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The Wendy's Company
Annual Report 2018

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FY2018 Annual Report · The Wendy's Company
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ANNUAL  
REPORT AND  
FINANCIAL 
STATEMENTS

2018

www.wentplc.com

Wentworth Resources plc is a 
London AIM (WEN) listed, full 
cycle Exploration and Production 
company with gas production and 
material exploration running room 
in the onshore Rovuma Basin of 
Southern Tanzania.

We have an ambitious, domestic gas-
led, African focused strategy to deliver 
material shareholder value from our core 
Tanzanian Mnazi Bay producing gas asset 
and inorganically through an M&A led 
growth mandate.

Our aim is to become a mid-tier, African 
focused, full cycle E&P Company delivering 
a balance of accretive growth potential and 
capital returns to our shareholders.

Wentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018

CONTENTS

HIGHLIGHTS ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 2

CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT .............................................................................................................................................................................. 4

CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S STATEMENT .............................................................................................................................................................. 6

STRATEGIC REPORT

Our Strategy and Business Model .......................................................................................................................................................................10

Mnazi Bay Licence Summary ...................................................................................................................................................................................12

Mnazi Bay Operations Review .................................................................................................................................................................................16

Mnazi Bay Reserves Summary ................................................................................................................................................................................17

Tanzania Legislative and Policy Framework ................................................................................................................................................ 18

Tembo Licence Summary ..........................................................................................................................................................................................20

Financial Review ................................................................................................................................................................................................................22

Corporate Social Responsibility .............................................................................................................................................................................26

Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative ............................................................................................................................................... 30

Business Risks ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 31

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Statement of Corporate Governance  ...............................................................................................................................................................36

Board of Directors ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 40

Audit Committee Report .............................................................................................................................................................................................42

Remuneration Committee Report .......................................................................................................................................................................44

Nominations Committee Report .......................................................................................................................................................................... 56

Reserves Committee Report ....................................................................................................................................................................................57

Communications With Shareholders .................................................................................................................................................................58

Conflicts of Interest .........................................................................................................................................................................................................59

Directors’ Report ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 60

Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities ......................................................................................................................................................... 65

GROUP ACCOUNTS

Independent Auditors’ Report ................................................................................................................................................................................ 66

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income ............................................................................................................................70

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position ........................................................................................................................................... 71

Consolidated Statement of Changes In Equity ..........................................................................................................................................72

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows ..........................................................................................................................................................73

Notes to The Financial Statements ..................................................................................................................................................................... 74

APPENDICES

Glossary of Terms ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 112

Professional Advisers ...................................................................................................................................................................................................116

1

HIGHLIGHTS

CORPORATE

•	 Mnazi Bay, core producing gas asset in Tanzania, produced at an average  

2018 rate of c. 4,425 boepd net W.I. 1 

•	 2P Reserves of 99.7 Bscf (16.6 MMboe), valued at $106 million (after-tax 

NPV15). 2 

•	 Completed  corporate  transition  to  the  UK  –  completed  Oslo  Børs 
in  a  simpler  transactional  platform  driving 

delisting,  resulting 
efficiencies into the business model.

•	 UK based management team in place from June 2018 following relocation 
of corporate headquarters from Canada, with Calgary office closing at 
the end of 2018 and Maputo office closed in March 2019.

•	 Refreshed UK based Board as of November 2018.

•	 Strong and supportive institutional shareholder register.

FINANCIAL

•	 Milestone Mnazi Bay gas sales revenue of $16.2 million (2017: $13.4 million). 

•	 Adjusted earnings (“EBITDAX”) of $8.3 million (2017: $5.3 million) excluding 
non-recurring  expenses  of  $76.6  million.  Non-recurring  expenditures 
include:  Mozambican  exploration  impairment  provision  $41.6  million; 
one-off  re-structuring  and  redomicile  costs  of  $2.3  million  comprising 
recruitment, severance, travel, legal and professional charges; Tanzanian 
tax  assessments  of  $1.0  million  for  the  years  2013  to  2016,  provision 
against Tanzania Government receivables $5.0 million; and deferred tax 
write-downs of $26.7 million.

22

Wentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018

•	 Net loss of $75.2 million (2017: $0.7 million).

•	 Net  cash  at  year-end  of  $0.8  million,  compared  to  net  debt  of  $13.9 

million at 31 December 2017.

•	 Cash  and  cash  equivalents  on  hand  at year-end  of  $11.9  million  (2017: 

$3.75 million). 

•	 Reduced  outstanding  long-term  loans  by  $7.3  million  to  $8.6  million 

(2017: $15.3 million).

OPERATIONAL 

•	 Average  gross  daily  gas  production  for  the  period  increased  70%  to 
83.2 MMscf/d from 49.1 MMscf/d in 2017; above annual 2018 guidance 
of 65-75 MMscf/d. 1

•	 Exited  2018  with  an  average  daily  production  rate  of  92.5  MMscf/d  in 

December, a new Company record.

•	 Continued  operating  cost  reduction  to  $0.44/Mscf  (2017:  $0.84/Mscf), 

leveraging increased production volumes.

•	 Total cash receipts of $36.2 million from gas sales and recovery of long-

term government receivables during 2018.

•	 On track to relinquish Tembo block in Northern Mozambique ahead of 

the end of the current appraisal term on 15 June 2019.

1 Management estimates 31 Dec 2018
2 RPS Canada CPR 31 Dec 18

33

Wentworth is now perfectly poised 
for growth, both by adding to its 
current Tanzanian production base 
and by seeking accretive growth 
opportunities outside of Tanzania.

4

Wentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018

CHAIRMAN’S
STATEMENT

2018  saw  the  successful  completion  of  the 
initiative  which  began 
strategic  restructuring 
in  2017.  The  Company  has  now  been  legally 
redomiciled from the Province of Alberta in Canada 
to  the  Isle  of  Jersey,  incorporated  as  Wentworth 
Resources plc and is trading under the new ticker, 
WEN,  on  the  AIM  Market  of  the  London  Stock 
Exchange  (“AIM”).  The  Company’s  Head  Office 
in  Calgary,  Alberta  has  been  closed  and  is  now 
headquartered in Reading, Berkshire in the UK. In 
addition,  Wentworth  successfully  delisted  from 
the Oslo Børs with an effective date of 13 February 
2019. These substantive changes to the corporate 
structure have resulted in an enhanced and more 
efficient  management  platform,  allowing  the 
Company to evaluate, and ultimately transact on, 
growth opportunities.

This  restructuring  also  resulted  in  a  complete 
change in the Senior Executive Management and 
in the structure of the Board of Directors. In line with 
UK  Corporate  Governance  norms  and  in  keeping 
with the QCA Corporate Governance Code, which 
the  Company  has  now  adopted,  the  make-up 
of  the  Board  now  constitutes  an  appropriate 
balance  between  Executive  Directors  and  Non-
executive  Directors.  We  have  made  changes 
to  the  Non-executive  Director  composition  to 
ensure  continued  effectiveness  of  the  Board 
appropriate  for  the  Company  after  its  move  from 
Canadian  domicile  to Jersey  domicile  and with  a 
sole  listing  in  London.  The  Board  appointed  two 
new  Non-executive  Directors,  Tim  Bushell  and 
Iain  McLaren,  bringing  new  and  relevant  skills  to 
replace Canadian resident directors, Neil Kelly and 
Cameron  Barton, who  agreed  to  step  down  from 
the Board. Neil and Cameron provided the Board 
with strong contributions which have helped take 
the  Company  to  where  it  is  today:  a  refreshed 
and  simpler  corporate  platform,  poised 
for 
growth. I wish to thank all the previous Wentworth 
management and directors for the professionalism 

and  diligence  they  have  demonstrated  over  the 
past  year  in  ensuring  that  these  changes  took 
place.  I wish  them  all  the  good  fortune  that  they 
deserve in the future.

is 

today 

Wentworth 
financially  sound  and 
even  healthier  than  this  time  last  year  with  an 
increasingly  positive  outlook:  we  expect  2019  to 
be  a  year  of  increasing  balance  sheet  strength. 
Mnazi  Bay  production  has  grown  materially  in 
the  last  several  years  and  is  more  predictable 
thanks  to  growing  demand  in  Tanzania.  Tanzanian 
Petroleum  Development  Company  (“TPDC”)  and 
Tanzania  Electric  Supply  Company  (“TANESCO”), 
the  Company’s  two  primary  off  takers  of  Mnazi 
Bay gas, continue to fulfil their respective payment 
obligations whilst significantly improving on previous 
payment arrears. With future demand for domestic 
gas in Tanzania taking off and pipeline infrastructure 
in  place  with  substantial  spare  capacity  available, 
Wentworth  and  its  partners  can  expand  and  meet 
this growing demand over the next few years.

Wentworth is now perfectly poised for growth, both 
by adding to its current Tanzanian production base 
and  by  seeking  accretive  growth  opportunities 
outside  of Tanzania. The  Company’s  strong,  loyal 
institutional  shareholder  base,  combined  with 
its  strengthening  balance  sheet  and  simplified 
is  creating  many  new 
corporate  structure, 
opportunities for management to pursue. 

I  would  like  to  thank  all  shareholders  for  their 
continued support, and I would also like to thank 
the entire Wentworth team for their hard work and 
loyalty  that  they  have  demonstrated  through  the 
past year.

Robert McBean
Chairman

24 April 2019 

5

CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S STATEMENT

For  Wentworth,  2018  was  an  impactful  year,  which  saw  a  major  corporate 
transition  process  complete,  plateau  production  from  our  Mnazi  Bay  gas 
producing asset, sustained revenue receipts from our key Tanzanian off-takers, 
TPDC and TANESCO, since June of 2017 and net cash at year end. 

MARKET LANDSCAPE
Our average daily net production grew from 2,614 
boepd  in  2017  to  4,425  boepd  in  2018.  Revenues 
increased from $13.4 million in 2017 to $16.2 million 
in 2018, debt reduced from $17.6 million in 2017 to 
$10.8  million  (including  a  $2.5  million  overdraft 
facility) and we ended 2018 with a cash position of 
$11.9 million. 

Under President John Magufuli, Tanzania continues 
to  pursue  a  populist  leadership  model,  with  a 
strong push for locally driven initiatives as well as 
additional oversight of the Mining and Oil and Gas 
sectors  which  are  largely  protectionist  in  nature. 
Whilst  this  agenda  is  being  driven  by  massive 

public  sector  infrastructure  projects,  such  as  the 
planned Uganda-Tanga Oil Pipeline and Stiegler’s 
Gorge  Hydro-electric  power  scheme,  long  term 
industrialisation  of  the 
success 
Tanzanian  economy  will  hinge  on  private  sector 
led growth. 

in  pursuit  of 

A stable policy and legal framework supportive of 
foreign direct investment is critical for sustainability 
of development in the Exploration and Production 
sector, in particular to investors such as Wentworth. 
The  forward  trajectory  and  pace  of  industrial 
and  commercial  sector  development  is  strongly 
governed by electricity usage and the availability 
of affordable power. 

6

Wentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018

NET PRODUCTION
INCREASED 

4,425 BOEPD

REVENUE
INCREASED 

$16.2 MM

CASH 
INCREASED 

$11.9 MM

increase 

in  gas  fired  power 
The  continued 
generation  capacity  clearly  offers 
the  most 
effective means to achieving affordable electricity 
for the booming urban population. Some 34 million 
Tanzanians,  out  of  a  population  of  60  million,  live 
in urban areas. Dar es Salaam is forecast to have a 
population growth of c. 50% and Real GDP growth of 
more than 150% over the period from 2017 to 2030. 1

Wentworth  is  acutely  focused  on  succeeding  in, 
and  pro-actively  adapting  to,  the  rapidly  growing 
domestic gas landscape of Tanzania, fully aligned 
with the objectives of the National Gas Master Plan 
and  the  Government  of  Tanzania.  In  the  near  to 
mid-term,  domestic  gas  demand  has  compelling 
market-driven  fundamentals  and  is  expected  to 
grow at a rate of c. 10% per year 2, due in large part to a 
demographic dividend that underpins the forward-
looking  macroeconomic  landscape.  The  Mnazi 
Bay  asset  provides  a  key  gas-to-power  solution 
of  critical  national  importance  to  the  economy  as 
a  “bridge  to  the  future”  ahead  of  the  world  class 
offshore  LNG  projects  operated  by  Equinor  and 
Shell, coming onstream in the late 2020’s.

CORPORATE TRANSITION
Over the last 14 months we have completed a set 
of  corporate  initiatives,  led  by  our  CFO  Katherine 
Roe, that have collectively simplified the business, 
corporate  structure  and  governance  model, 
refined  our  cost  basis,  ensured  we  are  closer  to 
our  asset  base  and  instigated  a  robust  platform 
for  growth,  all  on  the  back  of  a  long-lived  gas 
producing  asset,  delivering  sustainable  revenues 
of $15-20 million per year forward.

We  have  closed  our  Calgary  and  Maputo  offices 
in  late  2018  and  March  2019  respectively  and 
have had the Reading, UK, serviced office up and 
running from September 2018. The refreshed core 
management team is Upstream-focused with the 
requisite capabilities to address our strategic and 

operational  priorities  in  a  pragmatic,  flexible,  yet 
financially prudent manner. 

In  November  2018,  we  welcomed  Iain  McLaren 
and  Tim  Bushell  to  the  Board  as  Chair  of  Audit 
Committee  and  Deputy  Chairman  respectively. 
Iain and Tim both bring further skills and expertise 
to  the  Board  to  contribute  to  this  next  phase  for 
Wentworth and I am delighted to have them join us. 

There have been many changes to the corporate 
and cultural fabric of the Company through the re-
domicile and Oslo delisting process over the last 
year.  I  would  like  to  thank  many  people  for  their 
contributions  over  the  period,  prior  my  formally 
joining  the  Company  in  June  2018,  particularly 
Geoff  Bury  and  Lance  Mierendorf,  strongly 
supported  by  Heather  Jones;  who  collectively, 
through  their  diligent  leadership  and  oversight, 
made  a  significant  difference  in  bringing  the 
Company to this formative point. 

I would also like to specifically acknowledge the 
transitional  guidance  of  Cameron  Barton  (who 
resigned  from  the  Board  in  March  2019)  and 
Neil  Kelly,  for  their  support  and  advocacy  to  the 
Company since inception. In 2018, we said farewell 
to Salvator Ntomola who made a huge impact to 
our Tanzanian business with regards to overcoming 
various  Government  relations  and  stakeholder 
management challenges over the years. We wish 
them every success in their future endeavours.

faithful  Norwegian 

Finally, I am cognisant that the Oslo Børs delisting 
in  February  2019  has  impacted  our  longstanding 
investors.  We 
and 
certainly  appreciate  the  understanding  exhibited 
throughout and trust that you will retain a sustained 
interest in the Company.

retail 

1  Euromonitor
2  TPDC

7

CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S STATEMENT

including  Dangote  Cement  and  Goodwill 
Ceramics. This collectively resulted in an average 
daily production in Q4 2018 of 87.3 MMscf/d. Over 
the full 2018 year, the joint venture has delivered 
c. 83.2 MMscf/d on average. 

We continue to work diligently with our operator, 
Maurel et Prom, joint venture partner TPDC and all 
our  key  stakeholders  including  the  Government, 
TANESCO  and  PURA  (State  regulator)  to  ensure 
we  continue  to  unlock  the  significant  remaining 
lifecycle  value  (beyond  current  PSA  expiry  in 
2031) in the asset for the benefit of the people of 
Tanzania and our shareholders.

Through 2018, we built up our in-house subsurface 
and  engineering  knowledge  and  capabilities 
in  order  to  allow  us  to  directly  add  value  to  the 
Joint  Venture  with  regard  to  both  day  to  day 
field  operations  as  well  as  forward  reservoir 
management planning. This has allowed to us to 
move  forward  on  key  technical  challenges  and 
commercial  drivers  in  an  aligned  manner  with 
the  operator.  I  look  forward  to  seeing  continued 
progress on key field specific operational initiatives 
in 2019.

Our updated 2018 Mnazi Bay Competent Persons 
Report,  generated  by  RPS  Canada,  continues  to 
demonstrate  the  compelling  value  of  our  core 
asset,  with  a  “life  of  field”  basis  NPV10  value  of 
$128  million  (NVP15 value  of  $106  million)  based 
on a 2P net reserves of 99.7 Bcf (16.6 MMboe).

MOZAMBIQUE
Subsequent  to  a  rigorous  in-house  subsurface 
review  on  the  Tembo  block  in  H2  2018,  we  took 
the  decision  to  relinquish  the  Tembo  block  in 
December  2018,  given  unacceptable  technical 
and commercial challenges related to monetising 
the Tembo-1 stranded gas discovery.

We will have closed our Mozambique operations 
fully  by  end  Q2  2019,  though  remain  open  to 
suitable  upstream  opportunities  should  they 
arise  in  Mozambique.  I  am  happy  to  say  that  as 
the Operator, we conducted all operations on the 
ground with zero incidents in 2018.

TANZANIA
The Mnazi Bay asset is a leading supplier of gas to 
power  generation  in  a  country  that  is  witnessing 
a surging need for power through rapidly growing 
urban-led  demographic  drivers.  Tanzania  is  host 
includes  a 
infrastructure  which 
to  significant 
784  MMscf/d  pipeline  and  gas 
to  power 
infrastructure along with future ongoing midstream 
project  implementation  such  as  the  Kinyerezi-1 
Extension  Project  which  will  bring  another  c.  30 
MMscf/d  of  offtake  demand  into  the  landscape 
when fully commissioned in early 2020.

Demand for gas produced at our Mnazi Bay asset 
continues  to  grow,  resulting  from  combined 
demand  from  the  Kinyerezi-1,  Kinyerezi-2  and 
II  power  stations,  and  burgeoning 
Ubungo 
industrial  customers 
demand  growth 

from 

8

Wentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018

Our  relations  with  ENH  (”Empresa  Nacional  de 
Hidrocrabonetos”)  our  joint  venture  partner  and 
INP  (“National  regulator”),  through  this  last  year 
have been excellent and we thank them for their 
continued  counsel,  support  and  partnership  on 
the  Tembo  appraisal  block  over  these  last  three 
years as operator.

I fully expect that 2019 will be an exciting year for 
the Company, with continued material production 
in  a  demand  driven  landscape,  sustained  free 
cashflow, along with an energised, highly capable 
and  empowered  team  delivering  and  executing 
on  key  commercial,  technical  and  growth  drivers 
in Tanzania and beyond. 

OUTLOOK
At  a  corporate  level,  we  will  continue  to  be 
fiscally  prudent,  improve  our  balance  sheet, 
ensure  focus  on  minimising  overheads  and 
ultimately look to leverage our long-lived Mnazi 
Bay producing asset to underpin a capital returns 
and growth strategy. 

None  of  the  above  would  be  possible  without 
the  continued  support  of  all  our  shareholders. 
There  is  much  still  to  do  as  we  strive  to  make 
critical  progress  in  both  unlocking  the  latent 
value  and  growing  the  Company  and  I  look 
forward to updating all our shareholders on our 
progress in 2019. 

Eskil Jersing
Chief Executive Officer

24 April 2019 

Our  guidance  range  for  2019  is  75-85  MMscf/d, 
acknowledging  the  demand  backdrop  but  also 
the  rapidly  moving  nominations  landscape  and 
ongoing  commercial  and  operational  initiatives. 
There  are  only  two  domestic  gas  producers  in 
Tanzania, Mnazi Bay and SongoSongo. Both assets 
continue  to  adapt  rapidly  to  the  changes  in  the 
offtake  landscape  around  variable  demand  from 
TPDC and TANESCO due hydroelectric, industrial 
customer  and  ongoing  maintenance  of  gas  to 
power plants in Dar es Salaam. 

