-Phase 1 FID appointments 
now well established, not least our COO David Gibson who is just over a year into his role, we are now benefitting from 
greater continuity and cohesion as we emerge from the Covid-era working environment. The pandemic presented an 

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Annual Report 2021 

 
undeniable challenge to all these activities. In the face of Covid-19, our three primary objectives did not change: protect 
our people, deliver the project and ensure business continuity. This was tougher in 2021 with the highly transmissible 
Omicron variant causing issues both onshore and offshore, but our team and our contractors have shown resilience 
and adaptability to work around these constraints.  

Environmental differentiation is central to our values and strategy – and is a fundamental pillar of our licence to operate. 
It has long been our intention to build a high-return gas business in which low unit costs and low carbon intensity deliver 
a sustainable competitive  advantage. By promoting a mindset  of sustainability, responsibility,  ethics and respect for 
people and the environment throughout our activities, we can deliver shareholder returns that are sustainable in every 
sense. In Q3 2021 I was very pleased to release our initial Emissions Assessment report, a key Environmental, Social 
and Governance (ESG) objective, which confirmed IOG as an exceptionally low carbon intensity operator thanks to our 
small, remotely operated infrastructure. More importantly, it enabled us to commit to Scope 1 and 2 Net Zero from 2021, 
which we are fulfilling through appropriate voluntary carbon market offset investments. We are also designing future 
phases of Saturn Banks to be as low emission – correlating with low cost – as possible.  

Our business model sits squarely within the UK’s energy policy of meeting the 2050 Net Zero target while maximising 
the value of economically recoverable resources. Gas is an essential transition fuel for balancing intermittent renewable 
power generation while continuing to provide heating and hot water to 23 million UK homes. The replacement of coal 
with gas-fired generation has significantly advanced the UK’s energy transition already, helping to reduce the emissions 
of  UK  energy  supply  by  70%  between  1990  and  2020.  However,  not  all  gas  is  equal:  domestic  gas  produced  with 
negligible offshore power or manning requirements is vastly superior from an environmental perspective to imported 
LNG, on which the UK has recently become highly dependent. We firmly believe that domestic gas produced at very 
low carbon intensity is an indispensable part of the UK’s energy transition: cleaner, more reliable and better for the UK 
economy.  We  are  also  actively  involved  in  plans  to  create  a  long-term  integrated  energy  hub  around  Bacton, 
synthesizing gas, wind, hydrogen and carbon capture and storage.  

2022 Outlook  

Building on last year’s progress, 2022 will be a really pivotal year for IOG, with several key catalysts beyond our first 
production and cashflow. Delivering Southwark First Gas is important not just in a Phase 1 context but as the gateway 
to further phases within our broader area plan. Another key objective this year is FID on Nailsworth, which is expected 
to be exported via Southwark. After the first two Southwark wells the Noble Hans Deul rig will drill the Goddard and 
Kelham North/Central appraisal wells, which each have considerable resource and hub-opening potential. In parallel 
we are investing in further 3D seismic reprocessing as the key to understanding the commercial potential of the Panther-
Grafton  area.  Its  proximity  to  our  other  assets,  including  Elland,  creates  clear  scope  for  operational  and  economic 
synergies, especially with CER as 50% non-operating partner across the full portfolio.  

In  the  weeks  leading  up  to  this  report,  the  world  has  witnessed  the  shocking  events  unfolding  in  Ukraine  and  our 
thoughts are with all of those directly affected. At the time of writing, it is impossible to be sure how this conflict will play 
out  and  what  its  longer-term  ramifications  may  be.  However,  what  is  already  clear  is  that  it  is  sending  shockwaves 
through the energy industry and causing exceptional volatility in several commodity markets – not least gas, for which 
current and forward prices have recently become very elevated. Whilst as a gas producer IOG is clearly exposed to the 
upside, such volatility is likely to have challenging economic impacts and is not conducive to long-term stability in supply 
and demand. At IOG, despite witnessing both extreme lows and highs in gas pricing since Phase 1 FID, our consistent 
view has been that we must look through these cycles and plan our business around a seasonally adjusted long-term 
45p/therm price deck. Notwithstanding the current geopolitical upheaval, we expect that prices will revert towards their 
long-term historical averages over time.  

In conclusion, I believe we have the right people, assets and partnerships to build on what we have achieved so far and 
deliver exciting further phases of growth over the years ahead: what I call our “project factory”. I would like to thank the 
whole team, our partner CER and all our contractors for their dedication in making Phase 1 production a reality. I also 
owe all our shareholders my sincere thanks for their continued support in helping us turn IOG, your company, into a 
respected UK gas developer and producer. I believe this is just the start and I look forward to delivering further growth 
on your behalf.  

Andrew Hockey 
Chief Executive Officer  
16 March 2022  

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Annual Report 2021 

 
 
STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

Strategic Report  

2021 Highlights  

Corporate and Operational  

•  Phase 1 Blythe and Southwark normally unmanned platform installations were mechanically completed in April 

2021 and safely installed at their offshore field locations in May-June 2021   

•  Elgood well 48/22c-7 was successfully completed in July 2021, testing at a surface-constrained maximum rate 

of 57.8 mmscf/d of gas and 959 bbl/d condensate through an 80/64th inch choke 

o  Reservoir  encountered  39ft  deep  to  prognosis  and  having  integrated  well  data  into  subsequent 
technical analysis, management has updated its gross estimated 1P/2P/3P reserves to 9.7/14.1/18.3 
billion cubic feet (BCF)  

•  Blythe development well 48/23a-H1 successfully drilled, cleaned up and flow tested to a maximum gas rate of 

45.5 mmscf/d through an 80/64th inch choke within two months of spud 

o  Having  integrated  well  data  into  subsequent  technical  analysis,  management  has  updated  its  gross 

estimated 1P/2P/3P reserves to 25.4/42.5/55.8 BCF     

•  Offshore  subsea  and  hook-up  scopes  for  Blythe  and  Elgood  fields  completed  in  November  2021,  with  one 

million Phase 1 cumulative manhours passed in September 2021  

•  First Southwark development well initially spudded in December 2021 following repair of the Noble Hans Deul 
rig leg in Dundee (Southwark drilling subsequently  suspended due to seabed scour issues and expected to 
resume in March/April 2022 with Southwark First Gas targeted in Q3 2022).  

•  Phase  1  Duty  Holder  contract  for  Installation  and  Pipeline  Operator,  as  well  as  facilities  operations  and 

• 

maintenance (“O&M”), awarded to ODE Asset Management (“ODEAM”)    
Inaugural  Emissions  Assessment  released,  projecting  Phase  1  lifetime  average  Scope  1  and  2  emission 
intensity at under 4 kg kgCO2e/boe, versus North Sea average of 20.2 kgCO2e/boe 

•  Commitment to Scope 1 and 2 Net Zero emissions from 2021 via investment in accredited voluntary offsets   
•  Potential  for  valuable  multi-field  “Southern  hub”  demonstrated  with  identification  of  Kelham  North,  Kelham 

Central, Thornbridge and Thornbridge Deep prospects on the P2442 licence  

•  Collaboration agreement signed with GeoNetZero Centre for Doctoral Training to support carbon capture  & 

storage research on quads 48, 49, 52 & 53 (broader Bacton catchment area)  

Financial  

•  Cash balance at period end of £34.7 million (2020: £80.4million), including restricted cash of £3.4 million (2020: 

£67.0 million)  

•  Post tax loss for the year of £4.3 million (2020: £19.3 million)  
•  Group net debt1 at year end £56.6 million (2020: £14.1 million)  
•  Remaining £11.7 million out of £60 million Phase 1 partner development carry from CER fully utilised 
•  £140.0 million invested in the Phase 1 development, of which CER funded £70.0 million for their non-operated 

share  

•  Remaining €65.8 million (£59.2 million) drawn down from Bond escrow account   
•  €9.7 million (£8.9 million) in Bond interest payments, of which €4.8 million (£4.4 million) was drawn from the 

Debt Service Retention Account (DSRA)  

•  Gross proceeds of £8.5 million raised through placing and subscription in September 2021 at 25p/share, a 1% 
premium to 30-day volume weighted average price, primarily to fund the Kelham North/Central appraisal well   

Board and Management  

•  David Gibson appointed as Chief Operator Officer (COO) in February 2021  
•  Operational and technical teams further strengthened to support Phase 1 and facilitate further phases of growth 

1 Net debt is defined as total loans, less restricted cash and cash equivalents.  
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Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

Post Year End Developments  

•  Commissioning  of  onshore  Saturn  Banks  Reception  Facilities  completed  on  4  March  2022,  enabling 

backgassing of the offshore Saturn Banks Pipeline System out to Blythe and Elgood   

•  Phase 1 First Gas was safely and successfully achieved from the Blythe well on 13 March 2022    
•  Southwark drilling operations suspended in January 2022 pending remediation of the drilling location seabed 

to ensure safe operations with resumption expected by late Q1 or early Q2 2022   

•  New gas sales agreement (GSA) signed with BP Gas Marketing Limited (BPGM), covering all of the Phase 1 

fields as well as Nailsworth and Elland, replacing the 2014 Blythe GSA  

•  Planning and contracting continuing for the appraisal wells at Kelham North/Central (P2442: Block 53/1b) and 
Goddard (P2342: Block 48/11c and 12b), to be drilled by the Noble Hans Deul rig after the second Southwark 
well on the same competitive day rate as the Phase 1 wells  

o  Petrofac appointed Well Operator for these wells and pre-drill site surveys initiated in Q1 2022  
•  3D seismic reprocessing  to  Pre-Stack Depth Migration  underway  on licence P2589 (Panther / Grafton area 

adjacent to Elland), expected to provide enhanced view of subsurface and commercial potential later in 2022 

•  Further to an ongoing comprehensive process of subsurface re-evaluation of the Company’s asset portfolio, 

revisions to management’s gross volumetric estimates have been made as follows:  

o  1P/2P/3P reserves for the Blythe field revised to 25.4/42.5/55.8 BCF 
o  1P/2P/3P reserves for the Elgood field revised to 9.7/14.1/18.3 BCF 
o  1P/2P/3P reserves for the Southwark field revised to 46.3/71.2/104.7 BCF 
o  1C/2C/3C contingent resources for the main Goddard discovery revised to 52.0/115.0/169.0 BCF 
o  Low/Mid/High prospective resources revised to 16/27/42 BCF and 30/50/73 BCF for the two Goddard 

flank structures, both with 71% Geological Chance of Success (GCoS)  

o  Low/Mid/High  prospective  resources  for  the  Kelham  North  and  Kelham  Central  prospects  of 

30.0/48.0/67.0 BCF and 12.0/31.0/32.0 BCF respectively, both with 72% GCoS  

o  Low/Mid/High  prospective resources for the Thornbridge prospect  estimated at 19.0/35.0/57.0  BCF, 

with 64% GCoS   

o  Low/Mid/High prospective resources for  the Thornbridge Deep prospect revised to 55.0/107.0/167.0 

BCF, with 18% GCoS  

o  1C/2C/3C contingent resources for the part of the Orrell discovery lying within the P2442 licence area 

estimated at 13.0/18.0/21.0 BCF  

o  No changes at the current time to the management estimates of reserves at Nailsworth and Elland, to 
the  contingent  resources  at  Abbeydale,  Panther  and  Grafton,  or  to  the  prospective  resources  at 
Southsea   

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Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

Business Strategy 

IOG is a Net Zero UK gas and infrastructure operator focused on high-return projects.   

The  Company  deploys  a  focused  infrastructure-led  gas  hub  strategy  as  a  cost-effective  path  to  value  creation, 
leveraging its co-ownership of the Saturn Banks Pipeline System gas export route and associated onshore reception 
facilities. These midstream assets are key pieces of infrastructure providing direct access to the UK gas market via the 
Bacton Gas Terminal. Along with operatorship of a portfolio of nine 50%-owned gas assets in the UK Southern North 
Sea,  this  provides  both  substantial  economic  benefits  and  a  clear  competitive  advantage  for  further  business 
development in the area.  

Phase 1 of the Saturn Banks project is expected to realise significant inherent value and pave the way for Phase 2 and 
other incremental opportunities in the area. These opportunities fall into several categories, all focused on maximising 
the potential  of the  existing operated infrastructure.  These categories are:  discoveries within IOG  acreage; low-cost 
addition of further discovered gas assets via Licensing Rounds; acquisitions from third-parties of nearby undeveloped 
assets; third-party gas tariffing opportunities; and finally re-development of nearby shut-in or previously developed fields 
where commercial potential remains.  

The strategy focuses on prioritising the highest return opportunities and delivering them in successive phases, whilst 
maximising  operating  synergies.  The  emphasis  is  on  optimising  risk-adjusted  overall  returns  rather  than  particular 
reserves or production targets. This approach can commercialise relatively small, gas assets that would otherwise be 
stranded,  marginal  or  sub-economic  on  a  standalone  basis.  In  addition,  the  Company  seeks  wherever  possible  to 
operate its assets, drawing on in-house technical and operational expertise and appropriately utilising contractors.  

The Company has a strategic focus on gas, the cleanest hydrocarbon which remains fundamental to UK energy security 
as it has progressively replaced coal-fired power generation in recent decades. With typically around half of UK gas 
consumption being imported, stable domestic gas supply is essential for the country’s power generation, industrial and 
domestic  heating  requirements.  Given  its  relatively  low  production  and  transportation  costs,  IOG’s  domestic  gas 
production also has economic and environmental advantages over pipeline and LNG imports. As such, the Company’s 
strategy  supports  the  UK  government  policy  of  maximising  economic  returns  from  domestic  resources  while 
transitioning to a Net Zero economy by 2050.  

Whilst  the  Covid-19  pandemic  has  had  some  impact  on  Company  operations,  it  has  not  fundamentally  affected  its 
strategy. The Group has consistently pursued three key priorities throughout: protecting its people, delivering its projects 
and ensuring business continuity, while at all times continuing to follow government guidelines. Working closely with all 
its contractors, the Group has been and remains highly vigilant towards the risks to efficient operations from Covid-19. 

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Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) 

The Company continues to invest in its capacity to fulfil  its obligations as a Licence Holder and Field Operator  in a 
responsible manner that protects people and the environment from harm. We see compliance with all applicable HSE 
laws, regulations and obligations as fundamental for our long-term sustainable success.  

As laid out in our HSE Policy, which can be read in full on the IOG website, the Company aims to design its facilities 
and plan all its activities to ensure that HSE risks are identified and managed to be as low as reasonably practicable. It 
seeks to implement all reasonable measures to ensure the health and safety of our people and other personnel directly 
involved in its operations. It aims to maintain rigorous environmental management processes and to achieve the highest 
standards in environmental performance. Along with promoting a culture of speaking up internally on any HSE concerns 
or risks, it also actively seeks the same HSE standards from consultants, contractors, partners, Duty Holders and other 
personnel acting in the Company’s name or working on IOG premises or assets. The Company also maintains and 
exercises suitable Crisis Management Procedures and facilities appropriate to our responsibilities and activities. 

The  HSE  and  Technical  Committee  of  the  Board  continued  to  meet  at  regular  intervals  throughout  2021  providing 
oversight and direction for the HSE aspects of the business from advising the Board, supporting the management team 
and helping to foster an open attitude throughout the company in the conduct and reporting of risk management. 

Key HSE achievements in 2021 included:  

-  Acceptance of the  Safety  Cases for  both the  Blythe  and Southwark platforms by the UK Health  and Safety 

- 

Executive  
317 Permits, Licences and Consents required for the Phase 1 development submitted to relevant authorities 
on schedule  

-  Secured  all  environmental  permits  to  support  offshore  construction,  installation  and  drilling  operations 

necessary for First Gas from Blythe and Elgood  

-  Ongoing development of our Safety and Environmental Management Systems  

IOG have recorded and classified all HSE  Incidents  occurring on the  Phase 1  Development  and where  appropriate 
shared lessons learned across all parties associated  with the project. In 2021 there were three Lost Time Incidents 
(LTIs) and three High Potential Incidents (HiPOs)  – all of which are an area of focus for both the Company and the 
contractors involved in each case. IOG have formed part of incident investigation teams where necessary as well as 
maintaining clear visibility of the actions taken by relevant parties to ensure lessons are learned and disseminated.  

In 2022, the focus of the Company’s HSE team will be to support both the safe completion of the Phase 1 development 
programme, the commencement of Phase 1 production operations and the Phase 2 project including development of 
the associated Environmental Statement, FDP, engineering and all supporting permit, licence and consent processes.  

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)  

By establishing itself as a safe and efficient UK gas and infrastructure operator, IOG aims to contribute positively to the 
UK’s energy transition, helping to supply stable and affordable energy to UK homes and businesses as part of a lower-
carbon energy supply mix. Low-carbon intensity domestic gas supply has an essential role to play in reducing the overall 
emissions profile of UK energy supply as the country seeks to deliver on the national Net Zero 2050 target.  

One of the Company’s core principles is to embed a mindset of sustainability, responsibility, strong ethics and respect 
for people and the environment throughout its decision making, its development projects and its production operations.  

In 2021, the Company further delivered on its Climate Change and Sustainability (CC&S) Policy adopted in late 2020, 
as part of its strategy to be a leader in ESG matters among its industry peer group.  

The primary objective for 2021 under the CC&S Policy was to deliver an Emissions Assessment, establishing a rigorous 
benchmark of the Company’s projected Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions from its Phase 1 development (which 
went  through  FID  in  2019)  and  its  corporate  activities.  This  was  successfully  undertaken  in  collaboration  with  the 
consultancy Genesis and the resulting report was released in Q3 2021. Key conclusions from the study were as follows:  

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STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

- 

IOG has a very low emissions profile relative to other North Sea operators, thanks primarily to the use of small, 
shallow-water  offshore  infrastructure,  with  no  significant  offshore  energy  demands  or  requirement  for 
permanent offshore personnel, as well as the re-use of significant pipeline and associated infrastructure both 
onshore and offshore  

-  Gas is a key transition fuel but from an emissions perspective, not all gas  is equal: there  is a very tangible 

emissions saving from using IOG gas versus imports (particularly LNG)  

- 

IOG’s business model sits firmly at the heart of the latest UK government energy policies and revised OGA 
Strategy, which aims to maximise the value of economically recoverable reserves whilst helping to meet the 
Net Zero target  

-  By  incorporating  further  assets  beyond  its  existing  SNS  portfolio  into  our  production  system  in  future,  the 
Company can both increase the amount of domestically produced gas and deliver corresponding emissions 
savings  

-  The Emissions Assessment modelling and methodology can be used as input to design and build even cleaner 

further phases of growth through Phase 2 and beyond  

-  The Company is also advantageously positioned to play a relevant role in the OGA-led initiative to develop a 

low-carbon Bacton Energy Hub, in which it has taken a role on the Infrastructure Special Interest Group 

- 

IOG will continue to seek opportunities to collaborate with relevant partners, associations and industry bodies 
as part of a wider industry effort to mitigate emissions and help meet the UK’s Net Zero target.  

Most significantly, on the basis of the Emissions Assessment, the Company committed to adopt a Scope 1 and 2 Net 
Zero position from 2021 onwards, becoming to its knowledge the first London-listed exploration and production (E&P) 
company  to  do  so.  The  Company  believes  this  can  be  a  significant  differentiator  in  terms  of  core  corporate  values, 
suitability in further UK licensing (which will henceforth be subject to a Climate Compatibility Checkpoint) and also in 
attracting the right partners in the capital markets.  

The Scope 1 and 2 Net Zero position  is achieved primarily by minimising emissions and then in turn by investing in 
appropriate  verified  emissions  reduction  (VERs)  based  on  independently  certified  projects  to  offset  unavoidable 
emissions. In Q4 2021 the Company made its first investments in suitable VERs to cover Scope 1 and 2 emissions for 
the 2021-22 period.  

During 2021, in keeping with its organisational development and intention to be a safe and responsible operator, the 
Company also renewed its Social Policy.  The Social Policy codifies several key principles and commitments,  based 
around the belief that all personnel have a responsibility to act in the interests of the society in which we operate. These 
include acting with the highest ethical standards at all times and holding each other to these standards; fostering an 
open,  inclusive  and  equal  opportunity  culture;  respecting  diversity;  promoting  constructive  collaboration,  effective 
communication,  knowledge  sharing  and  critical  thinking,  listening  to  colleagues  and  supporting  their  wellbeing;  and 
looking for opportunities to positively impact external communities.   

In Q2 2021 the Company also announced the signing of a Collaboration Agreement with the GeoNetZero Centre for 
Doctoral  Training  (CDT,  affiliated  with  Heriot-Watt  University  at  the  time  but  being  transitioned  over  to  Aberdeen 
University) to support research into carbon capture and storage and other renewable energy opportunities across quads 
48, 49, 52 and 53 of the UK SNS (corresponding to the broader offshore Bacton catchment area where IOG’s assets 
lie). GeoNetZero CDT is a leader in applying geoscience to the challenges of progress towards a Net Zero economy.  

The collaboration agreement reflects the Company’s view that the infrastructure, knowledge and skills generated by 
over 50 years of the SNS gas industry can play a constructive role in the UK’s energy transition. It demonstrates IOG’s 
support  for  the  UK’s  Net  Zero  commitment,  the  new  OGA  Strategy  and  the  North  Sea  Transition  Deal  between 
government and industry. Extending the economic life of the SNS basin in a sustainable way is likely to involve long-
term integration of the established gas industry with wind, hydrogen and CCS solutions. In particular, a successful blue 
hydrogen-CCS cluster in the Bacton area will require consistent gas supply – IOG’s core business – as well as steam 
reformation facilities and secure offshore carbon storage sites, all in reasonable proximity.  

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STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

This important latter storage element is the focus of this research, filling the gap in the geological analysis of the factors 
that maintain seal integrity at subsurface sites. Drawing on an extensive gas industry archive of seismic, well and core 
data,  the  key  focus  will  be  on  assessing  which  fields  and  aquifers  across  the  Bacton  catchment  area  are  the  most 
suitable  carbon  sinks,  particularly  where  existing  infrastructure  could  provide  operational  synergies.  As  such,  the 
research will help to inform the roadmap towards a decarbonised energy hub at Bacton that could bring new economic 
opportunities and extend the life of existing infrastructure.  

Licences 

The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiaries IOG North Sea Limited (IOGNSL) and IOG UK Ltd (IOGUKL) is 
currently a licensee on five Traditional Licences and four Innovate Licences all in the UK North Sea:  

Licence 

Blocks 

Subsidiary 

Interest 

Field/Discovery 
Name 

Licence Type 

Southwark 

P1915 

49/21c ALL 

IOG UK Ltd 

50% 

Southwark 

Traditional 

Blythe and Elgood 

P1736 

48/22b ALL and 
48/23a ALL 

IOG North Sea Limited 

P2260 

48/22c ALL 

IOG North Sea Limited 

Elland and Nailsworth 

P039 

49/21a J 

IOG UK Ltd 

P2342 

48/25a ALL 

IOG UK Ltd 

P130 

48/25b NW 

IOG UK Ltd 

50% 

50% 

50% 

50% 

50% 

Blythe 

Elgood 

Traditional 

Traditional 

Elland 

Traditional 

Nailsworth 

Innovate C 

Nailsworth 

Traditional 

Goddard 

P2438 

Abbeydale 

48/11c and 
48/12b 

IOG North Sea Limited 

50% 

Goddard 

Innovate C 

P2442 

53/1b 

IOG North Sea Limited 

50% 

Abbeydale 

Innovate A/C 

Panther and Grafton 

P2589 

49/21e ALL and 
49/22b ALL 

2021 Licence Update 

IOG North Sea Limited 

50% 

Panther, Grafton  

Innovate A/C 

Licence P1736 (Blythe), Licence P2260 (Elgood) and Licence P1915 (Southwark) are in their Production terms, further 
to the approval of the Phase 1 FDP in April 2020.   

On 9 December 2021, the Initial Term of Licence P2342 (Nailsworth) was extended by a period of 21 months to the 30 
September 2023 to allow Phase 2 FDP preparation to continue.  

On 9 September 2021 the Initial Term of Licence P2438 (Goddard) was extended by 12 months to 30 September 2022 
to allow the drilling of a well to meet the drill or drop commitment on the licence. In early 2022, in light of unexpected 
delays  to  the  Southwark  drilling  programme,  IOGNSL  formally  requested  a  12-month  extension  to  the  firm  work 
programme commitment so that the Goddard appraisal well, as per the current Noble Hans Deul drilling schedule, can 
be completed within the licence term. The outcome of the extension request is expected after the publication of this 
report.  

On 1 October 2021 the OGA confirmed that Licence P2442 (Abbeydale) would continue into Phase C of the Initial Term 
until 30 September 2023 to allow the drilling of a well to meet the drill or drop commitment on the licence.  

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STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

The formal process for part relinquishment of Licence P2085 (Harvey) completed on 10 March 2021. On 20 December 
2021 the Second Term of the Licence expired, following the decision not to pursue an extension or progress to an FDP. 
Surrender of Licence P2441 (Redwell) also completed on 10 March 2021.  

Statement of Reserves & Resources  

Reserves (net to IOG)  

Field 

Gas Reserves (BCF) 

Condensate Reserves (MMBbls) 

Blythe¹ 

Elgood¹ 

Nailsworth² 

Elland² 

Southwark¹ 

Total* 

Total MMBoe* 

1P 

12.7 

4.8 

30.2 

20.0 

23.2 

90.8 

15.7 

2P 

21.3 

7.1 

49.7 

27.5 

35.6 

3P 

27.9 

9.2 

73.6 

36.5 

52.4 

141.1 

199.5 

24.3 

34.4 

1P 

0.0 

0.0 

0.3 

0.0 

0.0 

0.4 

0.4 

2P 

0.1 

0.0 

0.5 

0.0 

0.0 

0.6 

0.6 

3P 

0.1 

0.0 

0.8 

0.0 

0.0 

0.9 

0.9 

Source: ¹ Management Estimates: March 2022, ² ERC Equipoise Competent Person’s Report 11 October 2017  

Contingent Resources (net to IOG) 

 Discovery 

Contingent Gas Resources (BCF) 

Goddard¹ 

Abbeydale² 

Panther3 

Grafton3 

Total* 

Total MMBoe* 

1C 

26.0 

9.5 

19.0 

12.0 

66.5 

11.5 

2C 

57.5 

11.5 

23.0 

17.5 

109.5 

18.9 

3C 

84.5 

12.5 

27.5 

23.0 

147.5 

24.4 

Source: ¹ Management estimate March 2022 2 Management estimate March 2021, 3 Management estimates November 2020 

Prospective Resources (net to IOG)  

Prospect  

Prospective Gas Resources (BCF) 

Kelham North¹ 

Kelham Central¹ 

Thornbridge¹ 

Low 

14.8 

6.2 

9.3 

Thornbridge Deep¹ 

27.5 

Orrell¹ 

Goddard Flank 1¹ 

Goddard Flank 2¹ 

Southsea2 

Total* 

Total MMBoe* 

6.3 

8.0 

15.0 

6.5 

93.6 

16.1 

Best 

High 

Geological Chance of Success  

24.1 

10.5 

17.5 

53.5 

8.8 

13.5 

25.0 

15.5 

168.4 

29.1 

33.5 

15.9 

28.5 

83.5 

10.5 

21.0 

36.5 

38.0 

267.4 

46.1 

72% 

72% 

64% 

18% 

100% 

71% 

71% 

48% 

Source: ¹ Management estimates March 2022, ² Management estimates March 2021  *Arithmetic Total for comparison only  

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STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

Operational Update  

Saturn Banks Phase 1  

Phase 1 Infrastructure  

In 2021 IOG renamed the 24” former Thames Pipeline and associated  onshore  Thames Reception Facilities  as the 
Saturn  Banks  Pipeline  System  (SBPS)  and  Saturn  Banks  Reception  Facilities  (SBRF)  respectively.  Through  its 
subsidiary IOG Infrastructure Limited (IOGIL), IOG owns a 50% operated share in the SBPS and SBRF, with CER as 
50% non-operated partner in each asset. In keeping with its new economic life, the old Thames Pipeline designation 
PL370 was replaced with two new numbers: PL5079 for the inner section, the first 28.5km from Bacton to the newly 
installed 24” valve skid, and PL5152 for the outer section from the 24” valve skid to the 60km point, from where the 
further 6km extension to the Southwark platform is planned to be laid in 2022.  

In early 2021, installation of the 12” pipeline PL4956 from the SBPS tie-in point to the Blythe platform and the 6” pipeline 
PL4955 from Blythe to the subsea Elgood well were completed. Additionally, an umbilical PLU5039 was installed and 
connected between the Blythe platform and the Elgood well.  

During  2021  the  Company  significantly  consolidated  its  technical  and  operational  capability,  through  both  in-house 
additions  to  the  team  and  the  establishment  of  key  third-party  relationships.  For  example,  in  Q2  2021  ODE  Asset 
Management (ODEAM) was awarded the contract to operate and maintain the SBPS and act as Duty Holder for the 
Blythe and Southwark platforms, while Petrofac were appointed as Well Operator for the Phase 1 development wells. 
In the same quarter the fabrication of the Blythe and Southwark unmanned platforms was completed, with installation 
then  being  undertaken  by  HSM  and  their  subcontractor  Seaway  7.  Once  installed  on  location,  both  platforms  were 
powered up and put in communication with ODEAM’s temporary onshore control room, which was then switched over 
to the Perenco Bacton control room ahead of First Gas. Importantly, in Q3 2021 the Safety Cases for both the Blythe 
and Southwark platforms were also accepted by the UK Health and Safety Executive (UK HSE).  

In Q4  2021 the key offshore SURF and  hook-up and  commissioning (HUC) scopes from the  Emergency  Shutdown 
Valve (ESDV) onshore at Bacton through to the Blythe and Elgood wells were completed, demonstrating end-to-end 
system integrity in preparation for First Gas from both fields. These scopes include fabrication, installation and testing 
of the 24” valve skid at the Blythe-SBPS tie-in point; connection of PL4956 (12” SBPS-Blythe) and PL4955 (6” Blythe-
Elgood) lines to the Blythe platform risers; tie-in of PL5079 at Bacton; hook-up of the Blythe and Elgood wells; leak 
testing and dewatering of the 6”, 12” and 24” lines; and offshore system commissioning. “Walk-to-Work” vessels were 
used wherever possible to enable longer shift durations and minimise helicopter flights. In the meantime, refurbishment, 
construction and commissioning of the onshore SBRF continued through 2021  via Bacton terminal operator Perenco 
UK Limited (PUK). With all regulatory permits, licences, approvals and consents in place for production and operation 
to commence production at Blythe and Elgood, First Gas was then achieved on 13 March 2022.  

Phase 1 Drilling  

IOGNSL has a 50% working interest in and is operator of Licence P2260 (Block 48/22c), which was awarded in the 
28th Licensing Round. The licence, which lies immediately to the north-west of the Blythe licence, contains the Elgood 
gas field in the Rotliegend Leman Sandstone Formation.  

During  Q2-3  2021  the  subsea  Elgood  well  48/22c-7  was  drilled  horizontally  through  the  reservoir  section  to  a  Total 
Depth of 15,472ft Measured Depth (MD), intersecting 1,080 ft of high-quality Permian Leman Sandstone reservoir along 
hole between 14,290 ft MD and 15,370 ft MD, with a net:gross ratio of 91%, good porosity at 12.4% and average log-
derived permeability of 13.3 milliDarcies (mD) versus the P50 prediction of 5mD.  

The  well  was  successfully  cleaned  up  and  flow  tested  at  a  maximum  rate  of  57.8  mmscf/d  of  gas  and  959  bbl/d 
condensate  through  a  80/64th  inch  choke,  constrained  by  surface  facilities  on  the  rig.  The  Elgood  reservoir  was 
encountered 39ft deep to prognosis and over the ensuing months the well data was integrated into updated subsurface 
analysis as described in the Subsurface section below.  

The Blythe gas field in the Rotliegend Leman Formation, straddles Blocks 48/22b and 48/23a in the SNS in  Licence 
P1736 in which IOGNSL has a 50% working interest as operator.  

In Q3 2021 the Blythe well 48/23a-H1 was drilled by the Noble Hans Deul jack-up rig through the Blythe platform to a 
Total Depth of 10,750ft Measured Depth (MD), intersecting 1,238 ft of good quality Permian Leman Sandstone reservoir 
along hole between 9403 ft MD and 10,641 ft MD, with a net:gross ratio of 95%, porosity at 10.6% and average log-
derived  permeability  of  5.0  milliDarcies  (mD).  Over  the  ensuring  months  the  well  data  was  then  used  to  revise  the 
Company’s view of the asset, as described in the Subsurface section below. 
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STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

The well was successfully cleaned up and flow tested to a maximum gas rate of 45.5 mmscf/d through an 80/64th inch 
choke. An operational challenge experienced during drilling was the loss of drilling mud due to natural fracturing in the 
reservoir. This necessitated the use of Lost Circulation Materials (LCM) down-hole which may have constrained the 
clean-up flow rate with drilling mud being recovered to surface during clean-up. 

The Southwark gas discovery in the Rotliegend Leman Sandstone Formation sits in Block 49/21c in Licence P1915 in 
which IOGUKL has a 50% working interest as operator. The Southwark Field Development Plan (FDP) envisages a 
three well development tied back to the SBPS via a 6km extension to the Southwark unmanned platform. Following 
seismic  reprocessing  to  PSDM,  seismic  reinterpretation  and  initial  3D  subsurface  modelling,  the  drilling  plan  was 
updated to have the first two wells initially batch drilled after Blythe, with the third well deferred to incorporate the data 
and conclusions from the first two.  

Following the Blythe well, one of the Noble Hans Deul jack-up drilling rig’s legs was damaged as it was being mobilised 
to the Southwark location. After being repaired in Dundee port, the rig returned to the Southwark location and the first 
Southwark well was spudded on 30 December 2021, before rig stability issues resulted in the requirement to move off 
location  again  while  a  seabed  remediation  plan  is  engineered  and  executed.  These  unexpected  drilling  issues  at 
Southwark  are  expected  to  cause  increases  to  the  total  Phase  1  outturn  capital  expenditure.  Southwark  drilling  is 
currently expected to resume by late Q1 or early Q2 2022 and Southwark first gas is therefore now targeted in Q3 2022.  

By the end of 2021 the Phase 1 project had passed significantly over one million cumulative manhours worked.  

Phase 1 Subsurface  

Elgood and Blythe (P2260 and P1736) 

Over the months following the completion of the Elgood and Blythe wells, the 3D static and dynamic reservoir models 
have  been  comprehensively  updated  for  these  fields.  Interpretation  of  the  seismic  data  was  revised  with  the 
incorporation of previously unidentified additional faults encountered in drilling the wells. The area depth conversions 
were also updated to incorporate vertical and lateral thickness changes with the Zechstein evaporitic sequence that 
were identified while drilling. This sequence sits above the Rotliegend Leman Sandstone Formation and is a key interval 
when converting time seismic data to depth due to rapid velocity changes based on the lithologies encountered. The 
difference  between  the  pre-drill  modelled  velocities  within  the  Zechstein  and  those  encountered  in  the  well  are  the 
reason that the Elgood well came in 39 ft deep to prognosis. This has impacted the Gross Rock Volume (GRV) above 
the Gas-Water Contact. The dynamic models have also been updated and matched to the well performance observed 
during  the  clean-up  process.  It  was  not  possible  to  include  dynamic  production  data  from  Elgood  or  Blythe  into  the 
subsurface  models  in  time  for  the  publication  of  this  report,  so  the  March  2022  volumetric  assessments  have  been 
based on static data alone.   