Mnazi Bay activities in 2019 will focus on working 
with  Maurel  et  Prom,  TPDC  and  PURA  to  sign 
and  agree  on  the  COD  (“Commercial  Operations 
Date”), agreeing on the optimal delivery pressure 
to  the  TPDC-operated  Madimba  gas  processing 
plant and transnational pipeline and ensuring the 
maintenance  of  the  current  production  plateau 
using  the  existing  well  stock  and  infrastructure. 
Finally,  along  with  our  Joint  Venture  partners, 
we  also  anticipate  conducting  slick-line,  choke 
upgrade  activities  and  performing 
regular 
pressure  build  up  tests  through  2019  to  further 
reduce  uncertainty  with  respect  to  in-place  and 
recoverable gas volumes. 

We  will  continue  communicating  our  value 
proposition in the wider market and look to execute 
accretive  M&A  led  solutions,  to  take  Wentworth 
towards our aspiration of being a mid-tier full cycle 
Exploration & Production Company.

9

STRATEGIC REPORT

OUR STRATEGY AND BUSINESS MODEL

Our strategy is to grow the Company beyond our current single-asset base 
and deliver shareholder value through accretive asset NAV, free cash flow 
and net income growth.

STRATEGY AND BUSINESS MODEL

We intend to do this through a focused M&A mandate which primarily builds from our differentiated 
capabilities. simpler corporate structure and African platform.

In  order  to  achieve  our  aspiration  to  be  a  mid-cap  African  focused  E&P  player,  Wentworth  will 
leverage our:

US$15-20 million/per annum 
forecast revenues.

Strengthening balance sheet.

Ability to unlock value from 
Mnazi Bay in Tanzania.

Refreshed Board with a 
proven track record in creating 
shareholder value.

Access to capital markets and 
strategic support from our 
broad shareholder base.

Balanced capabilities across 
the technical, commercial and 
financial spectrum.

African and UK Market networks, 
longstanding relations with host 
Governments, key stakeholders, 
joint venture partners, NOCs, 
regulators, upstream players 
and service providers.

Upstream and midstream 
project delivery track record, 
credibility and value realisation 
experience.

Ability to move swiftly 
and decisively to execute 
on accretive transactions 
from a simpler corporate 
transactional platform.

10

Wentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018

2P NPV15 
AFTER TAX 

 $106 MM

CASH
AT 31 DEC 18

 $11.9 MM

2018 REVENUE

 $16.7 MM

2P RESERVES

99.7 BCF

(16.6 MMBOE)

2018 OPEX 

$0.44/MSCF

AVERAGE DAILY
GAS PRODUCTION 

83.2 MMSCF/D

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STRATEGIC REPORT

MNAZI BAY LICENCE SUMMARY

The  Mnazi  Bay  Development  and  Production  Licence  (“Mnazi  Bay”)  is 
located  primarily  onshore  in  southern  Tanzania,  approximately  410  kms 
south of Dar es Salaam. Mnazi Bay covers an area of 756 km2 and comprises 
the Mnazi Bay and Msimbati producing gas fields that have been onstream 
since January 2007. 

Mnazi Bay is operated by Maurel et Prom (48.06%) 
with Wentworth Resources (31.94%) and TPDC (20%) 
as joint venture partners. It is the sole onshore PSA 
in Tanzania in which TPDC is a partner. Mnazi Bay 
gas sold to TPDC is primarily utilised by TANESCO.

For  exploration  activities  Maurel  et  Prom  hold  a 
60.075%  working  interest  with  Wentworth  holding 
a  39.925% working  interest. TPDC  has  a  free  carry 
on  exploration  costs,  however  it  pays  its  share 
(20%) of Development and Operational Costs. TPDC 
may  back-in  with  a  20%  interest.  If  TPDC  should 
exercise this right, Maurel et Prom and Wentworth’s 
interest  in  the  discovery  would  decrease  to  the 
development licence values above. 

The  Company’s  working  interests  represent  the 
interest  in  field  gross  recoverable  volumes  (and 
cost  commitments),  not  net  entitlements  after 
application of royalties or equivalent deductions.

Wentworth  also  retains  an  option  to  transfer  a 
further  5%  working  interest  per  well  in  exchange 
for other parties’ payment for up to two appraisal 
wells on the block.

The Mnazi Bay PSA produces gas which is predominantly sold 
into the Transnational Pipeline.

Production operations on the development licence 
area  are  governed  by  the  Production  Sharing 
Agreement (“PSA”), executed in 2004. This is a cost 
recovery form of agreement and contains detailed 
cost  recovery  and  profit-sharing  arrangements 
and production royalty payment obligations.

The Mnazi bay gas field was discovered in 1982 by 
AGIP. The first well, Mnazi Bay #1 (“MB-1”), tested gas 
from a Miocene formation at rates of 13  MMscf/d. 
After  testing,  the  well  was  suspended  by  AGIP, 
due  to  lack  of  viable  gas  monetisation  options 
at  the  time.  The  concession  was  subsequently 
relinquished  by  AGIP.  The  licence  was  acquired 

by Artumas (now Wentworth) in 2004. In 2005, the 
MB-1  well  was  re-entered  and  three  subsequent 
gas  discoveries  were  made  (MB-2,  MB-3  and  
MS-1X).  Two  additional  seismic  surveys  were 
acquired in 2007 and 2008.

On  October  26,  2006  the  Tanzanian  Ministry  of 
Energy  and  Minerals  granted  a  development 
licence to TPDC covering one discovery block and 
eight adjoining blocks, which comprise the Mnazi 
Bay contract area, covering the same area as the 
original PSA Exploration licence. The Development 
licence has an initial 25-year term to 2031 and may 
be extended under certain conditions.

12

Wentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018

AVERAGE 2018
PRODUCTION

83.2 MMSCF/DAY

Schematic showing the producing wells and intervals in the Mnazi Bay gas field. The field currently 
produces from 3 Miocene aged intervals, the MS upper sand, MB upper sand, and MB lower sand.

The  Mnazi  Bay  field  was  first  put  on  stream  in 
January 2007 and production has been continuous 
ever  since.  Critically,  in  August  2015,  the  tie-in 
to  the  Tanzanian  transnational  gas  pipeline  was 
completed  and  first  gas  deliveries  commenced, 
followed  by  commissioning  of  gas  production 
facilities  at  Madimba  and  the  Kinyerezi  power 
plant  gas  receiving  facility  in  Dar  es  Salaam.  Gas 
production  rates  have  increased  as  power  plant 
generation capacities have ramped up.

Maurel et Prom assumed operatorship of Mnazi Bay 
in 2009. A c. 328 km2 3D survey covering the offshore 
area of the block was acquired during 2012 to 2013. 
In 2014, an additional 315 kms of onshore 2D seismic 
and 58 line-kms of high resolution 2D seismic was 
acquired and processed. The MB-4 well was drilled 
and completed as a gas producer in June 2015.

MNAZI BAY PRODUCTION OPERATIONS
The  Mnazi  Bay  field  currently  produces  from  a 
total of five wells, namely the MB-1, MB-2, MB-3,  
MB-4, and MS-1X wells. The field began production 

in  January  2007,  producing  c.  2.5  MMscf/d  to 
the  Mtwara  power  station.  In  October  2015,  the 
Madimba  gas  processing  plant  was  completed 
and  commissioned,  allowing  production  to  be 
ramped up to 44 MMscf/d in 2016. 

averaged 

Production  growth  continued 
through  both 
2017  (c.  50  MMscf/d)  and  into  2018  when  the 
83.2  MMscf/d.  Production 
field 
volumes  steadily  improved  throughout  the  year 
with  December  2018  production  averaging 
92.5  MMscf/d.  Gas  is  sold  to  TPDC  on  fixed  rate 
contract  inflated  for  CPI  ($3.11/MMbtu  in  2018; 
$3.18/MMbtu in 2019) and TANESCO on a fixed rate 
contract of $5.36/MMbtu.

Erratic and low gas nominations in 2016 and 2017 
resulted  in  numerous  shut-in  periods  for  the 
producing well stock except MB-1, which supplied 
directly  to  the  Mtwara  power  generation  plant. 
Subsequent production has gradually ramped up 
in  2018  to  a  plateau  range  of  75-90  MMscf/d  as 
can be seen in the graph on page 16.

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13

 
 
 
MNAZI BAY LICENCE SUMMARY

the burgeoning demand backdrop is expected to 
exceed the current supply capacity of both Mnazi 
Bay and Songo Songo.

The Dangote Cement plant started commissioning 
its  gas  fired  furnaces  for  the  roasting  of  klinker 
towards  the  end  of  2018  and  fully  commissioned 
its  facility  in  Q1  2019.  This  was  in  addition  to  the 
fully  commissioned  35  MW  power  generation 
unit  installed  at  the  valve  station  at  Msijute,  near 
Mikindani.  Total  combined  demand  from  the 
Dangote power station and klinker furnace facilities 
is anticipated to rise to c. 35 MMscf/d by late 2019.

the 

local  Mtwara 

region  power 
Regarding 
requirements  the  Mtwara/Lindi 
isolated  grid 
serves  over  16  towns  and  villages  in  the  two 
regions  surrounding 
the  Mnazi  Bay  asset 
TANESCO installed and commissioned two x 2MW 
generators in Q3 2018. Mnazi Bay Gas supplies this 
power station and the new generators will bolster 
the  reliability  of  power  supply  to  the  region  and 
stabilise  the  demand  for  gas  from  Mnazi  Bay  at 
2 MMscf/d on average. 

TPDC  has  plans  for  developing  a  number  of 
small  industrial  offtake  opportunities  and  also 
for building a domestic gas network to serve the 
Mtwara  community.  However,  the  next  material 
leap  in  demand  is  expected  to  come  from  the 

SUMMARY 2018 PRODUCTION 
Mnazi  Bay  gas  production  averaged  over 
83 MMscf/d in 2018, the highest ever, with Mnazi 
Bay Gas supplying over 55% of Tanzanian electrical 
generation needs for the year.

A  game  changer  with  regards  Mnazi  Bay  gas 
nominations in 2018 was the commissioning of the 
Kinyerezi-2  power  plant  (“K2”), with  average  daily 
demand of 27 MMscf/d.

During Q4 of 2018, Mnazi Bay production averaged 
87  MMscf/d  compared  to  62  MMscf/d  for  the 
same  quarter  in  2017.  This  was  due  to  the  full 
commissioning of K2, new demand from Dangote 
power station (8 MMscf/d) and firm demand from 
the rest of the TANESCO power stations supplied 
by Mnazi Bay, namely: Ubungo II and Kinyerezi-1. 
Industrial  customers,  Goodwill  Ceramics  and 
Dangote, accounted for an average of 10 MMscf/d 
during this quarter. 

In December 2018, TANESCO signed a temporary 
production deal with Pan African Energy Tanzania 
(“PAET”) for the supply of up to 35 MMscf/d from 
the  Songo  Songo  Island  gas  processing  facilities 
(“SSI”).  Through  March  2019,  SSI  has  averaged 
18 MMscf/d. The availability of supply from Songo 
Songo reduces the reliance by TPDC on Mnazi Bay 
Gas in the short term. However, in the longer term 

14

STRATEGIC REPORTthe  Kinyerezi-1  Extension, 
commissioning  of 
which  will  add  another  180  MW  of  power  to  the 
Tanzanian grid and approximately 30 MMscf/d to 
gas  demand.  Commissioning  of  the  Kinyerezi-1 
Extension plant is expected to begin in Q1 2020. 

MNAZI BAY PRODUCTION OUTLOOK
Our near-term 2019-20 focus (with Maurel et Prom 
and  TPDC  our  JV  partner)  is  to  unlock  the  latent 
value potential of the Mnazi Bay asset through four 
key value triggers to enable “line-of-sight” growth 
to 130 MMscf/d (gross),beyond our current 75-85 
MMscf/d 2019 guidance:

1.  Securing a full Gas Sales Agreement (“GSA”) 
by  declaring  commercial  operations  date 
(“COD”). As a result of the COD, the testing and 
commissioning period will end and all terms 
of the GSA will become effective. This has a 
threefold benefit, namely: the ability to utilise 
the  Mnazi  Bay  asset  as  security  for  finance 
purposes,  ensuring  contract  stability  with 
“take  or  pay”  provisions  (above  a  minimum 
demand  of  68  MMscf/d)  with  a  firmer 
nominations  process  and  finally  credibility 
with regards the market.

2.  Maintaining  the  current  production  plateau 
to  comply  with  the  GSA  requirements,  by 
focusing  on  network  modifications  including 

upgrading  well  flow-line  chokes,  slick-line 
jobs to open existing perforated intervals and 
conducting new perforations in un-perforated 
horizons. This is made operationally simpler by 
the MB-2, MB-3, MB-4 and MS-1X wells having 
smart well completions with sliding sleeves.

3.  A  reduction 

in  the  contractual  optimum 
pipeline delivery point pressure from 95 bar(g) 
to  75  bar(g)  in  2019  and  ultimately  60  bar(g) 
as  the  field  matures,  which  would  provide 
for  increased  recoverable  volumes  per  well, 
extended  and  sustained  overall  production 
rates and/or plateau periods from the current 
well stock, prior to installation of compression 
facilities.  This  is  technically  and  operationally 
realisable,  has  the  potential  to  extend  the 
production  plateau  by  c.  18  months  on  a 
standalone  basis  and  c.  42  months  including 
slickline  and  choke  upgrade  work.  Most 
importantly 
immediately  and  directly 
accretive to asset NAV on a look-through basis.

is 

it 

4.  Renewal  and  extension  of  the  PSA  (signed  in 
2004), which will push licence expiration out a 
further 10 years, until 2041. This will facilitate the 
commercial  rationale  for  additional  CAPEX  to 
unlock the existing 2C and de-risk the material 
3P resource base (c. 1.5 Tcf Pmean unrisked per 
management estimates) in the concession.

15

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018MNAZI BAY OPERATIONS REVIEW

MNAZI BAY 2018 OPERATIONS AND OUTLOOK
In  2015,  a  project  to  increase  the  capacity  of  the 
Mnazi  Bay  Surface  Facilities  was  initiated.  This 
project included increasing the processing capacity 
of  the  liquid  separation  and  dehydration  units  at 
Mnazi Bay from 10 MMscf/d to 140 MMscf/d and 
the installation of a gas gathering system serving 
all five producing wells with collection clusters at 
the  MB-3  and  MS1-X  locations.  The  project  was 
completed towards the end of Q2 2018.

late  August  through  early  September 
From 
2018,  slickline  operations  were  performed 
in 
the  MB-2  ST2,  MB-3,  MB-4,  and  MS-1X  wells  to 
remove  downhole  memory  gauges,  perform 
static  pressure  gradient  surveys,  and  re-install 
downhole  memory  gauges.  This  is  part  of  an 
ongoing pressure monitoring campaign designed 
to reduce the remaining uncertainty with regards 
to  the  in-place  and  recoverable  gas  volumes  in 
the Mnazi Bay field and to determine the reservoir 
connectivity  between  the  wells  at  the  different 
reservoir intervals.

to  ongoing  slickline  campaigns, 
In  addition 
Wentworth  made  considerable  efforts  toward 
more  fully  delineating  the  remaining  exploration 
potential  in  Mnazi  Bay.  Wentworth  re-interpreted 
the existing 2D and 3D seismic and well log data 
with a focus on identifying material prospects and 
leads that can be drilled once certain commercial 
conditions  with  regards  Cost  Pool  recovery  have 
been  met,  likely  from  2021.  Seven  of  the  highest 
potential  leads  were  evaluated  by  RPS  Canada 
as  part  of  the  mid-2018  reserves  and  resources 
evaluation,  which  ascribed  Pmean  full  block 
gross  prospective  resources  at  greater  than 
1.5  Tcf.  Wentworth  is  working  with  its  partners 
to  determine  how  to  best  de-risk  the  material 
prospective resources on the asset.

In 2019, planned operations include synchronisation 
and maintenance of new generators at the Mnazi Bay 
Camp, upgrading of the existing Supervisory Control 
and  Data  Acquisiton 
(“SCADA”)  system,  further 
regular slickline operations as described above, and 
a focus on developing local skills and training.

Mnazi Bay Field Daily Production

(cid:31)(cid:30)(cid:29)(cid:28)(cid:27)(cid:26)(cid:25)(cid:24)(cid:27)(cid:23)(cid:25)(cid:22)(cid:21)(cid:26)(cid:20)(cid:19)(cid:21)(cid:18)(cid:20)(cid:21)(cid:23)(cid:25)(cid:17)(cid:16)(cid:16)(cid:23)(cid:30)(cid:15)(cid:14)

(cid:31)(cid:30)(cid:30)

(cid:29)(cid:30)

(cid:28)(cid:30)

(cid:27)(cid:30)

(cid:26)(cid:30)

(cid:30)

16

(cid:26)(cid:30)(cid:31)(cid:28)

(cid:26)(cid:30)(cid:31)(cid:25)

(cid:26)(cid:30)(cid:31)(cid:29)

STRATEGIC REPORTMNAZI BAY RESERVES SUMMARY

The attributable Proved and Probable reserves net to Wentworth’s working interest are 99.7 Bcf of sales gas 
(16.6 MMboe), which correspond to an estimated after tax NPV15 of $106 million per the CPR performed by 
RPS Canada, with an effective date of 31 December 2018.

Reserve Category

Gross Working Interest Reserves

Net Working Interest Reserves

Producing

Non-Producing

Undeveloped

Total Proved

Probable

Proved + Probable

Possible

Proved + Probable + Possible

Oil

Gas

NGLs

BOE

Oil

Gas

NGLs

BOE

(MMbo)

(Bcf)

(MMbo)

(MMbo)

(MMbo)

(Bcf)

(MMbo)

(MMbo)

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

27.4

13.9

51.3

92.6

61.3

153.9

89.2

243.1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

4.6

2.3

8.6

15.4

10.2

25.7

14.9

40.5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

21.8

11.3

32.1

65.2

34.5

99.7

43.5

143.3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3.6

1.9

5.4

10.9

5.8

16.6

7.3

23.9

Reserve Category

NPV Before Tax

Million US$

NPV After Tax

Million US$

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

Producing

36.5

36.6

35.9

34.8

33.6

36.5

36.6

35.9

34.8

33.6

Non-Producing

35.2

28.0

22.8

19.0

16.2

33.5

26.7

21.9

18.4

15.7

Undeveloped

84.3

62.3

47.2

36.6

28.8

77.0

56.7

42.8

33.0

25.9

Total Proved

156.0

126.9

105.9

90.4

78.7

147.0

120.0 100.6

86.2

75.2

Probable

76.1

46.6

30.5

21.5

16.2

69.3

42.6

28.1

19.8

14.9

Proved + Probable

232.2

173.4

136.5

111.9

94.8

216.2

162.7

128.7

106.0

90.2

Possible

125.2

78.3

54.1

40.7

32.6

114.3

71.7

49.6

37.3

29.9

Proved + Probable + Possible

357.3

251.7

190.6

152.6

127.5

330.5

234.3

178.2

143.3

120.0

17

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018TANZANIA LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY FRAMEWORK

LOCAL CONTENT
The  Petroleum  Local  Content  Regulations  Oil 
and  Gas  Industry  act,  2017  (“Regulations”)  were 
enacted  by  the  Minister  for  Energy  and  Minerals 
and came into force 5 May 2017. These Regulations 
govern local content matters related to upstream, 
midstream and downstream activities in Tanzania. 

The  Regulatory  authorities  including  Petroleum 
Upstream  Regulatory  Authority  (“PURA”)  and  the 
Energy  and  Water  Utilities  Regulatory  Authority 
(“EWURA”)  started  to  enforce  the  act  in  2018. 
The  Regulations  requires  licencees,  contractors 
and  subcontractors  working  in  the  oil  and  gas 
industry to give preference to goods and services 
manufactured or locally available in Tanzania.

The  main  principle  behind 
local  content 
requirement  is  set  through  Regulation  8  which 
states that: A person conducting petroleum activity 
shall ensure that:

•  a qualified Tanzanian citizen is given priority in 
employment and training in any matter relating 
to the petroleum activity;

•  preference  is  given  to  goods  and  services 
provided,  manufactured  or  locally  available  in 
Tanzania  in  accordance with  the  provisions  of 
the Act and these Regulations; and

•  a Tanzanian citizen is given priority in any matter 
relating  to  the  technology  transfer,  research, 
development and innovation in any petroleum 
related activities.

PRODUCTION SERVICE AGREEMENT (PSA) REVIEW
As  reported  on  17  November  2017,  the  Speaker 
of  the  Tanzania  National  Assembly,  via  Speaker’s 
Circular  No.  6  of  2017,  formed  a  Special  Advisory 
Committee  (“Committee”)  to  probe  for  flaws  in 
the law and policies governing the gas subsector 
and recommend how the nation can benefit from 
revenues accruing from the gas subsector. 

The  Circular  identified  a  number  of  challenges 
and  “flaws”  in  existing  PSAs:  the  cost  sharing 
system between the Government and its partners; 
partners  having  ‘Redeemable  Preference  Shares’ 
while  the  Government  has  only  ordinary  shares; 

18

management of the special purpose vehicles (SPV), 
Profit  sharing  formulae  between  the  Government 
and 
investor  partner;  restricted  back-in-rights 
participation  for  the  Government  and  delays  in 
evaluation and audits on projects implemented by 
the Government.

The  Special  Committee  was  formed  in  2017  and 
issued a report on 2 June 2018, with the following 
summary recommendations for the Government:

•  review  departments  and  institutions  that  deal 
with  Petroleum  sector  and  take  measures  to 
improve their performance;

•  empower TPDC to enable it to participate in the 

development of natural gas resources;

•  initiate renegotiations of the commercial terms 
in the PSA and other project agreements with 
the  objective  of  enhancing  the  Government 
take;

•  initiate  reviews  of  bilateral  agreements  with 
the  relevant  countries  to  allow  for  arbitration 
and  dispute  resolution with  Contractors  to  be 
carried out in the Tanzania;
the 
TANESCO; and 

financial  problems 

•  address 

facing 

•  all officials who participated in the preparations, 
negotiations  and  signing  of  PSAs  and  other 
project agreements be investigated to establish 
as  to  whether  their  actions  were  in  line  with 
safeguarding the Government interests.

of 

the 

above-mentioned 
Implementations 
recommendations will be undertaken on a bilateral 
basis  between  the  parties  to  the  Agreement  i.e. 
the  Government  of  Tanzania  and  Investors.  This 
process continues and is expected to release and 
implement its recommendations from June 2019.

INCOME TAX (TRANSFER PRICING) REGULATIONS
Further,  on  27  April  2018,  the  Government  of 
Tanzania published the Tax Administration (Transfer 
Pricing)  Regulations,  2018  (“the  Regulation”).  The 
Regulations  revoke  and  replace  the  Income  Tax 
(Transfer Pricing) Regulations of 2014.

The new Regulations introduce additional transfer 
pricing  rules  and  requirements  that  were  not 

STRATEGIC REPORTincluded  in  previous  regulations.  Additional  rules 
and requirements are summarised below: 

•  requirement 

to 

transfer 

pricing 
file 
documentation with the final return, of income 
for  taxpayers  with  related  party  transactions 
exceeding  Tanzanian  shillings  (“TZS”)  10  billion 
(i.e., approximately US$4.3 million); 

•  documentation should provide an overview of all 
information contained in the contemporaneous 
transfer  pricing  documentation  to  support 
the  arm’s-length  character  of  the  controlled 
transactions; 

•  required information for a tested party outside 
Tanzania,  including  financial  statements  of  a 
tested person;

•  requirements  for  intra  group  services  and 
financing, including acceptability of allocation 
keys used when non-directly allocable services 
are performed for various related parties; 

•  intangible  property  and  sale  lease  back,  the 
owner  of  a  locally  developed  intangible  asset 
that is transferred outside Tanzania should be 
compensated appropriately at the time of the 
transfer.  Importantly,  the  Regulations  provide 
that such an intangible cannot attract a royalty 
when licensed back for use in Tanzania;

•  commodity transactions, controlled commodity 
the 
transactions  should  be  priced  using 
comparable uncontrolled price (“CUP”) method; 
•  comparability analysis, the Regulations list factors 
that  should  be  considered  when  determining 
whether transactions are comparable; and

•  penalty  for  non-compliance,  the  penalty  is  set  at 
a minimum of 3,500 Tanzanian currency (currently 
1  currency  point  =  TZS  15,000)  which  results  in 
a  penalty  of  TZS  52,500,000  (i.e.  approximately 
US$23,000). This penalty is in addition to a possible 
penalty  of  100%  of  the  adjusted  amount  that  is 
applicable  for  failure  to  comply  with  the  arm’s-
length principle when transacting with associates.

CHANGES ON TAX ADMINISTRATION ACT, 2015
Changes made on section 3 and section 54 of Tax 
Administration Act, 2015 (“TAA”):

•  Section  3;  the  Amendments  Act  changes  the 
definition of “tax” to include “additional profits tax”

•  Section  54;  the Amendments Act  sets  out  the 
timing of its payment to be a due date specified 
in the arrangement or agreement or by notice 
in writing from the Commissioner General. 

These  changes  do  not  provide  for  an  additional 
profits  tax  to  become  part  of  the  legislated  fiscal 
regime,  however,  they  do  represent  the  first  time 
that this tax is recognised in current law. Previously 
it was  only  provided  in  model  production-sharing 
agreements, which are not legally binding.

CHANGES ON INCOME TAX ACT, 2004
The  Miscellaneous  Amendment  Act,  2017 
amended  sections  65M  and  65N  of  the  Income 
Tax  Act,  2004  (“ITA”).  The  Amendments  includes 
significant  changes  to  the  calculation  of  taxable 
income for petroleum operations:

in 

•  Changes  made  on  section  65N;  disallowed 
depreciation  allowances 
respect  of 
depreciable assets whose costs are recouped 
from the cost oil or cost gas under a production 
sharing agreement granted with respect to the 
operations  and  calculated  in  accordance with 
paragraph 6 of the Third Schedule.

•  Changes made on section 65M; cost oil or cost 
gas  do  not  form  part  of  the  income  derived 
from  petroleum  rights  and  any  expenditure 
recoverable  under  the  production  sharing 
agreement is not allowable for tax deduction.

Apart  from  the  potential  simplification  of  tax 
administration 
for  petroleum  operations,  we 
expect this change in the tax treatment of cost gas 
to result in timing changes, rather than changes in 
the total amount of taxable income.

IMPACT TO WENTWORTH
The  Company  has  undertaken  a  review  of 
these  new  laws  and  regulations  to  determine 
their  implications  on  the  Company’s  Tanzania 
operations.  Based  on  our  current  understanding 
and given the existing terms and conditions of our 
relevant  agreements,  we  do  not  anticipate  any 
material  impact  on  our  existing  operations  in  the 
short to medium term. It is unclear whether there 
will be any material impact in the long-term. 

19

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018STRATEGIC REPORT

TEMBO LICENCE SUMMARY

The  Tembo  Block  Appraisal  Licence  (“Tembo”)  is  in  north-eastern 
Mozambique, approximately 2,600 kms north of Maputo, the capital city 
of Mozambique. The block has been operated by Wentworth (85%) with 
ENH (15%) as a carried partner since June 2016.

The licence covers a 2,500 km2 area set up in June 
2015 and approved by INP as part of its approval of 
the appraisal plan for the Tembo exploration well 
gas “discovery” operated by Anadarko Petroleum. 
The  licence was  established  for  a  two-year  term 
from  15  June  2016,  with  a  one-year  extension 
granted  on  1  June  2018,  with  no  additional  work 
commitments or exit penalties.

reprocessing  of  1,000  kms  of  2D  seismic, 
acquisition of 500 kms of new 2D seismic and the 
drilling of an appraisal well.

Wentworth,  during  the  appraisal  period  (2016-to 
date)  subsequently  reprocessed  c.  1,000  kms  of 
2D seismic data and conducted pre-drill activities 
including well planning and design operations. 

The Tembo-1 well was drilled in 2014 and declared 
a  gas  discovery.  The  appraisal  licence  required 
including 
fulfillment  of  work  commitments, 

TEMBO 2018 OPERATIONS
initiated  a  detailed 
In  May  2018,  Wentworth 
technical re-evaluation of the Tembo discovery that 

20

Wentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018

4.  determining  the  range  of  in-place  volumes, 
economic  flow  rate  potential  and  viability 
associated  with  the  Tembo-1  discovery  and 
Cretaceous play.

integrated all the relevant existing seismic, well log, 
geochemical, and geological data available. 

The work focused on:

1.  re-evaluating the results of and undertaking 
a  complete  integrated  evaluation  of  the 
Tembo-1  exploration  well;  with  focus  on 
the petrophysical and structural-stratigraphic 
subsurface depositional model; 

2.  re-mapping  the  existing  2D  seismic  data  to 
better understand the lateral distribution and 
potential connectivity / heterogeneity of the 
Cretaceous  sand  packages  encountered  in 
the Tembo-1 well; 

Re-interpretation  of  the  full  integrated  dataset 
suggested  that  Pmean  gross  in-place  volumes 
of  c.  87  Bcf, were  significantly  less  than  previous 
management estimates and that the recoverable 
volumes  would  not  support  a  commercial 
the 
development  of 
discovery  location  is  remote  from  infrastructure 
and population centres. 

resources,  given 

the 

As such, on 14 December 2018, Wentworth notified 
ENH and INP of its intention to relinquish the block 
with an effective date of 30 April 2019. 

The  Company  has  closed  its  Maputo  office,  as 
of  March  2019,  and  continues  to  shut  down  its 
activities  in  the  Muxara  and  Palma  camps  and 
subsequently exit Mozambique by H2 2019.

The  relinquishment  of  the  Tembo  block  will 
release  Wentworth  from  any  further  appraisal 
work  program  obligations  with  no  material  costs 
foreseen ahead of the relinquishment.

3.  assessing 

the 

semi-regional  potential 
for  additional  commercially  viable  play 
concepts  in  the  Tembo  appraisal  block  and 
greater  relinquished  Rovuma  onshore  block 
surrounding area; and 

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FINANCIAL REVIEW

REVENUE

Revenue ($000)

Net entitlement to gas production (MMscf)

Average realised gas price ($/MMscf)

OPERATING COSTS

Production and operating costs ($000)

Production and operating cost ($/MMscf) 

Depletion ($000)

EBITDAX

Gross profit

Add: Depletion

Add: amounts capitalised to E&E assets

Less: recurring administrative costs ($000)

EBITDAX ($000)

EBITDAX per ($/MMscf)

NON-RECURRING EXPENDITURES

Restructuring & redomicile ($000)

Tanzanian withholding tax ($000)

Deferred tax expense ($000)

Impairments of Tembo ($000)

Provision against Government receivables

Non-recurring expenditures ($/MMscf)

INVESTMENT IN OIL & GAS ASSETS

Investments in Mnazi Bay ($000)

Investments in Tembo ($000)

CASH & DEBT

Year-end cash and cash equivalents ($000)

Current portion of long-term loans ($000)

Non-current portion of long-term loans ($000)

Overdraft credit facility ($000)

Net cash/(debt) at year-end ($000)

EQUITY & CAPITAL

Loss after tax ($000)

Closing share price (p)

22

2018

16,224

5,262

3.18

(2,290)

(0.44)

(7,803)

6,131

7,803

664

(6,289)

8,309

1.57

(2,333)

(993)

(26,714)

(41,598)

(4,959)

(14.55)

1,256

1,806

11,903

(6,946)

(1,688)

(2,500)

769

(70,265)

22.0

2017

13,440

4,263

3.15

(3,484)

(0.82)

(4,079)

5,877

4,079

1,582

(6,196)

5,342

1.25

-

-

(394)

-

-

(0.09)

1,057

2,383

3,750

(7,260)

(8,636)

(2,500)

(14,646)

(709)

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Revenue  and  production  growth  have  been 
strong  during  2018,  with  demand  for  Mnazi  gas 
outstripping  supply  for  most  of  the  year.  Whilst 
the realised gas prices to TPDC and TANESCO are 
substantively fixed, the increase in production has 
naturally led to higher revenues.

Wentworth’s entitlement to gas has been reduced 
by  $7.1  million  with  respect  to  the  fully  carried 
repayment  of  the  Ziwani-1  Exploration  well  and 
associated  3D  seismic  costs.  The  2012  Ziwani-1 
well  and  associated  3D  seismic  costs  were  paid 
by  Maurel  et  Prom  and  Cove  Energy  as  part 
consideration  for  their  entry  into  the  Mnazi  Bay 
asset,  thereby  fully  carrying  Wentworth  for  that 
part  of  the  exploration  work  programme.  As  at 
year-end 2018, $1.3 million of the $8.4 million cost 
gas remains to be recovered by Maurel et Prom.

Due  to  uncertainty  over  the  recoverability  of  the 
Government receivable with respect to the sale of 
the Umoja asset in 2012 and the ongoing review by 
the Government of Tanzania, the Group have taken 
the decision to provide $5.0 million in full against 
the amortised balance at the year-end.

As at 31 December 2018, cash and cash equivalents 
increased by $8.1 million from $3.8 million in 2017 
to  $11.9  million  in  2018.  This  increase  has  been 
achieved  through  a  combination  of  sustained 
strong  gas  sales  with  the  gross  daily  average 
from  Mnazi  Bay  increasing  from  49  MMscf/d  in 

2017  to  83  MMscf/d  in  2018,  an  increase  of  just 
under  70% year-on-year.  Mnazi  Bay  is  forecast  to 
continue through 2019 to be in-line with previously 
announced gas sales guidance of 75-85 MMscf/d.

Operating  costs  in  Mnazi  Bay  during  2018  were 
reduced  to  $0.44/MMscf  from  $0.82/MMscf  and 
kept  within  the  overall  work  program  and  budget 
agreed  with  the  Operator  for  the  year.  Operating 
costs are largely fixed which adds significant upside 
to sales revenues from increased gas production. 

There were no significant workover or maintenance 
projects  during  2018  compared  with  2017. 
Discussions  with  the  Operator  on  the  quantum 
and timing of future operational activities continue, 
however it is not anticipated that there will be any 
scheduled material outlays in 2019.

Capital  investment  in  Mnazi  Bay  of  $1.3  million 
(2018:  $1.0  million)  remained  stable.  A  three-year 
long  project  to  upgrade  the  surface  facilities  at 
Mnazi  Bay  from  a  capacity  of  10  MMscf/d  to  140 
MMscf/d was completed in Q1 2018. These costs 
comprised the installation and commissioning of a 
revenue gas metering station at the Gas Processing 
Facility,  installation  of  a  chromatography  system, 
upgrading  the  SCADA  system,  and  replacement 
of the generator sets at the camp. In addition, two 
evaporator  pits  were  built  to  dispose  of  excess 
condensate water removed from the gas. 

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MOZAMBIQUE
In  Mozambique,  through  2018,  the  Company 
incurred  reduced  costs  of  $1.8  million  (2017:  $2.4 
million)  which  primarily  comprised  of  operating 
overhead  for  the  Tembo  asset  but  also  included 
the cost of a full integrated technical and economic 
re-evaluation  of  the  block.  This  work  concluded 
that the Tembo asset did not provide Wentworth 
with  suitable  monetisation  solutions  in  keeping 
with its material growth mandate. 

A decision not to renew the licence and relinquish 
the  block was  announced  on  17  December  2018. 
Following  this  decision,  it  was  agreed  to  fully 
impair  the  carrying  value  at  the  year-end  which 
totalled $41.6 million. Included within these costs 
was an accrual of $300,000 for amounts payable 
up to the licence expiry date of 15 June 2019.

operating effectiveness of the Group or negatively 
impacting upon its ability to effectively screen and 
capitalise on new strategic opportunities.

As  of  2018,  management  have 
introduced 
EBITDAX  as  a  key  performance  metric  (earnings 
before  interest,  taxation,  depreciation,  depletion 
impairment,  management 
and  amortisation, 
restructuring  costs, 
redomicile  costs,  share-
based payments, and provisions, and pre-licence 
expenditures)  to  provide  more  transparency  to 
the reporting process. Year-on-year EBITDAX has 
continued to increase in-line with revenue and gas 
sales  production  outputs.  Whilst  management 
expect average daily production in 2019 to remain 
stable, it does expect to drive further increases to 
EBITDAX  through  cost  savings  and  efficiencies 
across the Group.

General  and  administrative  costs  have  remained 
materially  consistent  throughout  2018  despite 
the  management  changes  that  have  been  made 
and  a  transition  to  a  UK  cost  base  from  Canada. 
Management  remains  committed  to  minimising 
overheads during 2019, without compromising the 

During  the  year  the  Group  expended  significant 
management  time  and  effort  in  undertaking  a 
restructuring process to better align its corporate 
and management structures with its shareholders 
and asset base in Africa, to increase management 
efficiencies and reduce certain costs. 

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This  process  involved  a  legal  redomicile  from 
Alberta to Jersey alongside a new management 
team  and  the  opening  of  a  new  headquartered 
office  in  Reading,  UK;  and  the  decision  to  delist 
from  Oslo  Børs  to  simplify  the  structural  and 
compliance  base,  maintaining  the  Company’s 
AIM listing.

The redomicile was effective 26 October 2018 and 
management  re-structuring was  completed  by  2 
November 2018 and de-listing from the Oslo Børs 
effective 13 February 2019. 

in  Tanzania 
The  tax  and  fiscal  environment 
remain  challenging  and  the  operating  subsidiary, 
Wentworth  Gas  Limited,  was 
levied  with 
Withholding Tax charges totalling $993k during the 
year. The  deferred  tax  asset  has  seen  significant 
write-downs  due  to  the  effect  of  tax  changes 
in  Tanzania  and  aggressive  inspections  by  the 
Tanzanian  Revenue  Authorities  leading  to  write 
downs  of  $17  million  and  $9  million  respectively. 
The  Assessments  were  primarily 
in  relation 
to  notional  interest  deemed  by  the  Tanzanian 
Revenue Authority on intercompany accounts as a 

result of a change in interpretation of existing law. 
The company disputed the determination of these 
costs but agreed to settle them with the Tanzanian 
Revenue Authority during the year in order to avoid 
a protracted dispute.

The Group continued to pay-down its debt during 
the year and made the final payment of $1.7 million 
on  its  medium-term  $6  million  credit  facility  in 
January  2018.  The  current  $2.5  million  overdraft 
facility  expires  in April  2019 with  an  extension  for 
renewal to July 2019 having been granted. Whilst 
there is no immediate need for additional finance, 
it  is  anticipated  that  this  facility  will  be  renewed. 
The balance on the $20 million credit facility was 
$8.3 million at the year-end, $6.7 million of which 
will be paid during 2019 with the final instalment 
and  loan  release  payment  of  $1.6  million  to  be 
made in January 2020.