Pre-drill  management  estimated  gross  1P/2P/3P  reserves  for  Elgood  and  Blythe  were  20.2/27.5/33.9  and 
20.6/41.2/52.2 respectively. Based on the post well technical evaluation detailed above, management’s updated gross 
1P/2P/3P reserves estimate is 9.6/14.1/18.3 BCF for Elgood and 25.40/42.5/55.8 BCF for Blythe. Following the initial 
phase of production, dynamic data will be assessed and reserve estimates further refined.  

Southwark (P1915) 

During  2021  a  regional  evaluation  of  the  Southwark  and  adjacent  Vulcan  Satellite  area  was  undertaken  by  the 
Company’s subsurface team. This involved review of the reprocessed PSDM seismic data that was completed in Q1 
2021 and the incorporation of other regional seismic and geological data sets. This new technical work generated an 
updated view on the structural framework and top reservoir geometry of the Southwark field, resulting in an improved 
understanding of the location of the bounding faults separating Southwark from the Leman gas field to the south. This 
has resulted in a reduction in GRV in this southwestern area of the field and consequently the previous gross 1P/2P/3P 
management estimates have reduced from 61.2/94.2/137.7 to 46.3/71.2/104.7 BCF. It was not possible to include data 
from the Southwark development wells into the subsurface models in time for the publication of this report, so the March 
2022 volumetric assessment above has been based on existing reservoir modelling. This estimate is subject to further 
review  based  on  the  data  from  the  development  wells  which  are  due  to  resumed  shortly  and  subsequent  initial 
production data.  

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Pre-Development Assets (PDAs)  

Nailsworth (P130 & P2342)  

IOGUKL has a 50% working interest and is operator of the P130 and P2342 licences, which contain the Nailsworth gas 
discovery.  Nailsworth is a three-way dip and fault sealed structure directly north of the Vulcan field, which produced 
665 BCF between 1988 and 2018.  Four exploration and appraisal wells have been drilled on the Nailsworth structure, 
confirming a gas-water contact (GWC) of -7,657ft TVDSS.  The Company has reprocessed 3D seismic data to Pre-
Stack  Depth  Migration  (PSDM)  standard,  and  completed  new  static  reservoir  modelling  of  the  field,  with  dynamic 
reservoir modelling expected to be completed by early Q2 2022.  In its 2017 Competent Persons Report (CPR), ERC 
Equipoise assessed gross 1P/2P/3P gas reserves to be 60.4/99.4/147.2 BCF in Nailsworth. The current gross 1P/2P/3P 
management estimated Nailsworth gas reserves are likewise 60.4/99.4/147.2 BCF.  

The Nailsworth discovery is intended to be the first Phase 2 field to be developed and has been under evaluation in 
stage two of IOG’s Project Governance Process, which assesses the optimal development concept for the field within 
the context of the Saturn Banks infrastructure and the wider asset portfolio.  Based on this work, the Company expects 
to put Nailsworth through the concept select gate in Q2 2022.  This would be followed by further Front-End Engineering 
and Design and development well planning work, alongside the drafting of a Field Development Programme and an 
Environmental Statement ahead of a Final Investment Decision expected in the second half of 2022. 

The optimal development of the Nailsworth discovery is likely to be via hydraulically stimulated production wells, which 
could  be  phased  based  on  well  performance.  To  maximise  operational  and  commercial  synergies,  Nailsworth 
production is expected to be transported via a spur line to the Southwark platform 19km to the southeast, for onward 
transportation to the Bacton Gas Terminal via the IOG-owned and operated Saturn Banks Pipeline System.   

Goddard and Goddard Flank structures (P2438)  

IOGNSL  has  a  50%  working  interest  and  is  operator  of  Licence  P2438,  which  contains  the  Goddard  field,  an 
undeveloped gas discovery, part of the planned Phase 2 of the Saturn Banks Project.  

In their 2018 CPR, ERC Equipoise assessed gross 1C/2C/3C contingent resources to be 54.3/107.8/202.8 BCF within 
Goddard with Low/Best/High gross unrisked prospective resources of 41.8/73.0/121.4 BCF. The chance of development 
of Goddard was estimated by ERC Equipoise as being 75%, and the geological chance of success of the prospective 
gas resources was 48%. 

In light of the relative maturity of Goddard’s contingent resources, and to improve structural imaging of the field as much 
as  possible,  further  reprocessing  to  PSDM  of  3D  seismic  data  over  the  Goddard  area  was  undertaken  in  2020. 
Reinterpretation of this data was completed in Q1 2021, updating the gross 1C/2C/3C management resource estimate 
of the Goddard discovery to 57.0/132.0/258.0 BCF at that time.  

Over  recent  months,  additional  seismic  mapping  was  carried  out  that  incorporated  further  structural  analysis  of  the 
PSDM seismic data. Improved imaging has resulted in a clearer definition of the greater Goddard area and a better 
understanding of lateral velocity variation across the field allowing an enhanced depth conversion methodology. There 
is  now  also  better  definition  of  main  field  bounding  faults  and  possible  intra-field  faults  which  is  key  to  optimal 
development  of the field.  Detailed mapping  of these faults has  resulted in a reduction  in GRV above maximum  gas 
water contact. This led to updated inputs to probabilistic volumetrics, resulting in management estimated contingent 
resources for the main Goddard structure being revised to 52.0/115.0/169.0 BCF.  

The  2020-21  mapping  of  the  two  Goddard  flank  structures  initially  indicated  a  gross  unrisked  prospective  resource 
range of Low/Mid/High 8/19/44 BCF and 14/28/68 BCF respectively, with 71% GCoS in each case. The further recent 
Goddard mapping work has also resulted in increased management estimated prospective resources in the Goddard 
flank structures to Low/Mid/High 16/27/42 BCF and 30/50/73 BCF, with no change to either GCoS. These increases in 
volumes are associated with the positioning of the bounding fault between the main Goddard structure and the flanks.  

The PSDM has also been used to optimally locate the planned appraisal well to be drilled approximately 4 kilometres 
away from the Goddard discovery. The well will test the full range of possible gas-water contacts resulting in greater 
certainty of the Gas-Initially-in-Place (GIIP) within the Goddard structure. The well will also de-risk the Goddard Flank 
structures.  The  results  of  the  appraisal  well  will  enable  the  Company  to  determine  the  optimum  field  development 
scenario, including well count, to maximise the return on investment from commercialisation.  

The current term of the P2438 licence includes a firm work programme commitment to drill and complete an appraisal 
well on the Goddard structure to 3,140m total depth by 30 September 2022. The Noble Hans Deul jack-up rig has been 
contracted to drill the appraisal well after completion of the Southwark field development wells. In early 2022, in light of 
unexpected delays to the  Southwark drilling programme, IOGNSL requested a  12-month extension to the  firm work 
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programme commitment so that the well, as per the current Noble Hans Deul drilling schedule, can be completed within 
the licence term. The outcome of the extension request is expected after the publication of this report.  

Southsea (P2438)  

The 2020-21 seismic reinterpretation also identified an additional prospect  within Licence P2438 close to the south-
east  of  Goddard,  which  the  Company  has  named  Southsea.  Mapping  of  this  structure  indicates  gross  prospective 
resources of Low/Mid/High 13/31/76 BCF, with a 48% GCOS. Further detailed work during 2021 has confirmed that 
Southsea is a robust structure. The results of the Goddard appraisal well will be used to update our view of Southsea 
during 2022.  

Abbeydale (P2442)  

IOGNSL has a 50% working interest and is operator of Licence P2442, which contains the Abbeydale gas discovery.  
The licence includes a firm work programme commitment to reprocess 150 km2 of seismic data within two years, and 
to either drill an appraisal well on the licence before 30 September 2023 or relinquish the licence. 

The seismic reprocessing work programme was completed in Q1 2021.  New interpretation and mapping based on the 
reprocessed  dataset  enhanced  the  Company’s  view  of  the  resource  potential  across  the  licence.  The  deterministic 
management  estimate  of  gross  1C/2C/3C  contingent  resources  at  Abbeydale  remains  at  19/23/25  BCF.  The  tight 
resource range reflects a well-defined structure, constrained by well data from the 51/13a-13 appraisal well.  

Kelham North and Central (P2442)  

The recent technical work on the P2442 licence mentioned above includes a more sophisticated depth conversion and 
mapping work programme to better capture the Gross Rock Volume uncertainty range of the identified structures, further 
evaluation of the existing adjacent well stock and an improved understanding of rock quality. 

This work has identified several further prospects and leads on the licence.  To the immediate north of Abbeydale lies 
the  formerly  producing  Camelot  Complex,  comprising  several  fields  developed  and  produced  by  Mobil  (and  later 
Perenco). The Kelham North prospect is a previously unmapped, distinct structural closure within the Cador field, which 
was part of the Camelot Complex.  Similarly, mapping of the Kelham Central prospect, and reconciliation with production 
volumes from Camelot Central, suggest an unconnected volume from an undrained structure. 

The seismic reinterpretation combined with available production data has been used to derive updated management 
estimated gross Low/Mid/High contingent gas resources of 30/48/67 BCF in Kelham North and 12/31/32 BCF in Kelham 
Central, both with a 72% Geological Chance of success (GCoS). The Company intends to drill an appraisal well and 
side-track  to  confirm  these  resource  ranges  in  the  structures,  as  part  of  the  appraisal  well  campaign  that  includes 
Goddard, using the Noble Hans Deul jack-up rig after it has drilled the first two Southwark development wells in 2022.  

If successfully appraised, these assets would form the basis of a new Southern Hub development that would include a 
subsea tie-back of the Abbeydale discovery to gas gathering infrastructure tied directly into the Saturn Banks Pipeline 
System.  In the Company’s view, successful appraisal would significantly de-risk the other discoveries and prospects in 
the P2442 licence detailed below, enhancing the commercial potential of the area and providing add-on development 
opportunities for the potential Southern Hub.   

Thornbridge and Thornbridge Deep (P2442)  

IOG has identified two further prospects on the P2442 licence, lying to the northwest of Abbeydale, which it has named 
Thornbridge and Thornbridge Deep. Subject to successful exploration drilling, these structures have the potential to 
create material resource additions to the potential Southern Hub.  

The Thornbridge structure has management estimated gross Low/Mid/High prospective resources of 19/35/57 BCF, 
with a 64% GCoS. This GCoS is driven by the potential communication of the Thornbridge structure with the Camelot 
South field, which produced 201 BCF between 1989 and 2013. 

The Thornbridge Deep structure has management estimated gross Low/Mid/High prospective resources of 55/107/167 
BCF, with a relatively low GCoS of 18% due to the uncertainty around the quality of the Zechstein formation fault seal.  

Orrell (P2442)  

A further discovery, which the Company has named Orrell, lies partly on the P2442 licence, extending over its northern 
limit into an unlicensed area.  The management estimated gross Low/Mid/High prospective resources that lie within the 
Orrell structure on the P2442 licence are 13/18/21 BCF.  

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Annual Report 2021 

 
Elland (P039)  

IOGUKL  has  a  50%  working  interest  and  is  operator  of  the  P039  licence,  which  contains  the  Elland  gas  discovery, 
designated as part of Phase 2 of the Saturn Banks Project.  In its 2017 CPR, ERC Equipoise assessed gross 1P/2P/3P 
gas  reserves  to  be  39.9/55.0/72.9  BCF  in  Elland.  The  current  gross  1P/2P/3P  management  estimated  Elland  gas 
reserves are likewise 39.9/55.0/72.9 BCF. Management’s technical view on Elland is expected to be updated as part of 
the ongoing Nailsworth subsurface evaluation. 

Further to the Elland suspended well 49/21-10A decommissioning review, prepared by Acona in April 2015, IOGUKL 
has revisited the decommissioning provision for the well.  It is envisaged that permanent plugging and abandonment of 
the well can be completed at a gross cost of £2.4 million (£1.2 million net to IOG), due to savings through synergies 
associated with an Elland development drilling programme.  

Panther and Grafton (P2589)  

IOG NSL has a 50% working interest and is operator of Licence P2589, which contains the Panther and Grafton gas 
discoveries.  The licence was awarded in the 32nd Licensing Round, formally commencing on 1 December 2020.  The 
licence contains a firm work programme commitment to reprocess 79km2 of seismic data within three years, which is 
in the process of being completed, and to drill an appraisal well on the licence by 30 November 2025 or relinquish the 
licence.  

In 2020, IOG management initially estimated gross 1C/2C/3C contingent gas resources at 38/46/55 BCF in Panther 
and  24/35/46  BCF  in  Grafton,  respectively.  IOG  has  initiated  a  programme  of  3D  seismic  reprocessing  to  PSDM 
standard  over  the  licence  area,  which  is  due  to  complete  later  this  year.  This  includes  a  more  sophisticated  depth 
conversion and mapping work programme than previously undertaken and should enable a clearer view of Panther and 
Grafton’s commercial potential, and an understanding of the resource potential across the rest of the licence.  

Given the proximity of Panther and Grafton to Elland, subject to the ongoing seismic reprocessing work programme, 
the Company would seek to evaluate the potential to create an “Eastern Hub” incorporating some or all of these assets 
with associated development synergies.  

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STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

Business Development  

The Company takes a systematic focused approach to screening opportunities to enhance its asset portfolio and further 
develop the business. All opportunities are evaluated in terms of fundamental value, potential return, materiality and 
synergy with the existing  portfolio, ranked alongside the Company’s existing assets. The fundamental purpose is to 
generate enhanced shareholder value over time, rather than simply to build a bigger business.  

There are several different types of possible acquisition opportunities continually evaluated by management, each with 
potential to generate operating and economic synergies with the existing portfolio. The first of these is licensing activity, 
whether in formal licence rounds or by separation engagement with the OGA, which offers a well-established and low-
cost  path  to  adding  suitable  incremental  assets.  The  Company  has  an  extensive  track  record  of  successful  licence 
round  applications,  including  the  27th,  30th  and  32nd  UK  Offshore  Licensing  Rounds.  However,  licensing  rounds  are 
relatively infrequent and not guaranteed to include the most attractive licences, therefore out-of-round applications and 
expressions of interest are also considered valid approaches to acquiring suitable unlicensed acreage.  

In  addition,  there  may  be  at  any  given  time  potential  acquisitions  from  other  licensees  and  operators  who  may  be 
interested in either selling or farming-out assets at various stages of maturity, including appraisal, development or also 
previously developed shut-in or decommissioned assets. The Company undertakes a systematic ongoing review of all 
such opportunities to ensure it can prioritise those it may wish to pursue. Furthermore, the Company also discusses 
potential  gas  transportation  tariffing  opportunities  and  engages  with  parties  who  may  be  seeking  access  to  export 
infrastructure as part of their own development planning.  

Key Performance Indicators  

The Group’s main business is the acquisition, development and production of gas reserves and resources in a safe, 
efficient and environmentally responsible manner. This is undertaken by assembling and managing a carefully selected 
portfolio of licence interests containing a range of prospective, contingent and proven reserves, working these up from 
a technical perspective, planning, designing and executing appropriate appraisal, pre-development and development 
activities and ensuring effective ongoing production operations.  

The Company monitors its performance against its primary HSE and ESG KPIs, which are the Total Recordable Incident 
Rate (Lost Time Incidents per 200,000 manhours worked) and Scope 1 and 2 emissions (and/or emissions intensity 
from  2022  onwards  whereby  relevant  emissions  are  measured  against  total  annual  production).  Other  HSE 
performance  indicators  include  securing  all  relevant  environmental  permits,  consent  and  approvals,  maintaining  a 
verified Environmental Management System.  

The main operational KPIs include the total reserves and resources in the portfolio and, going forward, the production 
rate as compared with annual guidance (noting that with Phase 1 start-up in Q1 2022, annual production guidance for 
2022 has not yet been issued as at the time of this report – this is expected around the mid-year once the initial months 
of production have been tracked and analysed). Other operational performance indicators include successfully meeting 
all licence commitments relating to the Company’s asset portfolio during the year, maintaining effective relationships at 
all  levels  with  JV  partners  in  compliance  with  Joint  Operating  Agreements  (JOAs),  operating  within  appropriate 
governance and HR policies, ensuring the Company has adequate in-house capability to manage its operations and 
third-party providers, and ensuring all corporate legal obligations are met.  

Financial performance is tracked against established metrics and budgets which are set according to carefully assessed 
cost estimates and the availability of funds, whether raised from capital providers or delivered from operations, with the 
overriding objective of creating value per share. The main financial KPIs include unit operating cost i.e. opex (measured 
either in the standard industry metric of US dollars per barrel of oil equivalent to ensure comparability or more relevantly 
to IOG in pence per therm), operating cash flow and net debt. Financial performance indicators also include maintaining 
full  compliance  with  terms  of  debt  facilities,  maintaining  constructive  relationships  with  debt  providers  and  equity 
investors, being adequately resourced for all corporate and JV-related financial matters, maintaining appropriate fit-for-
purpose  finance  systems,  delivering  approved  annual  budgets  and  adhering  to  updated  financial  and  corporate 
operating policies.   

Corporate Hedging Policy  

The  fundamental  principle  of  the  Group’s  hedging  policy  is  to  take  a  prudent  approach  to  mitigating  exposure  to 
fluctuations  in  commodity  prices  and/or  currencies  to  best  protect  cash  flows.  The  Group  will  enter  into  hedging 
transactions only to manage genuine risks to cash flows, factoring in relevant economic data and reasonable projections 
of its production, costs and debt service profile, and never for the purposes of investment or speculation. Commodity 
and foreign exchange (FX) exposures are overseen by a Risk Management Committee (RMC) and hedging decisions  

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Annual Report 2021 

are taken by a quorum of this RMC, which must include the CFO (with a second Executive Director also required to 
approve transactions with a nominal value over a certain threshold).   

No commodity hedging instruments were utilised in 2021, in view of the excessive costs and risks of expending capital 
for this purpose before Group production is established. With production having now commenced, the Group expects 
to  start  executing  an  appropriate  “wedge”  commodity  hedging  strategy,  with  a  higher  proportion  of  P90  forecast 
production hedged over earlier periods reducing to a lower proportion hedged over later periods, on a rolling basis, in 
order to reduce cashflow volatility whilst allowing shareholders to retain an appropriate degree of gas price exposure.  

The Group expects to use simple structures with a limited range of outcomes for its commodity hedging programme, 
executed  only  with  approved  market  counterparties,  including  its  designated  Phase  1  offtaker  BPGM.  Entering  any 
swap transactions with the latter counterparties will require two  months of production  data before execution.  Where 
more complex structures (involving combinations  of swaps, puts and call options) may be proposed, specific Board 
approvals would be required. Under its hedging policy, the Group may also take positions to protect against the risks 
associated with further phase investments or other transactions such as acquisitions.  

Details  of  the  risks  arising  from  the  Group’s  use  of  financial  instruments  can  be  found  in  Note  1  to  the  financial 
statements.  

Insurance  

The Group insures the risks it considers appropriate and proportionate for its needs and circumstances, including any 
risks that it has an obligation to insure against. However, it may elect not to put insurance in place at certain times for 
certain risks, for example due to high premium costs or extremely low probability risks. During 2021 the Group put in 
place insurance coverage for both construction and operational energy packages, covering Operators Extra Expense 
(OEE)  during  drilling  activities,  physical  loss/damage,  third  party  liability  and  OPOL  in  accordance  with  market 
standards. This insurance coverage and associated limits were in line with its energy sector peer group.  

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STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 
Principal Risks and Uncertainties 

The Company seeks to generate shareholder returns by developing and producing its portfolio of offshore gas assets. 
This primarily entails construction and installation of production, transportation and processing infrastructure and drilling 
of production wells. These activities carry a number of associated financial, operational, regulatory, legal, commercial, 
human resource, HSE and sustainability related risks and uncertainties.  Key risks and associated mitigations are set 
out below.  

Financial    

Risk 

Access to capital  

Cost escalation  

Breach of Bond terms (including 
financial covenants: €2m minimum 
liquidity, minimum 2.5x leverage ratio 
from 6 months after First Gas, 
minimum 5x interest cover from 6 
months after First Gas)  

Gas price volatility  

Mitigation 

•  Management has a clear strategy for value 

realisation and creation  

•  Capital providers are updated regularly as to 

corporate and operational progress  

•  Phase 1 has now started production into a strong 

gas market and the resulting cash flows will help to 
fund further phases of development  

•  There is an agreed £65 million Phase 2 development 
carry in place with CER, whose credit risk is low and 
kept under review  

•  The Company’s portfolio has robust economics and 

substantial incremental value, as attested by third-
party analyst reports  

•  The Company demonstrated it can raise incremental 
capital if needed as it successfully raised new equity 
in Q3 2021 to fund the Kelham North/Central 
appraisal well  

•  The Company actively manages its costs and has an 

appropriate hedging policy which it will start 
executing at the appropriate time to mitigate the risks 
of commodity price volatility (see “Corporate Hedging 
Policy” section above)  

•  There is a limited remaining scope of work for Phase 

1 compared to the work already done  

•  Cost escalation risks are mitigated by very high 

current and forward gas prices at the time of writing  

•  The Company makes consistent efforts to be fully 

aware of its responsibilities and obligations under the 
Bond terms  

•  The Company makes consistent efforts to minimise 

costs   

•  Management calibrates key project and corporate 

commitments against bond conditions and covenants 
to ensure avoidance of any breach. 

•  Phase 1 is now on production in a strong gas market, 

helping to minimise this risk   

•  During 2021 the UK gas market, along with other 
global gas benchmarks, rose significantly and has 
remained relatively high in 2022 year to date, putting 
the Company at a tangible advantage versus its 
planning case gas price assumption of 45p/therm 
(seasonally adjusted)   

•  While gas market volatility has increased over recent 

months and particularly since the onset of the 
Russia-Ukraine conflict, fluctuations are around very 
high price levels at the time of writing  

•  The Company actively manages its costs and has an 

appropriate hedging policy which it will start 
executing at the appropriate time to mitigate the risks 
of commodity price volatility (see “Corporate Hedging 
Policy” section above)  

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Page 18 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

Fiscal change 

Fluctuation in asset values   

Operational  

Risk 

Changes in reservoir volumes or 
characteristics  

•  Hedging strategies may also be employed to derisk 

major incremental capital commitments  

•  Budget planning considers a range of commodity 

pricing, taking into account potential future price 
scenarios, and advice is taken from independent 
third-party market experts  

•  The Company, along with its peer group and 

associated organisations, continually engages with 
government and regulatory bodies, and advocates 
for continued stability in the fiscal regime being in the 
long-term interests of stable domestic energy supply 

•  The Company has significant tax losses and does 
not expect to incur corporation tax liabilities in the 
initial years of production   

•  The Company seeks to limit its financial dependence 
on any one single asset by holding a diversified 
portfolio of 6 discovered gas fields across Phases 1 
and 2 of the Saturn Banks Project, plus several 
further assets which are being worked up for 
potential future additional developments   

•  The Company makes consistent efforts to keep its 

• 

cost base as low as reasonably possible    
In addition, the Company continues to undertake 
further technical work to better understand each 
asset and narrow the range of potential values  
•  Asset values can increase as well as decrease   

Mitigation 

•  The Company undertakes a thorough programme 
for technical evaluation for all of its licences, 
including subsurface mapping and reservoir 
modelling  

•  This is carried out by a competent, highly qualified 
and experienced in-house team supported where 
necessary by leading technical consultancies, with 
independent third-party reports commissioned as 
appropriate  

•  A prudent range of input assumptions and possible 
outcomes are always considered within planning 
processes  

•  The Company aims to minimised reservoir risks 

through high quality well design 

•  The Company seeks to itemise and apply lessons 
learned from earlier wells when drilling subsequent 
wells 

Departure from schedule and budget  

•  The Company employs technically competent and 

experienced personnel throughout the organisation  

•  The Company awards contracts to competent, 

recognised, experienced contractors with a view to 
obtaining best value for money  

•  Rigorous checks and controls are applied to 

schedule and budget to minimise any overruns as 
far as reasonably possible  

•  Any scope changes are required to go through the 

Management of Change process  

•  The Company follows the gate process for project 

governance and utilises peer reviews at appropriate 
project stages   

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Annual Report 2021 

 
Integrity of single point failure 
infrastructure  

Fluctuation in market conditions for rig, 
vessels and offshore procurement 

Weather risks  

Cyber security    

•  The Company has run extensive analysis and 

physical tests on its key infrastructure in the build up 
to first production to ensure it is satisfied as to its 
integrity  

•  The Company is in the process of rolling out an 
assurance plan for both its platform and pipeline 
Duty Holder ODE and the Bacton terminal operator 
PUK (reg 5 audits)   

•  The Company seeks to utilise EPCI lump sum 

contracts for offshore work as far as reasonably 
possible, where this constitutes best value for 
money  

•  Competitive tendering processes are used for all 

material contracting requirements  

•  Where appropriate, suitable incentivisation clauses 
are used contracts in order to minimise delivered 
cost 

•  There is a limited remaining scope of work for 

Phase 1 compared to the work already done 

•  Remaining work primarily include drilling – the main 

weather risks for the jack-up drilling rig are in 
mobilising to the field location (which is a relatively 
short period); once on location the weather risks are 
significantly lower 

•  The planned pipelay operation for the 24” extension 
to the Saturn Banks Pipeline is only a relatively 
short period (circa 1 week)  

•  Hook-up and commissioning work on the Blythe 
platform is complete and on Southwark is largely 
complete – access can be gained either via 
helicopters or walk-to-work vessels   

•  Control systems at Bacton gas terminal are tried 

and tested over extended periods and considered to 
be very robust  

•  The Company has appointed a Duty Holder in ODE 
that has adequate systems and processes in place 
to protect platform infrastructure  

•  The Company has developed an enhanced IT 

security plan and supporting procedures, including 
improved access right to systems and protocols, 
and enhanced onboarding and leaving processes  

Regulatory and Legal  

Risk 

Mitigation 

Securing regulatory consents, approvals 
and permits  

• 

• 

The Company works continually to foster positive 
relationships at all levels with relevant government and 
regulatory bodies, including but not limited to OGA, 
BEIS / OPRED and HSE  
There is frequent and detailed liaison at multiple levels 
with these authorities to ensure good mutual 
understanding, minimise issues and delays in 
approvals  

•  Relevant applications are reviewed in detail and 

submitted promptly  

Deficiency in Corporate Governance 

•  The Company has developed and implemented a 

suitable suite of corporate policies and procedures, 
covering Financial Operations, Anti-Bribery and 
Corruption, Travel and Expenses, Climate Change and 
Sustainability, etc   

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Annual Report 2021 

 
Commercial  

Risk 

Stakeholder misalignment  

Access to market  

•  All contracts must be authorised by the Contracts and 
Procurement function, Finance, General Counsel and 
above certain thresholds are subject to Tender 
Committee and Board approval 

Mitigation 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The Company undertakes very regular discussions and 
meetings with key stakeholders, to build mutual 
understanding and maintain positive relationships  
The Company continually seeks to understand 
stakeholders’ priorities, drivers and risk tolerance 
levels   
The Company has successfully undertaken a 
competitive gas sales tendering process in 2021, with 
a good number of interested parties leading to healthy 
competition  
There are a lot of credible and well-funded gas 
shippers in the UK who can purchase IOG’s gas. The 
UK gas market is deep and liquid, especially in the 
short term.  
There is a single buyer for condensate at Bacton with 
whom IOG has an agreed offtake contract  

HSE and Sustainability  

Risks 

Mitigation 

Harm or injury to people or the 
environment  

Adverse environmental effects of our 
activities including, in particular, 
contributing to climate change 

Human Resources  

Risks 

Building and maintaining a fit for 
purpose team  

Disruption from the Covid-19 pandemic  

•  Compliance with the UK regulatory goal setting regime 
for safety is established, implemented and maintained 
through the Company leadership, HSE and Technical 
Committee, culture and management systems  

•  The Company continually reviews and updates its HSE 

Policy, which can be read in full on its website   
•  The Company employs experienced in-house HSE 
practitioners to ensure it meets all its related 
obligations, supported by appropriate external subject 
matter experts and consultants   

•  The Company has a Climate Change and Sustainability 

Policy, which can be read in full on its website   

•  Strategic focus on low carbon intensity domestic natural 
gas resources as a key fuel for the Energy Transition 
with lower carbon content than other hydrocarbons 
(including imported gas)  

•  Use of low carbon intensity facilities, including re-use of 
existing infrastructure – as illustrated by its inaugural 
Emissions Assessment (see ESG section above)  

Mitigation 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The Company has over recent years established a 
competent, experienced team across all key disciplines, 
which mitigates the risk of losing any key individual  
The Company’s Remuneration Committee regularly 
evaluates incentivisation schemes to ensure they 
remain in line with market standards 
The Company undertakes annual external 
benchmarking for all roles to ensure its salaries and 
benefits are appropriate and competitive   
Throughout the pandemic the Company has 
successfully implemented logistical and organisational 
changes to underpin its resilience to Covid-19 

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Annual Report 2021 

 
 
• 

disruption, with the key focus being protecting all 
personnel, minimising impact on critical workstreams 
and ensuring business continuity 
The Company has proactively sought to mitigate the 
risks of Covid-19 outbreaks involving its operations, for 
example through rigorous testing before personnel go 
on site or travel offshore  

•  Senior management communicates regularly with all 
employees around changes in the company protocols 
or government working guidance  
The Company continues to maintain Covid-19 protocols 
over and above government regulation to maintain and 
safe working environment and to mitigate risk to the 
business 

• 

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Page 22 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
STRATEGIC REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

S172 statement 

Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 requires Directors to take into consideration the interests of stakeholders and 
other  matters  in  their  decision  making.  The  Directors  continue  to  have  regard  to  the  interests  of  the  Company’s 
employees and other stakeholders, the impact of its activities on the community, the environment and the Company’s 
reputation  for  good  business  conduct,  when  making  decisions.  The  Company  seeks  to  manage  its  operations  and 
assets in a safe and efficient way, and acknowledges that limiting climate change and transitioning to a more sustainable 
economy are critical challenges of our time. In that context, it recognises the importance of the UK’s 2050 Net Zero 
target as part of global efforts to meet the goals of the 2015 Paris Accord. It has also taken particular steps to mitigate 
Covid-19 risks. In this context, acting in good faith and fairly, the Directors consider what is most likely to promote the 
success of the Company for all its stakeholders in the long term. We explain in this annual report, and referenced below, 
how the Board engages with key stakeholders which are typical of an offshore gas development company and which 
include  investors  (both  shareholders  and  bond  investors),  employees,  regulators,  contractors,  suppliers  and  other 
operators in the southern North Sea.  

Likely consequence of any decision in the long term 

The CEO Review on pages 2-3, Business Strategy on page 6 and principle 1 of the Company’s QCA Statement, which 
is available in full via www.iog.co.uk/investors/aim-rule-26/, collectively set out the Company’s long term rationale and 
strategy, with the business decisions that these entail.   

Key decisions over the past year have included the selection and/or ongoing management of contractors for the Phase 
1 development project. These included contractors for platforms, drilling, well management, SURF and numerous tier 
2 contracts. These decisions have been taken off the back of competitive selection processes in each case and in the 
interests of achieving best value for shareholders as their primary driver. The Board will always take all relevant factors 
into  consideration  when  making  such  decisions,  including  the  track  record  and  operational  and  environmental 
competence of each party. Other key decisions have included a number of technical and operational decisions relating 
to Phase 1 which are each designed ultimately to maximise project value and minimise project risks.  

Interests of Employees 

Covid-19  presented  obvious  challenges  throughout  2021  and  beyond,  requiring  effective  closure  of  our  offices  for 
extended  periods.  Faced  with  these  challenges,  and  in  the  interests  of  protecting  employees  as  well  as  other 
stakeholders  in  the  Company,  we  identified  three  fundamental  priorities  at  the  outset  of  the  pandemic  which  have 
remained the same throughout: protect our people, deliver the project and ensure business continuity. We continued to 
ensure a safe working and operating environment and minimise virus transmission risks, and implemented effective 
remote  working  practices  with  robust  communication  systems  to  ensure  the  team  could  continue  to  deliver  our 
objectives effectively.  

The Company has continued to upgrade  its employee processes and  personnel.  A new  Employee Intranet and HR 
System was introduced in 2021. The Employee Handbook covers employment matters including maternity and paternity 
leave  arrangements,  equal  opportunities  and  dignity  at  work,  anti-harassment  and  bullying,  IT  and  communication 
systems, social media, flexible working, disciplinary procedure, grievance procedure, code of conduct/ anti-corruption 
and bribery, whistleblowing, data protection and HSE. Together, the Employee Handbook, Intranet and HR System are 
intended to improve the communication of the Company’s principles and policies with our staff and contractors. They 
encapsulate the Company’s Code of Conduct with which all staff and contractors are expected to comply.  

The Board believes that it is important that employees (including Executive Directors) are appropriately incentivised, 
given that the Group’s success is highly dependent on their performance. Accordingly, it has in place a Company Share 
Option Plan (CSOP) which allows the Company to grant options over ordinary shares to all employees as set out on 
page 31. 

The Company’s position with regard to the interests of its employees is also covered in the IOG Social Policy, which is 
laid out in full on the Employee Intranet and website and includes the following principles and commitments which the 
Company expects all its personnel to uphold:  

•  Act with the highest ethical standards at all times and hold each other to these standards 
•  Foster an open, inclusive and equal opportunity culture 
•  Respect our diversity as people 
•  Promote an ethos of constructive collaboration, effective communication and knowledge sharing 
•  Promote critical thinking and a problem-solving mindset to overcome challenges and capitalise on opportunities 

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Annual Report 2021 

STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

•  Take a dynamic and agile approach to our decisions and activities, and consider their external impacts 
•  Help our colleagues to further their professional ambitions by contributing to our shared progress, supported 

by training and development where appropriate 

•  Listen to our colleagues and support their wellbeing as far as possible 
•  Look for opportunities to positively impact communities around us 

Foster business relationships with suppliers, customers and others 

The Company’s policies and procedures relating to suppliers and all stakeholders are set out in principle 3 of the QCA 
Statement.  Engaging  with  all  our  stakeholders,  whether  the  joint  venture  partner,  investors  (both  equity  and  bond), 
regulators or contractors, strengthens our relationships and helps us make better business decisions to deliver on our 
commitments. The Board is regularly updated on wider stakeholder management to stay abreast of insights into the 
issues that matter most to these various stakeholders and our business, to enable the Board to understand and consider 
these issues in decision-making.  

Potential suppliers are considered in  light of their relevant experience  and commercial  attractiveness, but  also  their 
suitability to comply with the Company’s HSE and other policies. We aim to work with contractors with deep experience 
in  their  field,  a  strong  value  proposition,  and  who  share  our  ethos  of  safe,  efficient  and  responsible  operatorship. 
Through the competitive process of selecting contractors to deliver respective parts of the Phase 1 project over the 
course  of  2020-21  and  through  the  initiation  and  progress  of  work  under  the  resulting  contracts,  the  Company  has 
continued to deepen its relationships with key contractors including Petrofac, Noble Corporation, Subsea 7 and ODE 
among others.   

The  Covid-19  pandemic  has  led  to  some  changes  to  operating  procedures  among  suppliers  and  there  are  risks  of 
increased costs as a result, and it has also entailed some changes to commercial or contractual terms with suppliers.  