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CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Our culture and values are fundamental to Wentworth. Practically how we 
behave  and  treat  our  team,  partners  and  in  country  stakeholders  is,  and 
should  be,  foremost  in  all  our  behaviours.  We  aim  to  ensure  that  we  are 
transparent, have a full duty of care, communicate effectively and ultimately 
ensure  we  minimise  our  environmental  footprint  and  maximise  how  we 
initiate and sustainably support communities in which we operate. 

We expect all our employees, consultants and contractors to tangibly demonstrate these shared values, 
which will ultimately support and protect our brand, licence to operate and help to both protect and grow 
our value proposition in a sustainable manner for all our stakeholders.

We aim to ensure that we have, and will comply with, all local, national and international laws and regulations 
in those jurisdictions in which we operate. The whole Wentworth team play a part in this and are directly both 
empowered and accountable for our conduct in the course of their activities. The Management team have 
the additional responsibility of ensuring best practice behaviors and setting the overall tone of conduct. 

Our approach and commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (“CSR”) is built on five areas of focus, 
namely:  Health,  Safety,  Security  and  the  Environment  (“HSSE”);  Ethics;  Gender  Equality;  Community 
Development and Environmental Protection. 

Wentworth’s CSR Policy encompasses the management of relationships with shareholders, employees 
and  communities  in  areas  where  the  company  works,  together  with  the  impact  on  society  and  the 
environment. Wentworth recognises it has specific responsibilities in each of these areas and considers 

26

Wentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018

adherence to CSR values to be a key factor in securing our long-term success. The Company’s objective is 
to support development in local communities and to minimise the impact on the environment. Wentworth 
recognises the importance of engaging with local and national stakeholders and takes seriously concerns 
regarding oil and gas development. Working closely with host communities achieves the best possible 
outcome for both Wentworth and stakeholders. 

As an international oil and gas company, we have a clear responsibility towards the communities where 
we  conduct  our  business.  These  include  sustainably  aiding  the  socio-economic  development  and 
conditions within those communities. Our work in the community is based on establishing partnerships 
to  identify  and  meet  community  needs  and  ensure  open  and  transparent  dialogue  in  relation  to  our 
current operations and future plans.

Specifically, in Tanzania, since 2005, Wentworth 
the  Wentworth  Africa 
through  supporting 
Foundation  (“WAF”),  a  registered  charity  and 
affiliate  of  the  Company,  has  contributed  over 
$1  million  to  a  range  of  CSR  initiatives.  These 
projects  are  aimed  at  contributing  to  the 
development of safe and effective educational 
environments  and  conditions  amongst  rural 
communities in the Mtwara and Lindi Regional 
areas close to our Mnazi Bay producing asset. 

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STRATEGIC REPORT

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

2018 HIGHLIGHTS
In  2018  our  focus  on  operational  excellence  saw 
us complete a clean safety record on our operated 
Tembo block, without a recordable injury. We also 
continue to improve our risk management internal 
processes and procedures, post re-domicile from 
Calgary to Jersey. 

During 2018, the Company through the Wentworth 
Africa Foundation (“WAF”), focused on supporting 
the following sustainable projects in Tanzania:

Refurbishment of Secondary School Library
Since 2014, we have been working in partnership 
with  local  NGOs  to  set  up  reading  libraries  in 
schools  across  Mtwara  and  Lindi.  The  work 
involves taking disused rooms in the schools and 
transforming them into functional and inspirational 
spaces for learning. Our ongoing program provides 
tools for effective learning and promotes a culture 
of reading amongst secondary school learners.

“Keep a Girl in School” program 
Recent  research  indicates  that  improving  school 
sanitation reduces truancy and drop-outs amongst 
girls. Girls of school age, especially after puberty, 
are often faced with inadequate sanitation facilities 
at  school,  which  may  pose  problems  during 
menstruation and lead to school absence. Sanitary 
supplies  are  often  low  on  the  list  of  priorities  as 
money  is  extremely  tight  for  many  families,  and 
safe  and  clean  supplies  are  replaced  by  unsafe 
ones.  The  problem  is  particularly  prominent  in 
the rural areas where the schools have poor or no 
sanitation. As  a  result, Wentworth  and WAF  have 
become involved in providing sanitary products to 
more than 1,000 girls in secondary schools in the 
Mtwara and Coastal Regions.

University Sponsorship Program
Our  University  Sponsorship  Program  began  in 
2014,  where  we  have  been  funding  promising 
young  students  with  the  drive  to  create  change, 
to  attend  university. We  are  currently  sponsoring 
five future leaders to study Education, Community 
Development,  Environmental  Engineering  and 
Medicine.

Secondary School Bursary Scheme
WAF  has  established  a  Secondary  School  Fund 
for Mtwara and Lindi students who come from low 
income families. 

WAF  has  continued  supporting  outstanding 
learners,  who  are  in  financial  need,  by  providing 
them  with  bursary  opportunities.  More  than  100 
students  have  been  assisted  since  the  program 
began in 2012. 

WAF Vocational Scholarship 
Students attending tertiary educational institutions 
from  low  income  and  rural  backgrounds,  often 
struggle  to  achieve  due  to  access  to  resources. 
Therefore, each year since 2014, WAF has sponsored 
scholarships  for  local  students,  from  Mtwara  and 
Lindi  Regions,  to  attend  the  local  Mtwara-based 
tertiary  vocational  training 
(“VETA”). 
Through this initiative, Wentworth indirectly assists 
young people from the surrounding community to 
access employment opportunities in Mtwara and 
Lindi Regions.

institution 

To  date,  more  than  20  scholarships  have  been 
awarded to students studying a range of vocations 
such  as  food  preparation,  plumbing,  welding, 
carpentry,  motor  vehicle  mechanics,  electrical 
installation and maintenance.

28

Wentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018

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29

 
 
 
EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES TRANSPARENCY INITIATIVE 

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (“EITI”) is the global standard used and accepted worldwide 
to promote the open and accountable management of the oil, gas and mineral extractives sector.

Guided by the belief that a country’s natural resources belong to its citizens, the EITI established a global 
standard to promote the open and accountable management of oil, gas and mineral resources. The EITI 
Standard requires the disclosure of information throughout the value chain of the extractive industry, from 
the  point  of  extraction,  to  the  revenue  allocation  to  Government,  and  ultimately,  how  they  benefit  the 
public. By doing so, the EITI seeks to strengthen public and corporate governance, promote understanding 
of  natural  resource  management,  and  provide  data  to  inform  reforms  for  greater  transparency  and 
accountability in the extractives sector. 

In each country, throughout the world, EITI is supported by a coalition of Government, Companies, Civil 
Societies, Donors and Partners, to promote openness and accountability. 

Wentworth  works  with  the  Tanzania  Extractive  Industries  Transparency  Initiative  (“TEITI”),  that  aims  to 
increase transparency and accountability in the extractive industries in Tanzania. TEITI was accepted as an 
EITI implementing country by the EITI International Board in February 2009. TEITI was funded initially, for 
the first 5 years, by the International community led by Canadian and Norwegian governments. 

Wentworth has followed TEITI regulations and been a committed stakeholder since the inception of TEITI. 

During the year ended 31 December 2018, Wentworth has made the following payments to the government 
bodies (figures are as per government financial years):

Taxes paid by Wentworth

July 2017 to
 June 2018

July 2016 to
 June 2017

535

972

During  the  year  ended  31  December  2018,  the  Government  was  allocated,  in  terms  of  the  Mnazi  Bay 
Production  Sharing  Agreement  and  the  Joint  Operating  Agreement,  with  the  following  share  of  gas 
revenues and royalties (figures are as per government financial years):

Government entitlements from Mnazi Bay concession:

 Royalty

 NOC profit gas

 Profit gas

 Cost gas

July 2017 to
 June 2018

July 2016 to
 June 2017

10,318

12,326

2,075

9,905

34,624

5,467

6,307

1,144

5,249

18,167

30

STRATEGIC REPORTBUSINESS RISKS

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS RISKS
The sustained success of Wentworth as a full cycle Exploration and Production Company, depends on our 
ability to manage our portfolio and to acquire, develop and/or commercially produce new oil and natural 
gas reserves. 

The Board monitors all risks to Wentworth on a regular basis using information obtained or developed from 
external and internal sources and will take actions as appropriate to mitigate these. Wentworth utilises a risk 
management  approach that identifies key business risks and measures to address  these risks which  are  
critical  given  our  East African  operating  environment. Wentworth  proactively  implements  such  measures 
considered  appropriate  on  a  case-by-case  basis.  Other  significant  elements  of  the  risk  management 
approach include regular Board reviews of the business, a defined process for preparation, monitoring and 
approval of the annual work programme and budget, monthly management reporting, a financial operating 
procedures and policy, due attention HSSE, securities and anti-bribery management systems.

The relative importance and impact of risks faced by Wentworth will change with progress in Wentworth’s 
strategy and forward project execution in the external business environment.

The Executive Management team have identified the following principal risks and mitigations in relation to 
Wentworth’s present and future performance and operations. The overall risk register is regularly reviewed 
and the senior management team both monitor progress against the principal risks and inform the Board 
of the changes and impact to the Business thereof. 

The primary focus of the Management and Board is to manage exposure to risk rather than eliminate the 
risk completely.

Category

Risk(s)

Mitigants

Financial

•  Difficulty in external capital 

•  Continually assess existing assets and 

raising or funding for M&A and/or 
development activities in volatile 
markets.

•  The Group’s business will require 
significant capital expenditure 
and the future expansion and 
development of its business could 
require future debt and equity 
financing. The future availability of 
such funding is not certain.

proposed new acquisitions; considering 
future capital.requirements from 
a disciplined lifecycle investment 
perspective.

•  Strong and sustainable relationships with 

key shareholders.

•  Regular review of cash flow, working 

capital and funding options, and prudent 
approach to budgeting and planning, 
to ensure enough capital to meet 
commitments.

•  Diversify the sources of funding and apply 

prudent levels of debt to production 
activities.

•  Strong financial stewardship – manage 
commitments and liquidity, monitor 
delivery of business plan, forecast 
accuracy – build credibility

Risk 
change

▲

31

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018BUSINESS RISKS

Revenues 
and 
Receivables

•  Counterparty default and Distress 

•  Regularly monitor and amend cost 

and concentration of asset(s).

structure, investment strategy and tactics 
to include counter-cyclical and/or risk 
offsetting investments.

•  Wentworth maintains a strong balance 
sheet; continues to reduce its debt and 
remains fully funded for its existing 
commitments.

•  International arbitration.

Cost/Budget 
Overruns

•  Financial control of operated and 

•  Wentworth seeks to hold most of its cash 

non-operated assets.

in US dollars.

Legal and 
Compliance 

•  Fraud and corruption/increased 

third party and jurisdictional 
exposure.

•  (AIM / FCA) and/or other or 
financial covenant breaches.

•  Regularly review business plans, G&A cost 
basis, ongoing strategy reviews, monthly 
reporting and regular Board meetings.
•  Regularly engage with JV partners to 

influence cost-effective use of capital, 
operating and decommissioning 
expenditures.

•  Top down leadership of the Group’s values.
•  Wentworth accords the highest 

importance to corporate governance 
matters and upholding the highest ethical 
standards.

•  Wentworth employs suitably experienced 
and qualified staff and, when required, 
external advisors to ensure full 
compliance.

•  Legal risk assessment and due diligence 
(where appropriate) are undertaken for all 
counterparties Wentworth deals with.

Country 

•  Governments, regulations, and the 

•  Regular monitoring of political, regulatory 

security environment may adversely 
change, including the use of tax 
claims, real or not. 

•  Wentworth’s assets in Tanzania 
and Mozambique have been or 
are affected by country specific 
situations.

•  Legal compliance, regulatory or 

litigation risk.

•  PSA Licence extension uncertainty.
•  Fiscal stability.
•  Inadvertent or unauthorised non-

compliance with regulatory or legal 
obligations may result in sanction, 
stock suspension a loss of integrity 
and reputation and potential breach 
of covenants. Potential for legal 
recourse against Wentworth.

and HSSE changes. 

•  Engaging in constructive discussions where 
and when appropriate and introducing third 
party expertise as required. 

•  Wentworth has objectives to acquire 
additional core assets, to assist in 
diversifying its jurisdictional risk.

•  New investments are considered in the 

light of changing environmental regulations, 
fiscal volatility and geopolitical dynamics.
•  Activities are subject to various jurisdictional 

laws, customs, fiscal and administrative 
regulations.

•  Wentworth employs suitably experienced 
and qualified staff and, when required, 
external advisors to ensure full compliance. 

•  Legal risk assessment and due diligence 
(where appropriate) are undertaken for all 
counterparties Wentworth deals with.

32
32

▼

►

►

▲

STRATEGIC REPORT•  Board  active mandate to diversify current 

portfolio risk by acquiring appraisal, 
development and/or producing assets, 
using existing financial resources of 
Wentworth and additional capital (as 
required).

•  Apply Wentworth’s experience, expertise 
and appropriate technology to minimise 
risk, through the asset lifecycle.

•  Highly selective in choosing where and 

when to deploy its business development, 
M&A resources and New Business focus.
•  Mnazi Bay considered a strategic resource 

in country.

•  Wentworth carefully considers the 

technical, HSSE and financial capabilities 
of operators and potential partners during 
any new opportunity acquisition.

•  Ensure all stages of the operation life 

cycle are rigorously stress tested for all 
known circumstances and that these 
circumstances have been fully risk 
assessed.

▲

►

Portfolio/
Assets

•  Company over-reliance on single 
core (producing) asset in Tanzania.

•  Competitors have significantly 
greater financial and technical 
resources.

HSSE, 
Operational 
and Technical

•  Dependent on other operators for 
the performance of E&P activities, 
due lack of control.

•  Counterparty misalignment.
•  Production limited or shut-in and/
or increased security and other 
operating costs. 

•  Reduced income from gas sales 

and high levels of fixed operating 
costs may significantly squeeze 
cash reserves.

•  Third party contractors and 
availability of equipment.

•  Wells shut-in and reduced cash-
flow from gas sales. Possible 
adverse effects of shut-in 
for extended period on re-
commencement of production.

OTHER BUSINESS RISKS
In  addition  to  the  above  risks,  Wentworth’s  business  is  subject  to  all  the  risks  inherent  in  oil  and  gas 
exploration,  development  and  production  activities.  Several  of  these  could  have  a  material  impact  on 
Wentworth’s  long-term  performance,  causing  actual  results  to  differ  materially  from  expected  and 
historical results.

Wentworth has identified certain other pertinent risks including:

•  Dissatisfied stakeholders
•  Inexact reserve and production determinations
•  Failure to recruit and retain key personnel and /or engage in adequate succession planning
•  Human error or deliberate negative action(s)
•  Insufficient timely information available to executive management and the Board

33
33

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018BUSINESS RISKS

COMPANY POLICIES
Wentworth complies with all applicable local, national and international laws and regulations in all locations 
where we operate. This is crucial to both the commercial success and the reputation of the business.

Everyone  who  works  for  Wentworth  plays  a  key  part.  All  employees,  consultants  and  contractors  are 
accountable  for  the  way  they  conduct  themselves  during  their  contributions.  The  overarching  drivers 
being to ensure, honesty, integrity and professionalism, whilst maintaining the highest ethical standards in 
the jurisdictions in which we conduct our Business.

The Directors are mindful of the impact of Wentworth’s business on its employees and contractors, the 
environment and on the wider community in the UK, Tanzania and Mozambique. It notes the following with 
respect to HSSE, corporate responsibility, business integrity, community responsibility and employees. 

As part of the transition from Canada to the UK, Wentworth is in the process of updating existing legacy 
Canadian policies to UK equivalent(s) through 2019. This initiative will include updates to the following:

Code of ethics and Business conduct
Employee staff handbook
Reporting of violations / whistleblowing
Respect in the workplace
Privacy and GDPR

HEALTH, SAFETY, SECURITY AND ENVIRONMENT
It is a priority for Wentworth that everyone is aware of his/her responsibility towards providing for a safe and 
secure working environment. HSSE and social responsibility leadership are considered core competencies. 
Wentworth’s HSSE risks are managed in a systematic way by utilising procedures and appropriate training 
of staff, with the aim to reduce these risks to as low as is reasonably practical. Wentworth ensures that 
appropriate emergency response systems are in place to reduce and mitigate the impact and losses of 
any incident and any residual risks and follows all relevant laws, regulations and industry standards.

Wentworth  maximises  its  influence  with  Mnazi  Bay  JV  partners,  Maurel  et  Prom,  and  TPDC  as  well  as 
the WAF to share and execute on its HSSE and social responsibility values. Contractors are required to 
demonstrate  and  deliver  a  credible  HSSE  and  social  responsibility  programme.  To  achieve  continual 
improvement, Wentworth  is  committed  to  reviewing  its  HSSE  and  social  responsibility  performance  at 
least twice a year.

Wentworth is committed to minimising its impact on the environment in both field operations and within 
its offices in Reading and, Dar es Salaam. All staff share responsibility for monitoring and improving the 
performance of its environmental policies with the objective of reducing our impact on a year-on-year basis.

34

STRATEGIC REPORTCORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
Wentworth is committed to conducting its business in a responsible and sustainable way. Wentworth has 
corporate, environmental and social responsibilities to the indigenous communities in the areas in which it 
operates, to its partners including the WAF, its employees and to its shareholders. In pursuing its business 
objectives, it undertakes not to compromise its Corporate Social Responsibility with any of these stakeholders.

BUSINESS INTEGRITY
Wentworth is committed to conducting its business with integrity, honesty and fairness. All business activities 
are reviewed to ensure they meet these standards and all new and existing staff are trained as appropriate. 
Wentworth also seeks to ensure that similar standards are applied by its business partners, contractors and 
suppliers. All members of staff are individually accountable for their actions to ensure that they apply and 
maintain these standards.

COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY
Wentworth  and  its  subsidiary  undertakings  are  committed  to  be  a  good  partner  in  all  communities  in 
which it operates. Engagement and dialogue with local stakeholders are essential in ensuring, that where 
possible, projects benefit both Wentworth and the communities in which a project or asset is located.

EMPLOYEES
Wentworth is committed to providing a workplace free of discrimination where all employees are afforded 
equal opportunities and are rewarded on merit and ability. In the implementation of this policy Wentworth 
is committed to ensuring that all employees are given contracts with clear and fair terms. Staff are given 
relevant training and encouraged to join professional bodies to enhance their knowledge, competencies, 
career development and opportunities for progression.

Wentworth  is  committed  to  achieving  the  highest  possible  standards  of  conduct,  accountability  and 
propriety and to a culture of openness in which employees can report legitimate concerns without fear 
of  penalty  or  punishment.  Wentworth  has  a  whistleblowing  policy  which  empowers  employees  to  be 
proactive,  to  report  any  failure  to  comply with  legal  obligations  or Wentworth’s  regulations,  dangers  to 
health and safety, financial malpractice, damage to the environment, criminal offences and actions which 
are  likely  to  harm  the  reputation  of  Wentworth.  The  whistleblowing  policy  allows  employees  to  make 
anonymous reports directly to the Senior Independent Non-executive Director.

Eskil Jersing
Chief Executive Officer

24 April 2019 

35

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018STATEMENT OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 

Dear Shareholder 

As  Chairman  of Wentworth  Resources  plc  my  role  is  to  lead  the  Company,  ensuring  sound  Corporate 
Governance and establishing a strong and sustainable corporate culture of respect, integrity, honesty and 
transparency to permeate throughout the organisation. 

We continue to remain focused on HSSE and are committed to ensuring the health and safety of all who 
work with us as well as striving to protect the environments in which we work. The Remuneration policy 
of the Company, as set by the Remuneration Committee, includes a zero Lost Time Incident (“LTI”) target 
linked to the performance bonus of all staff. In addition, the CEO is tasked with ensuring that our partners 
adopt the same approach to HSSE that we do. 

On  13  February  2019,  the  Company  de-listed  its  securities  from  trading  on  Oslo  Børs  which  was,  until 
then,  its  primary  listing  and  therefore Wentworth  had  previously  adopted  and  followed  the  Norwegian 
Code  of  Practice  for  Corporate  Governance.  On  de-listing  from  Oslo  Børs,  the AIM  Market  became  the 
Company’s primary listing and the Company decided to adopt the QCA Corporate Governance Code 2018 
(the “QCA Code”) which was considered by the Directors to provide the right Governance framework for 
the Company, given its current size and stage of development. 

Following  the  delisting  of  the  Company’s  shares  from  Oslo  Børs,  we  have  taken  the  opportunity  of 
reviewing  our Corporate Governance framework, strengthening those  areas where we  could do better. 
We have made significant changes to the composition of the Board to ensure continued effectiveness and 
its decision-making processes as well as focusing on whether the Board is appropriate for the Company 
after its move from Canadian domicile to Jersey domicile with a sole listing in London. 

Tim Bushell and Iain McLaren bring new skills to the Board to replace those of Neil Kelly and Cameron 
Barton,  whose  strong  contributions  have  helped  take  the  Company  to  where  it  is  today,  a  refreshed 
and  simpler  corporate  platform,  poised  for  growth.  With  the  Company  now  domiciled  in  Jersey  and 
its  shares  listed  only  on  the  AIM  Market  in  London,  Tim  and  Iain’s  skill-sets  are  more  appropriate  to 
take  the  Company  forward. Also  in  line with  UK  Corporate  Governance  practice,  I  have  moved  into  a 
Non-executive  Chairman  role  from  my  previous  Executive  Chairman  role.  I will,  however,  continue  to 
support  and  guide  the  Senior  Executive  Management  team  in  identifying  and  executing  on  accretive 
new business opportunities at this critical juncture of the Company’s history. Tim and Iain also join the 
various Board committees as set out below. 

LONG-TERM VALUE AND STRATEGY
The  Company  is  focused  on  the  delivery  of  long-term  sustained  shareholder  value  and  growth,  both 
organically through its core Tanzanian Mnazi Bay producing gas asset, and inorganically through an M&A led 
growth mandate. Our strategy and business model is explained in detail on page 10 of the Strategic Report. 

36

CORPORATE GOVERNANCEBOARD COMPOSITION 
The  Board  currently  comprises  Robert  McBean  as  Non-executive  Chairman,  three  Non-executive 
Directors, the CEO and the CFO. Full details of each director can be found within their biographies in this 
report. Robert McBean, as the Company’s Non-executive Chairman; leads the Board with a strong vision of 
the Company culture and a clear focus on strategy. Mr McBean’s experience in global oil and gas markets 
as well as M&A markets is key to the Company at this stage of its development. Mr McBean previously held 
the role of Executive Chairman and currently holds 5.22% of the voting rights in the capital of the Company 
and is therefore not considered independent however, in the opinion of the Non-executive Directors, he 
brings to the Board a great depth of experience and knowledge and continues to be considered critical to 
the Company’s ongoing operations and execution of its M&A strategy. 

John  Bentley, Tim  Bushell  and  Iain  McLaren  together  have  considerable  experience  in  the  oil  and  gas 
sector and international capital markets as well as bringing integrity and vision to the Board. John Bentley 
has been appointed to the Board for more than nine years, however he continues to exercise independence 
of character and judgement and as such he is considered independent. Tim Bushell and Iain McLaren are 
both considered independent. 

The  Executive  Directors  are  complimentary  in  their  skill-sets  to  deliver  the  Company’s  strategy  having 
considerable experience in the oil and gas sector and demonstrable ability to execute complex transactions. 

For the Board to function effectively and lead the Company it requires the Directors to, collectively, have 
detailed knowledge of Tanzanian gas production operations, jurisdictional landscape and the Company’s 
other operations. In addition, the Board requires knowledge of the global Oil and Gas industry and M&A 
markets, international capital markets and UK, Jersey and Tanzanian legislation and regulation. 

The Directors, collectively, have those skills and on-going training and other professional development 
opportunities are provided along with opportunities to visit the assets and key in-country stakeholders. 
Directors are encouraged to retain membership of professional and/or industry bodies and may attend 
external courses as required. The Board receives briefing notes from advisers and updates and training 
from the Company’s Nominated Adviser and legal advisers on an ad hoc basis. 

ATTENDANCE AT BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The  Company  does  not  specify  a  time  commitment  required  from  its  Directors  but  expects  Board 
members to devote enough time to their roles as required. All Board members are expected to attend 
shareholder meetings as well as being available to shareholders on an ad hoc basis. There are frequent 
communications  between  Board  members  outside  the  set  meeting  dates,  in  order  to  stay,  abreast  of 
business developments. Board meetings are often accompanied by a Board dinner to allow more informal 
discussion  of  issues  between  Directors,  this  drives  clarification  and  engagement  leading  to  a  greater 
consensus in meetings. The roles of the CEO and CFO are full-time positions. 

37

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018STATEMENT OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 

The full Board meets at least six times a year and on any other occasions it deems necessary. Ad hoc Board 
calls are held as required. During 2018, there were six Board meetings, three Remuneration Committee 
meetings,  three  Audit  Committee  meetings,  two  Nominations  Committee  meetings  and  one  Reserves 
Committee Meeting. Directors attendance is shown below. 

Number of meetings in a year

Robert McBean

John Bentley

Cameron Barton
(resigned effective 30 March 2019)

Neil Kelly 
(resigned 2 November 2018)

Eskil Jersing 
(appointed 25 June 2018)

Katherine Roe 
(appointed 2 November 2018)

Tim Bushell 
(appointed 2 November 2018)

Iain McLaren 
(appointed 2 November 2018)

Board 
Meetings

Audit 
Committee

Remuneration 
Committee

Nomination 
Committee

Reserves 
Committee

6

6

5

6

5

5

5

2

2

3

-

3

3

3

1

3

-

-

3

2

3

3

1

1

-

2

2

2

-

2

2

2

-

-

-

-

1

1

1

-

1

-

-

-

-

EXTERNAL ADVISERS 
The Remuneration committee has sought external advice on remuneration benchmarking in 2018 as part of the 
re-domicile process to the United Kingdom and will do so in the future, as and when required. The Nominations 
and Audit Committees have similarly secured external advice on recruitment, tax and legal matters as required.

John  Bentley  is  the  Senior  Independent  Director  and  as  such  he  is  available  to  all  Board  members  and 
shareholders should they have any concerns. The Board is supported by a qualified Company Secretary 
however the Company does not detail the role of the Senior Independent Director or the Company Secretary.

BOARD EVALUATION
The Nominations Committee is responsible for conducting assessments of the Board, its committees and 
individual directors which are carried out on an informal basis. No formal board performance evaluation was 
conducted in 2018. The Remuneration Committee assesses the performance of the Executive Directors 
against  Key  Performance  Indicators which  are  determined  at  the  beginning  of  each  financial year  and 
reviewed at the end of the performance period.

Following the Company’s redomicile to Jersey, Canadian legislation requiring the Company to have Canadian 
domiciled directors no longer applies and Tim Bushell and Iain McLaren were recruited to the Board to address 
concerns that Board composition was too focused on Canadian requirements. Their skills were also sought 
to  address  specific  areas  pertinent  to  the  future  direction  of  the  Company. John  Bentley  remained  on  the 
Board to provide continuity for investors during the transition of the Company from Canadian domicile to Jersey 
domicile. In line with UK Corporate Governance practice, I elected to become a Non-Executive Chairman. 

38

CORPORATE GOVERNANCECOMPANY CULTURE
The Directors are committed to operating the Company’s business in a way that delivers lasting benefit 
to  the  communities  and  environments  where  the  business  operates.  In  particular,  the  importance  of 
delivering success in a safe and responsible environment underpins everything that the Company does.

The  Non-executive  Chairman  and  the  CEO  are  the  leaders  of  the  Company’s  corporate  culture 
demonstrating our values of respect, integrity, honesty and transparency in everything that they do. They 
set the tone for the Company by exemplifying consistent values of high ethical standards and fairness; 
lead the Company in defining its vision; are the main spokespersons for the Company; and bear the chief 
responsibility in ensuring the Company meets its short-term operational and long-term strategic goals. 

The Code of Ethics and Business Conduct Policy sets out the minimum standards of behaviour required 
by all directors, officers, employees and contractors in conducting the business affairs of the Company 
including in relation to conflicts of interest, protection and proper use of corporate assets and opportunities, 
confidentiality of corporate information, anti-corruption, fair dealing with the Company’s security holders, 
customers,  suppliers,  competitors  and  employees,  compliance  with  laws,  rules  and  regulations  and 
maintenance of corporate records and the reporting of illegal and unethical behaviour. 

BOARD COMMITTEES
The Board has been supported by an Audit Committee, Remuneration Committee, Nominations Committee 
and Reserves Committee, and details of their activities during 2018 can be found in each of their reports. 

THE QCA CODE
We have adopted the QCA Code as appropriate for a Company of our size and current stage of development, 
however the following areas of non-compliance have been identified:

•  Robert McBean, in his previous Executive Chairman role, was granted share options over a total of 1.9m 
ordinary shares in the capital of the Company and John Bentley has previously been awarded share 
options over a total of 900,000 ordinary shares in accordance with Canadian market practice. These 
share options remain in place but no further share options will be granted to Non-executive Directors;
•  The  Company  does  not  specify  a  time  commitment  required  from  its  Directors  but  expects  Board 

members to devote sufficient time to their roles as required; 

•  The Company does not detail the role of the Senior Independent Director or the Company Secretary. 

Only the Chairman’s role is specified. The CEO and CFO have contractual obligations.

•  The  Executive  Directors  are  assessed  against  clear  and  objective  criteria  however  there  are  no 
objective criteria set against which the Board, Committees and individual effectiveness of the Non-
executive Directors are considered. Board evaluation is considered on an ad hoc basis and there is no 
formal evaluation process carried out by the Company. 

The  Company  has  elected  to  follow  the  recommendations  of  the  QCA  Code  for  the  presentation  of  its 
Corporate  Governance  disclosures.  Accordingly,  the  Company’s  Corporate  Governance  Statement 
contained on its website at www.wentplc.com sets out against each of the 10 Principles of the QCA Code 
where the disclosures relating to each principle are located. 

Robert McBean
Non-executive Chairman

39

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Bob McBean
Non Executive Chairman

Eskil Jersing
Chief Executive Officer

Katherine Roe
Chief Financial Officer

is  a  mechanical  engineer 
Bob 
with  over  40  years’  experience 
in  the  upstream,  midstream,  and 
downstream oil and gas industries. 
is  an  accomplished  energy 
He 
project  developer  and  both  a 
private  and  public  company 
senior  executive  and  director.  His 
include: 
past  accomplishments 
originating, developing, and serving 
as  the  first  Managing  Director  of 
Qatar  Fuel  Additives  Company,  a 
world-scale  methanol  and  methyl 
tertiary butyl ether petrochemicals 
facility 
originating, 
developing,  and  then  serving  as 
the first Managing Director of Dubai 
Natural  Gas  Company  (“DUGAS”), 
an associated gas LPG processing 
facility  in  Dubai;  and  co-founding 
Scarboro  Resources  with  interests 
and  operations  in  Italy,  Libya,  Abu 
Dhabi,  Indonesia,  France,  Pakistan 
and  Canada.  Bob  is  a  member  of 
the  Nominations  and  Reserves 
Committees.

in  Qatar; 

40

New 

Eskil  has  over  34  years  working 
across the spectrum of exploration 
to  production  and  projects 
in 
many of the world’s key Petroleum 
basins.  Eskil  started  his  career  in 
1985  as  a  Field  Seismologist  with 
SSL,  before  moving  to  Enterprise 
Oil  and,  following  their  takeover, 
Shell  International,  ultimately  as 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico  Exploration 
Strategy  and  Planning  Manager. 
In  2009  he  joined  Marathon  Oil 
as  the  Company’s  Manager  for 
Ventures 
Conventional 
Worldwide 
subsequently 
Apache  Corporation  as  Director 
Worldwide  Exploration  and  New 
Ventures Asia Pacific. Subsequently 
he was Head of New Ventures and 
Co-Head of Mergers & Acquisitions 
at  Petrobras  Oil  &  Gas  BV.  Prior  to 
joining  Wentworth,  Eskil  was  the 
CEO  of  Sterling  Energy  plc,  a  UK 
independent 
listed 
based,  AIM 
oil  and  gas  exploration  company 
focused primarily on Africa and the 
Middle  East.  Eskil  holds  a  BSc  in 
Geophysics from Cardiff University 
and an MSc in Petroleum Geology 
from Imperial College, London.

and 

Katherine,  Chief  Financial  Officer 
since  1  April  2018,  was  Vice 
President Corporate Development 
and 
Investor  Relations  for  the 
Company  from  2014  and  has  20 
years  of  senior  corporate  and 
capital  markets  experience.  Prior 
to  joining  Wentworth,  Katherine 
spent 11 years at Panmure Gordon 
&  Co,  where  she  headed  up  the 
Natural  Resources  team,  with  a 
principle  focus  on  the  Oil  &  Gas 
sector.  Katherine  has  experience 
across  a  number  of  international 
jurisdictions  with  exposure 
to 
emerging and development markets, 
particularly  in  Africa.  Katherine  has 
extensive  experience  with  range 
in 
of  strategic  growth  options 
through 
the  public  markets 
multiple 
launches,  equity 
IPO 
capital 
fundraisings  and  M&A 
transactions.  Katherine  was  an 
AIM  Nominated  Adviser  and 
for  many 
Qualified  Executive 
years, 
from 
investment 
Morgan  Stanley’s 
banking  division.  Most  recently 
Katherine  was  an  independent 
non-executive  director  of  Faroe 
Petroleum plc. 

having  moved 

Wentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018

John Bentley
Non-executive Director and 
Senior Independent Director (“SID”)

Tim Bushell
Non-executive Director
and Deputy Chairman

Iain McLaren 
Non-executive Director

John  has  over  40  years  of 
experience in international natural 
resource  corporations  at  both 
the  executive  management  and 
board  level.  He  has  a  degree  in 
Metallurgy from Brunel University. 
John  has  had  a  specific  focus  in 
the upstream oil and gas industry 
in Africa having been instrumental 
in  the  formation  of  Energy  Africa 
Ltd  where  he  was  CEO  during 
the  period  1996  through  2000. 
Prior  to  this,  he  held  several 
senior  positions  in  the  Gencor 
Group.  Until  recently,  he  was 
non-executive  chairman  of  Faroe 
Petroleum  plc  and  remains  a 
non-executive  director  of  Africa 
Energy  Corp. John  is  Chair  of  the 
Nominations  Committee  and  a 
member  of  the  Reserves,  Audit 
and Remuneration Committees.

Tim  is  a  qualified  geologist  with 
more  than  30  years’  experience 
in the oil and gas industry. He has 
worked  at  British  Gas,  Ultramar, 
LASMO,  and  Paladin  Resources. 
Most  recently  Tim  was  Chief 
Executive  Officer  at  Falkland  Oil 
and  Gas  Limited  and  Director/
co-founder  of  Core  Energy  AS. 
He is currently serving as a Non-
Executive  Director  on  the  Board 
of  Rockhopper  Exploration  plc, 
Genel Energy plc and Petro Matad 
Limited,  and  as  a  Director  of 
Point  Resources AS  and  Redrock 
Energy  Limited.  Tim  is  Chair  of 
the  Remuneration  and  Reserves 
Committees  and  a  member 
of  the  Audit  and  Nominations 
Committees.

Iain  has  significant  experience  in 
the  oil  and  gas  sector  with  deep 
experience  as  Audit  committee 
chair.  He 
is  currently  a  Non-
Executive  Director  and  Chair  of 
the Audit Committee of Jadestone 
Energy  Inc.  and  until  May  2018 
was  Senior  Independent  Director 
and Chair of the Audit Committee 
for  Cairn  Energy  plc.  He 
is 
currently  Chairman  of  BMO  UK 
High Income Trust plc as well as a 
director of three other investment 
companies. He is a past President 
of 
Institute  of  Chartered 
Accountants of Scotland and was 
a  partner  of  KPMG  for  28  years 
until 2008. Iain is Chair of the Audit 
Committee and a member of the 
Remuneration  and  Nominations 
Committees. 

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41

 
 
 
AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

The  Audit  Committee  met  three  times  during  the  year.  The  Committee  gave  consideration  to  Group 
financial disclosures and accounting matters, including both the impact and treatment of standards that 
came into effect and those that had not yet done so but had been endorsed by the EU. 

It  also  performed  a  review  of  areas  of  judgement  and  uncertainty  alongside  their  treatment within  the 
financial  statements. The  Committee  paid  regard  to  the  accounting  treatment  of  the  Ziwani-1 well  and 
associated seismic carry to which Maurel et Prom had full entitlement to cost gas recovery. The Committee 
additionally  considered  the  recognition  basis  for  deferred  tax  losses  attributed  to  Wentworth’s  equity 
share of Cyprus Mnazi Bay Limited in addition to the adjustments made to the tax and asset base following 
recent assessments by the Tanzanian Revenue Authorities.

Alongside areas of judgement and uncertainty, the Committee also considered the key assumptions used 
by management in assessing carrying values of assets for potential impairment, with regard to the Tembo 
licence in Mozambique following the technical and commercial decision by the Group not to renew the 
current  licence  upon  its  expiry  on  15 June  2019. The  Committee  also  considered  the  carrying value  of 
Mnazi Bay.

Prior to the redomicile, the Committee signed off on the compliance, Financial Position, Prospects and 
Procedures reporting requirements and Working Capital Memoranda with respect to the Redomicile of 
Wentworth Resources from Canada to Jersey and Re-admission to the London Stock Exchange.

As part of its ongoing remit, the reports of the external auditor concerning its audit and review of the annual 
and interim financial statements of the Group were reviewed. Also reviewed were the effectiveness of the 
Group’s system of internal controls, risk management and the systems and processes that management 
has  developed  pertaining  to  risk  identification,  classification  and  mitigation  including  disaster  recovery 
were reviewed.

The  Committee  also  gave  consideration  the  adequacy  of  whistleblowing  procedures  and  shareholder 
concerns  and  the  appointment  and  handover  of  KPMG  (Canada)  to  KPMG  (UK),  their  independence, 
associated remuneration and non-audit fees.

Iain McLaren
Chairman, Audit Committee

42

CORPORATE GOVERNANCECOMMITTEE MEMBERS

•  Iain McLaren (Chairman)
•  John Bentley
•  Tim Bushell

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMITTEE

•  Reviewing the effectiveness of the Group’s financial reporting, internal control policies and procedures 

for the identification, assessment and reporting of risk;

•  monitoring the integrity of the Group’s financial statements;
•  monitoring the effectiveness of the internal control environment;
•  making recommendations to the Board on the appointment of the Auditors;
•  agreeing the scope of the Auditors’ annual audit programme and reviewing the output;
•  keeping the relationship with the Auditors under review;
•  assessing the effectiveness of the audit process; and
•  developing and implementing policy on the engagement of the Auditors to supply non-audit services.