The relationship with the joint venture partner, CER, is a fundamentally important one for the Company given the shared 
ownership of almost all the licences in its portfolio and the alignment on the Core Project in particular. The farm-out 
transaction  with  CER  in  2019  established  the  basis  of  this  relationship  and  the  Company’s  funding  strategy,  with 
development carries agreed for both Phase 1 and Phase 2. The Company maintains a very close and active relationship 
with CER at all levels, from a board/principal level down through the various layers of management, administered by 
Operating Committee and Technical Committee meeting, down to daily operational interactions. Given the Core Project 
arrangement as well as the Area of Mutual Interest agreement in respect of joint business development efforts, and 
notwithstanding  that  IOG  is  Operator  of  the  relevant  licences,  there  is  a  fundamental  conjunction  of  interests  and 
activities  between  IOG  and  CER,  reflected  in  active  collaboration  across  technical,  financial,  commercial  and 
operational  domains.  The  Company  makes  all  due  effort  to  understand  the  strategic  and  financial  objectives  of  its 
partner and take these into account as far as reasonably possible in progressing the Core Project  and wider portfolio 
activities.  

The  Company  expends  significant  time  and  resources  developing  and  maintaining  its  relationships  with  all  relevant 
regulatory bodies, notably the OGA, OPRED and the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE).    

Community and Environment  

IOG aims to contribute positively to the UK’s energy transition by helping to supply stable and affordable energy to UK 
homes and businesses as part of a lower-carbon energy supply mix. The Company’s approach to the community and 
environment is set out in more detail both in principle 3 of the QCA Statement and ESG policies, both available in full 
on its website. In respect of its environmental responsibilities, the HSE and Climate Change and Sustainability (CC&S) 
policies are most relevant, clearly laying out the Company’s commitments in these areas.  The latter policy recognises 
the importance of establishing clear principles in relation to climate change and sustainability matters, the Company 
declares its ambition to manage its assets in a safe and efficient way, and acknowledges that limiting climate change 
and transitioning to a more sustainable economy are critical challenges of our time. In that context, it recognises the 
importance of the UK’s 2050 Net Zero target as part of global efforts to meet the goals of the 2015 Paris Accord. The 
Board and quarterly HSE and Technical Committee review HSE issues as a standing agenda item. Further details of 
the specific commitments in the policy can be read in full on the Company website at www.iog.co.uk/esg .In 2021 the 
Company completed an independent Phase 1 emissions assessment which is a key objective as laid out under the 
CC&S Policy. This assessment was used to inform the Company’s early commitment to Scope 1 and 2 Net Zero as 
discussed above.  

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STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

Maintain high standards of business conduct  

The Company operates a corporate culture that is based on ethical values and behaviours. It maintains policies and 
processes that are appropriate to do this for a Company of its size. The Executive Directors communicate regularly with 
staff  through  town  hall  meetings  and  other  smaller  meetings.  The  Board  has  implemented  a  robust  governance 
framework including a Code of Conduct, which includes the Company’s Compliance with Anti-bribery and Corruption 
Policy that is incorporated in the Employee Handbook and is communicated to all employees. The Code provides clear 
guidance  on  how  the  members  of  staff  are  expected  to  behave  towards  other  colleagues,  suppliers,  customers, 
shareholders and on our wider responsibility to the communities within which we operate. All employees are expected 
to comply with the Code and any violations of it may be reported to management or Group HR. Under its Anti-bribery 
and  Corruption  Policy,  the  Company’s  policy  is  to  conduct  all  its  business  in  an  honest  and  ethical  manner.  The 
Company  and  Group  apply  a  zero-tolerance  approach  to  bribery  and  corruption  and  is  committed  to  acting 
professionally, fairly and with integrity in all its business dealings and relationships wherever it operates by implementing 
and enforcing effective systems to counter bribery. These systems include both detailed financial approval procedures 
and Tender Committee processes, whereby contracts recommended by the Contracts and Procurement function are 
reviewed by the Tender Committee to confirm a robust selection process, value and operational appropriateness and 
the rationale minuted and reported by the General Counsel and Company Secretary to the Board on both an ongoing 
and annual summary report basis. The Social Policy provides guidance for employees in respect of how the Company 
expects them to conduct themselves, as detailed above.  

Act fairly between shareholders  

The  Company  remains  committed  to  listening  and  to  communicating  openly  with  its  shareholders  to  ensure  that  its 
strategy, business model and performance are clearly understood. Understanding what analysts and investors think 
about the Company and in turn, helping these audiences understand our business, is a key part of driving the business 
forward and Company representatives maintain active dialogue with market participants in line with expectations of a 
listed  company.  This  is  done  via  investor  roadshows  and  meetings,  attending  investor  conferences,  delivering 
presentations, hosting capital markets days, updating our website and our regular reporting and corporate and project 
update announcements.  

The AGM is the main forum for dialogue with shareholders and the Board. The Notice of Meeting is sent to shareholders 
at least 21 days before the meeting. The Directors routinely attend the AGM and are available to answer questions 
raised by shareholders in the form of a question and answer session after an update presentation. For each vote, the 
number of proxy votes received for, against and withheld is announced at the meeting. The outcome of the resolutions 
proposed at the AGM are subsequently published on the Company’s corporate website.  

The  Company  actively  upholds  its  relationships  with  institutional  shareholders  as  well  as  ensuring  that  private 
shareholders are also attended to as far as reasonably possible. Shareholder relations are managed primarily by the 
Head of Capital Markets & ESG Corporate supported by the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and others 
in the Executive Team, as appropriate. The Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer make presentations to 
analysts throughout each year and immediately following the release of the full-year and half-year results. The Board 
is kept informed of the views and concerns of major shareholders by briefings from the Executive Team. Any significant 
investment reports from analysts are also circulated to the Board. The Non-Executive Chair and Senior Independent 
Director are available to meet with major shareholders if required to discuss issues of importance to them.  

The Company makes regular updates to the market on its commercial, technical and operational progress at all stages 
of executing on its strategy.  

Besides its shareholders, the Company has a separate class of financial investors, which are the institutional holders 
of the €100 million senior secured Bond, who are effectively lenders to the Company. While there is less transparency 
in this market as to which institutions hold the bonds, the Company does maintain an active dialogue with those who 
do identify themselves and also maintains relationships with the Nordic investment banks who are active in this market.   

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STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

Finance Review 

From a financial  as well  as operational perspective the Company  focused in 2021  on investing  the proceeds of the 
significant funding transactions undertaken in 2019, in particular the Farm-out and the €100 million senior secured Bond 
which provided the capital for continued investment in Saturn Banks Phase 1.  

During 2021, a total of £140.0 million was invested in the Phase 1 development. Of this, the joint venture partner CER 
funded £70.0 million for their 50% non-operating share in each asset and a further £11.7 million as Phase 1 development 
carry  for  the  Company’s  benefit  under  the  terms  of  the  2019  Farm-out.  The  full  £60  million  of  Phase  1  partner 
development carry was thereby utilised in the year, with a further agreed carry of £65 million to come for Phase 2 subject 
to FID.  

The post-tax loss for the year was £4.2 million, which includes a £0.9 million write down of the remaining Harvey licence 
following relinquishment of the  licence (2020:  loss of  £19.3 million which  included a £12.6 million  write down of the 
Harvey and Redwell assets).  

The Company ended the year with a cash balance of £31.3 million (2020: £13.9 million) plus £3.4 million of restricted 
cash (2020: £67.0 million), £2.0 million of which is the minimum holding of Bond interest in the DSRA and £1.4 million 
of which is decommissioning security. Group net debt at the end of the year was £56.6 million (2020: £14.1 million) (see 
note 17).  

Under IFRS 16, IOG is responsible for capitalising 100% of the lease cost of its contract with Noble Corporation for the 
Noble Hans Deul jack-up drilling rig, as well as contracts  for the marine supply vessel and emergency rapid response 
marine (ERRV) vessel, to its statement of financial position. Based on the minimum contract durations and day-rates, 
IOG has therefore recognised £21.3 million in Property, Plant and Equipment (PP&E). IFRS 16 also requires recognition 
of the lease liability for future payment obligations and interest on lease liabilities in the income statement over the lease 
term. Based on the minimum contract duration and day-rate, IOG has therefore recognised £11.1 million (net liability 
after payments) in lease liabilities. 

In September 2021 the Company raised gross proceeds of £8.5 million from new and existing shareholders via a placing 
and subscription, the proceeds of which are primarily intended to fund the drilling of the Kelham North/Central appraisal 
well in the P2442 licence.  

The £11.6 million long-term, unsecured, non-interest-bearing Loan Note Instrument, convertible at 19p into 60,872,631 
Ordinary Shares, remained in place, with a maturity date of October 2024.  

Income Statement  

The Group made a loss for the year of £4.3 million (2020: £19.3 million, driven primarily by a £12.6 million impairment 
charge on the Harvey and Redwell assets). This includes £4.0 million of administration expenses, finance expense of 
£3.1 million, £0.9 million of impairment and £0.1 million of project, pre-licence and exploration expenses, offset by a 
£3.4 million FX gain and fair value gain of £0.3 million.    

Net administration expenses of £4.0 million (2020: £3.4 million) reflect a lean corporate operation and the allocation of 
a proportion of overheads to project assets.  

The foreign exchange gain of £3.4 million (2020: £0.7 million loss) reflects realised and unrealised foreign exchange 
movements on EUR denominated Bond, provisions and trade creditors and loans.  

The total interest paid on bonds for 2021 was £8.3 million (2020: £8.7 million), all of which was attributable to financing 
of capital projects and hence fully capitalised in line with company's accounting policy.  

Statement of financial position 

Property, Plant and Equipment (PPE) oil and gas assets increased to  £138.4 million (2020: £53.4 million) during the 
year, representing capital expenditure activities on the Saturn Banks Project assets as well as capitalisation of the right 
of use of leased assets over their lease term under IFRS 16.  

Total assets increased to £180.7 million (2020: £154.2 million), including cash resources of £34.7 million (2020: £80.4 
million) of which £3.4 million is restricted (2020: £67.0 million).  

Total liabilities have increased to £152.4 million (2020: £131.1 million), with the Bond representing £82.4 million (2020: 
£87.8 million). Liabilities also include trade creditors £8.1 million (2020: £1.0 million), lease liabilities of £11.1 million  

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STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

(2020:  £13.8  million),  accruals  and  operator  advance  accounts  of  £25.7  million  (2020:  £7.2  million)  given  the  high 
volume of work as the Phase 1 development progressed, and deferred considerations in relation to acquisitions of £0.6 
million (2020: £2.3 million).  

Decommissioning provisions net to IOG increased to £15.8 million (2020: £6.2 million), including the Elland suspended 
well decommissioning provision of £1.2 million, Saturn Banks Pipeline decommissioning provision of £0.1 million (2020: 
£1.0 million), Saturn Banks Reception Facilities decommissioning provision of £2.9 million and the addition of further 
Phase 1 infrastructure of £11.6 million (see Note 16). Lease liabilities recognised under IFRS 16 were £11.1 million 
(2020 £17.6 million) predominantly driven by the inclusion of the contract for the Noble Hans Deul drilling rig as well as 
the marine supply vessel and ERRV.  

The Group ended the year with a net debt position of £56.6 million (2020: £14.1 million), primarily driven by the ongoing 
expenditure on Phase 1. Net debt is defined as total loans, primarily the EUR denominated Bond, less restricted cash 
and cash equivalents.  

Cash Flow 

Net cash inflows of £20.0 million (2020: £8.0 million inflow) from operations, net cash inflow of £3.6 million (2020: £1.2 
million)  generated  from  investing  activities  and  net  cash  outflow  of  £8.2  million  (2020:  £10.5  million)  from  financing 
resulted in a cash and equivalents position of £31.3 million at year end. There were no loan repayments (2020: Nil). At 
the end of the year £3.4 million (2020: £67.0 million) of funds were also held as restricted cash in the DSRA and as 
decommissioning security.  

The Directors do not recommend payment of a dividend (2020: nil).  

€100 million Bond  

The Group’s €100 million 5-year senior secured Bond was issued in 2019 in the name of Independent Oil and Gas plc 
(the former name for the Company) to a range of institutional investors across the Nordic region, Europe, UK and Asia. 
The bond has a bullet repayment structure, with a maturity date of 20 September 2024, and an interest rate, payable 
quarterly, of 9.5 per cent per annum over the three-month EURIBOR rate (with a floor of zero when this rate is negative, 
as it  is at the  time of writing). The Bond has  a senior secured  position over the  Group’s  licences and  infrastructure 
assets, as well as any further licence in which the Group takes an ownership interest during the tenure of the Bond, 
such  as  the  newly  acquired  P2589  Panther-Grafton  licence.  Bond  funds  can  be  used  to  fund  Phase  1  capital 
expenditure, financing costs and general corporate purposes.  

The Bond has been listed since December 2019 on the Oslo Børs with the ISIN NO0010863236. The pricing on the 
secondary market was impacted heavily in early 2020 at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic which had a major impact 
on markets. However, since this time the trading price has steadily recovered and in late Q3 2021 it started to trade at 
a premium to par. Since then to the time of writing it has traded within a range of 100-102 cents (with 100 cents being 
par value), indicating investors’ confidence that the Bond will be repaid in full.   

At  settlement  of  the  Bond  in  September  2019,  the  first  eight  quarterly  payments  were  set  aside  in  a  Debt  Service 
Reserve Account (DSRA). Over the course of 2021, a total of €9.7 million was drawn down quarterly as planned from 
the  DSRA  to  fund  the  four  coupon  payments  in  March,  June,  September  and  December.  Further  to  this  the  DSRA 
balance at the end of the period was €2.5 million (£2.1 million).  

As laid out in the Bond terms, drawdown from the Bond escrow account was subject to a series of progress milestones. 
During the course of 2021, three drawdowns of €27.3 million (£24.2 million), €19.5 million (£16.6 million) and €18.9 
million  (£16.1  million)  were  made  in  February,  April  and  April  2021  respectively  further  to  the  relevant  Phase  1 
operational milestones. This extinguished the Bond escrow account leaving no further balance to be drawn down.    

The Bond is callable from 3 years after issuance, i.e. in or after September 2022, with an initial call premium of 50% of 
the coupon (i.e. repayable at a cost of €104.75 million (£88 million) if the 3month EURIBOR is at zero or lower), declining 
by 10% every six months thereafter.  

The  Company  has  the  option,  subject  to  conditions  and  investor  commitments,  to  issue  additional  amounts  up  to  a 
maximum aggregate of €30 million (£25.2 million) (“Tap Issues”). Tap Issues carry identical terms to the initial €100 
million issue but may be issued at different prices.  

Funding & Liquidity 

The Board has reviewed the Group’s cash flow forecasts having regard to its current financial position and operational 
objectives.  

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STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

The Consolidated Statement of Financial Position at 31 December 2021 details a net debt position for the Group of 
£56.6 million (2020: 14.1 million). Net debt is defined as total loans, primarily the Bond, less restricted cash and cash 
equivalents.  

In  assessing  the  Group’s  and  Parent  Company’s  current  financial  position  and  reaching  its  conclusion  as  to  going 
concern status up until September 2023, as laid out in the Annual Report, the Board has, by necessity, utilised a set of 
reasonable assumptions around activities, costs, timings, asset performance and other relevant economic factors in 
order to develop an accurate perspective. These assumptions are summarised in this paper.  

The primary consideration is progress of the Phase 1 development. On 14 March, the Company announced that Phase 
1 First Gas had successfully been delivered on the previous day, with Blythe field producing gas into the Saturn Banks 
infrastructure and Bacton terminal. This is a key turning point for the Company in transitioning from a developer into a 
cash-generative  producer,  with  significant  cashflow  expected  to  be  generated  point  forward  under  the  Company’s 
current base case gas price assumptions.   

The gas price assumptions used for these purposes are based on a long-term average realised price of 45p/therm, 
which management confirms to be a sensible baseline in the context of average realised UK gas prices over the past 
decade, having taken advice from independent market experts engaged by the Group. This is seasonally adjusted to 
more accurately replicate the actual seasonal fluctuations in the UK  gas market  (higher prices over October-March, 
lower  prices  over  April-September),  rather  than  use  an  unrealistic  flat  price  assumption.  Importantly,  to  remain  as 
realistic as reasonably possible, the assumptions also factor in recent gas market developments as reflected in the NBP 
forward curve. Whilst over recent weeks UK spot and forward gas prices have reached unprecedented highs due to 
several  factors,  primarily  the  risk  of  global  gas  supply  constraints  as  a  result  of  the  Russia-Ukraine  conflict,  the 
Company’s assumptions over 2022-23 are based on 35-45% discounts to the forward curve on 23 February 2022, prior 
to recent extreme pricing dislocations.  

The Company has a gas sales agreement in place with a very well established, highly creditworthy offtaker in BPGM 
and also has a condensate sales agreement in place with the single condensate offtaker at the Bacton terminal. Under 
its GSA, gas is sold on a day-ahead nomination basis at a price linked to the National Balancing Point (NBP, the UK 
traded gas benchmark). First payments  for the  Phase 1  gas are contractually scheduled to  be received  on 20 April 
2022. As an additional liquidity backstop measure the Company has also executed a €5 million working capital facility 
from  a  respected  international  bank,  which  can  be  drawn  as  needed  after  First  Gas  subject  to  market  standard 
conditions and is repayable by March 2023.  

Management  calibrates  key  project  and  corporate  commitments  against  bond  conditions  and  covenants  to  ensure 
avoidance of any breach. The Company makes consistent efforts to manage the business within budget. Phase 1 capital 
costs underlying the going concern assessment flow from the baseline project plan as recently reviewed and reaffirmed 
by senior management. At this stage there is a detailed understanding of the expected further expenditure based on 
existing commitments as Phase 1 reaches its final stages of execution, with the Southwark drilling and extension to the 
Saturn  Banks  Pipeline  System  being  key  final  elements  of  the  scope.  The  latest  cost  estimates  have  in  turn  been 
interrogated and subsequently approved at both executive and Board level.  

Similarly, operating cost assumptions, including offshore Operations and Maintenance (O&M) costs, onshore Saturn 
Banks Reception Facilities operation costs and Bacton processing tariff costs, have been established using the latest 
estimates provided by internal operational personnel and relevant external parties (ODEAM and Perenco).  

Decommissioning  cost  assumptions  are  drawn  directly  from  the  independent  Competent  Persons  Report  (CPR) 
undertaken by reserve auditor ERC Equipoise in 2017.  

Pre-development  assets  and  General  and  Administrative  (G&A)  cost  assumptions  are  based  on  approved  internal 
budgets, which are  based  on estimates and are reviewed and derived  from comparable activities and relevant past 
actual costs. G&A budgets are constructed with an iterative methodology that factors in historical expenditure trends 
adjusted  with  appropriate  forward-looking  modifications  and  expected  trends  in  underlying  activity  (e.g.  changes  in 
organisation headcount). Forecasts are reviewed by the senior finance team and the CFO on a monthly basis in order 
to assess the appropriateness of budget versus actual outturn and reviewed and when appropriate are discussed at 
Board level. Finally, prudent assumptions have been taken in respect of the Group’s treasury management, including 
the policy of minimising foreign exchange exposures as far as possible. Foreign exchange exposures are forecast and 
compared to the available currency held as cash balances or JV cash calls, which allows any exposure to be actively 
managed.  

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STRATEGIC REPORT  FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

The  nature  of  the  Group’s  operations  inherently  involves  a  range  of  potential  outcomes  and  in  that  context,  as 
demonstrated  above,  the  Group  uses  prudent  assumptions  to  develop  its  view  of  most  likely  outcomes,  as  well  as 
identifying measures to mitigate or eliminate potential risks that may affect cash flows. Management undertakes detailed 
financial modelling to generate stress test scenarios, including changes in gas prices and/or production levels, which 
are reviewed by the Board. Under all reasonable forecast scenarios, the Group is expected to be able to remain within 
its Bond covenants and to have sufficient cash resources to continue with its planned business strategy.  

Conclusions 

Based on above, and particularly in light of the recent announcement of the First Gas milestone for Phase 1 amid a 
very elevated gas market, the Board have a reasonable expectation that the Group has adequate resources which will 
continue to grow off the back of Phase 1 delivery and to progress to FID on further phases, providing long-term business 
continuity with stable cash generation for the foreseeable future. To this end, the Board believe that the Group and 
Company can be represented as being a going concern without any modification of material uncertainty for the 2021 
Annual Report and Accounts.  

The financial statements do not include any adjustments that would result if the Group and the Parent Company were 
unable to continue as a going concern.  

Rupert Newall 
Chief Financial Officer 
16 March 2022 

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IOG plc 

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 

Corporate Governance Statement 

Board of Directors 

The Company is led by a strong, disciplined Board with extensive experience in all aspects of the Company’s business 
supported by a capable and experienced management team.  Their experience covers both ends of the investment 
spectrum from private equity backed start-up companies to London Stock Exchange listed companies.  The Board is 
supported by a capable and experienced management team. 

Fiona MacAulay – Non-Executive Chair  
A Chartered Geologist with over 30 years’ experience in the upstream oil and gas sector including key roles in a number 
of leading oil and gas firms across the large, mid and small-cap space including Mobil, British Gas, Amerada Hess and 
Rockhopper. Non-Executive Director at Coro Energy plc, EPI Group Ltd, Ferrexpo PLC and Chemring PLC. She is a 
past president of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Europe. Fiona chairs the Company’s Remuneration 
and Nominations Committee and is a member of the Audit Committee.  

Andrew Hockey – Chief Executive Officer 
Andrew Hockey has 40 years of energy sector experience.  He has a technical background with a BA in geology from 
Oxford University, and an MSc in petroleum geology from Imperial College.  Until the end of 2015 Andrew was General 
Manager of Business Development at UKCS oil and gas exploration and production company Fairfield Energy Limited.  
Andrew led the team to acquire Clipper South as an undeveloped gas discovery and then subsequently managed its 
development via farm down and funding through to first gas.  Andrew is a Non-Executive Director of Chariot Limited, a 
company with gas interests in Morocco.   

Rupert Newall – Chief Financial Officer  
Rupert has over 25 years of corporate finance experience in the upstream oil and gas industry, primarily in Investment 
Banking where he has provided strategic, transactional and financing advice to broad range of E&P companies and 
majors.   Rupert’s  Investment  Banking  career  included  Deutsche  Bank,  Bank  of  America  and  BMO  Capital  Markets 
where he was Co-Head of Investment & Corporate Banking EMEA.  Rupert’s extensive upstream experience includes 
corporate and asset transactions, strategic advisory, equity and debt capital markets and restructuring.  Prior to joining 
IOG, Rupert was CEO of Edimis Energy Limited, an oil & gas advisory boutique which advised IOG on its strategic 
options and the farm-out transaction in 2019.  Rupert has a BA in Economics from Cambridge University. 

Esa Ikaheimonen – Senior Independent Non-Executive Director 
Esa has over 25 years of oil and gas industry experience and strong board level expertise. He was until 16 March 2022 
the  CFO  of  London  listed  E&P  company  Genel  Energy  plc.  Currently,  he  is  a  Non-Executive  Chairman  of  Lamor 
Corporation,  a  leading  environmental  service  company.  Esa’s  previous  non-executive  experience  includes  roles  at 
Ahlstrom Corporation, global supplier of fibre-based products, and at Vantage Drilling International, a major offshore 
drilling contractor. Previously, in addition to these non-executive roles, Esa was Executive Vice President and CFO of 
Transocean, the world’s largest offshore drilling company. Prior to Transocean, Esa enjoyed a 20-year career at Royal 
Dutch Shell, culminating in the role of Vice President Finance for Shell Africa E&P. He holds a master’s degree in Law 
from the University of Turku, specialising in tax law and tax planning. Esa is Senior Independent Non-Executive Director 
and chairs the Company’s Audit Committee. 

Neil Hawkings – Non-Executive Director  
Neil Hawkings has over 35 years' experience in the upstream oil and gas sector. At ConocoPhillips, Neil played key 
roles in the successful development of both their Southern North Sea gas business, and their gas business in Indonesia. 
His final role was as Managing Director at Britannia Operator Limited (BOL), where he led production, development and 
commercial activities at the Britannia gas condensate field. Neil then served as Operations Director at Premier Oil Plc, 
responsible  for  operational  and  development  activities  across  their  global  portfolio.  He  holds  a  Master's  Degree  in 
Chemical Engineering from Cambridge University. Neil chairs the Company’s HSE and Technical Committee.  

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

Remuneration Policy 

Remuneration comprises a mix of salary and bonus payments and equity incentives.   

In December 2021 the Board’s Remuneration Committee commissioned FIT to carry out a benchmarking review of its 
executive,  senior  team  and  Non-Executive  Director  remuneration  arrangements.  The  work  covered  Board  and 
Executive Committee – Board Chair, NEDs, CEO, CFO, COO, Head of Capital Markets & ESG and the General Counsel 
and Company Secretary and included a full salary, benefits and incentives review and a view of general structure of 
benefits and incentives across the Company. The benchmarking review concluded that the remuneration and benefits 
structure comprising salary, discretionary cash bonus and long-term incentive options along with health, life assurance 
and death in service benefits was appropriate for the senior team and Executive Directors. However, however the review 
concluded that the fees for the non-Executive Directors and the salary and total compensation levels for the Executive 
Directors was materially below the benchmarks for the peer group considered, which included other E&P companies of 
similar  size  in  the  UK.  The  Remuneration  Committee  is  considering  what  adjustments  it  may  make  for  the  above 
elements based on the benchmarking review and to fees for Non-Executive Directors. The company also commissioned 
WRS and Hunter Adams to provide benchmarking reviews on all its employees other than the CEO, CFO and COO.  
These reviews are used to calibrate salary and incentives for all those employees.  

Options and Long-Term Incentive Plan Policy 

The Board believes that it is important that all employees (including Executive Directors) are appropriately incentivised, 
given that the Group’s success is highly dependent on their performance. Accordingly, it has in place a Company Share 
Option  Plan  (CSOP)  which  allows  the  Company  to  grant  options  over  ordinary  shares  to  all  employees,  subject  to 
appropriate  vesting  conditions.  The  CSOP  is  administered  by  the  Remuneration  Committee  and  the  maximum 
aggregate  awards,  together  with  any  other  employee  share  schemes  (excluding  the  Salary  Sacrifice  Arrangements 
mentioned below), cannot exceed ten per cent of the issued share capital of the Company at the time of grant. Under 
this scheme, a total of 9,425,095 long-term incentivisation options were awarded to employees in 2021, vesting three 
years from the date of grant and subject to meeting various conditions including: a compound annual Company Total 
Shareholder Return (“TSR”) of 12.5%, relative TSR against a basket of competitors, first gas and subsequent production 
goals and FDP approval on future fields being achieved.  

Salary Sacrifice Arrangements 

During the year, in order to enhance alignment between IOG personnel and shareholders, certain personnel continued 
with salary sacrifice arrangements  whereby cash salary payments were reduced, and the difference settled by options 
granted with a strike  price  of 1p. The number of options granted is determined by the Company’s volume  weighted 
average  share  price  for  each  six-month  period  of  salary  or  fee  sacrifice.  The  salary  sacrifice  arrangements  were 
discontinued from August 2021 onwards. Further details can be found in Note 4 to the financial statements.  

Corporate Governance Statement 

The  Directors  recognise  the  importance  of  sound  corporate  governance.  The  Company  has  adopted  the  Quoted 
Companies Alliance (QCA) Corporate Governance Code 2019 (the Code) to the extent considered appropriate for a 
company of its size.  

Details of how the Company complies with the ten ‘Principles of the Code’ and explanations of why if it does not can be 
found in the QCA Statement, which can be accessed via www.iog.co.uk/investors/aim-rule-26/, and are also discussed 
below.  

Commentary relating to Principles 1-3 of the Code, which state the following, are covered in the Strategic Report and 
Section 172 above, and the Company’s QCA statement on the website.  

1.  Establish a strategy and business model which promote long-term value for shareholders  
2.  Seek to understand and meet shareholder needs and expectations  
3.  Take into account wider stakeholder and social responsibilities and their implications for long-

term success  

Principle 4 of the Code states 

MAINTAIN A DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK 

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

organisation   

Audit, risk and internal control 

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

The Board of Directors are aware of their responsibility for establishing and communicating a system to manage risk 
and implement internal controls. 

Operational  risks  are  identified  and  assessed  by  management  and  any  significant  risks  are  reported  to  the  Board.  
Financial and commercial risks are reviewed by the Board. 

The Board have reviewed the work of the executive management, which synthesised the key risks from a far broader 
assessment of all operational and corporate risks considered as part of the day to day operational and commercial 
management of the Company.  

The  Board,  Audit  Committee  and  HSE  and  Technical  Committee  Chair  were  circulated  with  summaries  of  the  risk 
analysis and discussed these informally before formal review at Board meetings.  

The  Company’s  internal  control  systems  are  designed  to  provide  the  directors  with  reasonable  assurance  that  any 
problems are identified on a timely basis and dealt with appropriately.  The Board considers the internal controls to be 
effective, but no system of internal control can provide absolute assurance against material misstatement or loss. 

The Company will effectively review the risks faced by the business, considering both opportunities and threats and 
identify these in its annual report. 

Further disclosures on risk and internal controls are set out below. 

Financial Controls 

The  Company  has  an  established  framework  of  internal  financial  controls,  the  effectiveness  of  which  is  regularly 
reviewed  by  the  Executive  Management,  the  Audit  Committee  and  the  Board  in  light  of  an  ongoing  assessment  of 
significant risks facing the Company. 

–  The Company’s Financial Operating Policy (FOP) is the framework which regulates the financial processes of 
the Group, from the concept of Group financial strategy through to the payment of invoices.  The key objectives 
of the FOP are to:   

- 
- 
- 

provide a clear framework for internal financial control; 
define the levels of financial authority for Staff, Contractors, Directors and the Board; and 
set out the processes for budgeting and financial reporting. 

–  The Board is responsible for reviewing and approving overall Company strategy, approving revenue and capital 
budgets and plans, and for determining the financial structure of the Company including treasury and tax. 
–  The Audit Committee assists the Board in discharging its duties regarding the financial statements, accounting 
policies and the maintenance of proper internal business and operational and financial controls, including the 
review of results of work performed by the Group controls function. 

–  There are comprehensive procedures for budgeting and planning, for monitoring and reporting to the Board 
business  performance  against  those  budgets  and  plans  and  for  forecasting  expected  performance  over  the 
remainder of the financial period.  These cover profits, cash flows, capital expenditure and net asset statements. 
–  The  Company  has  a  consistent  system  of  prior  appraisal  for  investments,  overseen  by  the  Chief  Financial 
Officer and Chief Executive Officer, with defined financial controls and procedures with which each business 
area is required to comply in order to be granted investment funds for development. 

Non-financial Controls 

The Board recognises that maintaining sound controls and discipline is critical to managing the downside risks to our 
plan. 

The  Board  has  ultimate  responsibility  for  the  Group’s  system  of  internal  control  and  for  reviewing  its  effectiveness.  
However, any such system of internal control can provide only reasonable, but not absolute, assurance against material 
misstatement or loss.  The Board considers that the internal controls in place are appropriate for the size, complexity 
and risk profile of the Group.  The principal elements of the Group’s internal control system include: 

–  Close management of the day-to-day activities of the Group by the Executive Directors. 
–  An  organisational  structure  with  defined  levels  of  responsibility,  which  promotes  entrepreneurial  decision-

making and rapid implementation while minimising risks. 

–  A comprehensive annual budgeting process. 
–  Detailed monthly reporting of performance against budget. 
–  Central control over key areas such as capital expenditure authorisation and banking facilities. 

The Group continues to review its system of internal control to ensure compliance with best practice, while also having 
regard to its size and the resources available.  As part of the Group’s review a number of non-financial controls covering  

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

IOG plc 

Page 32 of 108 

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

areas such as regulatory compliance, business integrity, health and safety, risk management, business continuity and 
corporate social responsibility have been assessed.  The key elements of those non-financial controls are set out below. 

Standards and Policies 

The Board is committed to maintaining appropriate standards for all the Company’s business activities and ensuring 
that these standards are set out in written policies and kept under review.  

Approval Process 

Contracts are required to be reviewed and signed off functionally by the CFO and General Counsel and signed by a 
Director  of  the  Company.  Major  contracts  require  the  internal  sign  off  from  two  or  more  directors  according  to  the 
Financial Operating Policy of the Company. 

Re-assessment 

The Company has a Business Risk Register with business continuity plans to address key risks that have an immediate 
impact.  Risks facing the business are re-assessed and potential mitigating actions are considered and implemented to 
help protect against those risks. 

Sections 5-10 of the Code state:   

5.  Maintaining the Board as a well-functioning, balanced team led by the Chair 

The  Board  currently  comprises  the  Non-Executive  Chair,  three  Executive  Directors  and  two  further  Non-Executive 
Directors.   

The Board considers that Fiona MacAulay (Chair), Esa Ikaheimonen (Senior Independent Director) and Neil Hawkings 
its current three Non-Executive Directors, bring independent judgement to bear. Fiona MacAulay was previously the 
Company’s Senior Independent Director.  

Non-Executive Directors are expected to devote such time as necessary for proper performance of their duties.  This 
includes regular attendance at Board, AGM, shareholder and committee meetings. 

The Board is satisfied that it has a suitable balance between independence on the one hand and knowledge of the 
Company on the other to enable it to discharge its duties and responsibilities effectively. 

All  Directors  are  encouraged  to  use  their  independent  judgement  and  to  challenge  all  matters,  whether  strategic  or 
operational.  During the year at least six scheduled Board meetings take place and a number of additional meetings as 
may be required.  These are held at IOG’s head office in London (or by video conference in exceptional circumstances 
due to government restrictions relating to Covid-19).   

Key Board activities include: 

–  Considering our financial and non-financial policies. 
–  Discussing strategic priorities. 
–  Discussing the Group’s capital structure and financial strategy, including capital investments and shareholder 

returns. 

–  Discussing internal governance processes. 

Directors’ Conflict of Interest 

The Company has effective procedures in place to monitor and deal with conflicts of interest.  The Board is aware of 
the other commitments and interests of its Directors and changes to these commitments interests are reported, minuted 
and where appropriate, agreed with the rest of the Board.  

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

IOG plc 

Page 33 of 108 

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

Directors’ Attendance: 

Director 

Board 

Audit Committee 

Remuneration and 
Nominations Committee 

HSE and Technical 
Committee  

Meetings 

12 

Fiona MacAulay 

Chair 12 

Andrew Hockey 

Rupert Newall1 

Esa Ikaheimonen 

Neil Hawkings 

12 

12 

12 

12 

6 

6 

- 

- 

Chair 6 

- 

4 

Chair 4 

- 

- 

4 

- 

4 

- 

- 

1 

- 

Chair 4 

1.  Rupert Newall attended the January 2021 HSE and Technical Committee meeting as Interim Project Director and David Gibson in his capacity as COO was 

appointed as a new committee member on 8 February 2021. Mark Yates, in his capacity as HSE Manager, acts as Secretary to the Committee. 

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

capabilities 

The Board is satisfied that, between the Directors, it has an effective and appropriate balance of skills and experience, 
including in the areas of technical Oil and Gas subsurface, project management, drilling and facilities experience and 
in  the  areas  of  banking,  financial  and  commercial  skills  and  experience.  All  Directors  receive  regular  and  timely 
information on the Group’s operational and financial performance.  Relevant information is circulated to the Directors 
by the Company Secretary in advance of meetings.  The business reports monthly on its headline performance against 
its agreed budget and the Board reviews the monthly update on performance and any significant variances are reviewed 
at each meeting. 

Relevant updates are provided by the General Counsel, external counsel, NOMAD and Brokers as required.  

Two Non-Executive Directors are active in other companies in Executive and Non-Executive capacities. 

All Directors retire by rotation at regular intervals in accordance with the Company’s Articles of Association. 

Appointment, removal and re-election of Directors 

The Board makes decisions regarding the appointment and  removal of Directors and there is a formal, rigorous and 
transparent procedure for appointments.  The Company’s Articles of Association require that one-third of the Directors 
must stand for re-election by shareholders annually in rotation; that all Directors must stand for re-election at least once 
every three years; and that any new Directors appointed during the year must stand for election at the AGM immediately 
following their appointment. 

The  Board  of  Directors  has  a  mix  of  experience,  skills  and  personal  qualities  that  help  deliver  the  strategy  of  the 
Company.  The Company will ensure that between them the Directors have the necessary up-to-date experience, skills 
and capabilities to deliver the Company strategy and targets.  Each Director is listed on the website and in the annual 
report along with a clear description of their role and experience.  

The Board also evaluates the balance of skills, knowledge and experience on the Board and considers all new Board 
appointments and re-appointments against this evaluation. 

Independent Advice 

All Directors are able to  take independent professional advice in the  furtherance of their duties, if necessary, at the 
Company’s expense.  In addition, the Directors have direct access to the advice and services of the General Counsel 
and Company Secretary, the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer. 

Experience, Skills and Capabilities 

Biographical details of the Directors and their relevant experience can be found on the Company website at the following 
link www.iog.co.uk/about-us/board-and-management/. 

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

improvement. 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

IOG plc 

Page 34 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

The Chair will continue to informally assess the individual contributions of each of the members of the team to ensure 
that Company strategy is effectively implemented, and that:  

- 

- 

- 

Their contribution is relevant and effective 

That they are committed 

Where relevant, they have maintained their independence  

Each year the board team completes an internal review of individual and collective effectiveness and identifies a number 
of  actions  to  ensure  that  the  members  of  the  Board  collectively  function  in  an  efficient  and  productive  manner  as 
possible. This takes the form of an adapted standard form questionnaire that is circulated by the Company Secretary, 
the  results  of  which  were  summarised  and  discussed  with  the  Chair.  The  results  were  collated  under  a  traffic  light 
system, together with suggested actions, which were circulated to the Board and then discussed in a full Board meeting, 
with agreed actions being minuted. These actions have included the introduction of strategic sessions to compliment 
the  usual  format  of  board  meetings,  adjusting  board  meetings  into  longer  and  also  some  shorter  update  sessions, 
updated processes to manage risk registers between the Board and Committees, improved employee communication 
through town hall and virtual town hall meetings.    

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

The Board aims to lead by example and do what is in the best interests of the Company. 

The Company operates a corporate culture that is based on ethical values and behaviours.  It maintains policies and 
processes that are appropriate to do this for a Company of its size. The Executive Directors communicate regularly with 
staff through town hall meetings, both in person and through digital communications where necessary. 

The  Board  has  implemented  a  robust  governance  framework  including  a  Code  of  Conduct,  which  includes  the 
Company’s Compliance with Anti-bribery and Corruption Policy that is incorporated in an updated Employee Handbook 
and is communicated to all employees.  The Code provides clear guidance on how the members of staff are expected 
to  behave  towards  other  colleagues,  suppliers,  customers,  shareholders  and  on  our  wider  responsibility  to  the 
communities within which we operate.  All employees are expected to comply with the Code and any violations of it 
may be reported to local management or Group HR.  

Anti-bribery and Corruption Policy  

Company policy is to conduct all its business in an honest and ethical manner.  The Company and Group apply a zero-
tolerance approach to bribery and corruption and is committed to acting professionally, fairly and with integrity in all its 
business dealings and relationships wherever it operates by implementing and enforcing effective systems to counter 
bribery. 

9.  Maintain governance structures and processes that are fit for purpose and support good 

decision-making by the Board 

Board programme 

The Board meets at least six times each year in accordance with its scheduled meeting calendar. 

The Board sets direction for the Company through a formal schedule of matters reserved for its decision.  Prior to the 
start of each financial year, a schedule of dates for that year’s Board meetings is compiled to align as far as reasonably 
practicable with the Company’s financial calendar while also ensuring an appropriate spread of meetings across the 
financial year.  This may be supplemented by additional meetings as and when required. 

During  2021  the  Board  met  for  its  six  scheduled  meetings  and  a  further  eleven  ad-hoc  meetings,  giving  a  total  of 
seventeen  meetings.  The  Board  and  its  subcommittees  receive  appropriate  and  timely  information  prior  to  each 
meeting; a formal agenda is produced for each meeting and Board and Committee papers are distributed several days 
before meetings take place.  Any Director may challenge Company proposals and decisions are taken democratically 
after discussion.  Any Director who feels that any concern remains unresolved after discussion may ask for that concern 
to be noted in the minutes of the meeting, which are then circulated to all Directors by the Company Secretary.  Any 
specific actions arising from such meetings are agreed by the Board or relevant Committee and then followed up by the 
Company’s executive management. 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

IOG plc 

Page 35 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

Roles of the Board, Chair and Chief Executive Officer. 

The Board is responsible for the long-term success of the Company.  There is a formal schedule of matters reserved to 
the  Board.    It  is  responsible  for  overall  Group  strategy;  approval  of  major  investments  (whether  Capex  or  Opex); 
approval  of  the  annual  and  interim  results;  annual  budgets  and  Board  structure.    It  monitors  the  exposure  to  key 
business risks and reviews the strategic direction of all trading subsidiaries, their annual budgets and their performance 
in relation to those budgets.  There is a clear division of responsibility at the head of the Company as the roles of Chair 
and Chief Executive Officer are split.  The Chair is responsible for running the business of the Board and for ensuring 
appropriate strategic focus and direction.  The Chair leads a Board of Non-Executive Directors with significant industry 
experience, in order to provide an effective challenge to the Executive Directors and to foster high quality debate and 
effective  business  decisions  in  an  open  and  ethical  culture.  The  Chair  considers  the  Code  principles  of  Company 
strategy, shareholder, stakeholder, societal, environmental and risk management responsibilities. The Chair, together 
with the Company Secretary ensures that all Directors are aware and updated on their duties. The Chair assesses the 
Board’s effectiveness on  an annual basis and  identifies actions to  improve the functioning  of the  Board.  The Chief 
Executive  Officer  is  responsible  for  proposing  the  strategic  focus  to  the  Board,  implementing  it  once  it  has  been 
approved and overseeing the management of the Company through the Executive Team. 

All Directors receive regular and timely  information on the Group’s operational and financial performance.  Relevant 
information  is  circulated  to  the  Directors  in  advance  of  meetings.    The  business  reports  monthly  on  its  headline 
performance against its agreed budget and the Board reviews the monthly update on performance and any significant 
variances are reviewed at each meeting.  Senior executives below Board level attend Board meetings where appropriate 
to present business updates.  Board meetings throughout the year are held at the Company’s head office or virtually. 

Executive Team 

The Executive Team comprises Andrew Hockey the Chief Executive Officer, Rupert Newall, the Chief Financial Officer, 
David Gibson, the Chief Operating Officer (following his appointment on 8 February 2021), James Chance, the Head 
of  Capital  Markets  &  ESG  and  Robin  Storey,  General  Counsel  and  Company  Secretary.  They  are  responsible  for 
formulation of the proposed strategic focus for submission to the Board, the day-to-day management of the Group’s 
businesses and its overall trading, operational and financial performance in fulfilment of that strategy, as well as plans 
and  budgets  approved  by  the  Board  of  Directors.    The  Executive  Team  also  manages  and  oversees  key  risks, 
management development and corporate responsibility programmes.  The Chief Executive Officer reports to the Board 
on issues, progress and recommendations for change.  The controls applied by the Executive Team to financial and 
non-financial matters are set out earlier in this document and the effectiveness of these controls is regularly reported to 
the Audit Committee and the Board. 

Board Committees 

The Board is supported by the Audit Committee, Remuneration and Nomination Committee and the HSE and Technical 
Committee.  Each subcommittee has access to such resources, information and advice as it deems necessary, at the 
cost of the Company, to enable the committee to discharge its duties.  The terms of reference of each committee are 
as follows:  

Audit Committee 

The  Audit  Committee  comprises  Esa  Ikaheimonen  (Chair)  and  Fiona  MacAulay.  The  Audit  Committee  has  primary 
responsibility for monitoring the quality of internal controls and ensuring that the financial performance of the Group is 
properly measured and reported on.  In addition, it receives, and reviews reports from the Company’s management and 
auditors. The Audit Committee met six times during the year. It has unrestricted access to the Company’s Auditors.    

Remuneration and Nominations Committee 

The  Remuneration  and  Nominations  Committee  comprises  Fiona  MacAulay  (Chair)  and  Esa  Ikaheimonen.  The 
Remuneration Committee determines the remuneration of the Executive Directors and grants share options and any 
other equity incentives pursuant to any share option scheme or LTIP in operation from time to time.   The Committee 
leads the process for Board appointments and makes recommendations for maintaining an appropriate balance of skills 
on the Board.  The Remuneration & Nominations Committee met twice during the year as planned.  

Other Directors, including the Chief Executive, are invited to attend as appropriate and only if they do not have a conflict 
of interest.  The Committee was also assisted by executive and industry remuneration consultants during the year.  

HSE and Technical Committee 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

IOG plc 

Page 36 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

The HSE and Technical Committee comprises  Neil Hawkings (Chair), Andrew Hockey and  David Gibson,  who was 
appointed on 8 February 2021.  Mark Yates, the Company’s Head of HSE, acts as Secretary to the Committee. The 
HSE and Technical Committee determines the Company’s Environmental  Management Policy, its Health and Safety 
Management  Policy  and  directs  the  overall  governance  of  the  Company’s  Subsurface  and  Technical  Management 
policies. The HSE and Technical Committee met four times during the year.  

BUILD TRUST 

10.  Communicate  how  the  Company  is  governed  and  is  performing  by  maintaining  a  dialogue  with 

shareholders and other relevant stakeholders 

The Company communicates with shareholders through the Annual Report and Accounts, full-year and half-year interim 
announcements, the Annual General Meeting (‘AGM’), General Meetings (‘GMs’) and one-to-one meetings with large 
existing or potential new shareholders.  Investor Relations are managed by the Executive Team and email queries from 
private individual shareholders are handled with responses limited to clarifying information that is already in the public 
domain. 

In regard to a general meeting of the Company, once the meeting has concluded the results of the meeting are released 
through a regulatory news service and a copy of the announcement is posted on the Company’s website.  If it became 
relevant an explanation of actions where a significant proportion of votes (e.g. 20% of votes received) is cast against a 
resolution would be provided. 

A range of corporate information (including all Company announcements, third party reports, summaries of key assets 
and presentations)  is also  available to shareholders,  investors and the public on the Company’s corporate  website, 
https://www.iog.co.uk. 

The Board receives regular updates on the views of shareholders from the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer and 
the Chief Financial Officer.  The Company’s PR consultants Vigo Communications provides monthly reports on public 
forum comments about the Company and the Company’s Nominated Advisor finnCap provides weekly reports on share 
price  performance  and  comparisons  with  our  peer  group.    The  Company  communicates  with  institutional  investors 
frequently  through  briefings  with  management.    In  addition,  analysts’  notes  and  brokers’  briefings  are  reviewed  to 
achieve a wide understanding of investors’ views.  All annual reports and interim statements since the Company was 
formed are available on the Company’s website at  https://www.iog.co.uk/investors/results-reports-and-presentations/.  

Website AIM Rule 26 Page 

The AIM Rule 26 page of the website includes this Corporate Governance Statement and information or links to the 
statutory information regarding:  

•  Description of the business 
•  Details and biographies of the Board of Directors 
•  Description of main Board committees and their responsibilities 
•  Details of any restrictions on the transfer of AIM securities 
•  Number of securities in issue 
• 

Identity  and  percentage  holding  of  significant  shareholders,  including  Directors’  shareholdings  and 
shareholders with more than 3% of the stock 

•  Current Annual Report & Accounts 
•  Current constitutional documents 
•  Admission Document 

The Company website is updated regularly. 

On behalf of the Board 

Robin Storey 
General Counsel and Company Secretary 
16 March 2022 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

IOG plc 

Page 37 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 

Report of the Directors 

The Directors present their report and audited financial statements of IOG plc (“the Company”) and its subsidiaries ("the 
Group") for the year ended 31 December 2021.  All amounts are shown in Pounds Sterling, unless otherwise stated. 

The Company has its headquarters in London and its oil and gas interests are in the UK sector of the North Sea. 

Information about the principal activities of the business, statement of reserves and resources, operational and financial 
updates, the principal risks and uncertainties faced by the business, the Group’s KPIs and the Directors’ going concern 
assessment can be found in the Strategic Report / Finance Review. 

Dividend 
The Directors do not recommend the payment of a dividend (2020: £nil). 

Political contributions 
No payments to political parties have been made during the year (2020: £nil). 

Future Developments 
The Group is now primarily focused on optimising the performance of the Phase 1 of the Saturn Banks project as well 
as delivering further phases, further details of which are included in the Strategic Report above.  

Directors and their Interests 
The Directors who held office during the year, and at the date of this report, were: - 
Fiona MacAulay  
Andrew Hockey 
Rupert Newall  
Esa Ikaheimonen  
Neil Hawkings  

Directors’ biographies and committee memberships are set out in the Corporate Governance Report from pages 30 to 
37.  

The Group has provided the Directors with third party indemnity insurance of £25 million for 2021 (2020: £25 million).  

Directors who held office during the financial year had the following interests in shares of the Company: 

Ordinary shares of 1p each  At 31 December 2021 
Andrew Hockey 
830,729 
Rupert Newall 1 
3,807,050 
220,000 
Fiona MacAulay 
500,000 
Esa Ikaheimonen 
20,000 
Neil Hawkings 

At 31 December 2020 
790,729 
3,767,050 
200,000 
500,000 
- 

1 Also includes people related to, or persons closely associated to Rupert Newall. 

Details of Directors’ emoluments and share options are set out in Note 4 to the financial statements. 

IOG plc 

Page 38 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

Substantial Shareholdings  
Except for the holdings of ordinary shares listed below, the Company has not been notified by or become aware of any 
persons holding 3% or more of the 523,844,193 issued ordinary shares of 1p each of the Company as at market close 
on 16 March 2022. 

Shareholder 
London Oil and Gas Limited (in administration) 
Lombard Odier Asset Management (Europe) Limited 
Premier Miton Investors  
Chelverton Asset Management  
Richard Griffiths and Controlled Undertakings 
Stonehage Fleming  
Remainder 

Total 

Number 
144,538,669 
88,334,277 
55,136,037 
25,000,000 
23,135,494 
18,500,000 
169,199,716 

% 
27.59% 
16.86% 
10.53% 
4.77% 
4.42% 
3.53% 
32.30% 

523,844,193 

100% 

Risk Management 
Information on the financial and operational risks faced by the Group and the risk management objectives and policies 
is included in the Strategic Report. 

Financial Instruments 
Information on financial instruments can be found in Note 22 to the financial statements. 

Related Parties 
Information on related party transactions can be found in Note 24 to the financial statements. 

Subsequent Events 
Information on subsequent events can be found in Note 26 to the financial statements. 

Shareholder Communications 
The Company has a website, www.iog.co.uk, to provide relevant information to shareholders. 

IOG plc 

Page 39 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STATEMENT OF DIRECTORS’ RESPONSIBILITIES 

Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities 

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

Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year.  Under that legislation the 
Directors  have  elected  to  prepare  the  Group  and  Company  financial  statements  in  accordance  with  UK  adopted 
International Accounting Standards as applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006.  Under 
company law the Directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and 
fair view of the state of affairs of the Group and Company and of the profit or loss of the Group for that period.  The 
Directors are also required to prepare financial statements in accordance with the rules of the London Stock Exchange 
for companies trading securities on the Alternative Investment Market (‘AIM’). 

In preparing these financial statements, the Directors are required to: - 

•  select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; 
•  make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; 
•  state whether they have been prepared in accordance with UK adopted International Accounting Standards applied 
in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  Companies  Act  2006,  subject  to  any  material  departures  disclosed  and 
explained in the financial statements; and 

•  prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Group 

and Company will continue in business. 

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

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

Directors' confirmation 
Each person who is Director at the time when this report is approved has confirmed that: 

a.  So far as each Director is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the Company's auditor is unaware; 

and 

b.  Each Director has taken  all the steps that ought to have been taken  as a  Director, including making appropriate 
enquiries of fellow Directors and the Company's auditor for that purpose, to be aware of any information needed by 
the Company's auditor in connection with preparing their report and to establish that the Company's auditor is aware 
of that information. 

Auditor 
BDO LLP have expressed their willingness to continue in office and a resolution to re-appoint them will be proposed at 
the annual general meeting. 

On behalf of the Board 

Andrew Hockey 
Chief Executive Officer 
16 March 2022 

IOG plc 

Page 40 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF IOG PLC 

Opinion on the financial statements 

In our opinion: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

the  financial  statements  give  a  true  and  fair  view  of  the  state  of  the  Group’s  and  of  the  Parent 
Company’s affairs as at 31 December 2021 and of the Group’s loss for the year then ended; 
the  Group  financial  statements  have  been  properly  prepared  in  accordance  with  UK  adopted 
international accounting standards; 
the  Parent  Company  financial  statements  have  been  properly  prepared  in  accordance  with  UK 
adopted international accounting standards 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. 

We have audited the financial statements of IOG Plc (the ‘Parent Company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘Group’) 
for the year ended 31 December 2021 which comprise the consolidated statement of comprehensive income, 
the  consolidated  and  company  statements  of  changes  in  equity,  the  consolidated  statement  of  financial 
position, the company statement of financial position, the consolidated cash flow statement, the company 
cash flow statement and notes forming part of the financial statements, including a summary of significant 
accounting policies.  

The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and UK adopted 
international accounting standards and, as regards the Parent Company financial statements, as applied in 
accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006. 

Basis for opinion 

We  conducted  our  audit  in  accordance  with  International  Standards  on  Auditing  (UK)  (ISAs  (UK))  and 
applicable  law.  Our  responsibilities  under  those  standards  are  further  described  in  the  Auditor’s 
responsibilities  for  the  audit  of  the  financial  statements  section  of  our  report.  We  believe  that  the  audit 
evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.  

Independence 

We remain independent of the Group and the Parent Company in accordance with the ethical requirements 
that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard as 
applied  to  listed  entities,  and  we  have  fulfilled  our  other  ethical  responsibilities  in  accordance  with  these 
requirements.  

Conclusions relating to going concern 

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Directors’ use of the going concern basis of 
accounting  in  the  preparation  of  the  financial  statements  is  appropriate.  Our  evaluation  of  the  Directors’ 
assessment of the Group and the Parent Company’s ability to continue to adopt the going concern basis of 
accounting has been included in the key audit matters section below. 

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events 
or  conditions  that,  individually  or  collectively,  may  cast  significant  doubt  on  the  Group  and  the  Parent 
Company’s  ability  to  continue  as  a  going  concern  for  a  period  of  at  least  twelve  months  from  when  the 
financial statements are authorised for issue.  

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Directors with respect to going concern are described in 
the relevant sections of this report. 

IOG plc 

Page 41 of 108 

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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF IOG PLC (CONT’D) 

Overview 

Coverage 

100% (2020: 100%) of Group loss before tax 
100% (2020: 100%) of Group revenue 
100% (2020: 100%) of Group total assets 

Key 
matters 

audit 

Materiality 

Accounting for leases under IFRS 16 
Going Concern 
Accounting for decommissioning 
provisions  
Group financial statements as a whole 

2021 

 
 

2020 
 
 
n/a 

£2.6m (2020:£2.2m) based on 1.4% of total assets 

An overview of the scope of our audit 

Our  Group  audit  was  scoped  by  obtaining  an  understanding  of  the  Group  and  its  environment, 
including the Group’s system of internal control, and assessing the risks of material misstatement 
in the financial statements. We also addressed the risk of management override of internal controls, 
including assessing whether there was evidence of bias by the Directors that may have represented 
a risk of material misstatement. 

We  determined  that  there  were  three  significant  components:  IOG  UK  Ltd,  IOG  North  Sea  Limited,  IOG 
Infrastructure Limited. Together with the parent company and its Group consolidation, they were all subject 
to a full scope audit.  

The  remaining  components  of  the  Group  were  considered  non-significant  and  these  components  were 
principally subject to analytical review procedures, together with additional substantive testing over the risk 
areas detailed above where applicable to that component.  

All of the audit work was conducted by the group audit team.  

IOG plc 

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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF IOG PLC (CONT’D) 

Key audit matters 

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

Key audit matter  

How the scope of our audit addressed the 
key audit matter 

leases 
IFRS 

Accounting 
for 
under 
16  
(Please  refer 
to  note  1,  9 
and 21 of the 
financial 
statements 
for 
information)  

further 

During 
the 
development  of  its  oil 
and  gas  projects  the 
Group has entered into 
a number of significant 
contracts 
with 
suppliers  for  platform 
construction,  subsea 
drilling  and  offshore 
support  activities.  A 
these 
of 
number 
are 
contracts 
considered 
be 
leases. 

to 

Given the complexities 
and 
judgements 
required  to  be  applied 
in 
by  Management 
determining 
the 
application of IFRS 16 
to  the  arrangements, 
the  materiality  of  the 
balances related to the 
the 
leases 
in 
judgements 
the 
ensuring 
completeness  of 
the 
right  of  use  asset  and 
lease 
liabilities  we 
consider  this  area  to 
be a significant risk for 
the audit and therefore 
a key audit matter. 

and 

assessment 

reviewed  and  challenged 
•  We  obtained, 
Management’s 
lease 
accounting  for  contracts  entered  into  during 
the year, including consideration of the impact 
on  lease  liabilities  and  right  of  use  assets 
recognised.  

of 

to 

•  We  reviewed  a  sample  of  the  underlying 
supporting 
check 
agreements 
Management had identified and reflected the 
relevant 
appropriate  accounting 
clauses impacted by the application of IFRS 
16 such as renewal option clauses. We also 
met  with  the  projects  and  contracts  team  to 
obtain  an  understanding  of  the  contract 
identification process for potential leases.  

for  all 

•  We  evaluated  whether  Management’s 
accounting  for  the  lease  modifications  that 
occurred  during  the  current  year  was  in 
accordance with applicable standards and re-
performed our own assessment of the impact 
on the financial statements.  

•  We  assessed  Management’s  accounting  for 
the  amendments  to  day  rates  and  operation 
of the equipment under contracts classified as 
leases, in order to check whether the correct 
accounting treatment had been applied in line 
with 
applicable  
accounting standards.  

requirements 

the 

of 

•  We 

recalculated 

Management’s 
determination  of  the  right  of  use  asset  and 
lease liability for new leases identified.  

•  We  also  recalculated  the  depreciation  and 
leases 
finance  cost 

associated 
for  all 
recorded at the balance sheet date. 

focussed 

•  We  challenged  the  incremental  borrowing 
rate assumption made by Management. Our 
work 
benchmarking 
Management’s  assumptions  against  interest 
rates  on  bonds  and  other  loans  received  by 
the  Group 
the 
reasonableness of the rate applied. 

to  assess 

in  order 

on 

IOG plc 

Page 43 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
in 

•  We obtained a listing of suppliers used by the 
Group 
the  year  and  obtained  an 
understanding  of  the  services  provided  by 
supporting 
review 
each 
documentation  in  order  to  determine  the 
completeness  of  Management’s  IFRS  16 
assessment. 

through 

of 

•  We  further  analysed  the  general  ledger  to 
assess  whether  the  supplier  listing  was 
for  example  searching  entry 
complete, 
descriptions 
for  previously  unidentified 
suppliers,  and  also  to  identify  any  material 
recurring costs to determine any unidentified 
leases as these could be indicative of a lease 
payment in substance. 

end 

•  We  reviewed  a  sample  of  current  and  post 
year 
the 
payments 
completeness  of  Management’s  IFRS  16 
assessment.  During the audit  of other areas 
of  the  financial  statements,  we  considered 
whether any costs incurred may indicate the 
existence of a lease arrangement.  

agree 

to 

•  We reviewed the adequacy of the disclosures 
in  the  financial  statements  for  compliance 
with the accounting framework. 

Key observations: 
Based  on  the  work  performed  we  did  not 
identify  any  instances  which  suggests  that 
the  accounting  for  the  leases  is  materially 
incorrect.  

•  We  held  discussions  with  Management  to 
the  material  changes  and 
decommissioning 

understand 
movements 
the 
provisions which had occurred in the year.  

in 

the  key 

•  We obtained Management’s calculation of the 
year  end  decommissioning  provision  and 
inputs.  We  critically 
assessed 
assessed  the  assumptions  including:  a)  the 
expected  timing  of  decommissioning  of  the 
assets versus the operational plans and wider 
Group programs, b) comparing discount rates 
to  market  risk  free  bond  rates  and  peer 
analysis,  c)  comparing  inflation  rates  to 
forecast  inflation  rate  data,  and  d)  agreeing 
the 
of 
of 
decommissioning  cost  estimates  with  third 
party external data and internal expert reports 
where possible. 

consistency 

cost 

the 

•  We  performed  sensitivity  analysis  on  the 
discount  rate  as  this  was  considered  a 
judgemental input.  

•  We  reviewed  correspondence  with  the  Oil 
and Gas Authority and made specific inquiries 
of Management to understand and assess the 

Accounting 
for 
decommissi
oning 
provisions 
(Please  refer 
to note 1 and 
the 
of 
16 
financial 
statements 
for 
information)  

further 

The  Group  has  a 
regulatory 
and 
financial  obligation  to 
their 
decommission 
assets  at  their  end  of 
their economic lives. 

There are a number of 
judgements 
and 
estimates 
such  as 
costs, the timing of the 
work  and  the  discount 
by 
rate 
applied 
the 
Management 
in 
determination  of 
the 
decommissioning 
provision 
accordance  with 
accounting standard.  

in 
the 

in 

the  material 
Given 
increase 
this 
provision  in  the  year, 
this 
we  considered 
area to be a significant 
risk  for  the  audit  and 

IOG plc 

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Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
therefore  a  key  audit 
matter. 

appropriateness  of 
plans.  

the  decommissioning 

•  We  critically  assessed 

the 

integrity  of 
Management’s  calculations,  assessing  the 
mathematical  accuracy  of 
the  provision, 
verifying  the  discount  unwinding  charge, 
movement  in  the  provision  and  associated 
decommissioning assets. 

•  We  held  meetings  with  Management’s 
to  assess  controls  and 
internal  experts 
the  preparation  of 
to 
oversight  relating 
estimates  applied  in  the  decommissioning 
provisions  and  considered  the  risks  and 
uncertainties  associated  with  the  required 
work for each asset.  

•  We assessed the competence and objectivity 
of  Management’s  internal  experts  in  the 
preparation of estimates of decommissioning 
obligations. 

Key observations: 
Based on the work performed, we consider 
the  judgements  and  estimates  made  in the 
calculation  of  the  Group’s  provisions  for 
decommissioning to be reasonable.   

flow 

forecasts  and 

•  We  obtained,  challenged  and  assessed  the 
Group  and  Parent  Company’s  base  case 
cash 
the  underlying 
assumptions  (gas  prices,  production  levels, 
operating  and  development  costs)  which 
have been approved by the Board focussing 
on  the  appropriateness  of  estimates  with 
reference  to  empirical  data  and  external 
evidence. 

•  We 

the 
challenged  Management  on 
forecast 
price 
reasonableness 
of 
assumptions  applied 
the  model  and 
benchmarked  these  to  market  and  other 
broker consensus pricing ranges. 

in 

•  We  assessed  whether  key  inputs  applied  in 
the  cash  flow  forecasts  relating  to  future 
capital costs and production were consistent 
with approved budgets and field development 
plans  and  other  financial  and  operational 
information obtained during the course of the 
audit. 

•  We  evaluated  potential  mitigating  actions 
identified  by  Management.  In  doing  so  we 
terms  of  working  capital 
confirmed 
facilities in place and their due date.  

the 

•  We  obtained, 

reviewed  and  challenged 
Management’s reverse stress testing analysis 
which was performed to  determine  the  point 
at  which  liquidity  and  bond  covenants  are 

Going 
concern  
(Please  refer 
to  note  1  of 
financial 
the 
statements 
for 
information) 

further 

Group 

is 
The 
inherently 
reliant  on 
the  sale  of  gas  from 
production 
which 
commenced  in  March 
2022,  as  the  funding 
obtained  in  the  prior 
period 
been 
has 
largely  utilised  and 
the 
accordingly 
cash 
available 
resources 
have 
significantly reduced.   

the 

The  Directors  have 
therefore  made 
a 
number of judgements 
and  estimates  around 
whether 
gas 
production  will  provide 
sufficient cashflows for 
least  12  months 
at 
the  date  of 
from 
the 
of 
approval 
financial  statements. 
Due to the significance 
of the judgements and 
estimates  we consider 
it  to  be  a  key  audit 
matter. 

IOG plc 

Page 45 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
breached.  Our  testing  considered  whether 
such 
significant 
deductions  in  gas  prices  and  delays  to 
production were possible. 

scenarios, 

including 

•  We  compared  the  Group’s  actual  results  for 
the  year  ended  31  December  2021  to  the 
planned budgeted out turn for 2021 to assess 
the  quality  of  Management’s  budgetary 
process  including  retrospective  analysis  on 
the  planned  capital  and  developmental 
expenditure. 

•  We compared the levels  of production since 
levels  of 
first  gas  against 
production 
potential 
and 
downside  scenarios  in  order  to  assess  the 
level of sensitivity in the model from this key 
input. 

forecast 
considered 

the 

•  We  compared 

the 

level  of  capital  and 
developmental expenditure committed by the 
Group  and  Parent  Company  to  the  level  of 
such  expenditure 
the  going 
concern model. We agreed a sample of such 
expenditure 
source 
underlying 
to 
documentation such as contracts. 

included 

in 

•  We assessed the sufficiency of the disclosure 
within the financial statements relating to the 
Directors’  assessment  of  the  going  concern 
basis  of  preparation  checking 
the 
disclosures  reflect  the  key  judgements  and 
estimates made. 

that 

Key observations: 
See  the  Conclusions  relating  to  going  concern 
section above.  

IOG plc 

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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF IOG PLC (CONT’D) 

Our application of materiality  

We apply the concept of materiality both in planning and performing our audit, and in evaluating the effect of 
misstatements. We consider materiality to be the magnitude by which misstatements, including omissions, 
could  influence  the  economic  decisions  of  reasonable  users  that  are  taken  on  the  basis  of  the  financial 
statements.  

In order to reduce to an appropriately low level the probability that any misstatements exceed materiality, we 
use a lower materiality level, performance materiality, to determine the extent of testing needed. Importantly, 
misstatements below these levels will not necessarily be evaluated as immaterial as we also take account of 
the nature of identified misstatements, and the particular circumstances of their occurrence, when evaluating 
their effect on the financial statements as a whole.  

Based on our professional judgement, we determined materiality for the financial statements as a whole and 
performance materiality as follows: 

for 

Materiality 
Basis 
determining 
materiality 
Rationale  for 
the 
benchmark 
applied 

Performance 
materiality 
Basis 
determining 
performance 
materiality 

for 

Group financial statements 

Parent company financial 
statements 

2021 
£m 
2.6 
1.4%  of  total 
assets 

2020 
£m 
2.2 
1.4% of total 
assets 

2021 
£m 
2.3 
90%  of Group 
materiality.  

2020 
£m 
1.9 
of  Group 

90% 
materiality. 

The Company is a holding company 
Materiality  is  set  at  90%  of  Group 
reporting 
for  Group 
materiality 
purposes  given  the  assessment  of 
aggregation risk. 

Total Assets was determined 
as  an  appropriate  basis  as 
the  principal  focus  of  the 
remains 
Group, 
fundamentally 
focussed  on 
the development of its oil and 
gas  assets.  As  such,  we 
consider the shareholders will 
look 
the  statement  of 
financial  position  and  total 
assets  of  the  Group  in  order 
to  understand  the  level  of 
investment. 

to 

£2m 

£1.6m 

£1.7m 

£1.4m 

setting 

performance 
In 
materiality  at  75%  of 
the 
above  materiality  level  we 
considered  a  number  of 
factors including the expected 
total value of known and likely 
(based  on 
misstatements 
past 
and 
attitude 
Management’s 
towards 
proposed 
adjustments 

experience), 

In setting performance materiality at 
75%  of  the  above  materiality  level 
we considered  a number  of factors 
including the expected total value of 
known  and 
likely  misstatements 
(based  on  past  experience),  and 
towards 
Management’s  attitude 
proposed adjustments 

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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF IOG PLC (CONT’D) 

Lower threshold for testing 

We also determined that for items in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income, a misstatement 
of less than materiality for the financial statements as a whole could influence the economic decisions of 
users. As a result, we applied a lower threshold of testing for these items based on 5% of loss before tax for 
each component of the Group which ranged from £230,000 to £260,000.  

Component materiality 

We set materiality for each component of the Group based on 1.4% of the individual total assets dependent on the size 
and  our  assessment  of  the  risk  of  material  misstatement  of  that  component.  Component  materiality  ranged  from 
£400,000 to £1,050,000. In the audit of each component, we further applied performance materiality levels of 75% of 
the  component  materiality  to  our  testing  to  ensure  that  the  risk  of  errors  exceeding  component  materiality  was 
appropriately mitigated. 

Reporting threshold   

We agreed with the Audit Committee that we would report to them all individual audit differences in excess of £52,600 
(2020: £43,000). We also agreed to report differences below this threshold that, in our view, warranted reporting on 
qualitative grounds. 

Other information 

The  directors  are  responsible  for  the  other  information.  The  other  information  comprises  the  information 
included in the Annual report and accounts 2021 other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report 
thereon. Our  opinion  on  the financial  statements  does not  cover  the other  information  and,  except  to  the 
extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. 
Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is 
materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or 
otherwise  appears  to  be  materially  misstated.  If  we  identify  such  material  inconsistencies  or  apparent 
material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in 
the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a 
material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. 

We have nothing to report in this regard. 

Other Companies Act 2006 reporting 

Based on the responsibilities described below and our work performed during the course of the audit, we are 
required by the Companies Act 2006 and ISAs (UK) to report on certain opinions and matters as described 
below.   

Strategic 
report 
Directors’ 
report  

and 

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit: 
the information given in the Strategic report and the Directors’ report 
• 
for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared 
is consistent with the financial statements; and 
the Strategic report and the Directors’ report have been prepared in 
accordance with applicable legal requirements. 

• 

In  the  light  of  the  knowledge  and  understanding  of  the  Group  and 
Parent  Company  and  its  environment  obtained  in  the  course  of  the 
audit,  we  have  not  identified  material  misstatements  in  the  strategic 
report or the Directors’ report. 

Matters  on 
which we are 
to 
required 

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in 
relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you 
if, in our opinion: 

IOG plc 

Page 48 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
report 
exception 

by 

•  adequate  accounting  records  have  not  been  kept  by  the  Parent 
Company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received 
from branches not visited by us; or 
the Parent Company financial statements are not in agreement with 
the accounting records and returns; or 

• 

•  certain disclosures of Directors’ remuneration specified by law are 

not made; or 

•  we  have  not  received  all  the  information  and  explanations  we 

require for our audit. 

Responsibilities of Directors 

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

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

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements 

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are 
free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes 
our  opinion.  Reasonable  assurance  is  a  high  level  of  assurance,  but  is  not  a  guarantee  that  an  audit 
conducted  in  accordance  with  ISAs  (UK)  will  always  detect  a  material  misstatement  when  it  exists. 
Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, 
they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these 
financial statements. 

Extent to which the audit was capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud 

Irregularities,  including  fraud,  are  instances  of  non-compliance  with  laws  and  regulations.  We  design 
procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of 
irregularities,  including  fraud.  The  extent  to  which  our  procedures  are  capable  of  detecting  irregularities, 
including fraud is detailed below.  

We considered the risk of management override during the course of our work. We considered the potential 
for  management  override  to  arise  in  respect  of  the  areas  where  management  are  required  to  make 
judgements and estimates in the determination of a financial statement balance.  