The external Auditors have unrestricted access to the Chairman of the Audit Committee. Audit Committee 
meetings are also attended by the external Auditor where appropriate and, by invitation, the Chairman, 
Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer any other Directors and senior management.

43

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018REMUNERATION COMMITTEE REPORT

The  Remuneration  Committee  aims  to  ensure  that  remuneration  is  linked  to  the  performance  of  the 
Company and believes that the Long-Term Incentive Plan, which is based on absolute shareholder return, 
ensures that management is aligned with shareholders in respect of the share incentive element of their 
remuneration packages. The Committee is satisfied that the outcomes, in respect of the incentives and 
remuneration during the financial year under review, are appropriate. 

During  2018,  the  composition  of  the  Board  of  Directors  was  subject  to  considerable  change  driven 
primarily by the aim to adopt a Corporate Governance structure in line with UK market practice following 
the Company’s redomicile from Canada to Jersey and in anticipation of the delisting of the Company’s 
shares from Oslo Børs, which took place in February 2019. Eskil Jersing was recruited as CEO in June 2018 
and Katherine Roe was appointed CFO in April 2018, joining the Board in November 2018. Iain McLaren and 
I joined as Non-executive Directors in November 2018 at the same time as Neil Kelly stepped down from 
the Board. At the same time, Cameron Barton resigned from the Board and left on 31 March 2019 following 
a hand-over period. Effective 1 January 2019, Robert McBean, previously the Executive Chairman, stepped 
into the role of Non-executive Chairman although his role remains key for the execution of the Company’s 
M&A strategy.

As part of the re-domicile process, a new executive and board remuneration policy was introduced. Mercer 
Kepler Limited (“Mercer Kepler”) were commissioned to provide a comprehensive and independent report 
to the Committee. This included advice on senior executive remuneration policy, including annual bonuses, 
long-term incentive design, benchmarking of executive remuneration packages and non-executive fees.

The Committee will continue to ensure that the Company’s remuneration policy and practices are kept 
under review to ensure that they remain appropriate for the Company at its stage of development and that 
they do not encourage any unnecessary risk taking by the executive team. 

Tim Bushell 
Chairman, Remuneration Committee 

44

CORPORATE GOVERNANCECOMMITTEE MEMBERS

•  Tim Bushell (Chairman)
•  John Bentley
•  Iain McLaren

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMITTEE 

•   Determining the Remuneration Policy for the Group to be applied to Directors and senior managers 

and recommending any changes to the Remuneration Policy.

•  Reviewing  and  agreeing  the  total  remuneration  package  for  the  executive  Directors  and  other 

senior managers.

•   Approving targets for the performance-related LTIP scheme.
•  Agreeing  KPIs  for  the  executive  Directors  annual  bonus  targets  and  monitoring  achievement  of 

those KPIs.

•   Overseeing any changes to the remuneration policy or individual components due to the redomicile of 

the Company from Canada to Jersey and the delisting of the Company’s shares from Oslo Børs.

•  Appointing remuneration consultants as may be required by the Committee to advise in respect of 

any matters. 

REMUNERATION POLICY
The Group’s remuneration policy is focused on ensuring that overall remuneration is set at a competitive level 
against the Company’s peer group to enable the Company to attract and retain high-calibre employees with 
the requisite skill-sets required to execute the Company’s strategy. The Committee is tasked with ensuring that 
the policy is applied in such a way that remuneration of directors, management and senior staff is set at a level 
no higher than is required to achieve the Company’s objectives and that pay is closely linked to performance.

The Company has recently undergone a period of significant corporate change and is now well placed to 
achieve material growth via unlocking the latent value in our core asset expansion and through inorganic 
M&A execution. 

The Committee has focused on ensuring that the base salary, annual bonus, benefits and pension are at a 
level to attract high-quality employees. However, the Committee is also keen to align the Executive Directors 
and senior management with the long-term strategy of the Company and to that end a greater emphasis 
has been placed on aligned long-term incentives linked to performance at the time of recruitment. 

Executive Director Policy

Base Salary

Purpose and link to strategy

Base salary to be set at a competitive level to enable recruitment and retention 
of Executive Directors and to ensure that Executive Directors are appropriately 
rewarded for their role and responsibilities. 

Operation

•  Base salary is reviewed annually in April considering the Directors’ 

performance, individual responsibilities and experience. 

•  Salary increases will be awarded to reflect changes in role or responsibility 

and any industry benchmarking adjustment. 

•  The Committee considers matters of retention, motivation and economic 

climate as well as the challenges facing the business. 

•  As and when required the Committee obtains benchmarking data and 

reviews peer group comparator companies’ remuneration.

45

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018REMUNERATION COMMITTEE REPORT

Performance related bonuses

Purpose and link to strategy

Operation

To incentivise and reward, on an annual basis, the achievement of individual 
targets and Group targets on both financial and non-financial metrics.

•  Objectives/KPIs are set, prior to the year under review with the Executive 
Directors being treated collectively as a team, in addition to individual 
performance considerations.

•  KPIs, specific to the Executive Directors and select Senior Management, are 

aligned to the Group’s strategy and business plan and focused on enabling the 
Group to achieve its long-term objectives.

•  At the end of each year the Committee uses its judgement to determine 

whether the KPIs have been achieved in addition to individual performance 
and contribution to the Group.

•  The maximum level of performance related bonus for Executive Directors is 

capped at 100% of annual salary. 

•  The maximum level for senior management is capped at 50% of annual salary.
•  As a priority, the Committee considers whether operations have been 

completed to acceptable HSSE standards and considers whether there were 
any HSSE incidents when determining the level of bonus payments. 

•  The bonus is non-contractual, is discretionary and is paid in cash following the 

year end. 

•  Any bonus payment is subject to the Company’s malus and claw-back policy.

Pension provision

Purpose and link to strategy

To provide competitive retirement benefits commensurate with schemes 
offered by peer companies in line with legislation.

Operation

•  During each year, the Employer contributes an amount equal to 10% of the 

Salary to the Employee’s personal pension scheme. Any contributions shall be 
payable in equal monthly instalments in arrears. 

Benefits

Purpose and link to strategy

To provide competitive cost-effective benefits to assist in attracting and 
retaining the calibre of Directors required to deliver the Group’s strategy.

Operation

•  A range of customary benefits, in addition to base salary, is planned to be 

provided to Executive Directors including life assurance and private healthcare 
provisions. These measures will be fully implemented during 2019.

46

CORPORATE GOVERNANCELong-Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”)

Purpose and link to strategy

Operation

To attract and retain the calibre of Executive Directors and Senior Management 
required to implement and realise the Company’s long-term strategy. The LTIP 
is intended to align the Executive Directors and Senior Managers’ interests with 
the long-term interests of shareholders through challenging performance targets 
linked to vesting of the awards. 

•  The LTIP was approved by shareholders in July 2018.
•  The Committee makes initial awards under the LTIP to newly appointed 

Directors subject to the Company being in an open dealing period up to a 
maximum of 200% of base salary.

•  The Committee intends to make annual awards in July of each year, where 

appropriate, to executive Directors and senior managers. Annual awards are 
capped at 100% of annual base salary subject to the Remuneration Committee 
having discretion, in exceptional circumstances only, to increase an annual 
award to up to 200% of annual base salary.

•  All awards are over nil cost options vesting over a three-year period and are 
subject to performance conditions linked to the Company’s actual share 
price growth over the period. 

•  Options granted under the Company’s previous schemes remain in place. 

Remuneration Policy for overseas employees
The majority of the Group’s employees are based in Tanzania and local customs are adopted to ensure 
that  employees’  remuneration  in  country  of  operation  is  appropriate  to  their  jurisdiction. The  Company 
policy is to pay its employees fair salaries and benefits, competitive with market demand. 

The  Company  implements  a  performance  review  process  against  individual  goals  relevant  to  their 
positions and Company’s achievement related to share price performance. Employees are entitled to a 
maximum annual bonus of up to 2 months basic salary as established by the Company. Individual goals 
represent 50% of an employee’s annual bonus and the other 50% of an employee’s annual bonus, is based 
on share price performance. In addition, during the year the recommended minimum wage in Tanzania 
was increased and immediately adopted by the Company, resulting in a small number of junior staff in 
Tanzania receiving a significant percentage uplift in salary. 

Recruitment
In  the  case  of  recruitment  of  a  new  executive  Director  the  Committee  can  use  all  the  components  of 
remuneration as set out in the policy table above. 

•  Base salary of a new Executive Director will be determined by reference to market rates through peer 
group analysis, the experience and skills of the individual and their existing remuneration package. 
•  Any annual bonus will be applied in-line with the policy with KPIs being agreed with any new appointee 
as soon as possible after appointment. The relevant maximum bonus percentage will be pro-rated to 
reflect the period of employment with the Company during the year. 

•  An award under the LTIP may be made on joining in line with the policy up to 200% of base salary and 

thereafter capped at 100% of base salary per annum other than in exceptional circumstances. 

•  In the case of an external hire the Remuneration Committee may deem it appropriate to compensate 
an individual for the loss of existing incentive and benefit arrangements which would be forfeited on 
termination of their previous employment. In the case of an internal hire existing awards made to that 
individual would be retained. 

47

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018REMUNERATION COMMITTEE REPORT

Service Contracts and change of control provisions
The Executive Directors have both signed service contracts that are not fixed in duration. Details of the 
Directors service contracts and appointment dates are as follows:

Eskil Jersing

Katherine Roe

Date of 
Current Contract

Notice 
Period

7th August 2018

12 Months

23rd August 2018

12 Months

The Directors’ service contracts are available to view at the Company’s registered office and its Reading 
office and prior to each Annual General Meeting at the venue for the meeting. 

At the end of 2018, it was determined that the CEO and CFO should be incentivised as closely aligned to 
each other as possible whilst still recognising their different roles. Certain discrepancies in their contracts 
were  considered  by  the  Remuneration  Committee  who  recommended  that  the  following  changes  be 
made to address these discrepancies following year end: 

a)  Katherine Roe and other Senior Managers’ service agreements contains change of control clauses 
providing for 12 months’ salary to be paid  in the event of a change of  control and  Katherine Roe’s 
contract contains a notice period of 12 months. The Remuneration Committee determined that Eskil 
Jersing’s change of control clause in his service agreement should be amended from providing for 6 
months’ salary to be paid in the event of a change of control, to 12 months’ salary and his notice period 
be amended to 12 months in line with the other Executive Director and Senior Managers;

b)  Katherine Roe’s contract provided for her annual bonus to be capped at 75% of base salary whilst Eskil 
Jersing’s contract provided for the annual bonus to be capped at 100% of base salary. The Committee 
recommended to the Board that these be aligned, and that Katherine Roe’s annual bonus cap be 
increased to 100%;

c)  c)  The Executive Directors service agreements provided for one-third of any annual bonus payment 
to be satisfied by the issue of shares in the Company subject to a two-year holding period. This was 
determined by the previous Committee and as drafted caused a number of adverse tax consequences 
to be suffered by the Executives. The Committee have recommended that the entire annual bonus 
be satisfied in cash. 

Termination of employment
Clause  17  of  the  Executive  Directors  service  agreements  talks  to  the  termination  of  the  agreement  by  the 
employer, which  states  that  “the  Employer  shall  have  the  discretion  to  terminate  the Appointment  lawfully 
without any notice (or part thereof) by paying to the Employee a sum equal to, but no more than, the salary as 
at the date that such payment is made under this clause. 

A bonus payment will not normally be made to a director under notice although there may be circumstances 
relating to a specific, clear and determinable KPI where a limited bonus payment may be agreed. 

LTIP awards lapse on termination of employment unless the individual is considered a ‘good leaver’ whereupon 
under the LTIP the award will lapse 6 months later. Under the previous Company Option Plan, the award will 
lapse 45 days following termination of employment, however, the Remuneration Committee (approved by the 
Board) has extended this period to 12 months where the Committee has determined that individual to be a 
‘good leaver’. The Committee has the discretion to determine whether a leaver is a ‘good leaver’.

48

CORPORATE GOVERNANCENon-executive Director Policy

Pursuant to Article 25 in the Company’s Articles of Association, the Board can enter into, vary or terminate 
an  agreement  with  a  Non-executive  Director  and  can  determine  the  level  of  Non-executive  Directors 
remuneration subject to any limit set by the Company by ordinary resolution. 

Fees

Purpose and link to strategy

Operation

Fees are set at a competitive level to attract and retain high-calibre non-
executive directors who collectively bring the required skill-set to the Board 
to support the Executive Directors and guide the Company to achieve its 
objectives. 

•  Fees for the Chairman are determined by the Committee. Fees for the Non-
executive Directors are determined by the Board as a whole with directors 
recusing themselves from decisions relating to their own remuneration.

•  The Board has regard to the level of fees paid to Non-executive Directors of 

comparator companies similar to the Company and the time commitment and 
responsibilities of the role. 

•  The chair of Audit Committee and Remuneration Committee and the Senior 

Independent Director each receive an additional £10,000. No fees are paid to the 
Chair of the Nominations and Reserves Committee. No director receives fees for 
sitting on a Board Committee. 

Performance related bonuses

Non-executive Directors do not participate in the group’s annual bonus scheme. 

Pension provision

Non-executive Directors are not paid a pension contribution. 

Long-Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”)

Non-executive Directors do not participate in the LTIP Scheme.

Letters of appointment
Each of the Non-executive Directors have a letter of appointment other than Cameron Barton who did not 
have a written agreement in line with Canadian practice. Mr Barton has resigned and, following a handover 
period, his appointment with the Company terminated on 31 March 2019; therefore the Committee did not 
put in place a new letter of appointment for Mr Barton. 

Following Robert McBean moving from Executive Chairman to Non-executive Chairman in-line with UK 
Corporate Governance practice, the Committee agreed a new letter of appointment for a fixed term until 
the end of June 2020. 

Expenses
The Company has adopted a revised Expenses Policy in November 2018, under which the Non-executive 
Directors are entitled to recover reasonable out-of-pocket expenses from the Company.

49

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018REMUNERATION COMMITTEE REPORT

KEY ACTIVITIES

•   Established a new Long-Term Incentive Plan advised by KPMG.
•   Reviewed  and  approved  updated  Terms  of  Reference  following  redomicile  of  the  Company  from 

Canada to Jersey and delisting from Oslo Børs.

•   Took advice from external consultants to review the Company’s remuneration policy.
•   Worked  closely  with  the  Nominations  Committee  to  apply  and  adjust  the  remuneration  policy,  as 

appropriate, to agree a remuneration package for the Executive Directors appointed during 2018.

•   Agreed the total remuneration package for each Executive Director and Senior Manager.
•   Agreed a new letter of appointment for the Chairman following the change of his role from an executive 

role to a non-executive appointment. 

•   Reviewed  the  effectiveness  and  appropriateness  of  existing  equity  incentive  plans  and  approved 

changes in the structure and operation of those plans.

•   Reviewed and considered remuneration structures and levels throughout the Group and considered 

how the remuneration policy will be applied to all employees.

The Company Secretary acted as secretary to the Committee. The Chairman of the Board and other Board 
members attended Committee meetings at the invitation of the Committee and as appropriate. 

EXTERNAL ADVICE
The Committee engaged Mercer Kepler, an independent professional compensation consultancy, to advise on 
Executive Director remuneration during the year. Advice provided by Mercer Kepler was used to set and amend 
the Group’s Remuneration Policy. KPMG LLP advised on the implementation of the new Long-term Incentive Plan 
which was approved by shareholders in July 2018. Joelson LLP provided legal advice in relation to the Executive 
Directors new service agreements and the letter of appointment with the Non-executive Chairman.

DIRECTORS REMUNERATION DURING THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2018

Total Remuneration of Executive Directors
The table below reports single figure of total remuneration for each Executive Director during the year:

Base 
Remuneration

Bonus

Other 
Benefits

LTIP 
 charges

Share option 
charges 

Robert McBean 1

280,000

100,000

23,474

$

$

$

$

-

Eskil Jersing 2

4 201,700

110,561

2 21,699

27,767

Katherine Roe 3

5 42,424

123,166

1,140

9,256

2018
Total

$

2017
Total

$

$

14,944

418,418

323,000

-

-

361,727

175,986

-

-

Total

524,124

333,727

46,313

37,023

14,944

956,131

323,000

1  Moved from Executive to Non-executive Chairman effective 1 January 2019.
2  Appointed 25 June 2018. Eskil Jersing has elected to take his pension of $19,338 as salary and it has been included within other benefits.
3  Appointed as a Board Director on 2 November 2018
4  Received $30,103 prior to becoming a Director. 
5  Received $222,973 prior to becoming a Director plus pension contribution.

The CEO and CFO base salaries remain unchanged for 2019.

50

CORPORATE GOVERNANCEAnnual Bonus of the Executive Directors and Executive Chairman
The Remuneration Committee reviewed the KPIs agreed with the Executive Directors on appointment being 
in April of 2018, in the case of Katherine Roe, and June 2018, in the case of Eskil Jersing. The Committee agreed 
that Katherine Roe’s annual bonus opportunity should be 100% (as she had been an employee for the full period) 
whilst Eskil Jersing would be set at 50% to reflect his 6 month tenure following his appointment in June 2018. 

The following key objectives had been agreed for the financial year:

Specific measurable outcomes including zero lost time incidents and share price targets;

Corporate development objectives and in particular:

•  Re-domicile from Canada to Jersey by Q4;
•  Delisting of the Company’s ordinary shares from Oslo Børs;
•  Closure of the Calgary office;
•  Adoption of UK standards across finance and governance,

Certain financial objectives including development of a new integrated corporate financial model 
and successful management of the new Plc audit process;

Operational targets as well as a focus on M&A opportunities and due diligence evaluation goals;

Clear objectives relating to stakeholder engagement and investor relations; and 

Behavioural competencies and personal objectives focused on embedding Company culture. 

LTIP Awards granted during the financial year
The  table  below  sets  out  the  LTIP  awards  granted  to  the  Executive  Directors  during  the  financial year 
ended 31 December 2018 in accordance with the policy. The percentage of awards which will vest will be 
dependent on share price growth during the performance period. 

LTIP awards table

Director

Date of Grant

Eskil Jersing

3 December 2018

Katherine Roe

3 December 2018

Share price at 
date of grant 1

Exercise 
price

Number of 
options subject 
to performance 
conditions set 
out below

Maximum 
number of 
shares 
that may 
vest

Face value 
of maximum 
award 2

£0.224

£0.224

-

-

2,670,226

2,670,226

£600,000

890,075

890,075

£200,000

1  The  share  price  is  calculated  by  reference  to  a  3  month volume weighted  average  price  of  an  ordinary  share  for  the  3  months 

immediately preceding the date of grant

2  The face value of the awards is calculated using the 3 month volume weighted average price of an ordinary share for the 3 months 
immediately preceding the date of grant. The actual value of the awards to participants will be dependent on the percentage of the 
award that vests and the share price at the date of exercise. 

51

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018REMUNERATION COMMITTEE REPORT

No LTIPs were awarded to Robert McBean due to him stepping down from the position of Executive Chairman 
and taking the role of non-executive Chairman. Mr McBean retains previous share option awards.