We considered the laws and regulations of the UK to be those relating to the industry, financial reporting 
framework, tax legislation, environmental regulations and the listing rules as the most relevant to the audit 
given the geographical area of focus of the Group. As part of our audit work we reviewed and held meetings 
with the relevant internal Management to form our own opinion on the extent of the Group wide compliance.  

In addition, our testing also included, but was not limited to: 

•  Testing  the  financial  statement  disclosures  to  supporting  documentation,  performing  substantive 
testing on account balances which were considered to be a greater risk of susceptibility to fraud; 
•  Enquiring  of  Management  and  the  Audit  Committee  of  known  or  suspected  instances  of  fraud, 

potential litigation and claims;  

Reading minutes of meetings of those charged with governance and regulatory authorities to identify any 
instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations; 

IOG plc 

Page 49 of 108 

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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF IOG PLC (CONT’D) 

•  Communicating relevant identified laws and regulations and potential fraud risks to all engagement 
team  members  and  remained  alert  to  any  indications  of  fraud  or  non-compliance  with  laws  and 
regulations throughout the audit; 

•  Assessing the susceptibility of the Group’s financial statements to material misstatement, including 
how  fraud  might  occur  by  making  enquiries  of  Management  and  the  Audit  Committee  during  the 
planning  and  execution  phases  of  our  audit  to  understand  where  they  considered  there  to  be 
susceptibility to fraud, considering the risk of management override of controls and relevant controls 
established to address risks identified to prevent or detect fraud;  

•  Testing the relevant controls surrounding the financial reporting close process such as controls over 
the  posting  of  journals  and  the  consolidation  process  and  obtained  an  understanding  of  the 
segregation of duties in these processes; 

•  Addressing the risk of fraud through management override of controls by testing the appropriateness 
of a sample of journal entries where we considered there to be a higher risk of potential fraud and 
other  adjustments,  assessing  whether  the  judgements  made  in  making  accounting  estimates 
specifically those in the Key Audit Matters section of the report are indicative of a potential bias, and 
evaluating  the  business  rationale  of  any  significant  transactions  that  are  unusual  or  outside  the 
normal course of business; 

•  Testing the consolidation entries for consistency and appropriateness of application; 
•  Obtaining an understanding of the Group’s IT and the wider control environment and the process for 

management approval and Board sanction of cost requisitions, and 

•  Applying professional scepticism in our audit procedures and performing randomised procedures to 

include a level of unpredictability. 

These  procedures  are  designed  to  address  the  risk  of  material  misstatements  in  respect  of  irregularities, 
including fraud, but do not provide absolute assurance as to the non-existence of any such misstatements. 

Our audit procedures were designed to respond to risks of material misstatement in the financial statements, 
recognising that the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not 
detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery, 
misrepresentations  or through  collusion.  There  are  inherent  limitations  in  the  audit  procedures  performed 
and  the  further  removed  non-compliance  with  laws  and  regulations  is  from  the  events  and  transactions 
reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we are to become aware of it. 

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

Use of our report 

This  report  is  made  solely  to  the  Parent  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 Parent 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  Parent  Company  and  the  Parent  Company’s 
members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. 

Anne Sayers (Senior Statutory Auditor) 
For and on behalf of BDO LLP, Statutory Auditor 
London, UK  
16 March 2022 

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

IOG plc 

Page 50 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income 

Administration expenses 
Impairment of oil and gas properties 
Project, pre-licence and exploration expenses 
Foreign exchange gain / (loss)  

Operating (loss) 

Finance expense 
Finance income 

Fair value gain / (loss) 

(Loss) for the year before taxation 

Taxation  

(Loss) and total comprehensive (loss) for the year attributable 
to equity holders of the parent 

(Loss)/earnings for the year per ordinary share – basic 
(Loss)/earnings for the year per ordinary share – diluted 

Notes 

2021 
£000 

2020 
£000 

8 

3 

5 

(3,960) 
(865) 
(104) 
3,440 

_________ 

(3,410) 
(12,598) 
(180) 
(701) 
_________ 

(1,489) 

(16,889) 

(3,066) 
29 

(2,203) 
20 

12 

260 

_________ 

(265) 
_________ 

(4,266) 

(19,337) 

- 

_________ 

- 
_________ 

(4,266) 

(19,337) 

_________ 

_________ 

(0.0p) 
(0.0p) 

(4.0p) 
(4.0p) 

6 

7 

7 
7 

The loss for the year (£4.3 million) (2020: Loss £19.3 million) arose from continuing operations. 

The Notes on pages 57 to 108 form part of these financial statements. 

IOG plc 

Page 51 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 

Consolidated and Company Statements of Changes in Equity 

Share capital 

Share 
premium 

Share-based 
payment 
reserve 

Accumulated 

Total equity 

losses 

£000 

£000 

£000 

£000 

£000 

Group: 

At 1 January 2020 
Loss for the year 

Total comprehensive loss attributable to 
owners of the parent 
Lapse of warrants 
Exercise of warrants 
Issue of share options 
Expiry of share options 
Exercise of share options 

At 31 December 2020 

Loss for the year 
Total comprehensive loss attributable to 
owners of the parent 

Issue of shares 
Issue of share options 
Expiry of share options 
Exercise of share options 

At 31 December 2021 

Company: 
At 1 January 2020 
Loss for the year 

Total comprehensive loss attributable to 
owners of the parent 
Lapse of warrants 
Exercise of warrants 
Issue of share options 
Expiry of share options 
Exercise of share options 

At 31 December 2020 

Loss for the year 

Total comprehensive loss attributable to 
owners of the parent 
Lapse of warrants 
Issue of share options 
Expiry of share options 
Exercise of share options 

At 31 December 2021 

4,802 
- 
_____ 

- 
- 
78 
- 
- 
2 
_____ 
4,882 

- 

_____ 

- 

338 
- 
- 
18 
_____ 
5,238 
_____ 

4,802 
- 

_____ 

- 
- 
78 
- 
- 
2 
_____ 
4,882 

- 
_____ 

49,423 
- 
________ 

6,352 
- 
________ 

(20,029) 
(19,337) 
________ 

40,548 
(19,337) 
_______ 

(19,337) 
- 
644 
941 
- 
2 
_______ 
22,798 

(4,266) 

_______ 

- 
(401) 
(727) 
941 
(1) 
(10) 
________ 
6,154 

(19,337) 
401 
727 
- 
1 
10 
________ 
(38,227) 

- 

________ 

(4,266) 

________ 

- 

(4,266) 

(4,266) 

1,272 
(20) 
(210) 
________ 
7,196 
_______ 

- 
230 
- 
________ 
(42,263) 
________ 

8,450 
1,272 
210 
(144) 
_______ 
28,320 
_______ 

- 
- 
566 
- 
- 
- 
________ 
49,989 

- 

________ 

- 

8,112 
- 
- 
48 
______ 
58,149 
________ 

49,423 
- 

________ 

6,352 
- 

________ 

(11,535) 
(6,285) 

________ 

49,042 
(6,285) 

_______ 

- 
- 
566 
- 
- 
- 
________ 
49,989 

- 
(401) 
(727) 
941 
(1) 
(10) 
________ 
6,154 

(6,285) 
401 
727 
- 
1 
10 
________ 
(16,681) 

(6,285) 
- 
644 
941 
- 
2 
_______ 
44,344 

- 
________ 

- 
________ 

(3,643) 
________ 

(3,643) 
_______ 

- 
338 
- 
- 
18 
_____ 
5,238 
______ 

- 
8,112 
- 
- 
48 
________ 
58,149 
________ 

- 
- 
1,272 
(20) 
(210) 
_______ 
7196 
_______ 

(3,643) 
- 
- 
230 
- 
_______ 
(20,094) 
________ 

(3,643) 
8,450 
1,272 
210 
(144) 
_______ 
50,489 
_______ 

Share capital - Amounts subscribed for share capital at nominal value. 
Share premium - Amounts received on the issue of shares, in excess of the nominal value of the shares. 
Share-based payment reserve - Amounts reflecting fair value of options and warrants issued. 
Accumulated losses - Cumulative net losses recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income net of amounts recognised directly in equity. 

The Notes on pages 57 to 108 form part of these financial statements. 

IOG plc 

Page 52 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AT 31 DECEMBER 2021 

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position 

Non-current assets 
Intangible assets: exploration & evaluation 
Intangible assets: other 
Property, plant and equipment: development & production assets 
Property, plant and equipment: other 

Current assets 
Financial asset 
Other receivables and prepayments 
Restricted cash 
Cash and cash equivalents 

Total assets 

Current liabilities 
Trade and other payables 

Non-current liabilities 
Loans 
Other liabilities 

Total liabilities 

NET ASSETS  

Capital and reserves 
Share capital 
Share premium 
Share-based payment reserve 
Accumulated losses 

Notes 

8 
8 
9 
9 

12 
14 
19 
19 

15 

16, 20 
16 

18 
18 

2021 
£000 

950 
75 
138,403 
 4,872 

_________ 
144,300 
_________ 

- 
1,705 
3,429 
31,255 
_________ 
36,389 
_________ 

2020 
£000 

1,309 
170 
53,422 
16,541 

_________ 
71,442 
_________ 

1,260 
1,099 
67,049 
13,389 
_________ 
82,797 
_________ 

180,689 

154,239 

(44,880) 
_________ 
(44,880) 
_________ 

(91,257) 
(16,232) 
_________ 
(107,489) 
_________ 

(152,369) 
_________ 
28,320 
_________ 

5,238 
58,149 
7,196 
(42,263) 
_________ 
28,320 
_________ 

(22,131) 
_________ 
(22,131) 
_________ 

(95,813) 
(13,497) 
_________ 
(109,310) 
_________ 

(131,441) 
_________ 
22,798 
_________ 

4,882 
49,989 
6,154 
(38,227) 
_________ 
22,798 
_________ 

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Directors on  16th March 2022 and 
were signed on its behalf by:  

Rupert Newall 
Chief Financial Officer 
16 March 2022 

The Notes on pages 57 to 108 form part of these financial statements. 

IOG plc 

Page 53 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COMPANY STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AT 31 DECEMBER 2021 

Company Statement of Financial Position 

Company Number: 07434350 

Notes 

Non-current assets 
Intangible assets 
Property, plant and equipment: Development & Production 
Property, plant and equipment: Other 
Investments 
Amounts due from subsidiaries 

Current assets 
Financial asset 
Other receivables and prepayments 
Restricted cash 
Cash and cash equivalents 

Total assets 

Current liabilities 
Trade and other payables 

Non-current liabilities 
Loans 
Other liabilities 

Total liabilities 

NET ASSETS 

Capital and reserves 
Share capital 
Share premium  
Share-based payment reserve 
Accumulated losses 

8 
9 
9 
11 
11 

12 
14 
19 
19 

2021 
£000 

75 
- 
4,872 
15,486 
109,195 

_________ 
129,628 
_________ 

- 
1,705 
2,066 
31,255 
_________ 
35,026 
_________ 
164,654 

2020 
£000 

170 
1,959 
16,541 
15,486 
44,906 

_________ 
79,062 
_________ 

1,260 
2,466 
65,699 
13,389 
_________ 
82,814 
_________ 
161,876 

15 

(22,513) 

(16,138) 

16,20 
16,21 

18 
18 

(91,257) 
(395) 
_________ 
(91,652) 
_________ 

(114,165) 
_________ 
50,489 
_________ 

5,238 
58,149 
7,196 
(20,094) 
_________ 
 50,489 
_________ 

(95,813) 
(5,581) 
_________ 
(101,394) 
_________ 

(117,532) 
_________ 
44,344 
_________ 

4,882 
49,989 
6,154 
(16,681) 
_________ 
44,344 
_________ 

The Company has taken advantage of the exemption allowed under Section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 and has 
not presented its own Statement of Comprehensive Income in these financial statements. 

The Company loss for the year was (£3.6) million (2020: loss £6.3 million). 

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Directors on  16th March 2022 and 
were signed on its behalf by: - 

Rupert Newall 
Chief Financial Officer 
16 March 2022 

The Notes on pages 57 to 108 form part of these financial statements. 

IOG plc 

Page 54 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 

Consolidated Cash Flow Statement 

(Loss) for the year 

(4,266) 

(19,337) 

Notes 

2021 
£000 

2020 
£000 

Depreciation, depletion and amortisation 
Exploration asset write off 
Share based payments 
Fair value (gain) / loss 

Interest received 

Finance expense 
Effect of exchange rate changes on Bond 

Movement in trade and other receivables 
Movement in trade and other payables 

9 
8 

12 

5 

519 
865 
1,225 
(260) 

(18) 

3,066 
(5,901) 

559 
12,598 
941 
265 

(20) 

2,203 
4,792 

(732) 
25,499 
_________ 

3,993 
1,974 
_________ 

Net cash generated from operating activities 

19,997 

7,968 

Investing activities 
Development & Production assets 
Exploration & Appraisal assets (write off) 
ROU, Lease improvements, Computer hardware etc 
Movement in restricted cash 
Interest received 
Decrease / (Increase) in financial assets 
Deferred consideration payments 

Net cash generated from investing activities 

Financing activities 
Proceeds from issue of equity instruments of the Group  
Proceeds from issue of warrant instruments of the Group 
Lease liability payments 
Finance fees paid 

Net cash used in financing activities 

(58,269) 
(506)  
(295)  

61,172 
18 
1,520 
- 
_________ 

(11,735) 
- 
- 
15,017 
20 
(1,260) 
(875) 
_________ 

3,640 

1,167 

8,516 
- 
(12,307) 
(4,441) 
_________ 

2 
644 

(11,116) 
_________ 

(8,232) 

(10,470) 

Net increase / (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 

15,405 

(1,335) 

Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 

13,389 
2,461 
_________ 

16,197 
(1,473) 
_________ 

19 

31,255 
_________ 

13,389 
_________ 

The Notes on pages 57 to 108 form part of these financial statements. 

IOG plc 

Page 55 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COMPANY CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 

Company Cash Flow Statement 

Loss for the year 

Depreciation charges 
Exploration asset write off 
Share based payments 
Fair value (gain) / loss 
Inter-company service charge uplift 
Interest received / (paid) 
Finance expenses 

Effect of exchange rate changes in Bond 
Movement in trade and other receivables 
Movement in trade and other payables 

Notes 

2021 
£000 

2020 
£000 

3 

(3,643) 

(6,285) 

519 
- 
1,225 
(260) 
- 
(5) 
3,280 

(5,901) 
761 
25,449 

559 
180 
941 
265 
- 
(20) 
2,137 

4,792 
47 
2,879 

Net cash generated from operating activities 

21,425 

5,495 

Investing activities 
Property, plant and equipment 
Movement in restricted cash 
Loans to subsidiary undertakings 
Interest received 
Increase in financial assets 
Deferred consideration payments 

(253) 
61,172 
(60,247) 
5 
1,520 
- 
- 

(629) 
17,979 
(11,681) 
20 
(1,260) 
(875) 
(129) 

Net cash generated from investing activities 

2,198 

3,425 

Financing activities 
Proceeds from issue of equity instruments of the Company  
Lease liability payments 
Finance fees paid 

Net cash used in financing activities 

Net (decrease) / increase in cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash 
Equivalents 

8,516 
(12,307) 
(4,441) 

646 
- 
(11,116) 

(8,232) 

(10,470) 

15,391 
13,389 
2,475 

(1,550) 
16,197 
(1,258) 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 

19 

31,255 

13,389 

The Notes on pages 57 to 108 form part of these financial statements 

IOG plc 

Page 56 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 

Notes forming part of the financial statements 

1  Accounting policies 

General information 

IOG plc is a public limited company incorporated and domiciled in England and Wales.  The Group’s and Company’s 
financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2021 were authorised for issue by the Board of Directors on  16 
March 2022 and the balance sheets were signed on the Board’s behalf by the CFO, Rupert Newall. 

Basis of preparation and accounting 

The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below.  The policies 
have been consistently applied to all years presented, unless otherwise stated.  The consolidated financial statements 
are presented in GBP Sterling, which is also the functional currency of the Company and its subsidiaries.  Amounts are 
rounded to the nearest thousand, unless otherwise stated. 

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with UK adopted International Accounting Standards 
and as applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006. On 31 December 2020, IFRS as adopted 
by  the  European  Union  at  that  date  was  brought  into  UK  law  and  became  UK-adopted  international  accounting 
standards,  with  future  changes  being  subject  to  endorsement  by  the  UK  Endorsement  Board.  The  preparation  of 
financial statements in compliance with adopted IFRSs requires the use of certain critical accounting estimates.  It also 
requires  Group  management  to  exercise  judgment  in  applying  the  Group's  accounting  policies.    The  areas  where 
significant judgments and estimates have been made in preparing the financial statements and their effect are disclosed 
within this Note 1 on pages 57 and 72. 

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a historical cost basis. 

Going concern 

The Board has reviewed the Group’s cash flow forecasts having regard to its current financial position and operational 
objectives.  

The Consolidated Statement of Financial Position at 31 December 2021 details a net debt position for the Group of 
£56.6 million (2020: 14.1 million). Net debt is defined as total loans, primarily the Bond, less restricted cash and cash 
equivalents.  

In  assessing  the  Group’s  and  Parent  Company’s  current  financial  position  and  reaching  its  conclusion  as  to  going 
concern status up until September 2023, as laid out in the Annual Report, the Board has, by necessity, utilised a set of 
reasonable assumptions around activities, costs, timings, asset performance and other relevant economic factors in 
order to develop an accurate perspective. These assumptions are summarised in this paper.  

The primary consideration is progress of the Phase 1 development. On 14 March, the Company announced that Phase 
1 First Gas had successfully been delivered on the previous day, with Blythe field producing gas into the Saturn Banks 
infrastructure and Bacton terminal. This is a key turning point for the Company in transitioning from a developer into a 
cash-generative  producer,  with  significant  cashflow  expected  to  be  generated  point  forward  under  the  Company’s 
current base case gas price assumptions.   

The gas price assumptions used for these purposes are based on a long-term average realised price of 45p/therm, 
which management confirms to be a sensible baseline in the context of average realised UK gas prices over the past 
decade, having taken advice from independent market experts engaged by the Group. This is seasonally adjusted to 
more accurately replicate the actual seasonal fluctuations in the UK gas market  (higher prices over October-March, 
lower  prices  over  April-September),  rather  than  use  an  unrealistic  flat  price  assumption.  Importantly,  to  remain  as 
realistic as reasonably possible, the assumptions also factor in recent gas market developments as reflected in the NBP 
forward curve. Whilst over recent weeks UK spot and forward gas prices have reached unprecedented highs due to 
several  factors,  primarily  the  risk  of  global  gas  supply  constraints  as  a  result  of  the  Russia-Ukraine  conflict,  the 
Company’s assumptions over 2022-23 are based on 35-45% discounts to the forward curve on 23 February 2022, prior 
to recent extreme pricing dislocations.  

The Company has a gas sales agreement in place with a very well established, highly creditworthy offtaker in BPGM 
and also has a condensate sales agreement in place with the single condensate offtaker at the Bacton terminal. Under 
its GSA, gas is sold on a day-ahead nomination basis at a price linked to the National Balancing Point (NBP, the UK 
traded gas  benchmark). First payments  for the  Phase 1  gas are contractually scheduled to  be received on 20 April 
2022. As an additional liquidity backstop measure the Company has also executed a €5 million working capital facility  

IOG plc 

Page 57 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 

from  a  respected  international  bank,  which  can  be  drawn  as  needed  after  First  Gas  subject  to  market  standard 
conditions and is repayable by March 2023.  

Management  calibrates  key  project  and  corporate  commitments  against  bond  conditions  and  covenants  to  ensure 
avoidance of any breach. The Company makes consistent efforts to manage the business within budget. Phase 1 capital 
costs underlying the going concern assessment flow from the baseline project plan as recently reviewed and reaffirmed 
by senior management. At this stage there is a detailed understanding of the expected further expenditure based on 
existing commitments as Phase 1 reaches its final stages of execution, with the Southwark drilling and extension to the 
Saturn  Banks  Pipeline  System  being  key  final  elements  of  the  scope.  The  latest  cost  estimates  have  in  turn  been 
interrogated and subsequently approved at both executive and Board level.  

Similarly, operating cost assumptions, including offshore Operations and Maintenance (O&M) costs, onshore Saturn 
Banks Reception Facilities operation costs and Bacton processing tariff costs, have been established using the latest 
estimates provided by internal operational personnel and relevant external parties (ODEAM and Perenco).  

Decommissioning  cost  assumptions  are  drawn  directly  from  the  independent  Competent  Persons  Report  (CPR) 
undertaken by reserve auditor ERC Equipoise in 2017.  

Pre-development  assets  and  General  and  Administrative  (G&A)  cost  assumptions  are  based  on  approved  internal 
budgets, which are based  on estimates and are reviewed and derived from comparable activities and relevant past 
actual costs. G&A budgets are constructed with an iterative methodology that factors in historical expenditure trends 
adjusted  with  appropriate  forward-looking  modifications  and  expected  trends  in  underlying  activity  (e.g.  changes  in 
organisation headcount). Forecasts are reviewed by the senior finance team and the CFO on a monthly basis in order 
to assess the appropriateness of budget versus actual outturn  and reviewed and when appropriate are discussed at 
Board level. Finally, prudent assumptions have been taken in respect of the Group’s treasury management, including 
the policy of minimising foreign exchange exposures as far as possible. Foreign exchange exposures are forecast and 
compared to the available currency held as cash balances or JV cash calls, which allows any exposure to be actively 
managed.  

The  nature  of  the  Group’s  operations  inherently  involves  a  range  of  potential  outcomes  and  in  that  context,  as 
demonstrated  above,  the  Group  uses  prudent  assumptions  to  develop  its  view  of  most  likely  outcomes,  as  well  as 
identifying measures to mitigate or eliminate potential risks that may affect cash flows. Management undertakes detailed 
financial modelling to generate stress test scenarios, including changes in gas prices and/or production levels, which 
are reviewed by the Board. Under all reasonable forecast scenarios, the Group is expected to be able to remain within 
its Bond covenants and to have sufficient cash resources to continue with its planned business strategy.  

Conclusions 

Based on above, and particularly in light of the recent announcement of the First Gas milestone for Phase 1 amid a 
very elevated gas market, the Board have a reasonable expectation that the Group has adequate resources which will 
continue to grow off the back of Phase 1 delivery and to progress to FID on further phases, providing long-term business 
continuity with stable cash  generation for the foreseeable future. To this end, the Board believe that the Group and 
Company can be represented as being a going concern without any modification of material uncertainty for the 2021 
Annual Report and Accounts.  

The financial statements do not include any adjustments that would result if the Group and the Parent Company were 
unable to continue as a going concern.  

IOG plc 

Page 58 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

1  Accounting policies (continued) 

New and revised accounting standards 

For annual reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2021, the following is a newly effective requirement: 
EU Endorsement status 

IASB Effective Date 

financial 

IFRS 

in 

Note 
statements 

IBOR reform and its Effects 
on  Financial  Reporting  – 
phase 2 

1 January 2021 

Endorsed 

Interest Rate Benchmark Reform – Phase 2 introduces amendments to IFRS 9, IAS 39, IFRS 7, IFRS 4 and IFRS 16 
and is not mandatorily effective until annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2021,however, many entities were 
expected to adopt the amendments early. As such, these financial statements include the effect of the adoption of these 
amendments from the comparative period i.e. financial year ended 31 December 2020.  

Early adoption of Standards and Amendments 
The table below lists all pronouncements with a mandatory effective date in future accounting 

Mandatorily effective for 
periods beginning on or after 1 
April 2021 
IFRS 16 Leases: Covid-19-Related 
Rent Concessions beyond 30 June 
2021* 

Mandatorily effective for 
periods beginning on or after 1 
January 2022 
Annual Improvements to IFRSs - 
2018-2020 cycle 

IAS 16 Property, Plant and 
Equipment (Amendment – 
Proceeds before Intended Use) 

IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent 
Liabilities and Contingent Assets 
(Amendment – Onerous Contracts 
– Cost of Fulfilling a Contract) 

IFRS 3 Business Combinations 
(Amendment – Reference to the 
Conceptual Framework) 

Mandatorily effective for periods 
beginning on or after 1 January 
2023 
IFRS 17 Insurance Contracts 

IAS 1 Presentation of Financial 
Statements (Amendment – 
Classification of Liabilities as 
Current or Non-current) 
IAS 1 Presentation of Financial 
Statements and IFRS Practice 
Statement 2 
(Amendment – Disclosure of 
Accounting Policies) 
IAS 8 Accounting policies, Changes 
in Accounting Estimates and Errors 
(Amendment - Definition of 
Accounting Estimates) 
IAS 12 Income Taxes (Amendment 
– 
Deferred Tax related to Assets and 
Liabilities arising from a Single 
Transaction) 

*The Group has early adopted the amendment to IFRS 16 Covid-19-Related Rent Concessions beyond 30 June 2021 
from annual reporting period beginning on 1 January 2021, as permitted by the amendment. The effects of this 
amendment to IFRS 16 on the recognition and measurement of items in the financial statements are disclosed in 
note 1. 

Basis of consolidation 

Where the Company has control over an investee, it is classified as a subsidiary.  The Company controls an investee if 
all three of the following elements are present: power over the investee, exposure to variable returns from the investee, 
and the ability of the investor to use its power to affect those variable returns.  Control is reassessed whenever facts 
and circumstances indicate that there may be a change in any of these elements of control.   

The consolidated financial statements present the results of the Company and its subsidiaries as if they formed a single 
entity.    Inter-company  transactions  and  balances  between  Group  companies  are  therefore  eliminated  in  full.    The 
financial  statements  of  subsidiaries  are  included  in  the  Group's  financial  statements  from  the  date  that  control 
commences until the date that control ceases.   

IOG plc 

Page 59 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

1  Accounting policies (continued) 

Asset Acquisition 

In the event of an asset acquisition, the cost of the acquisition is assigned to the individual assets and liabilities based 
on their relative fair values.  All directly attributable costs are capitalised.  Contingent consideration is accrued for when 
these amounts are considered probable and are discounted to present value based on the expected timing of payment.  

Oil and gas exploration, development and producing assets 

The  Group  adopts  the  following  accounting  policies  for  oil  and  gas  asset  expenditure,  based  on  the  stage  of 
development of the assets:- 

1)  Pre-Licence 

Expenditure  incurred  prior  to  the  acquisition  and/or  award  of  a  licence  interest  is  expensed  to  the  Statement  of 
Comprehensive Income as ‘Exploration Expenses’. 

2)  Exploration and evaluation (‘E&E’) 

Capitalisation 

Costs incurred after rights  to explore have been  obtained, such as  geological and geophysical surveys, drilling and 
commercial appraisal costs, and other directly attributable costs of exploration and appraisal including technical and 
administrative overheads (including time writing as described under D&P capitalisation), are capitalised as intangible 
exploration and evaluation (‘E&E’) assets.  The assessment of what constitutes an individual E&E asset is based on 
technical  criteria  but  essentially  either  a  single  licence  area  or  contiguous  licence  areas  with  consistent  geological 
features  are  designated  as  individual  E&E  assets.    Costs  relating  to  the  exploration  and  evaluation  of  oil  and  gas 
interests are carried forward until the existence, or otherwise, of commercial reserves have been determined. 

E&E costs are not amortised prior to the conclusion of appraisal activities.  Once active exploration is completed the 
asset is assessed for impairment.  If commercial reserves are discovered then the carrying value of the E&E asset is 
reclassified  as  a  development  and  production  (‘D&P’)  asset,  within  property,  plant  and  equipment  (‘PPE’),  following 
development sanction by the Board, but only after the carrying value is assessed for impairment at point of transfer and, 
where appropriate, its carrying value adjusted.  Following development sanction by the Board, a Field Development 
Plan (‘FDP’) may be submitted.  If it is subsequently assessed that commercial reserves have not been discovered, the 
E&E asset is written off to the Statement of Comprehensive Income.  The Group’s definition of commercial reserves for 
such purpose is proven and probable (‘2P’) reserves on an entitlement basis. 

Intangible  E&E  assets  that  relate  to  E&E  activities  that  are  not  yet  determined  to  have  resulted  in  the  discovery  of 
commercial reserves remain capitalised as intangible E&E assets at cost, subject to impairment assessments as set 
out below. 

Impairment 

The Group’s oil and gas assets are analysed into cash generating units (‘CGU’) for impairment reporting purposes, with 
E&E asset impairment testing being performed at an individual asset level.  E&E assets are reviewed for impairment 
when circumstances arise  which indicate that the carrying value of an E&E  asset exceeds the recoverable  amount.  
Such indicators would include but not limited to: 

(i)  adequate and sufficient data exists that render the resource uneconomic and unlikely to be developed; 
(ii)  title to the asset is compromised; 
(iii)  budgeted or planned expenditure is not expected in the foreseeable future, and 
(iv)  insufficient discovery of commercially viable resources leading to the discontinuation of activities 
(v)  Rights to explore in an area have expired or will expire in the near future without renewal 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

1  Accounting policies (continued) 

Oil and gas exploration, development and producing assets (continued) 

The recoverable amount of the individual asset is determined as the higher of its fair value less costs to sell and value 
in  use.    Impairment  losses  resulting  from  an  impairment  review  are  separately  recognised  and  written  off  to  the 
Statement of Comprehensive Income. 

Impaired  assets  are  reviewed  annually  to  determine  whether  any  substantial  change  to  their  fair  value  amounts 
previously impaired would require reversal. 

A previously recognised impairment loss is reversed if the recoverable amount increases because of a change in the 
estimates used to determine the recoverable amount, but not to an amount higher than the carrying amount that would 
have  been  determined  (net  of  depletion  or  amortisation)  had  no  impairment  loss  been  recognised  in  prior  periods.  
Reversal of impairments and impairment charges are credited/(charged) to a separate line item within the Statement of 
Comprehensive Income. 

3)  Development and production (‘D&P’) 

Capitalisation 

Costs of bringing a field into production, including the cost of facilities, wells and sub-sea equipment together with E&E 
assets reclassified in accordance with the above policy, are capitalised  as a D&P asset within  PPE. Normally each 
individual field development will form an individual D&P asset but there may be cases, such as phased developments, 
or multiple fields around a single production facility when fields are grouped together to form a single D&P asset.  The 
cost of development and production assets also include the cost of acquisitions and purchases of such assets, directly 
attributable  overheads,  applicable  borrowing  costs  and  the  cost  of  recognising  provisions  for  future  consideration 
payments - see Note 16. The discounted cost for future decommissioning is also added to the D&P asset. Personnel / 
staff costs are charged to D&P assets based on a time writing system where all identified staff input their time across 
assets  and  activities,  they  work  on  during  any  given  period  at  a  precalculated  hourly  rate  which  takes  into  account 
various elements of staff costs and seniority of the organisational position. 

Rig day rate costs attributable to changes or adjustments to the drilling program due to rescheduling are considered as 
normal  and  inherent  to  the  activity  of  drilling  wells  that  form  part  of  the  infrastructure  and  therefore  these  costs  are 
capitalised to the asset 

Depreciation and depletion 

All  costs  relating  to  a  development  are  accumulated  and  not  depreciated/depleted  until  the  commencement  of 
production.  Depletion is calculated on a UOP basis based on the 2P reserves of the asset.  Any re-assessment of 
reserves  affects  the  depletion  rate  prospectively.    Significant  items  of  plant  and  equipment  will  normally  be  fully 
depreciated over the life of the field; however, these items are assessed to consider if their useful lives differ from the 
expected life of the D&P asset and should this occur a different depreciation rate may be charged.   The key areas of 
estimation regarding depletion and the associated unit of production calculation for oil and gas assets are recoverable 
reserves and future capital expenditures. 

Impairment 

A review is carried out for any indication that the carrying value of the Group’s D&P assets may be impaired.  If any 
indicators are identified, a review of D&P assets is carried out on an asset by asset basis and involves comparing the 
carrying value with the recoverable value of an asset.  The recoverable amount of an asset is determined as the higher 
of its fair value less costs to sell and value in use.  The value in use is determined from estimated future net cash flows, 
being  the  present  value  of  the  future  cash  flows  expected  to  be  derived  from  production  of  commercial  reserves.  
Impairment  resulting  from  the  impairment  testing  is  charged  to  a  separate  line  item  within  the  Statement  of 
Comprehensive Income. 

The pre-tax future cash flows are adjusted for risks specific to the CGU and are discounted using a pre-tax discount 
rate.  The discount rate is derived from the Group’s post-tax weighted average cost of capital and is adjusted where 
applicable to consider any specific risks relating to the country where the CGU is located, although other rates may be 
used  if  appropriate  to  the  specific  circumstances.    The  discount  rates  applied  in  assessments  of  impairment  are 
reassessed each year.  The Company uses a risk adjusted discount rate of 10%, unless otherwise stated. 

The CGU basis is generally the field, however, oil and gas assets, including infrastructure assets may be accounted for 
on an aggregated basis where such assets are economically inter-dependent.  

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

1  Accounting policies (continued) 

Oil and gas exploration, development and producing assets (continued) 

4)  Offshore Pipelines 

Capitalisation 

Costs of commissioning an offshore pipeline to transport hydrocarbons, including the cost of related onshore facilities 
and subsea equipment are capitalised as a tangible asset within PPE. Each contiguous pipeline will form an exclusive 
individual asset but there may be cases, such as phased developments, when pipelines are grouped together to form 
a single tangible pipeline asset. The cost of offshore pipeline assets also includes the cost of acquisitions and 
purchases of such assets, directly attributable overheads, applicable borrowing costs and the discounted cost of 
future decommissioning. 

Depreciation 

All  costs  relating  to  pipeline  commissioning  are  not  depreciated  until  the  commencement  of  transportation  of 
hydrocarbons.  Depreciation is calculated on a straight-line basis over the period in which transportation is likely to take 
place.  Any re-assessment of this timeline will impact on the depreciation rate prospectively. The key areas of estimation 
regarding depreciation are future capital expenditures and recoverable reserves for those fields where such pipelines 
are utilised for the transportation of oil and gas production. 

Impairment 

A review is carried out for any indication that the carrying value of the pipeline asset may be impaired.  If any indicators 
are identified, such as the pipeline’s inability to continue to operate safely and effectively in its current environment, a 
review of the pipeline asset is carried out. Impairment resulting from the impairment review is charged to a separate 
line item within the Statement of Comprehensive Income.  

5)  Borrowing costs 

Borrowing costs directly attributable to the construction of qualifying assets, which are assets that necessarily take a 
substantial period of time to prepare for their intended use, are added to the cost of those assets, until such time as the 
assets are substantially ready for their intended use. All other borrowing costs are recognised as interest payable in the 
statement of comprehensive income in accordance with the effective interest method. 

Assets other than oil and gas interests 

Assets  other  than  oil  and  gas  interests  are  stated  at  cost,  less  accumulated  depreciation  and  any  provision  for 
impairment.  Depreciation is provided at rates estimated to write off the cost, less estimated residual value, of each 
asset over its expected useful life as follows: - 

•  Computer and office equipment: 33% straight line, with one full year’s depreciation in year of acquisition; and 
•  Tenants improvements: 20% straight line, with one full year’s depreciation in year of acquisition. 
•  Right of use assets: Straight line over the term of the lease 

Provisions 

Provisions are recognised when:- 

•  the Group has a present legal or constructive obligation resulting from past events; 
•  it is more likely than not that an outflow of resources will be required to settle the obligation; and 
•  the amount can be reliably estimated. 

Decommissioning 

Provisions for decommissioning costs are recognised in accordance with IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and 
Contingent Assets.  Provisions are recorded at the present value of the expenditures expected to be required to settle 
the Group’s future obligations. 

Provisions are reviewed at each reporting date to reflect the current best estimate of the cost at present value.  Any 
change in the date on which provisions fall due will change the present value of the provision.  These changes are 
treated as an administration expense.  The unwinding of the discount is reflected as a finance expense. 

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In the case of a D&P and/or pipeline asset, since the future cost of decommissioning is regarded as part of the total 
investment to gain access to future economic benefits, this is included as part of the cost of the relevant D&P and/or 
pipeline asset. 

NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

1  Accounting policies (continued) 

Disposals 

Net proceeds from any disposal of an E&E, D&P or pipeline asset are initially credited against the previously capitalised 
costs of that asset and any surplus or shortfall proceeds are credited or debited to the Statement of Comprehensive 
Income.   

For the Farm down of an E&E, D&P or pipeline asset, proceeds from the farm-down are credited against the previously 
capitalised costs of the asset and any surplus or shortfall proceeds above or below the representative percentage of 
the carrying value of the asset or assets being farmed down are credited or debited to the Statement of Comprehensive 
Income accordingly.   

Foreign currencies 

The  Group’s  presentational  currency  is  GBP  Sterling  and  has  been  selected  based  on  the  currency  of  the  primary 
economic environment in which the Group operates.  The Group’s primary product is generally traded by reference to 
its pricing in GBP Sterling.  The functional currency of all companies in the Group is also considered to be GBP Sterling.  
Transactions  in  currencies  other  than  the  functional  currency  of  a  company  are  recorded  at  a  rate  of  exchange 
approximating  to  that  prevailing  at  the  date  of  the  transaction.    At  each  balance  sheet  date,  monetary  assets  and 
liabilities that are denominated in currencies other than the functional currency are translated at the amounts prevailing 
at  the  balance  sheet  date  and  any  gains  or  losses  arising  are  recognised  in  the  Consolidated  Statement  of 
Comprehensive Income. 

Taxation 

Current Tax 

Tax is payable based upon taxable profit for the year.  Taxable profit differs from net profit as reported in the Statement 
of Comprehensive Income because it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible on other years 
and it further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible.  Any Group liability for current tax is calculated using 
tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting date. 

Deferred Tax 

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.  
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. 

Deferred tax liabilities are recognised for taxable temporary differences arising on investments in subsidiaries, except 
where the Group can control the reversal of the temporary differences 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 reporting 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 is realised.  Deferred tax is charged or credited in the Statement of Comprehensive Income, 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 tax assets and liabilities on a net basis. 

The amount of the asset or liability is determined using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by 
the reporting date and are expected to apply when the deferred tax liabilities/(assets) are settled/(recovered).  Deferred 
tax balances are not discounted. 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

1  Accounting policies (continued) 

Investments & Loans (Company) 

Non-current  investments  in subsidiary undertakings  are shown in the Company’s Statement  of Financial  Position at 
cost less any provision for permanent diminution of value. 

Loans to subsidiary undertakings are stated at amortised cost and recognised in accordance with IFRS 9. The loans 
have no maturity date and are not repayable until the respective subsidiary entity has sufficient cash to repay the loan, 
however they are technically due on demand. 

Leases 
IFRS 16 sets out the principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases and requires 
lessees  to  account  for  all  leases,  with  limited  exceptions,  under  a  single  on-balance  sheet  model  similar  to  the 
accounting for finance leases under IAS 17. Under IFRS 16, at the commencement date of a lease, a lessee is required 
to recognise a liability to make lease payments (‘lease liability’) and an asset representing the right to use the underlying 
asset during the lease term (‘right-of-use asset’, ‘ROU’). Lease liabilities are measured at the present value of future 
lease payments over the reasonably certain lease term. Variable lease payments that do not depend on an index or a 
rate are not included in the lease liability. Such payments are expensed as incurred throughout the lease term. 

Lessees are required to separately recognise the interest expense associated with the unwinding of the lease liability 
and  the  depreciation  expense  on  the  right-of-use  asset.  As  the  leases  relate  to  D&P  work  scopes  the  depreciation 
expense is capitalised and treated as the cost of the underlying D&P asset. These costs replace amounts previously 
recognised  as  operating  expenditure  in  respect  of  operating  leases  in  accordance  with  IAS  17.  After  completion  of 
Development phase, once the assets come into operation the depreciation of the right of use asset will be charged to 
the income statement on straight line basis over the course of the lease term. 

The Group adopted IFRS 16 on 1 January 2019 using the modified retrospective approach. The modified retrospective 
approach does not require restatement of prior period financial information, instead recognising the cumulative effect 
as an adjustment to opening retained earnings and the Group applied the standard prospectively. 

The Group has elected to apply the following optional practical expedients under the standard: 

• 

• 

Short-term leases – those with terms of 12 months or less at date of adoption 

Low-value leases – those with a value less than £5,000  

In 2021 the ROU assets and lease obligations related to the adoption of IFRS 16, relate to office leases, the  Saturn 
Banks  Pipeline  permission  to  cross  the  foreshore,  the  Noble  Hans  Deul  drilling  rig  contract,  Charter  of  PSV  "VOS 
Paradise" and Charter of ERRV "Esvagt Champion". The incremental borrowing rate of approximately 9.25% was used 
for all ROU (except Saturn Banks Pipeline permission)n in arriving at net present value of future lease payments as 
they belong to the same asset class and with similar lease terms. The internal borrowing rate for Saturn Banks Pipeline 
was retained at 11.5% as it belongs to a different asset class and has longer lease term. The ROU for Noble Hans Deul 
was increased in line with the extension option. 

The Group has elected to utilise the practical expedient when accounting for the Noble Rig, PSV and ERVV contract to 
not separate non-lease components from lease components, and instead account for each lease component and any 
non-lease component as a single component. 

The Company depreciates the ROU assets on a straight-line basis over the length of the lease unless management 
determines this is not representative of the useful life, in which case, management will estimate the useful life of the 
asset to be used.  

The liability is remeasured when there is a change in future lease payments arising from a change in an index or rate 
or if the Group changes its assessment of whether it will exercise a purchase, extension or termination option. When 
the lease liability is remeasured in this way, a corresponding adjustment is made to the carrying amount of the right-of-
use asset or is recorded in profit or loss if the carrying amount of the right-of-use asset has been reduced to zero.  

The right-of-use asset is measured at cost, which comprises the  initial amount of the lease liability adjusted for any 
lease payments made at or before the commencement date, plus any initial direct costs incurred and an estimate of 
costs to dismantle and remove the underlying asset or to restore the underlying asset or the site on which it is located, 
less any lease incentives received. Right-of-use assets are depreciated over the shorter period of lease term and useful 
life of the underlying asset. 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

1 

Accounting policies (continued) 

Financial Instruments  

Financial instruments are recognised when the Group becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument 
and are subsequently measured at amortised cost. 

Classification and measurement of financial assets 
The initial classification of a financial asset depends upon the Group’s business model for managing its financial assets 
and the contractual terms of the cash flows. The Group’s financial assets are measured at amortised cost and are held 
within a business model whose objective is to hold assets to collect contractual cash flows and its contractual terms 
give rise on specified dates to cash flows that represent solely payments of principal and interest. 

The Group’s cash and cash equivalents and other receivables are measured at amortised cost. Other receivables are 
initially measured at fair value. The Group holds other receivables with the objective to collect the contractual cash flows 
and therefore measures them subsequently at amortised cost. 

The Group has financial assets measured at FVOCI (Fair Value Through Other Comprehensive Income) or FVTPL (Fair 
Value Through the Statement of Profit or Loss). 

Fair value measurement  

A  number  of  assets  and  liabilities  included  in  the  Group’s  financial  statements  require  measurement  at,  and/or 
disclosure of, fair value.  

The fair value measurement of the Group’s financial and non-financial assets and liabilities utilises market observable 
inputs and data as far as possible. Inputs used in determining fair value measurements are categorised into different 
levels based on how observable the inputs used in the valuation technique utilised are (the ‘fair value hierarchy’):  

- Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical items (unadjusted)  

- Level 2: Observable direct or indirect inputs other than Level 1 inputs  

- Level 3: Unobservable inputs (i.e. not derived from market data).  

The classification of an item into the above levels is based on the lowest level of the inputs used that has a significant 
effect on the fair value measurement of the item. Transfers of items between levels are recognised in the period they 
occur  

Investment in and disposal of Norwegian bond 

The company carried an investment in its Norwegian bond until September 2021. These bonds were denominated in 
Euro’s and were adjusted to mark-to-market and revalued at period end rates. These holdings were sold in the open 
market at spot price and a profit / loss on sale was recognised in the statement of comprehensive income on disposal. 

Restricted cash 

Restricted  cash  includes  cash  balances  that  are  subject  to  access  restrictions  or  have  conditions  attached  to  their 
drawdown.  Included in this are monies raised from its Norwegian bond placing held in Debt Servicing Retention account 
and subject to defined conditions.  Also included are balances held as collateralised security in the Group’s name for 
future expenditures such as Decommissioning.  

Cash and cash equivalents 

Cash includes cash on hand and demand deposits with any bank or other financial institution.  Cash equivalents are 
short-term,  highly  liquid  investments  that  are  readily  convertible  to  known  amounts  of  cash  which  are  subject  to  an 
insignificant risk of changes in value. 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

1  Accounting policies (continued) 

Impairment of financial assets 
The Group recognises loss allowances for expected credit losses (‘ECL’s) on its financial assets measured at amortised 
cost. Due to the nature of its financial assets, the Group measures loss allowances at an amount equal to the lifetime 
ECLs. Lifetime ECLs are the anticipated ECLs that result from all possible default events over the expected life of a 
financial asset. ECLs are a probability-weighted estimate of credit losses. The Company has carried out an analysis of 
the balances outstanding at the end of the period and assessed the likelihood of repayment from its subsidiaries.  It 
believes that there is no significant increase in credit risk from the prior year and, if anything, the position is strengthened 
with the sanction of the phase 1 project resulting in future cashflows for its subsidiaries. 

Classification and measurement of financial liabilities 

A  financial  liability  is  initially  classified  as  measured  at  amortised  cost  or  FVTPL.  A  financial  liability  is  classified  as 
measured at FVTPL if it is held-for-trading, a derivative or designated as FVTPL on initial recognition. 

The Group’s accounts payable, accrued liabilities, operators balances and long-term debt are measured at amortised 
cost. 

Accounts  payable,  accrued  liabilities  and  operators  balances  are  initially  measured  at  fair  value  and  subsequently 
measured at amortised cost. Accounts payable and accrued liabilities are presented as current liabilities unless payment 
is not due within 12 months after the reporting period. 

Long-term debt is initially measured at fair value, net of transaction costs incurred. The contractual cash flows of the 
long-term  debt  are  made  up  of  solely  principal  and  interest,  therefore  long-term  debt  is  subsequently  measured  at 
amortised cost. Long-term debt is classified as current when payment is due within 12 months after the reporting period. 

Where warrants are issued in lieu of arrangement fees on debt facilities, the fair value of the warrants are measured at 
the date of grant as determined through the use of the Black-Scholes technique. The fair value determined at the grant  
date of the warrants is recognised in the Group’s warrant reserve and is amortised as a finance cost over the life of the 
facility. 

The outstanding LOG loans are unsecured against any assets or Company of the Group.  

Convertible loan notes 

Upon issue, convertible notes are assessed as to whether it is necessary to separate the loan into an equity and liability 
component at the date of issue.  If the bifurcation is considered material the liability component is recognised initially at 
its  fair  value.    Subsequent  to  initial  recognition,  it  is  carried  at  amortised  carrying  value  using  the  effective  interest 
method until the liability is extinguished on conversion or redemption of the notes.  The equity component is the residual 
amount of the convertible note after deducting the fair value of the liability component.  This is recognised and included 
in equity and is not subsequently re-measured.  

Contingent consideration payable: 

Where  applicable,  the  consideration  for  the  acquisition  includes  any  asset  or  liability  resulting  from  a  contingent 
consideration  arrangement,  measured  at  its  acquisition  date  fair  value.  Subsequent  changes  in  the  fair  values  are 
adjusted against the cost of acquisition where they qualify as measurement period adjustments (see below). All other 
subsequent changes in the fair value of contingent considerations classified either as an asset or liability are accounted 
for in accordance with relevant IFRSs with any gains or losses recorded in the income statement unless it is classified 
as equity. 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

1  Accounting policies (continued) 

Financial instruments (continued) 

Equity 

Equity instruments issued by the Company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of direct issue costs, allocated 
between share capital and share premium. 

Share issue expenses and share premium account 

The costs of issuing new share capital are written off against the share premium account arising out of the proceeds of 
the new issue. 

Share-based payments 

The  Company  and  Group  have  applied  the  requirements  of  IFRS  2  Share-based  payments.    The  Company  issues 
equity share options, to certain employees and contractors, as direct compensation for both salary and fees sacrificed 
in lieu of such share options.  Other Long-Term Incentive Plan (‘LTIP’) and Company Share Ownership Plan (‘CSOP’) 
share options may be awarded to incentivise and reward successful corporate and individual performance.  The fair 
value of these awards has been determined at the date of the grant of the award allowing for the effect of any market-
based performance conditions. 

The fair value of share options awarded, in lieu of salary sacrifice, is expensed on the effective date of grant, with no 
vesting conditions applied.  The fair value is deemed to be the actual salary sacrificed. 

For  LTIP  and  CSOP  share  option  awards,  based  upon  incentive  and  performance,  the  fair  value,  adjusted  by  the 
estimate of the number of awards that will eventually vest because of non-market conditions, is expensed uniformly 
over the vesting period and is charged to the Statement of Comprehensive Income, together with an increase in equity 
reserves, over a similar period.  The fair values are calculated using an option pricing model with suitable modifications 
to allow for early exercise. The inputs to the model include: the share price at the date of grant; exercise price; expected 
volatility; expected  dividends; risk-free rate  of  interest; and patterns of exercise  of the  plan  participants.   Where the 
terms and conditions of options are modified before they vest, the increase in the fair value of the options, measured 
immediately before and after the modification,  is also charged to the Statement of Comprehensive Income  over the 
remaining vesting period.  No expense is recognised for options that do not ultimately vest except where vesting is only 
conditional upon a market condition. 

The  fair  value  of  warrants  issued  to  third  parties  is  calculated  by  reference  to  the  service  provided,  or  if  this  is  not 
considered possible, calculated in the same way as for LTIP share options as detailed above.  Typically, these amounts 
have related to debt issues and are included in the effective interest rate calculation of borrowings.  

Earnings or Loss per share 
Earnings or Loss per share is calculated as profit/loss attributable to shareholders divided by the weighted average 
number of ordinary shares in issue for the relevant period.  Diluted earnings per share is calculated using the 
weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue plus the weighted average number of ordinary shares that 
would be in issue on the conversion of all relevant potentially dilutive shares to ordinary shares adjusted for any 
proceeds obtained on the exercise of any options and warrants.  Where the impact of converted shares would be anti-
dilutive, they are excluded from the calculation. 

Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires management to make judgements, estimates 
and  assumptions  that  affect  the  application  of  policies  and  reported  amounts  of  assets  and  liabilities,  income  and 
expenses.  The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and factors that are believed 
to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis of making judgements about carrying 
values of assets and liabilities that are not clear from other sources.  Actual results may differ from these estimates. 

The following are the critical judgements that management has made in the process of applying the entity’s accounting 
policies and that have the most significant effect on the amounts recognised in financial statements. 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

1  Accounting policies (continued) 

Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty (continued) 

Critical accounting estimates and judgements  

The Group makes certain estimates and assumptions regarding the future.  Estimates and judgements are continually 
evaluated based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to 
be  reasonable  under  the  circumstances.    In  the  future,  actual  experience  may  differ  from  these  estimates  and 
assumptions.    The  estimates  and  assumptions  that  have  a  significant  risk  of  causing  a  material  adjustment  to  the 
carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year are discussed below.  

Judgements  
Where judgements have been applied, these can affect the outcome and results within the Financial Statements. An 
area that carries significant judgement is around the accounting for the IFRS 16 assumptions for the Noble Hans Deul 
rig contract, charter of PSV supply vessel & charter of ERRV (emergency rapid response vessel). These contracts have 
been  assessed  to  fall  within  the  scope  of  IFRS  16  and  judgements  around  the  initial  contract  length,  subsequent 
extension (in case of Noble Hans Deul) and the incremental borrowing rate have been made by Management.  

The  Group  capitalises  the  borrowing  cost,  so  far  as  the  monies  borrowed  are  utilised  towards  financing  capital 
expenditures in engineering, construction, and procurement of its onshore and offshore facilities, drilling wells. The rate 
of capitalisation of interest is based on the level of actual capital expenditure incurred on each of the identified assets. 
Capitalisation of interest costs ceases when the asset is considered available for use.  

The right of use assets recognised under IFRS 16 for lease with terms extending over a year are depreciated over the 
lease term on straight line method. The 3 main leases relate to equipment and facilities (Rig, Platform supply vessel, 
Emergency Rapid Response vessel) that are used in carrying out field Development activities and the amount equal to 
the depreciation is capitalised and to that extent the estimated value of work done accruals are adjusted to reflect the 
most accurate asset values. Management has made judgements as to the lease period, estimate of cash outflows and 
application of appropriate internal borrowing rate. 

The Group capitalises a certain proportion of its personnel / staff costs as D&P tangible assets or E&E intangible assets 
based  on  a  system  of  time  writing.    This  system  requires  identified  staff  to  input  their  hourly  details  based  on  work 
performed to against the specific assets and/or activities. An hourly rate has been defined based on components of 
staff costs and varies depending on staff seniority. The definition of hourly rate and time writing involves management 
judgement. 

Estimates and assumptions  

− Impairment Exploration, Development and Producing assets – Estimate of future cash flows and determination of the 
discount rate (see note 10).  
−  The  determination  of  lease  term  for  some  lease  contracts  in  which  the  Group  is  a  lessee,  including  whether  the 
Company is reasonably certain to exercise lessee options (note 23)  
− The determination of the incremental borrowing rate used to measure lease liabilities (note 1)   

Impairment of assets 

Management is required to assess oil and gas assets for indicators of impairment and has considered the economic 
value of individual E&E and D&P assets.  The carrying value of oil and gas assets is disclosed in Notes 11.  The carrying 
value of related investments in the Company Statement of Financial Position is disclosed on page 48.   

E&E assets are subject to a separate review for indicators of impairment, by reference to the impairment indicators set 
out in IFRS 6, which is inherently judgmental. 

Rights to explore in an area have expired or will expire in the near future without renewal 
No further exploration or evaluation is planned or budgeted 
A decision to discontinue exploration and evaluation in an area because of the absence of commercial 

Indicators of impairment include, but are not limited to: 
• 
• 
• 
reserves 
• 
production. 

Sufficient data exists to indicate that the book value will not be fully recovered from future development and 

IOG plc 

Page 68 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
  
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

1  Accounting policies (continued) 

D&P assets are reviewed for impairment by reference to indicators set out in IFRS 36, which is inherently 
judgemental. Indicators of D&P assets include, but are not limited to:  

•  Significant downward trend changes long term gas price  
•  Any information available that would lead to a reduction in the reservoir estimates, either performance or via 

an updated reserves assessment by a competent person 

•  Significant cost overruns that would impact the economics of the CGU / asset 
•  Any commercial changes that would impact the economics of the CGU / asset 
•  Any regulatory, governance or environmental changes that would impact the asset’s ability to function as 

previously envisaged. 

Key estimates used in the assessment of value in use and fair value less costs to sell assessments 

As  noted  in  the  accounting  policy  the  carrying  value  of  the  assets  is  assessed  against  the  higher  of  a  value-in-use 
calculation and a fair value less costs to sell assessment.  

The  calculation  of  value-in-use  for  oil  and  gas  assets  under  development  or  in  production  is  most  sensitive  to  the 
following assumptions: 

•  Commercial reserves; 
•  production volumes/recoverable reserves; 
• 
• 
• 
•  discount rates 

commodity prices; 
fixed and variable operating costs; 
capital expenditure; and 

In  assessing  value  in  use,  estimated  future  cash  flows  are  discounted  to  their  present  value  using  a  discount  rate 
appropriate to the specific asset or cash generating unit. If the recoverable amount of an asset or cash-generating unit 
is estimated to be less than its carrying amount, the carrying amount of the asset or cash-generating unit is reduced to 
its recoverable amount. Impairment losses are recognised immediately in the statement of comprehensive income. 

IOG plc 

Page 69 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

1  Accounting policies (continued) 

Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty (continued) 

Commercial Reserves 

Commercial reserves are proven and probable (‘2P’) oil and gas reserves, calculated on an entitlement basis.  Estimates 
of  commercial  reserves  underpin  the  calculation  of  depletion  and  amortisation  on  a  UOP  basis,  oil  and  gas  asset 
impairments,  as  well  as  the  valuation  of  assets  in  use.    Estimates  of  commercial  reserves  include  estimates  of  the 
amount of  oil and gas in place, assumptions about reservoir performance over the life  of the field  and  assumptions 
about commercial factors which, in turn, will be affected by the future oil and gas price. 

Production volumes/recoverable reserves 

Annual estimates of oil and gas reserves are generated internally by the Group with external input from operator profiles 
and/or a Competent Person.  These are reported annually by the Board.  The self-certified estimated future production 
profiles are used in the life of the fields which in turn are used as a basis in the value-in-use calculation. 

Commodity prices 

A seasonally  adjusted  long-term assumption for  natural  UKNBP gas and  Brent  oil are used for future cash flows  in 
accordance with the Group’s corporate assumptions.  Field specific discounts and prices are used where applicable. 

Fixed and variable operating costs 

Typical  examples  of  variable  operating  costs  are  pipeline  tariffs,  treatment  charges  and  freight  costs.    Commercial 
agreements are in place for most of these costs and the assumptions used in the value-in-use calculation are sourced 
from  these  where  available.    Examples  of  fixed  operating  costs  are  platform  costs  and  operator  overheads.    Fixed 
operating costs are based on operator and/or third-party duty holder budgets. 

Capital expenditure 

Field development is capital intensive and future capital expenditure has a significant bearing on the value of an oil and 
gas development asset.  In addition, capital expenditure may be required for producing fields to increase production 
and/or extend the life of the field.  Cost assumptions are based on operator and/or service contractor cost estimates or 
specific contracts where available. 

Capitalisation of the borrowing costs 

Borrowing costs directly attributable to the construction of qualifying assets, which are assets that necessarily take a 
substantial period of time to prepare for their intended use, are added to the cost of those assets, until such time as the 
assets is substantially ready for their intended use. Although a significant progress has been made in the Engineering, 
construction and installation of the qualifying assets they were not fully tested and commissioned at the end of the year 
nor  at  the  assets  been  put  to  their  intended  use  and  hence  directly  attributable  borrowing  costs  continued  to  be 
capitalised. 

Discount rates 

Discount rates reflect the current market assessment of the risks specific to the oil and gas sector and are based on 
the weighted average cost of capital for the Group.  Where appropriate, the rates are adjusted to reflect the market 
assessment of any risk specific to the field for which future estimated cash flows have not been adjusted.  The Group 
has applied a risk adjusted discount rate of 9.25% for the current year (2020: 10%). 

Sensitivity to changes in assumptions 

A potential change in any of the above assumptions may cause the estimated recoverable value to be lower than the 
carrying  value,  resulting  in  an  impairment  loss.    The  assumptions  which  would  have  the  greatest  impact  on  the 
recoverable amounts of the fields are production volumes (linked to recoverable reserves) and commodity prices. 

Investments in subsidiaries 

If  circumstances  indicate  that  impairment  may  exist,  investments  in  and  the  value  of  any  loans  to  subsidiary 
undertakings of the Company are evaluated using market values, where available, or the discounted expected future 
cash flows of the investment.  If these cash flows are lower than the Company’s carrying value of the investment or 
loan amount due, an impairment charge is recorded in the Company.  Evaluation of impairments on such investments 
involves significant management judgement and may differ from actual results.  

IOG plc 

Page 70 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

1  Accounting policies (continued) 

Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty (continued) 

Decommissioning 

At 31 December 2021, the Group has obligations in respect of decommissioning a suspended well on the Southwark, 
Nailsworth and Elland  D&P assets, together with the offshore Saturn Banks Pipeline and the acquired Saturn Banks 
Reception Facilities at Bacton. 

The  extent  to  which  a  provision  is  recognised  depends  on  the  legal  requirements  at  the  date  of  decommissioning, 
regulatory activity required to ensure such infrastructure meets safety and environmental requirements, the estimated 
costs and timing of the work and the discount rate applied.  

A full decommissioning estimate for the Blyth, Southwark, Nailsworth and Elland D&P assets remains uncertain until all 
development  infrastructure  has  been  installed  and  production  volumes  and  time  to  decommissioning  has  been 
considered.  Until all development infrastructure has been installed and production volumes and time to abandonment 
has been considered, there is significant estimation uncertainty when providing a decommissioning estimate. 

The Blythe Offshore Gas Field: (Platform, well and 12” pipeline) - the site decommissioning and restoration obligation 
is specified in the license agreement, with approvals from the OGA. An internal assessment has been made at FDP 
and reassessed recently  and based on the assessment the decommissioning costs are estimated to be £3.9 million 
nominal  value  (IOG  net  share  50%).  As  per  the  current  development  plans  this  asset  will  be  in  use  until  2038  with 
decommissioning occurring the year after in 2039. 

Elgood  Offshore  Oilfield:  (Well,  subsurface  structure  and  6”  pipeline):  The  site  decommissioning  and  restoration 
obligation is specified in the license agreement, with approvals from the OGA. An internal assessment has been made 
at FDP and based on this the decommissioning costs are estimated to be £1.9 million nominal value (IOG net share 
50%). As per the current development plans this asset will be in use until 2038 with decommissioning occurring the 
year after in 2039. 

Southwark Offshore Oilfield: (Platforms, wells, subsurface structures, and pipelines): The site decommissioning and 
restoration obligation is specified in the license agreement with approvals from the OGA. An internal assessment has 
been made at FDP and based on this the decommissioning costs are estimated to be £7.5 million nominal value (IOG 
net share 50%). As per the current long-term plans of IOG this asset will be in use until 2038 with decommissioning 
expected the year after in 2039. 

Elland  Offshore  Oilfield:  As  licensee  and  operator,  IOG  UK  Ltd  is  responsible  for  the  decommissioning  liability  with 
respect  to  the  Elland  (former  Vulcan  East)  suspended  well  49/21-10A  located  within  Licence  P039.  An  internal 
assessment has been made in 2021 and based on this the decommissioning costs are estimated to be £1.2 million 
nominal value (IOG net share 50%). As per the current plans of IOG this well will be decommissioned in 2023. 

On acquisition of the Saturn Banks Pipeline, the Group assumed the decommissioning liability for the pipeline, which is 
based upon a regulatory framework determined by the OGA. The expected useable life of the pipeline, along with the 
structural integrity were assessed when calculating the provision. A discounted cost estimate provision has been made 
in the financial statements as at 31 December 2021 and this provision will continue to be reviewed on an annual basis, 
given the regulatory framework is subject to constant change and is inherently uncertain over future years.   

On  acquisition  of  the  Saturn  Banks  Reception  Facilities  at  Bacton,  the  Group  assumed  the  initial  decommissioning 
liability  for  the  asset  which  was  cash  collateralised,  which  is  based  upon  a  contractual  obligation  with  Perenco.  A 
provision has been made in the financial statements as at 31 December 2021. This provision will be reviewed on an 
annual basis and reassessed once the development has been completed. The estimates and underlying assumptions 
are reviewed on an ongoing basis.  Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate 
is revised, if the revision only affects that period, or, in the period of revision and future periods, if the revision affects 
both current and future periods. 

The Decommissioning cost estimates for are based on assumptions made at the time of FDP and have been adjusted 
for  more  thorough  understanding  of  decommissioning  engineering  specifications,  these  cost  estimates  have  been 
refined based on near term experience of similar activities and awarded contracts and prices. 

Management has also performed a review of appropriate discounting factor based on a pre tax risk free rate as a starting 
point with reference to UK Government bond rate for term similar to that of decommissioning obligation adjusted for 
specific risks inherent to the cash flow under consideration. 

IOG plc 

Page 71 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

Management  performed  sensitivity  analysis  to  assess  the  impact  of  changes  to  the  risk-free  rate  on  the  Group’s 
decommissioning provision balance. A 0.5% decrease in the risk-free rate assumption would result in an increase in 
the decommissioning provision by £1 million. 

1  Accounting policies (continued) 

Contingent Consideration 

The Group was required under the terms of the 2016 acquisition of the additional 50% of Blythe, the 2016 acquisition 
of Vulcan Satellites, to make further amounts payable on both the FDP approval (Vulcans), and first gas (Blythe and 
Vulcans).  

These milestone events triggering deferred consideration payments were considered to be more certain than not and 
a non-current amount of £2.3 million was recognised. These amounts were provided for and the payments discounted 
to the point where the Board expect the milestones to be achieved based on the current development programme.   

However  during  2021  the  administrators  of  the  counter  party  have  instructed  the  company  that  the  deferred 
consideration is deemed to have expired and the administrators do not consider this to be payable any longer by the 
company. Management have therefore taken the judgement to reverse the non-current liability. 

Fair value of share options and warrants 

The fair value of options and warrants is calculated using appropriate estimates of expected volatility, risk free rates of 
return, expected life of the options/warrants, the dividend growth rate, the number of options expected to vest and the 
impact of any attached conditions of exercise.  See above for further details of these assumptions. 

IOG plc 

Page 72 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

2  Segmental information 

The Group complies with IFRS 8, Operating Segments, which requires operating segments to be identified based upon 
internal reports about components of the Group that are regularly reviewed by the Directors to allocate resources to the 
segments and to assess their performance.  In the opinion of the Directors, the operations of the Group comprise one 
class of business, being the development, production and exploration of oil and gas opportunities in the UK Southern 
North Sea. 

3  Operating (loss)  

The Group’s operating loss (2020: loss) is stated after charging/(crediting) the following: 

2021 
£000 

2020 
£000 

Fees payable to the Company’s auditor: 

- 

for the audit of the Group’s financial statements 
Non-audit services 

Of which 

for the audit of the Company’s financial statements 

Depreciation, depletion and amortisation 
Project, pre-licence and exploration expenses 
Impairment of oil and gas properties 

128 
7 

62 

519 
104 
865 

Effect of exchange rate changes on Bond 
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 

(5,901) 
2,461 

99 
24 

62 

559 
180 
12,598 

(4,792) 
5,493 

1 Personnel costs are shown gross, before the reallocation via the time writing process of the costs to the specific assets to which they relate in Intangible assets and PP&E. 

4  Personnel costs and directors' remuneration 

During the year, the average number of personnel, including contract personnel, for both the Company and Group was: 

Management / technical / operations   

of which: Directors 

2021 

Number 

52 

5 

2020 

Number 

52 

6 

Personnel costs Group and Company 

£000 

£000 

Wages, salaries, fees and other direct costs 
Social security costs 
Pension costs 
Share-based payments 

6,379 
850 
298 
1,284 
________ 

8,811 

4,018 
509 
232 
941 
________ 

5,700 

________ 

________ 

Note that project contract personnel, capitalised directly to project cost centres, are excluded from the above personnel 
cost figures. 

Key  management  personnel  are  deemed  to  be  the  Directors,  the  Chief  Operating  Officer,  the  General  Counsel  & 
Company Secretary and the Head of Capital Markets & ESG.  

Of the total personnel costs of £8,811k (2020: £5,700k), was capitalised to the balance sheet under PP&E £6,332k 
(2020: £3,107k) and Intangibles £655k (2020: £2,593k). 

IOG plc 

Page 73 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

4 

Personnel costs and directors' remuneration (continued) 

Directors’ 
remuneration 

Salary/ 
Fees 

Salary/Fees 
Sacrificed 

Bonus 

Benefits 
(1) 

Share-
based 
payment 

2021 
Total 

Salary/ 
Fees 

Salary/Fees 
Sacrificed 

Bonus 

Benefits 
(1) 

Share-
based 
payment 

2020 
Total 

£000 

£000 

£000 

£000 

£000 

£000 

£000 

£000 

£000 

£000 

£000 

£000 

113 
17 
42 
308 
234 

7 
33 
3 
22 
17 

- 
- 
- 
146 
163 

- 
- 
- 
43 
31 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

120 
50 
45 
519 
445 

- 
______ 
714 
_____ 

- 
_______ 
82 
_____ 

- 
_____ 
309 
_____ 

_____ 
74 
_____ 

- 
______ 
- 
______ 

- 
______ 
1,179 
______ 

113 
- 
42 
308 
234 

171 
_____ 
898 
_____ 

7 
50 
3 
22 
16 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
38 
29 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

120 
- 
45 
368 
279 

15 
_______ 
113 
_______ 

- 
____ 
- 
____ 

23 
____ 
90 
____ 

- 
______ 
- 
______ 

209 
______ 
1071 
______ 

557 

22 

66 

74 

1,271 

104 

375 

148 

- 

- 

719 

399 

21 

40 

45 

12 

517 

1,898 

1,267 

134 

40 

135 

12 

1,588 

Fiona MacAulay2 
Esa Ikaheimonen 
Neil Hawkings 
Andrew Hockey 
Rupert Newall 

Mark Hughes3 

Other key 
management 
personnel 

Total key 
management 
personnel 

1 Benefits includes pension contributions, healthcare and life cover. 

2 Fiona MacAulay sacrifices £10,000 of her fees to a personal pension plan, paid directly into by the company. 

3 Mark Hughes resigned on 11 November 2020 

Short term benefits are deemed to be salary/fees, salary/fees sacrificed, bonus and benefits. No post-employment, long 
term or termination payments were made during the year. 

The salary amounts are those cash amounts paid to Directors and key management personnel during the year.  

Social security costs for the year for key management personnel were £237k (2020 - £189k). 

The share-based payment amounts represent the charges for share options during the year. 

For the current Directors at 31 December 2021, the service agreements provide that the full contractual amount will be 
paid in cash. In addition, there is the option to voluntarily elect to sacrifice up to 100% cash and receive the equivalent 
amount in share options.  The salary sacrifice option was reintroduced for all Directors with effect from May 2020 and 
ended  in  August  2021,  except  for  Esa  Ikaheimonen  who  sacrificed  all  his  fees  for  share  options  since  joining  the 
Company which also ended in August 2021. 

The average proportions of monthly salaries paid in cash and share options in 2021 for all Directors is as follows: 

Fiona MacAulay 
Andrew Hockey 
Rupert Newall 
Esa Ikaheimonen 
Neil Hawkings 

Cash 
93% 
93% 
93% 
33% 
93% 

Shares 
7% 
7% 
7% 
67% 
7% 

For  each  six-month  interval,  ending  on  28  (or  29)  February  and  31  August  respectively,  the  Company  settles  the 
difference  between  the  reduced  rate  and  the  full  rate  through  the  granting  of  options  over  ordinary  shares  of  the 
Company at the volume-weighted average share price over the period to which they relate. 

IOG plc 

Page 74 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

4  Personnel costs and directors' remuneration (continued) 

Amounts of salary and/or fees outstanding at 31 December 2021 to which these terms relate totalled £nil (31 December 
2020 – £43k) for Directors and key management personnel and £nil (2020 - £16k) for other personnel. These share 
options are yet to be issued.  