The key features of the 2018 LTIP awards are as follows:

•  Awards are in the form of nil cost conditional rights to ordinary shares;
•  Performance will be measured over a three-year period to 3 December 2021;
•  25%  of  the  award  will  vest  if  the  Company’s  share  price  at  the  end  of  the  Performance  Period  has 
increased by an 8% compounded annual growth rate, and 100% of the award will vest if the share price 
has increased by a 16% compound annual growth rate; 

•  Should  the  Company’s  share  price  increase  between  8%  and  16%  the  awards  will  vest  on  a  linear 

sliding scale between 25% and 100%;

•  No  awards  will  vest  should  the  Company’s  share  price  fail  to  increase  by  8%  compounded  annual 

growth rate;

•  The  actual  share  price  growth  is  calculated  on  the  average  price  over  the  3-month  dealing  period 
immediately  prior  to  the  date  of  the  award  and  the  average  price  over  the  3-month  dealing  period 
immediately prior to the end of the performance period;

•  In certain situations, including a change of control, the awards may vest early if no replacement award 

has been made; and

•  Following  the  grant  of  the  award,  and  having  taken  advice  from  Mercer  Kepler,  the  Committee 
recommended to the Board that the two-year holding period on any shares issued under the LTIP and 
which followed the three-year performance period be removed as it was considered unduly restrictive 
and did not achieve its objective of incentivising the executive to remain with the Company. Peer group 
analysis showed that few comparator companies were implementing such a holding period. 

Neil  Kelly  resigned  from  the  Company  on  2  November  2018  and,  as  considered  a  good  leaver  by  the 
Committee, his options will lapse on 1 November 2019. Cameron Barton resigned from the Company effective 
31 March 2019 and was considered a good leaver by the Company and accordingly his options will lapse on 
31 March 2020. He will receive a payment equal to three months’ of his director fees in acknowledgement of 
his redomicile contributions. 

52

CORPORATE GOVERNANCETotal Remuneration of non-executive Directors
The table below reports remuneration for each Non-Executive Director

Base 
Remuneration

Bonus

Other 
Benefits

Share 
options 

Cameron Barton 1

John Bentley

Iain McLaren 2

Tim Bushell 2

Neil Kelly 3

Total

$

80,000

80,000

18,030

18,030

67,060

263,120

1 Resigned effective 31 March 2019
2 Appointed 2 November 2018
3 Resigned 2 November 2018

$

-

-

-

-

-

-

$

-

-

-

-

-

-

$

-

-

-

-

-

-

2018
Total

$

80,000

80,000

18,030

18,030

67,060

2017
Total

$

80,000

80,000

-

-

80,000

263,120

304,000

Tim Bushell and Iain McLaren were appointed to the Remuneration Committee on 2 November 2018 and 
Tim Bushell took the role of Chairman following the resignation of Neil Kelly as Chairman of the Committee 
following the Continuance of the Company from Canada to Jersey.

In 2018 in his role as Executive Chairman, the Chairman was paid a bonus of US$100,000 in recognition 
of  driving  significant  change  through  the  Company  during  2018.  The  Committee  does  not  anticipate  a 
bonus being awarded to the Chairman in future financial periods unless there are significant exceptional 
circumstances.

Previously  in  his  role  as  Executive  Chairman  Mr  McBean  was  awarded  options  over  ordinary  shares  in 
the Company. These options remain in place however the Remuneration Committee does not anticipate 
awarding any further LTIP awards to the Chairman.

In-line  with  Canadian  market  practice  Cameron  Barton  and  John  Bentley  both  were  awarded  options 
over  ordinary  shares  in  the  Company. The  options  awarded  to John  Bentley  remain  in  place  and  those 
awarded to Cameron Barton will expire on 31 March 2020, however the Remuneration Committee does not 
anticipate awarding any further LTIP awards to the either of these Directors.

53

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018REMUNERATION COMMITTEE REPORT

IMPLEMENTATION OF DIRECTOR REMUNERATION POLICY FOR 2019

Executive Directors

Base Salary

Annual Bonus

LTIP

Base salary for the Executive Directors and Senior Management will be 
reviewed annually in April and may be adjusted to reflect inflation and any 
change in current market practice.

The Committee determined that the KPIs prepared for the Executive Directors 
were too fragmented and that fewer, but clear and demanding, KPIs would be 
more appropriate with an element of discretion accorded to the Committee to 
make an informed proposal on annual bonus to the Board. Accordingly, KPIs 
have been agreed with the Executive Directors for their 2019 annual bonus 
targets under the following classifications:
•  HSSE;
•  Financial including revenue targets which are considered commercially 

sensitive by the Committee;

•  Operational including production targets which are considered commercially 

sensitive by the Committee;

•  Preservation of the Company’s cash position;
•  Stakeholder communications; and 
•  M&A activity.
Total bonus opportunity would be capped at 100% of 2019 base salary.

The Committee intends to grant LTIP awards during 2019 in accordance 
with the Policy. The Committee will consider quantum, performance 
period and performance targets at the time of award but expect that the 
performance condition will remain linked to actual share price growth over 
the performance period. 

Benefits and Pension 
contribution:

The Executive Directors will receive the range of Company benefits and 
pension contribution in line with the Remuneration Policy.

Non-executive Directors

Fees

Benefits

The 2019 fees for the Non-executive Directors have been set at £50,000 with an 
additional £10,000 paid to each of John Bentley, Iain McLaren and Tim Bushell 
for their roles of Senior Independent Director, Chair of Audit Committee and 
Chair of Remuneration Committee respectively. 
The exception to this is the Non-executive Chairman who will receive an annual 
fee of £180,000. 

It was agreed that the Non-executive Chairman will continue to receive health 
care insurance but will forego all other benefits. 
Non-executive Directors do not receive any benefits.

54

CORPORATE GOVERNANCESTATEMENT  OF  DIRECTORS’  SHAREHOLDINGS  AND  OUTSTANDING  AWARDS  UNDER  THE  LTIP  AND 
THE COMPANY’S PREVIOUS SHARE OPTION SCHEME

Robert McBean 1

John Bentley

Iain McLaren 2

Tim Bushell 2

Eskil Jersing

Katherine Roe 2

Neil Kelly 3

Cameron Barton 4

Ordinary shares
24 April 2019

Share options
24 April 2019

Ordinary shares
27 March 2018

Share options
27 March 2018

9,605,385

368,202

100,000

-

-

-

1,076,273

1,530,291

1,900,000

900,000

-

-

2,670,226

1,190,075

900,000

900,000

9,105,385

368,202

1,900,000

900,000

-

-

-

-

1,076,273

1,530,291

-

-

-

300,000

900,000

900,000

1  Moved from Executive to Non-executive Chairman effective 1 January 2019
2  Appointed 02 November 2018
3  Resigned effective 02 November 2018
4  Resigned effective 31 March 2019

MISCELLANEOUS DISCLOSURES
The Company has granted an indemnity to its Directors (including subsidiary undertakings) under which 
the Company will, to the maximum extent possible, indemnify them against all costs, charges, losses and 
liabilities incurred by them in the performance of their duties.

The Company provides limited Directors’ and Officers’ liability insurance, at a cost of approximately $59k 
in 2018 (2017: $58k).

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EXTERNAL APPOINTMENTS
The  Company  acknowledges  the  benefit  of  the  executive  Directors  accepting  appointments  as  Non-
executive Directors of other companies however they are only permitted to engage in other activities and 
businesses outside the group provided there is no risk of conflict with their executive duties and subject 
to full Board disclosure. 

The  executive  Directors  held  the  following  positions  during  2018  whilst  they  were  employees  of  the 
Company:

Katherine Roe was a non-executive Director of Faroe Petroleum plc and a non-executive Director of IDE 
Group plc for which she received fees. She resigned from IDE Group Holdings plc on 20 August 2018 and 
resigned from Faroe Petroleum plc on 14 February 2019.

Tim Bushell 
Chairman, Remuneration Committee

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Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE REPORT

2018 was  a  period  of  significant  change  for  the  Company  due  to  the  redomicile  of  the  Company  from 
Alberta, Canada, to Jersey, Channel Islands as well as working towards a delisting of its shares from the 
Oslo Børs Stock Exchange which occurred in February 2019. 

As a result, the Company made significant changes to its Board of Directors and a new CEO and CFO were 
appointed as well as two new Non-executive Directors with significant experience in UK capital markets. 
This  process  involved  an  internal  assessment  of  the  relevant  skills  needed  to  successfully  achieve  the 
Company’s  new  strategic  direction.  Accordingly,  a  qualified  search  firm  was  engaged  to  assist  in  the 
candidate selection processes and the contracting of both Executive and Non-executive Directors.

Due to the significance of the changes undertaken during the year ended 31 December 2018, Nominations 
Committee matters were carried out by the Board itself and no separate formally convened meetings of 
the Nominations Committee were held during 2018. It is the intention that the Nominations Committee will 
meet at least once a year and independently of the Board of Directors during 2019. 

During  2019,  the  Nominations  Committee  will  focus  on  Board  evaluation  implementing  a  more  formal 
appraisal  process,  although  it  is  unlikely  that  external  evaluation  will  be  required  during  2019  and  will 
continue  to  focus  on  Board  composition  including  succession  planning  for  the  Chairman,  who  has 
announced his intention to retire at the end of June 2020.

Tim Bushell
Chairman, Nominations Committee

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

•  Tim Bushell (Chairman)
•  Robert McBean 
•  Iain McLaren
•  John Bentley

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMITTEE

•  Review the structure, size and composition of the Board and recommend any changes to the Board.
•  Carry out succession planning for the Board and senior management.
•  Be  responsible  for  filling  board  vacancies  when  they  arise  and  before  any  appointment  is  made 

evaluating the balance of skills, knowledge, experience and diversity on the Board.

•  Review the time requirement of Non-executive Directors.
•  Ensure that a Board evaluation takes place annually.

56

CORPORATE GOVERNANCERESERVES COMMITTEE REPORT

The role of the Reserves Committee is to assist the Board with overseeing and monitoring the Company’s 
process  for  calculating  its  oil  and  gas  reserves  and  the  processes  and  procedures  used  to  ensure 
compliance  with  applicable  legislation  and  conformity  with  industry  reporting  standards.  During  2018, 
the Committee met to discuss and approve the RPS Canada Competent Persons Report for Mnazi Bay 
(effective date 31 December 2018).

Tim Bushell
Chairman, Reserves Committee

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

•  Tim Bushell (Chairman)
•  Robert McBean
•  John Bentley

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMITTEE

•  Reviewing the Company’s policies, practices and procedures for estimating oil and gas reserves.
•  Reviewing  the  selection  of  the  independent  reserves  assessor  made  by  the  Company’s  Executive 

Directors.

•  Monitoring the Company’s procedures for providing information to its independent reserves assessor 

to ensure the assessor can properly fulfil its duties.

•  Reviewing  and  approving  the  results  of  reserves  assessments  with  the  Executive  Directors,  Senior 

Managers and the independent reserves assessor. 

•  Reviewing the procedures for reporting information associated with oil and gas producing activities. 

57

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018COMMUNICATIONS WITH SHAREHOLDERS

The  Board  is  accountable  to  the  Company’s  shareholders  and  as  such  it  is  critical  for  the  Board  to 
appreciate the aspirations of the shareholders and equally that the shareholders understand how the 
actions of the Board and short-term financial performance relate to the achievement of the Company’s 
longer-term goals.

The Board reports to the shareholders on its stewardship of the Company through the publication of interim 
and final results each year. Press releases are issued throughout the year and the Company maintains a 
website  (www.wentplc.com)  on which  press  releases,  Corporate  presentations  and Annual  Reports  are 
available to view. In addition the executive Management maintain a Q&A page on the Corporate website 
and a Corporate page on Linkedin both of which are populated and updated regularly. Additionally, this 
Annual  Report  contains  extensive  information  about  the  Company’s  activities.  Enquiries  from  individual 
shareholders on matters relating to the business of the Company are welcomed. Shareholders and other 
interested parties can subscribe to receive notification of news updates and other documents from the 
Company  via  email.  In  addition,  the  executive  Directors  meet  with  major  shareholders  to  discuss  the 
progress of the Company.

The  CEO  and  CFO  provide  periodic  feedback  to  the  Board  following  meetings  with  shareholders.  The 
Senior Independent Director also attends some shareholder meetings to ensure the Board is appraised of 
all feedback provided by such meetings.

58

CORPORATE GOVERNANCECONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The Company has in place procedures for the disclosure and review of any conflicts, or potential conflicts 
of  interest  which  the  Directors  may  have  and  for  the  authorisation  of  such  conflicts  by  the  Board.  In 
deciding whether to authorise a conflict matter or a potential conflict the Directors must have regard to 
their general duties under the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991.

59

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018DIRECTORS’ REPORT 

The Directors present the Report and Financial Statements on the affairs of Wentworth and its subsidiaries, 
together with the financial statements and Auditors’ Report for the year-ended 31 December 2018.

PRINCIPAL ACTIVITY AND BUSINESS REVIEW
The principal activity of the Group and Company throughout the year remained the exploitation of natural 
gas in Tanzania. The significant developments during 2018, and more recently, the other activities of the 
Group, as well as the future strategy and prospects for the Group, are reviewed in detail in the Chairman 
and Chief Executive Officer’s as well the Strategic Report section of this report. 

The Group operates through overseas branches and subsidiary undertakings as appropriate to the fiscal 
environment. Subsidiary undertakings of the Group are set out in note 14 to the financial statements. 

RESULTS AND DIVIDENDS
The Group loss for the financial year was $75.2 million (2017: $0.7 million). This leaves an accumulated Group 
retained loss of $335.5 million (2017: $263.3 million) to be carried forward. Full analysis of the movements 
in the Group’s reserves is provided in the Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity. The Directors do 
not recommend the payment of a dividend (2017: $nil).

BACKGROUND TO AND REASONS FOR THE PROPOSED CONTINUANCE AND DELISTING 
On 16 November 2017, the Company announced that it was undertaking a restructuring process to better 
align its corporate and management structures with its shareholders and asset base in Africa, to increase 
management efficiencies and reduce certain costs. At that time, Wentworth was incorporated under the 
laws of the Province of Alberta, Canada, its executive management was based in Canada and it had stock 
market listings in Norway and the UK. Given its assets in East Africa, this led to a disproportionate amount 
of management time and cost incurred dealing with the practical consequences of a multijurisdictional 
group structure and dual-listed entity compared to companies of similar size. 

The primary reasons for the proposed redomicile and Delisting, included the need for: 

•  increased management efficiencies and reduction in corporate complexity; 
•  reduction in certain operational, regulatory burdens and overhead / compliance costs; 
•  improved access to our institutional investors; 
•  closer proximity and to be in a similar time zone to the Company’s asset base; 
•  direct access to the London M&A market; 
•  benefitting from the presence of established E&P sector research coverage in London; and 
•  creating a simpler transactional platform for growth initiatives.

The  first  step  in  addressing  these  transitional  issues  was  the  appointment  of  a  UK  based  executive 
management team in Eskil Jersing and Katherine Roe as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer 
respectively, to take the Company forward. 

60

CORPORATE GOVERNANCEThe Continuance 
All principal operations of the Company are outside of Canada. In addition, the Company has a minimal 
number of Canadian shareholders. As part of a package of measures to focus management time on the 
Company’s assets and reduce cost and inefficiency, the Company decided to redomicile to Jersey. The 
Continuance into Jersey provided the Company with several benefits, including: 

a)  as Jersey  is  more  conveniently  located  in  relation  to  the  Company’s  operations  than  Canada,  it  is 
expected there will be a reduction in the time and costs associated with international travel required 
to hold meetings of the Board and manage the Company’s assets and maintain relationships with its 
JV partner;

b)  in  the  event  that  the  Company  were  to  pay  dividends,  Canadian  withholding  tax  applicable  to 

dividends paid to Shareholders outside Canada will be eliminated; 

c)  since  the  Company  has  no  commercial  connections  to  Canada,  there  was  no  reason  for  it  to  be 
domiciled there and thereby subject to Canadian income and capital gains taxes or for it to bear the 
compliance costs associated with being a Canadian taxpayer; and 

d)  being subject to a UK corporate governance regime and the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers is 

expected to make the Company more attractive to UK institutional investors. 

The Delisting 
The Company was incorporated as Artumas Group Inc. in 2000 and was listed on the Oslo Børs in 2005. 
In  2010,  the  Company  (as Artumas)  purchased  the  entire  issued  share  capital  of Wentworth  Resources 
Limited, a Cayman Islands incorporated cash shell. Artumas was renamed Wentworth Resources Limited 
in  September  2010.  With  the  Company’s  shares  subsequently  admitted  to  trading  on  AIM  in  October 
2011.  Through  this  time,  Wentworth  had  not  successfully  attracted  meaningful  institutional  Norwegian 
shareholders nor any significant sell-side research coverage from Norwegian investment banks. All of the 
Company’s  significant  shareholders  and  the  majority  of  the  Company’s  covering  sell-side  analysts  are 
based outside of Norway. Given this, the Board reached the view that being listed on Oslo Børs, in addition 
to the listing on AIM, had not resulted in the intended benefits for the shareholders. The Board was further 
of the view that any such benefits no longer outweighed the additional regulatory burdens and the costs 
associated with the listing on Oslo Børs. 

Whilst the Company was listed on Oslo Børs, it was required to comply with both the Norwegian rules 
applicable  to  companies  listed  on  Oslo  Børs  (e.g.  relevant  rules  in  the  Norwegian  Securities  Trading 
Act  and  the  Oslo  Børs’  continuing  obligations  of  stock  exchange  listed  companies)  and  the AIM  Rules 
for  Companies  which  differ  in  certain  areas  and  accordingly  impose  additional  regulatory  burdens 
and  increased  compliance  costs.  For  example,  a  company  listed  on  Oslo  Børs  is  required  to  publish  a 
prospectus if it issues new shares representing 10 per cent or more of its existing issued share capital in 
a rolling 12 month period. Such a requirement inhibits the Company’s ability to make acquisitions or issue 
new shares to raise funds. Given the evolution of strategy to a more acquisition-focused business model, 
this would put the Company at a competitive disadvantage when compared to other potential acquirers of 
assets not subject to the same requirement. 

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Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018DIRECTORS’ REPORT 

The cost of maintaining the Oslo Børs listing was a burden on the Company’s financial resources and 
management time and was disproportionate to the benefits gained from the Oslo Børs listing, given 
the  size  of  the  Company.  Financial  costs  include  the  annual  listing  fee  payable  to  Oslo  Børs,  fees 
paid to the Company’s Norwegian legal advisers and public relations advisers  and fees  paid to the 
Company’s VPS registrar. 

Over  the  years,  the  AIM  listing  has  enhanced  shareholder  value  by  allowing  the  Company  and  its 
shareholders to both benefit from the presence of established E&P sector research coverage and provide 
the Company with access to UK institutional investors. Additionally, the market for small cap E&P companies 
with international assets beyond the North Sea is significantly more developed on AIM, when compared 
to Oslo Børs. The Directors believe that given the Company’s size, stage of development and strategy, it is 
more appropriate and more beneficial for it to continue to be listed on AIM rather than on Oslo Børs. Based 
on the above, the Directors were of the view that a Delisting from Oslo Børs was in the best interests of the 
Company. The Delisting was approved on 14 November 2018 with effective Delisting on 13 February 2019. 
The Company is now solely traded on the London Stock Exchange (AIM). 

GOING CONCERN
The Group business activities, together with the factors likely to affect its future development, performance 
and position are set out in the Strategic Report. The financial position of the Group and Company, its cash 
flows and liquidity position are described in the Financial Review contained within this report.