Directors’ interests in options on 1p ordinary shares of the Company at 31 December 2021 were as follows: 

Granted 

Type 

 Total  
31 Dec 2020 

Awarded 
in 2021 

Total  
31 Dec 2021 

Exercise 
price 

Expiry date 

Andrew Hockey 

Rupert Newall 

LTIP 
CSOP 

01-Mar-18 
01-May-19 
31-Aug-19  Salary Sacrifice 
02-Jan-20 
01-Apr-20  Salary Sacrifice 
31-Aug-20  Salary Sacrifice 
28-Jan-21 
28-Feb-21  Salary Sacrifice 
31-Aug-21  Salary Sacrifice 

CSOP 

CSOP 

CSOP 

CSOP 

01-May-19 
31-Aug-19  Salary Sacrifice 
02-Jan-20 
01-Apr-20  Salary Sacrifice 
31-Aug-20  Salary Sacrifice 
28-Jan-21 
28-Feb-21  Salary Sacrifice 
31-Aug-21  Salary Sacrifice 

CSOP 

1,600,000 
1,600,000 
267,740 
2,256,410 
62,460 
103,248 

 -  
 -  
 -  
- 
- 
- 
2,314,166 
135,437 
90,908 

1,600,000 
1,600,000 
267,740 
2,256,410 
62,460 
103,248 
2,314,166 
135,437 
90,908 

5,889,858 

 2,540,511  

8,430,369 

1,200,000 
240,966 
1,709,402 
56,214 
78,218 

 -  
 -  
- 
- 
- 
1,753,156 
102,604 
68,869 

1,200,000 
240,966 
1,709,402 
56,214 
78,218 
1,753,156 
102,604 
68,869 

3,284,800 

 1,924,629  

5,209,429 

Esa Ikaheimonen 

LTIP 

01-May-19 
31-Aug-19  Salary Sacrifice 
29-Feb-20  Salary Sacrifice 
01-Apr-20  Salary Sacrifice 
31-Aug-20  Salary Sacrifice 
28-Feb-21  Salary Sacrifice 
31-Aug-21  Salary Sacrifice 

600,000 
136,606 
114,152 
39,974 
234,627 

 -  
 -  
 -  
 -  
 -  
205,208 
137,739 

600,000 
136,606 
114,152 
39,974 
234,627 
205,208 
137,739 

1,125,359 

342,947  

1,468,306 

Fiona MacAulay 

LTIP 

01-May-19 
31-Aug-20  Salary Sacrifice 
28-Feb-21  Salary Sacrifice 
31-Aug-21  Salary Sacrifice 

1,000,000 
34,416 

 -  
-  
45,146 
30,303 

1,000,000 
34,416 
45,146 
30,303 

1,034,416 

 75,449  

1,109,865 

Neil Hawkings  

LTIP 

24-May-19 
31-Aug-19  Salary Sacrifice 
31-Aug-20  Salary Sacrifice 
28-Feb-21  Salary Sacrifice 
31-Aug-21  Salary Sacrifice 

600,000 
18,061 
14,079 

 -  
 -  
-  
18,469 
12,396 

600,000 
18,061 
14,079 
18,469 
12,396 

632,140 

 30,865 

663,005 

20p 
12.75p 
1p 
1p 
1p 
1p 
1p 
1p 
1p 

12.75p 
1p 
1p 
1p 
1p 
1p 
1p 
1p 

12.75p 
1p 
1p 
1p 
1p 
1p 
1p 

12.75p 
1p 
1p 
1p 

13.5p 
1p 
1p 
1p 
1p 

28-Feb-28 
30-Apr-29 
31-Aug-24 
01-Jan-30 
01-Apr-25 
05-Oct-25 
27-Jan-31 
28-Feb-26 
28-Sep-26 

30-Apr-29 
31-Aug-24 
01-Jan-30 
01-Apr-25 
05-Oct-25 
27-Jan-31 
28-Feb-26 
28-Sep-26 

30-Apr-29 
31-Aug-24 
31-Mar-25 
01-Apr-25 
05-Oct-25 
28-Feb-26 
28-Sep-26 

30-Apr-29 
05-Oct-25 
28-Feb-26 
28-Sep-26 

28-Feb-24 
31-Aug-24 
05-Oct-25 
28-Feb-26 
28-Sep-26 

IOG plc 

Page 75 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

5  Finance expense 

Interest on loans 
Amortisation of loan finance charges 
Current year loan finance charges 
Current year finance charges on deferred payment creditors 
Unwinding of discount on convertible loan 
Unwinding of deferred consideration provisions 
Unwinding of discount on lease liability 
Interest on bonds 
Capitalisation of interest on bonds1 

2021 
£000 

2020 
£000 

(14) 
- 
560 
- 
1,001 
(118) 
1,637 
8,253 
(8,253) 
________ 
3,066 
________ 

103 
2 
540 
19 
1,027 
158 
354 
8,668 
(8,668) 
________ 
2,203 
_________ 

1 During the Phase 1 development, all interest paid in the Norwegian bonds is capitalised to the Phase 1 assets proportionately based on their capital expenditure during the year 

During 2021 there were no interest bearing loans outstanding other than the Norwegian Bonds. The interest associated 
with the Bond is capitalised to project costs as the bond drawdowns are purposefully used to finance the development 
of the project assets. 

IOG plc 

Page 76 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

6  Taxation 

a) Current taxation 

There  was  no  tax  charge  during  the  year  as  the  Group  loss  was  not  chargeable  to  corporation  tax.    Applicable 
expenditures to-date will be accumulated for offset against future tax charges. 

The reasons for the difference between the actual tax charge for the year and the standard rate of corporation tax in 
the United Kingdom applied to profits for the year are as follows: 

Loss for the year 
Income tax expense   

Loss before income taxes 

Expected tax expense/(credit) based on the standard rate of United 
Kingdom corporation tax at the domestic rate of 40%1 (2020: 40%) 

Difference in tax rates 
Expenses not deductible for tax purposes 
Income not taxable 
Group relief claimed 
Unrecognised taxable losses carried forward 

Total tax expense 

2021 
£000 

2020 
£000 

(4,266) 
- 
_________ 
(4,266) 

(19,337) 
- 
_________ 
(19,337) 

(1,706) 

(7,735) 

1,168 
(77) 
(7,618) 
(2) 
8,235 
_________ 
- 
_________ 

1,952 
260 
(4,590) 
- 
10,113 
_________ 
- 
_________ 

1 The standard rate of corporation tax of 40% (2020: 40%) , including the supplemental corporation tax charge of 10% (2020:10%) is levied in respect of UK ring fence 

profit. Non-ring fenced profits are taxed at the standard rate of corporation tax of 19%. Given that the group’s activities are primarily focused on activities which will 

generate income within the UK ring fence the 40% has been regarded as the appropriate rate for the reconciliation above. 

b) Deferred taxation 

Due to the nature of the Group's exploration activities there is a long lead time in either developing or otherwise realising 
exploration assets. The amount of deductible temporary differences, unused tax losses and unused tax credits for which 
no deferred tax asset is recognised in the statement of financial position is £ 220.6 million (2020:£122.7 million). There 
are also accelerated capital allowances of £111.0 million (2020:£35.7 million) 

The Group has not recognised a deferred tax asset at 31 December 2021 on the basis that the Group would expect the 
point of recognition to be when the Group has some level of production history showing that the Group is making profits 
in line with the underlying economic model which would support the recognition. 

The group has carried forward ring fence tax losses of £196.4 million (2020: £111. 5 million) and non-ring fence tax 
losses of £16.6 million (2020: £ 13.4 million). In addition the group has pre- trading revenue expenditure of £4.8 million 
(  2020:  £2.9  million)  (to  the  extent  that  the  company  commences  a  trade  within  seven  years  from  the  time  the 
expenditure  was  incurred)  and    pre-trading  capital  expenditure  of  £20.7  million  (2020:£5.3  million)  that  would  be 
available upon commencement of the trade in the respective group company. 

IOG plc 

Page 77 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

7  Loss per share 

(Loss) for the year attributable to shareholders (Numerator) 

2021 

£000 

2020 

£000 

(4,266) 

(19,337) 

___________ 

___________ 

Weighted average number of ordinary shares:  basic (Denominator) 

513,584,870 

488,211,155 

Add potentially dilutive shares: 

Convertible loan notes 
Salary/Fee sacrifice options 
LTIP/CSOP 
Warrants 

Loss / Earnings per share in pence: 

diluted 

basic  
diluted 

60,872,631 
4,325,027 
26,369,136 
20,000,000 

60,872,631 
4,480,836 
20,809,486 
20,000,000 

625,151,664 
___________ 

594,374,108 
___________ 

nil 
nil 

(4.0p) 
(4.0p) 

Diluted loss per share is calculated based upon the weighted average number of ordinary shares plus the weighted 
average  number  of  ordinary  shares  that  would  be  issued  upon  conversion  of  potentially  dilutive  share  options, 
convertible loan notes and warrants into ordinary shares.  

As the current year result for the year was a loss, the options and warrants outstanding would be anti-dilutive.  Therefore, 
the dilutive loss per share is considered as the same as the basic loss per share. 

In 2020 there were no anti-dilutive instruments that were not included in the calculations that would have had a material 
impact on the basic earnings per share. 

There are no significant ordinary share issues post the reporting date, save for those disclosed in note 28 that would 
materially affect this calculation. 

IOG plc 

Page 78 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

8 

Intangible assets 

Group 

Exploration 
& 
evaluation 
assets 

Company 
& IT 
software 
assets 

Total 

Exploration 
& evaluation 
assets 

Company & 
IT software 
assets 

Total 

2020 

£000 

120 

201 

- 

2020 

£000 

35,586 

1,009 

- 

At cost 

At beginning of the year 

36,274 

321 

36,595 

35,466 

2021 

£000 

2021 

£000 

2021 

£000 

2020 

£000 

Additions 

Disposals 

At end of the year 

Impairments and write-downs 

At beginning of the year 

Amortisation 

Impairment 

At end of the year 

506 

- 

15 

- 

521 

- 

808 

- 

_________  _________  ________ 

_________  _________ 

________ 

36,780 

37,116 
_________  _________  ________ 

336 

36,274 

321 
_________  _________ 

36,595 
________ 

(34,965) 

- 

(865) 

(151) 

(110) 

- 

(35,116) 

(22,367) 

(110) 

(865) 

- 

(12,598) 

(40) 

(111) 

(22,407) 

(111) 

- 

(12,598) 

________ 

________  ________ 

________ 

________ 

________ 

(35,830) 

(36,091) 
_________  _________  ________ 

(261) 

(34,965) 
________ 

(151) 
________ 

(35,116) 
________ 

Net book value 

At 31 December 2021 

At 1 January 2021 

At 1 January 2020 

950 

1,309 

13,099 

75 

170 

80 

1,025 

1,479 

13,179 

Exploration and evaluation assets at 31 December 2021 comprise the Group’s interest in the Abbeydale appraisal, the 
Goddard pre-development prospects and Panther and Grafton. 

The affected E&E assets are tested for impairment once indicators have been identified. 

After completing the technical analysis of Harvey, IOG has fully determined the Harvey licence in December 2021. The 
Redwell licence, was fully determined (surrendered) in March 2021, both the licences have been fully impaired in 2021 
as no further investment is planned on these licences.  

IOG plc 

Page 79 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

9  Property, plant and equipment 

Group 

D&P 
assets 
Phase 1 

D&P 
assets 
Phase 2 

Pipeline 
assets 

Right of use 
assets 

Admin assets 

Total 

At cost 

At beginning of the year 

On transition 

Additions 
Change in estimate of 
decommissioning asset (note 
18) 

Decommissioning asset 
(note 18) 
Disposals 
Saturn Banks Pipeline 
decommissioning security 

At end of the year 

Accumulated 
depreciation 
At beginning of the 
year 
DD&A 

At end of the year 

2020 

£000 

2020 

£000 

2020 

£000 

13,847 

4,062 

11,012 

- 

- 

- 

19,828 

3,088 

2,499 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

(1,850) 

936 

- 

- 

______ 

______ 

______ 

33,675 

7,150 

12,597 

______ 

______ 

______ 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

2020 

£000 

1,054 

- 

17,496 

- 

- 

- 

- 

______ 

18,550 

______ 

(145) 

(2,231) 

(2,376) 

2020 

£000 

258 

- 

379 

- 

- 

- 

- 

______ 

637 

______ 

(96) 

(174) 

(270) 

2020 

£000 

30,233 

- 

43,290 

(1,850) 

936 

- 

- 

_____ 

72,609 

_____ 

(241) 

(2,405) 

(2,646) 

IOG plc 

Page 80 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

9  Property, plant and equipment (continued) 

D&P 
assets 
Phase 1 

D&P 
assets 
Phase 2 

Pipeline 
assets 

Right of 
use 
assets 

Admin 
assets 

Total 

At cost 

At beginning of the year 

On transition 

Additions 
Change in estimate of 
decommissioning asset (note 18) 

Decommissioning asset (note 18) 
Disposals 
Saturn Banks Pipeline 
decommissioning security 

2021 

£000 

2021 

£000 

2021 

£000 

2021 

£000 

33,675 

7,150 

12,597 

18,550 

- 

57,673 

- 

263 

- 

- 

17,274 

2,753 

- 

- 

(1,824) 

11,613 

(17) 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

2021 

£000 

637 

- 

17 

- 

- 

- 

- 

At end of the year 

102,961 

7,396 

28,047 

21,302 

654 

______ 

______ 

______ 

______ 

______ 

______ 

______ 

______ 

______ 

______ 

Accumulated depreciation 

At beginning of the year 

DD&A 

At end of the year 

Net book value 
At 31 December 
2021 
At 1 January 2021 
At 1 January 2020 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

(2,376) 
-
(14,276) 
(16,652) 

102,961 

7,396 

28,046 

4,650 

33,675 
13,847 

7,150 
4,062 

12,597  16,174 
909 
11,012 

(270) 

(163) 

(433) 

221 

367 
162 

2021 

£000 

72,609 

- 

77,979 

(1,824) 

11,596 

- 

- 

_____ 

160,360 

_____ 

(2,646) 

(14,439) 

(17,085) 

143,275 

69,963 
29,992 

Phase 2 development and production assets are currently scheduled for Final Investment Decision in 2H 2022.  

The £200k paid as decommissioning security guarantees in 2018 in respect of both the Elland P039 Licence suspended 
well and the Initial Pipeline Decommissioning Security were classified as fixed assets at 31 December 2019. In 2019, 
a  further  £2.0  million  Saturn  Banks  was  paid  upon  acquisition  as  security  against  the  Saturn  Banks  Facilities 
Decommissioning Security. 

Following the farm-down to CER, the above amounts were reduced by 50% resulting in £100k held against the Elland 
P039 licence, £250k against the Saturn Banks Pipeline, and £1.0 million against the Saturn Banks Reception Facilities.  
At  the  year  end,  £1.25  million  for  the  Saturn  Banks  Pipeline  and  Saturn  Banks  Reception  Facilities  classified  as 
Restricted cash on the balance sheet.     

In 2020, due to the 12” and 6” pipeline laying campaign, a further £0.9 million was recognised as a decommissioning 
liability.  A re-assessment of the Saturn Banks Reception Facilities decommissioning liability was also conducted and 
the amount reduced to £3.2 million. 

All assets were assessed for impairment under IAS 36, no impairment has been recognised during the year (2020: nil).  

IOG plc 

Page 81 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

9  Property, plant and equipment (continued) 

Company 

D&P assets 
Phase 1 

Right of 
use assets 

Admin 
assets 

Total 

D&P assets 
Phase 1 

Right of use 
assets 

Company & 
admin 
assets 

Total 

2021 

£000 

2021 

£000 

At cost 

At beginning of the year 

1,959 

18,550 

Additions 

- 

2,753 

2021 

£000 

637 

17 

2021 

£000 

21,146 

2,770 

2020 

£000 

2020 

£000 

- 

1,054 

1,959 

17,496 

2020 

£000 

258 

379 

______ 

______ 

______ 

_____ 

______ 

______ 

______ 

2020 

£000 

1,312 

19,834 

_____ 

At end of the year 

1,959 

21,303 

654 

23,916 

1,959 

18,550 

637 

21,146 

______ 

______ 

______ 

_____ 

______ 

______ 

______ 

_____ 

Accumulated depreciation 

At beginning of the year 

- 

(2,376) 

DD&A 

(1,959) 

(14,276) 

(270) 

(163) 

(2,646) 

(16,398) 

- 

- 

(145) 

(96) 

(241) 

(2,231) 

(174) 

(2,405) 

______ 

______ 

______ 

_____ 

______ 

______ 

______ 

_____ 

At end of the year 

(1,959) 

(16,652) 

(433) 

(19,044) 

- 

(2,376) 

(270) 

(2,646) 

______ 

______ 

______ 

_____ 

______ 

______ 

_____ 

_____ 

Net book value 

At 31 December 2021 

At 1 January 2021 

At 1 January 2020 

- 

1,959 

- 

4,651 

16,174 

909 

221 

367 

162 

4,872 

18,500 

1,071 

Phase 1 assets for the Company relate to the depreciation of the right of use asset in relation to the Noble Hans Deul 
rig contract. The depreciation on right of use asset is capitalised as D&P assets for the group. 

All assets were assessed for impairment, but no impairment indicators were identified. 

IOG plc 

Page 82 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

10  Convertible Loans 

The table below sets out the opening, movement and closing position of the LOG loans in 2020. 

Loan Facility 

2020 B/fwd 
Balance 

2020 
Drawdown 

2020 
Interest 

2020 Cash 
Settlement 

£10.00 million facility 

£000 

6,819 

6,819 

£000 

£000 

£000 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

2020 
Converted 
to ordinary 
shares 
£000 

- 

- 

2020 Gain on 
loan 
modification 

£000 

- 

- 

2020 
Unwinding 
discount 
£000 

1,218 

1,218 

Carrying 
Value at 31 
December 
2020 
£000 

8,037 

8,037 

The table below sets out the opening, movement and closing position of the LOG loans in 2021. 

Loan Facility 

2021 B/fwd 
Balance 

2021 
Drawdown 

2021 
Interest 

2021 Cash 
Settlement 

£10.00 million facility 

£000 

8,037 

8,037 

£000 

£000 

£000 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

2021 
Converted 
to ordinary 
shares 
£000 

- 

- 

2021 Gain on 
loan 
modification 

£000 

(216) 

(216) 

2021 
Unwinding 
discount 
£000 

1,001 

1,001 

Carrying 
Value at 31 
December 
2021 
£000 

8,822 

8,822 

IOG plc 

Page 83 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

11  Investments 

Company 

At cost 
At 1 January 2020 
Additions 

At 31 December 2020 
Additions 
Disposals 

At 31 December 2021 

Net book value 
At 1 January 2020 

At 1 January 2021 

Shares 
in Group 
companies 

Loans 
to Group 
companies 

£000 

£000 

Total 

£000 

15,486 
- 
_________ 
15,486 
- 

28,710 
16,196 
_________ 
44,906 
64,289 

44,196 
16,196 
_________ 
60,392 
64,289 

_________ 
15,486 

_________ 
109,195 

_________ 
124,681 

15,486 

15,486 

28,710 

44,906 

44,196 

60,392 

At 31 December 20211 

15,486 

109,195 

124,681 

1There were no impairments in the 2021 period. Although the Harvey (P2085) licence was impaired during the period by IOG North Sea Limited,  the Company has assessed the 

subsidiaries ability to repay its loans and believes there is sufficient cash flow from other assets held by the subsidiary to fulfil its obligation. 

The  Company  has  undertaken  not  to  seek  repayment  of  loans  from  other  Group  subsidiary  companies  until  each 
subsidiary has sufficient funds to make such payments, however they are technically due on demand.  The repayment 
of the subsidiary loans is expected to begin once each entity generates revenues from gas sales and transportation.  
The Company expects these loans to begin to be repaid in 2022 and is supported by its detailed cash flow modelling.  
These loans are non-interest bearing. 

The Company's subsidiaries, all registered at 60 Gracechurch Street, London EC3V 0HR, are as follows: 

Directly held 
IOG Infrastructure Limited 
IOG North Sea Limited 
IOG UK Ltd 
Avalonia Energy Limited (dormant) 

Held by Avalonia Energy Limited 
Avalonia Goddard Limited (dormant) 
Avalonia Abbeydale Limited (dormant) 
Avalonia Energy Appraisal Limited (dormant) 

Country of 
incorporation 
United Kingdom 
United Kingdom 
United Kingdom 
United Kingdom 

Area of 
operation 
United Kingdom 
United Kingdom 
United Kingdom 
United Kingdom 

United Kingdom 
United Kingdom 
United Kingdom 

United Kingdom 
United Kingdom 
United Kingdom 

% 
100 
100 
100 
100 

100 
100 
100 

All three active subsidiaries are engaged in the business of oil and gas appraisal, development and/or operations in the 
UK North Sea. 

The  four  dormant  companies  were  incorporated  in  2018  and  2019  and  have  been  made  available  to  support  any 
potential Group restructure following refinancing of the Group. 

The financial reporting periods for each subsidiary entity are consistent with the Company and end on 31 December. 

IOG plc 

Page 84 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

12  Financial Asset  

IOG held €1.7 million (£1.3 million) of its Norwegian bonds, which were sold during the year in the open market and the 
gain on sale has been recognised in the statement of comprehensive income.  

At 1 January 
Additions 
Fair value adjustment 
Disposal 

At 31 December 

2021 

£000 

1,260 
- 
199 
(1,459) 
________ 

2020 

£000 

- 
1,525 
(265) 
- 
________ 

- 

1,260 

________ 

_________ 

13  Interests in production licences 

At 31 December 2021, all nine Group UK Offshore Production Licences, were owned 50% by either IOG North Sea 
Limited or IOG UK Ltd. The Saturn Banks Pipeline PL370 and Bacton Gas Terminal assets are owned 50% by IOG 
Infrastructure Limited. Harvey and Redwell have been fully determined (surrendered). 

14   Other receivables and prepayments 

Group 
VAT recoverable 
Prepayments 
Other receivables 

Company 
VAT recoverable 
Prepayments 
Other receivables 

2021 
£000 

2020 
£000 

1,455 
245 
5 
_________ 
1,705 
_________ 

1,455 
246 
5 
_________ 
1,705 
_________ 

869 
205 
25 
_________ 
1,099 
_________ 

2,236 
205 
25 
_________ 
2,466 
_________ 

The  2021  prepayments  relate  to  rental  charges  for  its  189  Endeavour  House  office  space  in  London  and  general 
administration.  

The Company has considered the carrying value of Debtors in the context of IFRS 9 and has assessed the debtors 
ability  to  repay  the  amount  due.    In  assessing  the  expected  credit  loss  (‘ECL’)  of  the  receivables,  the  Company 
considered future cash flows from the entities and concluded there is no material ECL provision required.   

IOG plc 

Page 85 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

15  Current liabilities 

Group 

Accruals 
Operator advance accounts 
Lease liabilities 
Trade payables 
Contingent consideration payable  
Tax payable 

Company 
Lease liabilities 
Trade payables 
Accruals 
Contingent consideration payable 
Tax Payable 

2021 
£000 

2020 
£000 

13,350 
11,728 
11,068 
7,708 
659 
367 
_________ 
44,880 
_________ 

11,070 
7,708 
2,709 
659 
367 

3,106 
4,100 
13,781 
979 
- 
165 
_________ 
22,131 
_________ 

13,781 
979 
1,213 
- 
165 

_________ 
22,513 
_________ 

_________ 
16,138 
_________ 

Current liabilities include: - 

•  Lease liabilities under IFRS 16 relate to the future payment obligation within the year. 
•  Accruals relate to estimates of value of work carried out under engineering, construction, procurement and 

commissioning activities and contracts related therewith. 

•  Operators advance accounts is the balance due to JV partners and is the difference between cash calls 

received and billing statements at the balance sheet date. 

•  Trade payables relate to unpaid invoices to various suppliers and service providers at the balance sheet date. 
•  Contingent consideration relates to an additional consideration payable 3 months after first gas as part of the 

acquisition of the Southwark asset. 

•  Tax payable is the outstanding balance due to HMRC at the end of the year. 

IOG plc 

Page 86 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

16  Non-current liabilities 

Group 
Long-term loans 
Lease liability 
Contingent consideration payable 
Decommissioning provision 

Company 
Long-term loans 
Lease liability 
Contingent consideration payable 

2021 
£000 

91,257 
395 
- 
15,837 

_________ 
107,489 
_________ 

91,257 
395 
- 
_________ 
91,652 
_________ 

2020 
£000 

95,813 
4,968 
2,302 
6,227 

_________ 
109,310 
_________ 

95,813 
4,968 
613 
_________ 
101,394 
_________ 

Long-term loans: 

The  Nordic  bond  issued  in  20  September  2019  represents  £82.4  million  (2020:  87.8  million)  of  the  long-term  loans 
balance with the LOG loan of £8.8 million being the balance of the total of £91.3 million. See note 20 for further details 
of the Nordic bond. 

The amounts drawn on LOG loans at 31 December 2021 and 31 December 2020 were as follows: 

Loan Facility 
£11.6 million 
convertible loan, 
5 year facility 

Entity 

Effective Date 

Maturity Date 

Principal 

Interest 

IOG plc 

28 September 2019 

23 September 2024 

£11.6 million 

Nil 

See note 10 for information relating to the outstanding LOG loan. 

IOG plc 

Page 87 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

16  Non-current liabilities (continued) 

Contingent consideration payable: 

The Group is required under certain terms its acquisitions to make further amounts payable upon first gas. 

The  deferred  consideration  which  was  considered  to  be  certain  expired  under  the  terms  of  the  contract  and 
consequently the non-current liability has been released in 2021. 

The movements in the year are as follows: 

At 1 January 

Settlement of liability 1 

Foreign exchange 

Unwinding of discount 

Lapsed 

At 31 December 

2021 

£000 

2,302 

- 

- 

- 

(2,302) 

2020 

£000 

3,114 

(875) 

(96) 

159 

- 

- 

2,302 

1 Payment made following the FDP approval of Phase 1 by the OGA. 

The liability expired under the terms of the contract on 9th of January 2021 and therefore the balance due is now NIL: 

Non-Current contingent consideration  

2021 

£000 

- 

- 

2020 

£000 

2,302 

2,302 

IOG plc 

Page 88 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

16  Non-current liabilities (continued) 

Decommissioning provision: 

At 1 January 

Revision in estimates 

Discount unwinding 

Additions  

2021 

£000 

6,226 

2020 

£000 

7,239 

(1,948) 

(1,850) 

10 

11,549 

(99) 

936 

At 31 December 

15,837 

6,226 

The Group has regulatory and financial obligations in respect of decommissioning for a suspended well on the Elland 
Licence P039 – Gross £2.4 million (2020: £2.4 million), net to the Company £1.2 million. Decommissioning the Saturn 
Banks Pipeline - £0.1 million (2020: £2.0 million). For the  Saturn Banks Reception Facilities at Bacton the company 
holds further decommissioning liabilities totalling £3.3 million net to the Company.  The Company, as a result of its work 
program in 2021 has decommissioning liabilities of £13.2 million (net) for the addition to Phase 1 construction project 
and drilling program.  

A  full  decommissioning  estimate  for  the  Elland  suspended  well  remains  uncertain  until  an  appropriate  drilling 
programme has been reviewed and considered for the Elland development, which may include the decommissioning 
of that particular well. The timing and thus payment of this decommissioning program remains inherently uncertain.  

The current £0.1 million provision for the Saturn Banks Pipeline decommissioning obligation has been calculated on a 
discounted cash flow basis, whereby the present value of the regulatory marine surveys has been inflated at 2% and 
then discounted at the risk-free discount rate of  2.75%. It has been estimated that the  Saturn Banks Pipeline has a 
useful life over the next 25 years; however, the judgements made on this and other variables, currently provided by the 
OGA, are inherently uncertain and this is reflected in the fact that the provision in 2021 net to the company was £0.1 
million  

The  £7.6  million  (2020)  provision  for  the  Saturn  Banks  Reception  Facilities  decommissioning  obligation  has  been 
reduced to £6.7 million recognised on the basis of the SPA, then reduced to reflect the Farm-out to CER (£3.35 million 
net). Resulting in a net £3.35 million  liability. An initial payment of £2.0 million was made by the Company as security 
for the liability on completion of the Saturn Banks Reception Facilities transaction which was then reduced for CER’s 
50% share to £1.0 million. The Group is due to pay a further eight quarterly payments of £0.5 million as security six 
months after the start of gas production. The Group has chosen to recognise the full amount of the liability represented 
in the SPA as there is no material difference of discounting the payments back to the balance sheet date.  

IOG plc 

Page 89 of 108 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

17  Net (Debt) / Cash  

IOG uses the following definition of net (debt)/cash - restricted cash and cash equivalents plus the financial asset, 
less total loans. 

Restricted cash 

Cash and cash equivalents 

Fair value asset 

Loans 

Net (debt) 

18  Share capital 

Authorised, allotted, issued and fully 
paid 
At 1 January 2020 
- Ordinary shares of 1p each 
Equity issued: 

- December 2020, Ordinary shares of 
1p, London Oil & Gas Ltd, Warrant 
exercise 2 
- Other LTIP and Salary sacrifice share 
exercises 1 

At 31 December 2020 
- Ordinary shares of 1p each 
Equity issued: 

2021 

£000 

3,429 

31,255 

- 

2020 

£000 

67,049 

13,389 

1,260 

(91,257) 

(95,813) 

(56,573) 

(14,115) 

Number 

Share 
capital 
£000 

Share 
premium 
£000 

Total 
£000 

480,173,245 

4,802 

49,423 

54,225 

7,877,310 

160,600 

488,211,155 

488,211,155 

78 

2 

4,882 

4,882 

338 

18 

566 

644 

- 

49,989 

49,989 

2 

54,871 

54,871 

8,112 

8,450 

48 

66 

- September 2021, Ordinary shares of 
1p, 3  
- Other LTIP and Salary sacrifice share 
exercises 

33,800,000 

1,753,057 

At 31 December 2021 
- Ordinary shares of 1p each 

_________ 

_________ 

_________ 

_________ 

523,764,212 

5,238 

58,149 

63,387 

_________ 

_________ 

_________ 

_________ 

1 For further details, see related party transactions note 24  

2 During 2020, London Oil & Gas Ltd exercised 7,500,000 of their warrants at 8 pence per share and 377,310 warrants at 11.9 pence per share.  

3 During 2021, the carried out a share placement of 33,800,00 at 25 pence per share.  

IOG plc 

Page 90 of 108 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

18  Share capital (continued) 

Share Placing 

In September 2021, the Group raised gross proceeds of £8.5 million through the issue of ordinary shares at 10 pence. 
The two components of shares were issued: 

Placement 
Directors Subscription 

Ordinary Shares 
33,800,000 
200,000 
34,000,000 

£000 

8,450 
50 
8,500 

The Company successfully raised gross proceeds of £8.5 million through a placing (the "Placing") and subscription 
(together, the "Fundraise"). The Company has placed 33,800,000 new Ordinary Shares at a price of 25 pence per 
New Ordinary Share (the "Issue Price") with existing and new investors and a further 200,000 new Ordinary Shares at 
a price of 25 pence per share to Directors of the Company. 

The Issue Price represents a premium of approximately 1.0% to the 30-day volume weighted average price of an 
Ordinary Share to 22 September 2021 of 24.75 pence and a discount of approximately 8.3% to the closing mid-
market  price  of  an  Ordinary  Share  of  27.25  pence  on  22  September  2021.  The  New  Ordinary  Shares  will 
represent 6.5% of the Company's Enlarged Issued Share Capital. 

Share options and warrants 

During the current and prior year, the Company granted share options under its share option plans as follows:  

Number 

Price  Date of Grant 

Expiry 

1 January 2020  

14,111,871 

13.03p 

Salary/fee sacrifice options 
CSOP cancelled/expired 
CSOP options 

Salary/fee sacrifice options 
Options exercised 

114,152 
(395,279) 
10,274,102 

1,046,076 
(160,600) 

29 Feb 2020 

1p 
1p 
1p  Various dates in 

2020 
31 Aug 2020 

1p 

31 Mar 25 

Various dates 
in 2023 
05 Oct 25 

31 December 2020 

25,290,322 

7.70p 

Salary/fee sacrifice options 
CSOP cancelled/expired 
CSOP options 

Salary/fee sacrifice options 
Options exercised 

972,685 
(2,875,284) 
9,199,640 

479,052 
(2,072,252) 

28 Feb 2021 

1p 
1p 
1p  Various dates in 

2021 

1p 

31 Aug 2021 

28 Feb 26 

Various dates 
in 2031 
28 Sept 26 

31 December 2021 

30,694,163 

6.53p 

Of the remaining staff options, 14,111,871 outstanding at 31 December 2019, 126,497 were exercised during the year.  
Of those personnel options granted during 2020, 34,103 were exercised during 2020. Total personnel options exercised 
in 2020 is thus 160,600. 

Of the remaining staff options,  25,290,322  outstanding at  31 December 2020,  2,072,252 were exercised  during the 
year. 

The  fair  value  of  these  options  exercised  was  transferred  from  the  Share-based  Payment  Reserve  to  Accumulated 
Loss. 

IOG plc 

Page 91 of 108 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

18  Share capital (continued) 

All salary/fee sacrifice options outstanding at 31 December 2020 were issued at an exercise price of 1p per share and 
carry no additional performance conditions. These shares were issued at a volume calculated by taking the amount 
owing and dividing by the volume weighted average price for the period to which the salary/fee sacrifice pertains.  

CSOP Valuation 

The 2021 CSOP valuation is based on a Log-normal Monte-Carlo stochastic model. 

The valuation model assumes:- 

-  Share price at date of grant 22.50p 
-  Exercise price of 1.00p 
-  Option life of 10 years 
-  The risk-free rate and volatility of the underlying are known and constant (0.17%, 3 year UK government bond 

at grant date) 

-  Share price volatility is 64.56% 
- 

10,000 iterations 

LTIP Valuation 

There  were  no  LTIP  shares  granted  in  2021  and  2020.  The  LTIP  valuation  is  based  on  a  Log-normal  Monte-Carlo 
stochastic model. 

The valuation incorporates a forecast employee turnover to establish the number of options expected to vest, the charge 
requires recalculation each year to take account of any revised estimates regarding employee turnover and any new 
grants of share options. 

-  Efficient markets (i.e., market movements cannot be predicted) 
-  No commissions 
10,000 iterations 
- 
-  The risk-free rate and volatility of the underlying are known and constant (-0.09%, 3 year UK government bond 

at grant date) 

-  Share price volatility is 64.56% 

All LTIP and CSOP options outstanding at 31 December 2021 were issued to option holders with, other than the target 
price, several  performance criteria  including the delivery, measurement, control  and management of an appropriate 
HSE statement and policy together with a Group-wide HSE focussed culture.  

The remaining average contractual life of the 30,694,163 options outstanding at 31 December 2021 (2020 – 25,290,322) 
was  4.2  years  at  that  date  (2020:  5.2  years)  of  which  4,480,836  were  exercisable  at  31  December  2021  (2020: 
4,480,836). 

The weighted average exercise price of the options remaining was 6.53p at 31 December 2021 (2020 – 7.7p). 

The Company calculates the value of personnel salary/fee sacrificed share-based compensation as the actual value of 
the sacrificed amount.  This is deemed to be the fair value of such awards.  The fair value of sacrificed salary/fee share 
options  granted  in  2021  is  calculated  as  £104k  (2020:  £161k)  and  this  has  been  charged  to  the  Statement  of 
Comprehensive Income.  The exercise price of such awards was determined as 1p (2020: 1p). 

IOG plc 

Page 92 of 108 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

18  Share capital (continued) 

Further details for Directors are provided in Note 4. 

The Company did not grant any warrants in the current year (2020: nil). No warrants were exercised during the year 
(2020: 7,877,310 ) and no warrants lapsed during the year (2020: 5,400,000 ) and are shown as follows: 

Number 

Price  Date of Grant 

Expiry 

1 January 2021 

20,000,000 

32.18p 

31 December 2021 

20,000,000 

32.18p 

13/09/2018 

31/08/2023 

The  Company  calculates  the  value  of  share-based  compensation  using  the  Black-Scholes  option  pricing  model  to 
estimate the fair value of warrants at the date of grant. 

The fair value of 20,000,000 warrants granted to London Oil & Gas Limited on 13 September 2018 was calculated as 
£4.2 million, all of which was recognised as an issue cost of the £15 million LOG loan facility, held at amortised cost 
using the effective interest method. The exercise price of these warrants was determined as 32.18p. 

The following assumptions were applied in the LOG warrant award calculation: 

Risk free interest rate 
Dividend yield 
Weighted average life expectancy 
Volatility factor 

1.50% 
nil 
4 years 
96.45% 

A volatility of 96.45% has been applied based upon the Company’s share price over the period from the Company’s 
listing on AIM on 30 September 2013 until 13 September 2019. 

The  remaining  average  contractual  life  of  the  20,000,000  warrants  outstanding  at  31  December  2021  (2020  – 
20,000,000) was 1.66 years at that date (2020 – 2.66 years).  All such warrants were exercisable at 31 December 2021. 

The weighted average exercise price of the warrants remaining was 32.18p at 31 December 2021 (2020 – 32.18p).  No 
further warrants have been issued or exercised as at 16 March 2022. 

IOG plc 

Page 93 of 108 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

19  Restricted cash, Cash and cash equivalents 

Group  

Restricted cash 

Cash at bank 

Company 

Restricted cash 

Cash at bank 

2021 
£000 

2020 
£000 

3,429 

67,049 

31,255 

13,389 

2,066 

65,699 

31,255 

13,389 

Restricted cash at 31 December 2021 includes £2.1 million (2020: £66.0 million) of restricted deposits in Euro escrow 
and Debt Service Reserve Accounts following the Norwegian Bond issue and a £1.4 million (2020: £1.4 million) 
deposit secured against decommissioning provisions of its infrastructure assets. Total restricted cash balances of 
£3.4 million for the Group and £2.1 million for the Company are available within 1 year.  

Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash in hand, deposits and other short-term money market deposit accounts 
that are readily convertible into known amounts of cash. The fair value of cash and cash equivalents is £31.3 million 
(2020: £13.4 million).  

20  Bonds payable 

On 20 September 2019, the Company issued €100 million Norwegian Bonds on the Oslo Børs to fund the Phase 1 
development program. 

2021 
£000 

2020 
£000 

Balance at the beginning of the year 

87,777 

82,423 

Amortisation of transaction fees 

Interest charged 

Interest Paid 

Currency revaluation 

560 

8,253 

562 

8,668 

(8,253) 

(8,668) 

(5,901) 
_________ 
82,436 
_________ 

4,792 
_________ 
87,777 
_________ 

The secured callable bonds were issued on 20 September 2019 by IOG plc at an issue price of par. The bonds have a 
term of five years and will be repaid in full at maturity. The bonds carry a coupon of 9.5% plus 3 month EURIBOR with 
a EURIBOR floor of 0% and were issued at par. 

IOG plc 

Page 94 of 108 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

The Bond is callable 3 years after issuance with an initial call premium of 50% of the coupon (i.e. repayable at a cost of 
€104.75 million if 3m EURIBOR is at zero or lower), declining by 10% every six months thereafter.  

Bond covenants 

•  Minimum liquidity - €2 million up to, and including, 6 months from the first gas date and €5 million thereafter.   
•  Minimum leverage ratio – a minimum of 2.5 : 1 from the first reporting date following 6 months after the first gas 

date. 

•  Minimum interest cover ratio – a minimum of 5 times cover of interest to EBITDA from the first reporting date 

following 6 months after the first gas date. 

As part of the original Bond issue, the Company has the option to issue a further €30 million of bonds, though these 
would be at the prevailing market rate at the time of any issue and would not be on any carry any favourable terms to 
the market pricing at the time. 

Full  terms  and  conditions  of  the  Bonds  can  be  seen  in  ‘Bond  Terms’  document  which  is  publicly  available  at: 
https://www.iog.co.uk/media/1237/bond-terms-execution-version-190919.pdf  

21  Lease liabilities 

Current 

At 1 January 

Interest expenses 

Lease payments 

Additions 

At 31 December 

Long term 

At 1 January 

Additions 

Move to current 

At 31 December 

2021 

£000 

13,781 

1,754 

(12,307) 

7,840 

11,068 

4,968 

395 

(4,968) 

395 

2020 

£000 

939 

381 

(192) 

 12,653 

13,781 

- 

4,968 

- 

4,968 

Lease payments represent the Group and Company’s share of Drilling Rig rental, PSV marine  supply vessel rental, 
ERVV  marine  emergency  rapid  response  vessel  rental,  office  lease  rental  payments  at  Endeavour  House,  189 
Shaftesbury Avenue, London, together with the Crown Estate lease for the rights for the Saturn Banks Pipeline to cross 
the foreshore at Bacton. During 2021 the Company continued with drilling rig contract with Noble Corporation for the 
Noble Hans Deul drilling rig for which payments commenced in 2021 additionally in 2021 to new contracts were awarded 
one for marine supply vessel and another one for marine emergency rapid response vessel. 

IOG plc 

Page 95 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

22  Financial instruments 

Significant accounting policies 

Details of the significant accounting policies in respect of financial instruments are disclosed in Note 1 of the financial 
statements. 

Financial risk management 

The  Board  seeks  to  minimise  its  exposure  to  financial  risk  by  reviewing  and  agreeing  policies  for  managing  each 
financial risk and monitoring them on a regular basis.  At this stage, no formal policies have been put in place to hedge 
the Group and Company's activities to the exposure to currency risk or interest risk and no derivatives or hedges were 
entered during the year. 

General objectives, policies and processes 

The Board has overall responsibility for the determination of the Group and Company's risk management objectives 
and  policies  and,  whilst  retaining  ultimate  responsibility  for  them,  it  has  delegated  the  authority  for  designing  and 
operating  processes  that  ensure  the  effective  implementation  of  its  objectives  and  policies  to  the  Group's  finance 
function.  The Board receives regular reports from the Chief Financial Officer through which it reviews the effectiveness 
of the processes put in place and the appropriateness of the objectives and policies it sets.  

The Group is exposed through its operations to the following financial risks: 

•  Liquidity risk; 
•  Credit risk; 
•  Commodity price risk; 
•  Cash flow interest rate risk; and 
•  Foreign exchange risk 

The overall objective of the Board is to set policies that seek to reduce risk as far as possible without unduly affecting 
the Group and Company's competitiveness and flexibility.  Further details regarding these policies are set out below. 

Principal financial instruments 

The principal financial instruments used by the Group and Company, from which financial instrument risk may arise are 
as follows: 

•  Cash and cash equivalents 
•  Restricted cash 
•  Loans 
•  Other financial assets 
•  Other receivables 
•  Trade and other payables 
•  Bonds 

IOG plc 

Page 96 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

22  Financial instruments (continued) 

Liquidity risk 

The Group and Company's policy is to ensure that it will always have sufficient cash to allow it to meet its  liabilities 
when they become due.  To achieve this aim, it seeks to maintain readily available cash balances supplemented by 
borrowing  facilities  sufficient  to  meet  expected  requirements  for  a  period  of  at  least  twelve  to  eighteen  months  for 
personnel costs, overheads, working capital and as commitments dictate for capital spend. 

Rolling cash forecasts, which are essentially the current budgeting and reforecasting process, identifying the liquidity 
requirements of the Group and Company, are  produced frequently.  These are reviewed and approved regularly by 
management and the Board to ensure that sufficient financial resources are made available. The Group’s oil and gas 
exploration and development activities are currently funded through the Company with existing cash balances, Bond 
proceeds in escrow and joint venture partner carry receipts from CER. 

2021 Group 

Current financial liabilities 
Trade and other payables 
Lease liability 
Accruals 

Non-current financial liabilities 
Deferred Consideration 
Loans 
Lease liability 
Bonds 

2020 Group 

Current financial liabilities 
Trade and other payables 
Lease liability 
Accruals 

Non-current financial liabilities 
Deferred Consideration 
Loans 
Lease liability 
Bonds 

6 months 
or less 
£000 

Greater than 
6 months, less 
than 12 months 
£000 

Greater 
than 
12 months 
£000 

7,708 
10,372 
13,345 

- 
- 

4,034 

- 
1,083 
- 

750 
- 
- 
4,034 

- 
- 
- 

- 
11,566 
414  
97,485 

Total 
undiscounted 

£000 

7,708 
11,455 
13,345 

750 
11,566 
414 
105,554 

Carrying 
amount 
£000 

7,708 
11,068 
13,345 

659 
8,821 
395 
82,435 

________ 

_________ 

________ 

_________ 

________ 

35,459 
________ 

5,867 
_________ 

109,465 
________ 

150,792 
_________ 

124,431 
________ 

5,244 
4,631 
5,244 

- 
- 
- 
4,264 
________ 

17,242 
________ 

- 
9,015 
- 

- 
- 
- 

5,244 
13,646 
5,244 

5,244 
13,356 
5,244 

- 
- 
- 
4,264 
_________ 

2,370 
11,566 
5,616 
123,451 
________ 

2,370 
11,566 
5,616 
131,979 
_________ 

2,370 
8,037 
4,968 
87,777 
________ 

13,279 
_________ 

143,003 
________ 

173,524 
_________ 

124,855 
________ 

IOG plc 

Page 97 of 108 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 

 (CONT’D) 

22  Financial instruments (continued) 

6 months 
or less 
£000 

Greater than 
6 months, less 
than 12 months 
£000 

Greater 
than 
12 months 
£000 

Total 
undiscounted 

£000 

7,708 
11,455 
2,723 

Carrying 
amount 
£000 

7,708 
11,068 
2,723 

- 
1,083 
- 

- 
- 
- 

2021 Company 

Current financial liabilities 
Trade and other payables 
Lease liability 
Accruals 

Non-current financial liabilities 
Deferred Consideration 
Loans 
Lease liability 
Bonds 

2020 Company 

Current financial liabilities 
Trade and other payables 
Deferred Consideration 
Accruals 

Non-current financial liabilities 
Deferred Consideration 
Loans 
Lease liability 
Bonds 

7,708 
10,372 
2,723 

- 
- 

4,034  
________ 

24,837 
________ 

1,145 
4,631 
1,216 

- 
- 
- 
4,264 
________ 

11,256 
________ 

750 
- 
- 
4,034  
_________ 

- 
11,566 
414  
97,485  
________ 

750 
11,566 
414 
105,554 
_________ 

659 
8,821 
395 
82,435 
________ 

5,867 
_________ 

109,465 
________ 

140,170 
_________ 

113,809  
________ 

- 
9,015 
- 

- 
- 
- 

1,145 
13,646 
1,216 

1,145 
13,356 
1,216 

- 
- 
- 
4,264 
_________ 

750 
11,566 
5,616 
123,451 
________ 

750 
11,566 
5,616 
131,979 
_________ 

681 
8,037 
4,968 
87,777 
________ 

13,279 

_________ 

141,383 
________ 

165,918 
_________ 

117,180 
________ 

IOG plc 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

22  Financial instruments (continued) 

Credit risk 

Credit  risk  arises  principally  from  the  Group’s  and  Company’s  other  receivables,  restricted  cash,  cash  and  cash 
equivalents, and loans to subsidiaries (Company). It is the risk that the counterparty fails to discharge its obligation in 
respect of  the  instrument.  The credit risk on liquid funds is  limited  because the  counterparties  are banks  with credit 
ratings assigned by international credit rating agencies. The Group places funds only with selected organisations with 
ratings of 'A' or above as ranked by Standard & Poor's for both long and short-term debt. Funds are currently placed 
with the National Westminster Bank plc and DNB Bank ASA for the EUR Escrow and DSRA funds. Under IFRS 9 there 
is no material impact for both the Group and Company when assessing expected credit losses of its receivables.   

The Group made investments and advances into subsidiary undertakings during the year and these mostly relate to the 
funding of the SNS Hub Development Projects, and the Company expects to recover these loans when these Projects 
start to generate positive cash flows. Loans to subsidiary undertakings are recognised at amortised cost in accordance 
with IFRS 9. The loans have no maturity date and are not repayable until the respective subsidiary entity has sufficient 
cash to repay the loan. The Board has accordingly assessed the expected repayment dates based on the strategic 
forecasts approved by the Board.  

As at the reporting date, the Group and Company had £0.005 million external receivables (2020: £0.9 million).  

IFRS 9 introduced a new impairment model that requires the recognition of ECLs on financial assets at amortised cost. 
The ECL computation considers forward looking information to recognise impairment allowances earlier. Intercompany 
exposures, where appropriate, are also in scope under IFRS 9. The Company assesses the loans made to subsidiary 
undertakings  on  the  basis  of  the  relevant  subsidiaries’  long-term  strategic  forecasts  and  alongside  the  Board’s 
commercial rationale for providing the specific loan. The loans are not repayable on demand and are expected to be 
repaid once the underlying assets progress into the production phase when cash inflows are generated. Based on the 
methodology set out by the standard, the Board has for each intercompany loan, assessed the probability of the default, 
the loss given default and the expected exposure to compute the ECLs. The Board has incorporated relevant medium 
and long-term macroeconomic forecasts in their assessment which is included as a principle consideration in the entity’s 
strategic forecasts. Such factors include oil price sensitivities, funding requirements, reserve and resource estimates. 
The Board has concluded that any ECLs to be recognised are not material to these financial statements and that there 
has been no significant increase in credit risk that would warrant the recognition of a material provision. Accordingly, 
the Company has not recognised any expected credit loss for the balances owed by subsidiary undertakings recognised 
on the Balance Sheet at amortised cost. The Group and Company do not hold any collateral as security for any external 
financial instruments, or otherwise. 

The maximum exposure to credit risk is the same as the carrying value of these items in the financial statements as 
shown below. 

Other receivables 

Loans to subsidiaries 

Restricted cash 

Cash and cash equivalents 

Group 

Company 

2021 
£000 

2020 
£000 

2021 
£000 

2020 
£000 

1,445 

894   

1,445 

894 

- 

109,779 

45,196 

3,429 

31,255 

67,049 

13,389 

2,066 

65,699 

31,255 

13,389 

IOG plc 

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Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

22  Financial instruments (continued) 

Commodity price risk 

The Group currently has not entered into any commodity price hedging instruments. 

Although there is no gas production, the Group’s asset valuations and cash flow modelling make assumptions on the 
anticipated gas price for the period of expected production. The Group uses a seasonally adjusted flat pricing structure 
that is not inflated over the expected production life of the asset. 

Cash flow interest rate risk 

Save for restricted EUR denominated cash held in escrow and DSRA accounts which attract a nominal negative cost 
to  hold,  cash  is  essentially  non-interest  bearing.  Loans  and  trade  payables  are  subject  only  to  fixed  interest  rates; 
accordingly, commercial interest rates would have no significant impact upon the Group’s and Company’s result for the 
year ended 31 December 2021 (nor 31 December 2020). 

In relation to the EUR denominated cash held in escrow, which currently attracts a nominal negative cost to hold, a 10% 
fluctuation in the cost to hold rate (currently 0.612%) would increase/reduce the charge by £52k per annum. 

Foreign exchange risk 

Save for restricted EUR denominated cash held in escrow and DSRA accounts which attract a nominal negative cost 
to  hold,  cash  is  essentially  non-interest  bearing.  Loans  and  trade  payables  are  subject  only  to  fixed  interest  rates; 
accordingly, commercial interest rates would have no significant impact upon the Group’s and Company’s result for the 
year ended 31 December 2021 (nor 31 December 2020). 

In relation to the EUR denominated cash held in escrow, which currently attracts a nominal negative cost to hold, a 10% 
fluctuation in the cost to hold rate (currently 0.612%) would increase/reduce the charge by £0.1 million per annum. 

At 31 December 2021, the Group’s and Company’s monetary assets and liabilities are denominated in GBP Sterling 
Euro and US Dollars, converted to GBP the functional currency of the Group and each of its subsidiaries.  

The Company holds (€0.00 million) in EUR from proceeds of the Bond issue, held in escrow. The remaining balances 
are held in GBP £19.5 million, EUR €9.1 million and USD 5.5 million. This exposure gives rise to net currency gains 
and losses recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income. 

A 10% fluctuation in the GBP sterling rate compared to EUR would give rise to a £0.9 million gain or £0.9 million loss 
in the Group and Company’s Statement of Comprehensive Income 

The Group has no current revenues. The Group and the Company's cash balances are maintained primarily in GBP 
Sterling (which is the functional and reporting currency of each Group company) and EUR for the Bond deposits with 
small balances held in USD to settle any USD liabilities. No formal policies have been put in place to hedge the Group 
and Company's activities to the exposure to currency risk.  It is the Group's policy to ensure that individual Group entities 
enter  transactions  in  their  functional  currency  wherever  possible.    The  Group  considers  this  minimises  any  foreign 
exchange exposure. 

Management regularly monitor the currency profile and obtain informal advice to ensure that the cash balances are 
held in currencies which minimise the impact on the results and position of the Group and the Company from foreign 
exchange movements. 

Capital management 

The  primary  objective  of  the  Group’s  capital  management  is  to  maintain  appropriate  levels  of  funding  to  meet  the 
commitments of its forward programme of appraisal and development expenditure, and to safeguard the entity’s ability 
to  continue  as  a  going  concern  and  create  shareholder  value.  The  Director’s  consider  capital  to  include  equity  as 
described in the Statement of Changes in Equity, and loan notes, as disclosed in Notes 10 and 20.  The Group raised 
an additional £8.5 million of equity by way of a placement, open offer and subscription in 2021. 

The Group manages compliance of the Bond and the covenants by reviewing on a monthly basis its cash flow modelling 
which incorporates the bond terms and covenants.  Norwegian advisors are also engaged to ensure that any regulatory 
requirements are met. At each reporting date and milestone draw down the Directors provide representation that the 
terms of the bond are satisfied. 

IOG plc 

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Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

22  Financial instruments (continued) 

Borrowing facilities 

The Group had £91.3 million of borrowings outstanding at 31 December 2021 (2020: £95.8 million).   

Hedges 

The Group did not hold any hedge instruments at the reporting date (2020: none). 

23  Financial commitments and contingent liabilities 

The Group has contracted capital expenditure in the current period as part of the phase 1 development work program 
for the licences in which it participates: 

Authorised but not contracted 
Contracted 

2021 
£000 

2020 
£000 

9,045 
376,166 
_________ 

118,000 
56,758 
_________ 

385,211 
_________ 

174,758 
_________ 

All 2021 contracted amounts relate to contracted UKCS licence fees and associated OGA levy payments (estimate) 
together with contracted service awards to suppliers procured for the development of the Group’s phase 1 project assets 
(Blythe, Southwark, Elgood, Saturn Banks Facilities and Saturn Banks Pipeline).  

At  the  year  end,  authorised  commitments  (approved  expenditure)  to  complete  the  phase  1  project  totalled  £385.2 
million.  £376.2  million  of  the  authorised  amount  had  been  contracted  at  31  December  2021  with  the  remaining 
expenditures to be contracted during 2022.  All expenditures are shown gross, 100% and have not been scaled back 
for any joint venture share.      

Saturn Banks Pipeline System: 

Security in the sum of £0.5 million, the Initial Saturn Banks Pipeline Decommissioning Security Amount, was provided 
on completion of the Saturn Banks Pipeline SPA in April 2018. In October 2019, following the completion of the farm-
out to CER, this amount was reduced to £0.25 million.   

Further security in the sum of  £1.25  million, the  Saturn Banks  Pipeline Decommissioning  Security Amount,  is to be 
provided on the earlier of: 

•  one month after the variation issued by the OGA to the Pipeline Works Authorisation to allow for the tie-in of 

one or more of the Group’s fields; or 

•  at the date of sale or alternative use of the Saturn Banks Pipeline 

Saturn Banks Reception Facilities (“SBRF”): 

Security in the sum of £2.0 million, the Initial SBRF Decommissioning Security Amount, was provided on completion of 
the SBRF SPA in October 2019. Following the completion of the farm-out to CER, this amount was reduced to £1.0 
million.   

Further security in the sum of £4.0 million, the SBRF Decommissioning Security Amount, is to be provided 2.5 years 
following the announcement of ‘first gas’.  This additional amount is payable in 8 quarterly instalments of £0.5 million 
with the first instalment payable 6 months after the declaration of ‘first gas’.   

Cross-Guarantees: 

The  Company  acts  as  guarantor  to  its  subsidiary  IOG  North  Sea  Limited  and  its  facilities  with  LOG.  These  cross 
guarantees are considered insurance contracts in accordance with IFRS4. 

IOG plc 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

24  Related party transactions 

Details of Directors’ and key management personnel remuneration are provided in Note 4. 

Andrew Hockey, CEO, at 31 December 2021 held 830,729 ordinary shares of 1p each in the capital of the Company. 
Andrew is also the current holder of 7,770,576 share options at 31 December.  Andrew was also entitled to 659,793 
share options through salary sacrifice at 31 December 2021.  

Rupert Newall, CFO, and persons closely associated, at 31 December 2021 held 3,807,050 ordinary shares of 1p each 
in the capital of the Company. Rupert was also the current holder of 4,662,558 share options at 31 December. Rupert 
is also entitled to 546,871 share options through salary sacrifice at 31 December 2021. 

Fiona MacAulay, Chair, at 31 December 2021 held 220,000 ordinary shares of 1p each in the capital of the Company. 
Fiona  is also the current holder of  1,000,000 share  options at 31 December 2021. Fiona is also entitled to 109,865 
share options through salary sacrifice at 31 December 2021. 

Esa Ikaheimonen, Non-Executive Director, at 31 December 2021 held 500,000 ordinary shares of 1p each in the capital 
of the Company. Esa is also the current holder of 600,000 share options at 31 December 2021. Esa is also entitled to 
868,306 share options through salary sacrifice at 31 December 2021. 

Neil Hawkings, Non-Executive Director, at 31 December 2021 held 20,000 ordinary shares of 1p each in the capital of 
the Company. Neil is also the current holder of  600,000 share options at 31 December 2021. Neil is also entitled to 
63,005 share options through salary sacrifice at 31 December 2021. 

Details  of  loans  and  interest  charged  (only  relevant  to  2019)  by  LOG  are  detailed  in  Note  10.    The  relevant  loans 
outstanding at the end of the year related to the Company. 

IOG plc 

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NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

25  Notes supporting statements of cash flows 

Details of significant non-cash transactions 

Equity consideration for settlement of liabilities 

Group – Loans and borrowings 

2021 
£000 

- 

2020 
£000 

161 

Current 
 loans and 
borrowings 
£000 

Non-current  
loans and 
borrowings 
£000 

Total 
 loans and 
borrowings 
£000 

At 1 January 2020 

Lease Liability additions  

Repayments 

Gain on modification of convertible loan 

Unwinding of discount 

At 31 December 2020 

At 1 January 2021 

Lease Liability additions  

Repayments 

Unwinding of discount 

939 

12,653 

(192) 

- 

381 

13,781 

13,781 

7,840 

 (12,307) 

1,754 

Move to current loans & borrowings 

At 31 December 2021 

11,068 

6,820 

4,968 

- 

- 

1,217 

13,005 

13,005 

395 

785 

(4,968) 

9,217 

7,759 

17,621 

(192) 

- 

1,598 

26,786 

26,786 

8,235 

(12,307) 

2,539 

(4,968) 

20,285 

IOG plc 

Page 103 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONT’D) 

25  Notes supporting statements of cash flows (continued) 

Company – Loans and borrowings 

Current 
 loans and 
borrowings 
£000 

Non-current  
loans and 
borrowings 
£000 

Total 
 loans and borrowings 
£000 

At 1 January 2020 

Lease Liability additions  

Unwinding of discount 

Repayments 

At 31 December 2020 

Lease Liability additions  

Repayments 

Unwinding of discount 

939 

12,653 

381 

(192) 

13,781 

7,840 

 (12,307) 

1,754 

Move to current loans & borrowings 

At 31 December 2021 

11,068 

6,820 

4,968 

1,217 

- 

13,005 

395 

785 

(4,968) 

9,217 

7,759 

17,621 

1,598 

(192) 

26,786 

8,235 

(12,307)    

2,539 

(4,968) 

20,285 

26  Subsequent events 

The key events after 31 December 2021 are as follows: 

On  4  March  commissioning  of  onshore  Saturn  Banks  Reception  Facilities  completed.  enabling  backgassing  of  the 
offshore Saturn Banks Pipeline System out to Blythe and Elgood   

On 13 March 2022 Phase 1 First Gas was safely and successfully achieved from the Blythe well and on 15 March 2022 
for Elgood.  

On 16 March 2022 the Company signed a five-year lease contract for its 3rd floor, Endeavour House, London office. 

Southwark drilling operations are expected to resume in late Q1 or early Q2 2022 with remediation of the drilling location 
seabed to ensure safe operations.  

New gas sales agreement (GSA) signed with BP Gas Marketing Limited (BPGM), covering all of the Phase 1 fields as 
well as Nailsworth and Elland, replacing the 2014 Blythe GSA  

Planning and contracting continuing for the appraisal wells at Kelham North/Central (P2442: Block 53/1b) and Goddard 
(P2342: Block 48/11c and 12b), to be drilled by the Noble Hans Deul rig after the second Southwark well on the same 
competitive day rate as the Phase 1 wells  

IOG plc 

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GLOSSARY of KEY TERMS 

“1C” 
“2C” 
“3C” 
‘‘3D-seismic’’ 

“1P” 
“2P” 
“3P” 
‘‘appraisal well’’ 

‘‘barrels’’ or ‘‘bbls’’ or “Bbls” 

‘‘BCF’’ or “Bcfe” or “Bscf” 

“BEIS” 
‘‘best estimate’’ 

‘‘block’’ 

‘‘Boe’’ or “BOE” 

‘‘Brent Crude’’ 

“carbon footprint” 

“Carboniferous” 

‘‘contingent resources’’ 

“Covid-19” 

“development carry” 

‘‘discovery’’ 

‘‘Farm-out’’ 
“FEED studies” 
‘‘FDP’’ 
‘‘field’’ 

‘‘formation’’ 
‘‘ft’’ 
“G&A” 
“GIIP” 

the minimum estimate of Contingent Resources; 
the best estimate of Contingent Resources; 
the maximum estimate of Contingent Resources; 
geophysical  data  that  depicts  the  subsurface  strata  in  three  dimensions.    3D-
seismic  typically  provides  a  more  detailed  and  accurate  interpretation  of  the 
subsurface strata than 2D seismic; 
the Proved Reserves; 
the sum of Proved Reserves + Probable Reserves; 
the sum of Proved Reserves + Probable plus Possible Reserves; 
a well drilled as part of an appraisal drilling programme which is carried out to 
determine the physical extent, reserves and likely production rate of a field; 
a unit of volume measurement used for petroleum and its products (for a typical 
crude oil 7.3 barrels ≈ 1 tonne: 6.29 barrels ≈ 1 cubic metre); 
billion (109) standard cubic feet; 1 BCF is approximately equal to 172,414 Boe 
or 23,618 tonnes of oil equivalent, using a factor of 5.8 BCF per MMBbls; 
Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy of the UK Government  
the  middle  value  in  a  range  of  estimates  considered  to  be  the  most  likely.    If 
based on a statistical distribution, can be the mean, median or mode depending 
on usage; 
an  area  subdivision  of  the  UKCS  of  10  minutes  of  latitude  by  12  minutes  of 
longitude  measuring  approximately  10  by  20  kilometres,  forming  part  of  a 
quadrant.  Each quadrant is divided into a grid, five blocks wide and six blocks 
deep, and numbered 1 to 30 from NW to SE e.g. Block 14/13 is the 13th block 
in Quadrant 14; 
barrels of oil equivalent.  One barrel of oil is approximately the energy equivalent 
of 5,800 cubic feet of natural gas; 
an  international benchmark comprising  a  mix  of crude oil from 15  different oil 
fields in the North Sea; 
amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with all the activities of a 
person or other entity (e.g., building, corporation, country, etc.). It includes direct 
emissions,  as  well  as  emissions  required  to  produce  goods  and  services 
consumed; 
a  geological  period  and  system  that  extends  from  the  end  of  the  Devonian 
Period,  about  359  million  years  ago,  to  the  beginning  of  the  Permian  Period, 
about 299 million years ago; 
those  quantities  of  petroleum  estimated,  as  of  a  given  date,  to  be  potentially 
recoverable from known accumulations by application of development projects, 
but which are not currently considered to be commercially recoverable due to 
one or more contingencies; 
coronavirus  disease  2020,  is  an  infectious  disease  caused  by  severe  acute 
respiratory  syndrome  coronavirus  2  (SARS-CoV-2),  the  disease  has  spread 
globally, causing the 2020-20 global coronavirus pandemic; 
involves  the  farmer-in  agreeing  to  bear  some  or  all  of  the  development  costs 
relating to the farmer out's retained interest in a development project; 
an exploration well which has encountered hydrocarbons for the first time in a 
structure; 
to assign an interest in a licence to another party; 
Front End Engineering Design studies 
field development plan; 
an area consisting of either a single reservoir or multiple reservoirs, all grouped 
on  or  related  to  the  same  individual  geological  structural  feature  and/or 
stratigraphic condition; 
a layer or unit of rock.  A productive formation in the context of reservoir rock; 
foot/feet; 
general and administrative; 
gas initially in place; 

IOG plc 

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GLOSSARY of KEY TERMS (CONT’D) 

‘‘gross resources’’ 

‘‘hydrocarbon’’ 

‘‘km’’ 
‘‘km2’’ or “sq. km” 
‘‘licence’’ 

‘‘Mcf’’ or “mcf” 
“Mcfd” or “mcfd” 
“MMbbl” or “MMBbls” 
“MMBO” 
“MMBOE” 
“mmscf” 
“mmscf/d” 
“net debt” 

“NUI” 
“OGA” 
‘‘oil’’ 
‘‘oil equivalent’’ 
‘‘operator’’ or “operatorship” 

“OPRED” 

“Oslo Børs”  
‘‘petroleum’’ 

‘‘probable reserves’’ 

‘‘promote licence’’ 

‘‘prospect’’ 

‘‘prospective resources’’ 

the  total  estimated  petroleum  that  is  potentially  recoverable  from  a  field  or 
prospect; 
a compound containing only the elements hydrogen and carbon.  May exist as 
a solid, a liquid or a gas.  The term is mainly used in a catch-all sense for oil, gas 
and condensate; 
kilometre; 
square kilometres; 
an exclusive right to search for or to develop and produce hydrocarbons within 
a specific area.  Usually granted by the State authorities and may be time limited; 
thousand standard cubic feet; 
thousand cubic feet per day; 
millions (106) of barrels of oil; 
million (106) barrels of oil; 
million (106) barrels of oil equivalent; 
million (106) standard cubic feet; 
million (106) standard cubic feet per day; 
total loans, less restricted cash and cash equivalents, adding back the financial 
asset being the IOG Norwegian bonds which are held by the Company. 
Normally Unmanned Installation; 
UK Oil and Gas Authority 
mixture of liquid hydrocarbons of different molecular weights; 
international standard for comparing the thermal energy of different fuels; 
the company that has legal authority to drill wells and undertake production of 
hydrocarbons  found.    The  operator  is  often  part  of  a  consortium  and  acts  on 
behalf of such consortium; 
Offshore  Petroleum  Regulator  for  Environment  and  Decommissioning,  part  of 
the UK government Department for Business, Enterprise and Industrial Strategy 
(BEIS) 
Oslo Stock Exchange 
a generic name for hydrocarbons, including crude oil, natural gas liquids, natural 
gas and their products; 
those  unproved  reserves  which  analysis  of  geological  and  engineering  data 
suggests  are  more  likely  than  not  to  be  recoverable.    In  this  context,  when 
probabilistic methods are used, there should be at least a 50% probability that 
the  quantities  actually  recovered  will  equal  or  exceed  the  sum  of  estimated 
Proved + Probable reserves; 
a specific type of licence awarded by DECC whereby licence holders are given 
two years after an award, with low rental payments and obligations, in order to 
attract the technical, environmental and financial capacity to complete an agreed 
work programme.  The licence will expire after two years if the licensee has not 
made a firm commitment to DECC to complete the work programme; 
a  project  associated  with  a  potential  accumulation  of  oil  or  natural  gas  that  is 
sufficiently well defined to represent a viable drilling target; 
those  quantities  of  petroleum  estimated,  as  of  a  given  date,  to  be  potentially 
recoverable 
future 
development projects; 

from  undiscovered  accumulations  by  application  of 

IOG plc 

Page 106 of 108 

Annual Report 2021 

 
 
 
 
 
GLOSSARY of KEY TERMS (CONT’D) 

‘‘proven reserves’’ 

‘‘quadrant’’ 

‘‘reserves’’ 

‘‘reservoir’’ 

‘‘resources’’ 

“Rotliegendes” or 
“Rotliegend” 

‘‘scf’’ 
‘‘seismic survey’’ 

“UKCS” 

those quantities of petroleum which, by analysis of geological and engineering 
data,  can  be  estimated  with  reasonable  certainty  to  be  commercially 
recoverable, from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current 
economic conditions, operating methods and government regulations.  Proved 
reserves  can  be  categorised  as  developed  or  undeveloped.    If  deterministic 
methods are used, the term reasonable certainty is intended to express a high 
degree  of  confidence  that  the  quantities  will  be  recovered.    If  probabilistic 
methods are used, there should be at least a 90% probability that the quantities 
actually recovered will equal or exceed the estimate; 
an area subdivision of the UKCS of 1 degree of longitude by 1 degree of latitude 
- typically around 6,600km2.  On the UKCS each quadrant is further subdivided 
into 30 blocks; 
those  quantities  of  petroleum  anticipated  to  be  commercially  recoverable  by 
application of development projects to known accumulations from a given date 
forward  under  defined  conditions.    Reserves  must  further  satisfy  four  criteria: 
they  must  be  discovered,  recoverable,  commercial  and  remaining  (as  of  the 
evaluation date) based on the development project(s) being applied; 
a  subsurface  body  of  rock  having  sufficient  porosity  and  permeability  to  store 
and transmit fluids.  A reservoir is a critical component of a complete petroleum 
system; 
deposits of naturally occurring hydrocarbons which, if recoverable, include those 
volumes  of  hydrocarbons  either  yet  to  be  found  (prospective)  or  if  found  the 
development of which depends upon a number of factors (technical, legal and/or 
commercial) being resolved (contingent); 
a lithostratigraphic geological unit of early Permian age (beneath the Zechstein 
and above the Carboniferous) that is found in the subsurface of large areas in 
western and central Europe; 
standard cubic feet; 
a method by which an image of the earth’s subsurface is created through the 
generation of shockwaves and analysis of their reflection from rock strata.  Such 
surveys can be done in two or three-dimensional form; 
United Kingdom Continental Shelf. 

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INFORMATION & ADVISERS 

INFORMATION AND ADVISERS 

Country of incorporation of parent company 

England and Wales 

Legal form 

Public limited company with share capital 

Directors 

Fiona MacAulay 
Andrew Hockey 
Rupert Newall 
Esa Ikaheimonen 
Neil Hawkings  

General Counsel and Company Secretary  

Robin Storey 

Registered office  

60 Gracechurch Street 
London  
EC3V 0HR 

Company registered number 

07434350 

Auditors 

BDO LLP  
55 Baker Street, 
London W1U 7EU 

Legal advisors 

Fieldfisher LLP 
Riverbank House 
2 Swan Lane 
London EC4R 3TT 

Nominated advisor 

finnCap Ltd  
1 Bartholomew Close  
London EC1A 7BL  

IOG plc 

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Annual Report 2021