The Group has a long established and collaborative relationship with the Government of Tanzania, having 
operated in-country for many years, however the Directors do recognise that the Group is dependent upon 
the continued collection of gas sales invoices and ongoing operational support of the Government as its 
sole gas sales customer through its operating agencies TPDC and TANESCO. The Directors have therefore 
assessed that owing to the stability of this relationship which has seen payment terms significantly improve 
during 2018, the Group has sufficient cash resources for its working capital needs, committed capital and 
operational expenditure and debt repayment programmes for at least for the next 12 months based on the 
application of reasonable and foreseeable sensitivities. Consequently, the Directors believe that both the 
Group and Company are well placed to manage their financial exposures.

The  Directors  have  a  reasonable  expectation  that  the  Group  has  adequate  resources  to  continue  in 
operational existence for the foreseeable future and therefore continue to adopt the going concern basis 
of accounting in preparing the annual financial statements.

CAPITAL STRUCTURE
Details of the issued share capital, together with details of the movements in the Company’s issued share 
capital during the year, are shown in note 22 to the financial statements. The Company has one class of 
ordinary share, which carries no right to fixed income. Each ordinary share carries the right to one vote at 
general meetings of the Company.

There are no specific restrictions on the size of a holding nor on the transfer of shares, which are both 
governed by the general provisions of the Articles of Association and prevailing legislation. The Directors 
are not aware of any agreements between holders of the Company’s shares that may result in restrictions 
on the transfer of securities or on voting rights. Details of the employee share schemes are set out in note 
21. No person has any special rights of control over the Company’s share capital and all issued shares are 
fully paid.

62

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 
DIRECTORS
The Directors who served during the year were as follows:

•  Mr Robert McBean (Executive Chairman)
•  Mr Eskil Jersing (Chief Executive Officer) (appointed 25 June 2018)
•  Mrs Katherine Roe (Chief Financial Officer) (appointed 2 November 2018)
•  Mr John Bentley (Non-executive Director and Senior Independent Director)
•  Mr Tim Bushell (Non-executive Director) (appointed 2 November 2018)
•  Mr Iain McLaren (Non-executive Director) (appointed 2 November 2018)
•  Mr Neil Kelly (Non-executive Director) (resigned 2 November 2018)
•  Mr Cameron Barton (Non-executive Director) (resigned effective 31 March 2019)

Biographical details of serving Directors can be found in the Board of Directors section of this report.

DIRECTORS AND ELECTION ROTATION 
Regarding the appointment and replacement of the Directors, the Company is governed by its Articles 
of Association, the QCA Corporate Governance Code 2018, the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 and related 
legislation. The powers of Directors are described in the Corporate Governance section.

In accordance with Article 20 of the Company’s Articles of Association at every annual general meeting 
of the Company one-third of the Directors shall retire from office. However, as this year is the first Annual 
General Meeting since the Continuance of the Company into Jersey, the Board considered it appropriate 
that all the Directors of the Company shall retire and offer themselves for re-election. In the future, the 
Board intends to follow the retirement by rotation provisions in the Articles. 

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 184,159,139 issued ordinary shares1 of no par value of the 
Company as at 20 March 2019: 

Shareholder

No. of Shares % of Issued Share Capital % of Total Voting Rights 1

AXA Investment Managers

Sustainable Capital Ltd.

Vitol Energy

Invesco Perpetual Asset Mgt

Robert P. McBean

FiL Investment International (NOM)

17,788,000

17,358,598

16,818,545

9,698,097

9,605,385

7,355,490

9.5384

9.3081

9.0185

5.2004

5.1507

3.9442

9.6590

9.4259

9.1326

5.2662

5.2158

3.9941

1  Based on a final counting of the number of shareholders having exercised their right of dissent and the number of shares held by 
them as of 1 October 2018, the Company is required to acquire 2,329,326 shares of the Company, representing 1.25% of the issued 
and outstanding shares of the Company, from the dissenting shareholders.

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Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018DIRECTORS’ REPORT 

BUSINESS RISK
A summary of the principal and general business risks can be found within the Strategic Report.

FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
Information  about  the  use  of  financial  instruments,  the  Group’s  policy  and  objectives  for  financial  risk 
management are given in note 25 to the financial statements.

AUDITORS
Each  of  the  persons who  is  a  Director  at  the  date  of  approval  of  this  Report  and  Financial  Statements 
confirms that:

•  so far as the Director is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the Company’s Auditors 

are unaware; and

•  the  Directors  have  taken  all  the  steps  that  they  ought  to  have  taken  as  Directors  in  order  to  make 
themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the Company’s Auditors are 
aware of that information.

This confirmation is given and should be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of section 418 of 
the Companies (Jersey) Law.

KPMG LLP has expressed its willingness to continue in office as Auditors and a resolution to appoint KPMG 
LLP will be proposed at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.

Eskil Jersing
Chief Executive Officer

24 April 2019

64

CORPORATE GOVERNANCESTATEMENT OF DIRECTORS’ RESPONSIBILITIES

The  Directors  are  responsible  for  preparing  the  Report  and  Financial  Statements  in  accordance  with 
applicable law and regulations. 

Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law 
the  Directors  have  elected  to  prepare  the  Group  and  Company  financial  statements  in  accordance with 
International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as adopted by the European Union. Under company law 
the Directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and 
fair view of the state of affairs of the Group and Company and of the profit or loss of the Group and Company 
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.

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 IFRSs as adopted by the European Union, 

subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

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

the Company will continue in business.

The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and 
explain the Company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position 
of the Company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the requirements 
of the Companies (Jersey) Law. 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 is made available on a website. Financial 
statements are published on the Company’s website in accordance with the requirements of the Company’s 
Articles of Association. 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’ RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT 
We confirm that to the best of our knowledge that the financial statements, prepared in accordance with 
International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union, give a true and fair view of 
the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the Company and the undertakings included in 
the consolidation taken as a whole; and the Report and Financial Statements include a fair review of the 
development and performance of the business and the position of the Company and the undertakings 
included  in  the  consolidation  taken  as  a  whole,  together  with  a  description  of  the  principal  risks  and 
uncertainties that they face.

For and on behalf of the Board

Eskil Jersing 
Chief Executive Officer

24 April 2019

65

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018GROUP ACCOUNTS

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT
Year Ended 31 December 2018

OUR OPINION IS UNMODIFIED 
We have audited the consolidated financial statements of Wentworth Resources plc (“the Company”) and 
its subsidiaries (together, the “Group”) for the year end 31 December 2018 which comprise the Consolidated 
Statement  of  Financial  Position,  the  Consolidated  Statement  of  Loss  and  Comprehensive  Loss,  the 
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, the Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity, and the related 
notes, including the accounting policies in note 2.

In our opinion, the accompanying financial statements: 

•  give a true and fair view, in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the 
EU, of the state of the Group’s affairs as at 31 December 2018 and of its loss for the year then ended; and 
•  have been properly prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies (Jersey) Law, 1991. 

Basis for opinion 
We  conducted  our  audit  in  accordance  with  International  Standards  on  Auditing  (UK)  (“ISAs  (UK)”)  and 
applicable  law.  Our  responsibilities  are  described  below.  We  have  fulfilled  our  ethical  responsibilities 
under, and are independent of the Group in accordance with, UK ethical requirements including the FRC 
Ethical Standard as applied to listed entities. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is a 
sufficient and appropriate basis for our opinion. 

KEY AUDIT MATTERS: OUR ASSESSMENT OF RISKS OF MATERIAL MISSTATEMENT 
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgment, were of most significance in the 
audit of the financial statements and include the most significant assessed risks of material misstatement 
(whether or not due to fraud) identified by us, 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. In arriving at our 
audit opinion above, the key audit matters, in decreasing order of audit significance, were as follows: 

Category

The risk

Our response

Recoverability of tangible 
and intangible assets
•  Exploration and 

evaluation assets: $8.1m 
(2017: $47.9m)
•  Refer to page 84 

(accounting policy) 
and page 94 (financial 
disclosures)

•  Property, plant and 

equipment: $83.8m, (2017: 
$90.3m)

•  Refer to pages 78-79 
(accounting policy) 
and page 95 (financial 
disclosures)

Forecast based valuation
Property plant and equipment 
and Exploration and evaluation 
assets need to be assessed for 
indicators of impairment on a 
regular basis. Given the volatile 
nature of the gas industry and 
local economic circumstance 
there is a real possibility that 
events will arise that amount to 
impairment indicators. Identifying 
and assessing whether impairment 
indicators have arisen involves 
judgement and can be subjective.

Our procedures included:
•	 Our sector experience: evaluating whether 
the directors’ assessment of impairment 
indicators reflect our knowledge of the 
projects and industry, including known 
or probable changes in the business 
environment. This included assessing the 
overall profitability of the projects and the 
progress made during the year as well as 
overall trends in Tanzanian gas market. In 
addition, we compared carrying amount 
of assets to valuation provided in the 
reserves report. 

•	 Assessing transparency: we assessed 

whether the Group’s disclosures about the 
outcome of the impairment assessment 
reflected the risks inherent in the valuation 
of tangible and intangible assets.

66

Wentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018

Recoverability of Deferred 
Taxation Asset
•  Deferred tax asset: $4.0m 

(2017: $30.8m)
•  Refer to page 81 

(accounting policy) 
and page 105 (financial 
disclosures)

Forecast based valuation
There is inherent uncertainty 
involved in forecasting future 
taxable profits generated from 
the Tanzanian operations, which 
determines the extent to which 
deferred tax assets are or are not 
recognised. New tax legislation 
in Tanzania requires proper 
assessment by the management 
and adds complications to 
forecasting.

Recoverability of Trade 
Receivable
•  TPDC receivable: $5.2m 

(2017: $15.6m)

•  Trade receivables from 
TDPC: $5.8m (2017: 
$12.0m)

•  Refer to pages 76-77 

(accounting policy) and 
pages 91-92 (financial 
disclosures)

Dispute outcome and subjective 
valuation
Given the historic age profile 
of the debt and the historic 
difficulties of receiving payment, 
the recoverability of these 
receivables are a matter of 
significant judgement in order to 
determine the amount of provision 
required.

Our procedures included:
•	 Our tax expertise: assessing the effect 

of new tax legislation in Tanzania limiting 
amounts of tax losses which can be 
recognised in each particular year.
•	 Our sector experience: evaluating the 
future taxable profit forecast model, 
assessing the key inputs, including the 
effects of new tax legislation implemented 
in Tanzania.

•	 Our sector experience: challenging key 
assumptions underpinning near and 
medium term financial projections against 
historical performance and our knowledge 
of the economic conditions in Tanzania.
•	 Assessing transparency: we assessed the 
Group’s disclosures regarding the deferred 
taxation asset. 

Our procedures included:
•	 Test of details: obtaining third party 

confirmations of the balances.

•	 Our sector experience: we evaluated 

management’s assumptions, considering 
TANESCO’s and TPDC’s historical 
cash collections trends and our own 
knowledge of the local economic 
environment to consider if a provision 
against trade receivables is required.
•	 Assessing transparency: we assessed 

whether the Group’s disclosures 
regarding carrying amount, impairment 
considerations, undiscounted amount and 
discount rate are accurate. 

OUR APPLICATION OF MATERIALITY AND AN OVERVIEW OF THE SCOPE OF OUR AUDIT 
Materiality for the group financial statements as a whole was set at $1.57 million, determined with reference 
to a benchmark of group total assets, of which it represents 1.0%.

We agreed to report to the Audit Committee any corrected or uncorrected identified misstatements exceeding 
$78k, in addition to other identified misstatements that warranted reporting on qualitative grounds.

Of the group’s three reporting components, we subjected two to full scope audits for group purposes. 

The components within the scope of our work accounted for the following percentages of the group’s results: 

Number of 
components

Group 
revenue

Group profit 
before tax

Group total 
assets

Audits for Group reporting purposes

Total 

2

3

100%

100%

100%

100%

96%

100%

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GROUP ACCOUNTS

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT
Year Ended 31 December 2018

The Group team instructed component auditors as to the significant areas to be covered, including the 
relevant  risks  detailed  above  and  the  information  to  be  reported  back.  The  Group  team  approved  the 
components’ materiality, which was set at $1.25 million, having regard to the mix of size and risk profile of 
the Group across the components. The work on one of the two components was performed by component 
auditors and the rest, was performed by the Group team.

The Group team visited one component auditor location in Tanzania to assess the audit risk and strategy. 
Video  and  telephone  conference  meetings  were  also  held  with  these  component  auditors.  At  these 
meetings, the findings reported to the Group team were discussed in more detail, and any further work 
required by the Group team was then performed by the component auditor. 

WE HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT ON GOING CONCERN 
The Directors have prepared the financial statements on the going concern basis as they do not intend 
to liquidate the Group or to cease its operations, and as they have concluded that the Group’s financial 
position means that this is realistic. They have also concluded that there are no material uncertainties that 
could have cast significant doubt over their ability to continue as a going concern for at least a year from 
the date of approval of the financial statements (“the going concern period”). 

Our responsibility is to conclude on the appropriateness of the Directors’ conclusions and, had there been 
a material uncertainty related to going concern, to make reference to that in this audit report. However, as 
we cannot predict all future events or conditions and as subsequent events may result in outcomes that are 
inconsistent with judgements that were reasonable at the time they were made, the absence of reference 
to a material uncertainty in this auditor’s report is not a guarantee that the group will continue in operation. 

In our evaluation of the Directors’ conclusions, we considered the inherent risks to the Group’s business 
model,  including  the  impact  of  Brexit,  and  analysed  how  those  risks  might  affect  the  Group’s  financial 
resources or ability to continue operations over the going concern period. We evaluated those risks and 
concluded that they were not significant enough to require us to perform additional audit procedures.

Based  on  this  work,  we  are  required  to  report  to  you  if  we  have  concluded  that  the  use  of  the  going 
concern basis of accounting is inappropriate or there is an undisclosed material uncertainty that may cast 
significant doubt over the use of that basis for a period of at least a year from the date of approval of the 
financial statements. 

We have nothing to report in these respects, and we did not identify going concern as a key audit matter.

WE HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT ON THE OTHER INFORMATION IN THE ANNUAL REPORT
The Directors are responsible for the other information presented in the Annual Report together with the 
financial statements. Our opinion on the Financial Statements does not cover the other information and , 
accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion or any form of assurance conclusion thereon. 

Our  responsibility  is  to  read  the  other  information  and,  in  doing  so,  consider  whether,  based  on  our 
financial  statements  audit work,  the  information  therein  is  materially  misstated  or  inconsistent with  the 
Financial Statements or our audit knowledge. Based solely on that work we have not identified material 
misstatements in the other information. 

68

Wentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018

WE HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT ON THE OTHER MATTERS ON WHICH WE ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT 
BY EXCEPTION 
Under the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 we are required to report to you if, in our opinion:

•  proper accounting records have not been kept by the Group, or
•  proper returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
•  the Group’s accounts are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
•  we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

We have nothing to report in these respects. 

RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES 
Directors’ responsibilities 
As  explained  more  fully  in  their  statement  set  out  on  page  65,  the  Directors  are  responsible  for:  the 
preparation of the Financial Statements including being satisfied that they give a true and fair view; such 
internal control as they determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are 
free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error; assessing the Group’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 they either intend to liquidate the Group or to cease operations, or have no 
realistic alternative but to do so. 

Auditor’s responsibilities 
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 our opinion in an auditor’s 
report. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but does not 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 aggregate, they could reasonably 
be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of the Financial Statements. 

A  fuller  description  of  our  responsibilities  is  provided  on  the  FRC’s  website  at  www.frc.org.uk/
auditorsresponsibilities. 

THE PURPOSE OF OUR AUDIT WORK AND TO WHOM WE OWE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES 
This report is made solely to the Company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Article 113A of the 
Companies (Jersey) Law 1991. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Company’s 
members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. 
To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the 
Company and the Company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we 
have formed. 

Mark Smith
For and on behalf of KPMG LLP
Chartered Accountants and Recognised Auditor 
15 Canada Square, London E14 5GL

24 April 2019

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

Note

31 December 2018
$000

31 December 2017
$000

Total revenue 

Production and operating costs

Depletion

Total cost of sales

Gross Profit

Recurring administrative costs

Amounts capitalised to E&E assets

Impairment loss on E&E assets

Provision for Tanzania Government receivables

Management restructuring costs

Redomicile costs

Share-based payment charges

Depreciation and depletion

Loss on sale of PPE 

Tanzanian withholding tax costs

Total costs

(Loss)/profit from operations

Finance income

Finance costs

Loss before tax

Current tax expense 

Deferred tax expense

Net loss and comprehensive loss

Net loss per ordinary share 

Basic and diluted (US$/share)

5

13

6

12

11

7

21

13

24

8

8

24

24

23

16,224

(2,290)

(7,803)

(10,093)

6,131

(6,289)

664

(41,598)

(4,959)

(940)

(1,393)

(98)

(12)

(3)

(993)

(55,621)

(49,490)

2,659

(1,616)

(43,488)

(63)

(26,714)

(26,777)

(75,224)

(0.40)

13,440

(3,484)

(4,079)

(7,563)

5,877

(6,196)

1,582

-

-

-

-

(215)

(12)

-

-

(4,841)

1,036

2,386

(3,737)

(315)

-

(394)

(394)

(709)

-

1  Adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, depletion and amortisation, impairment, management restructuring costs, 

redomicile costs, share-based payments, provisions, and pre-licence expenditures

70

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 2018CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
Year Ended 31 December 2018

Note

31 December 2018
$000

31 December 2017
$000

ASSETS

Current assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Trade and other receivables

TPDC receivables

Non-current assets

Tanzania Government receivables

Exploration and evaluation assets

Property, plant and equipment

Deferred tax asset

Total assets

LIABILITIES 

Current liabilities

Trade and other payables

Overdraft credit facility

Current portion of long-term loans

Contingent PTTEP liability

Non-current liabilities

Long-term loans

Decommissioning provision

EQUITY

Share capital

Equity reserve

Accumulated deficit

Total liabilities and equity

9

10

11

12

13

24

15

16

17

18

17

19

22

11,903

7,553

5,238

24,694

-

8,129

83,777

4,036

195,942

120,636

3,207

2,500

6,946

848

13,501

1,688

969

2,657

416,426

26,588

(338,536)

104,478

120,636

3,750

13,513

15,550

32,813

4,959

47,921

90,336

30,751

173,967

206,780

5,726

2,500

7,260

2,189

17,675

8,636

865

9,501

416,426

26,490

(263,312)

179,604

206,780

The financial statements of Wentworth Resources plc, registered number 127571 were approved by the 
Board of Directors and authorised for issue on 24 April 2019.

Signed on behalf of the Board of Directors

Eskil Jersing
Chief Executive Officer

24 April 2019

71

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

Note

Number
of shares

Share
capital
$000

Balance at 31 December 2016

169,534,969

411,493

Equity
reserve
$000

26,275

Accumulated
deficit
$000

Total
 equity 
$000

(261,857)

175,911

Net loss and comprehensive loss

Share based compensation

21

Issued of share capital

Share issue costs, net of tax

Balance  at  31  December  2017 
as previously reported

-

-

16,953,496

-

-

-

5,527

(594)

-

215

-

-

(709)

-

-

-

(709)

215

5,527

(594)

186,488,465

416,426

26,490

(262,566)

180,350

IFRS 9 transitional adjustment

2

-

-

-

(746)

(746)

Restated balance at 
31 December 2017

186,488,465

416,426

26,490

(263,312)

179,604

Net  loss  and  comprehensive 
loss

Share based compensation

21

-

-

-

-

-

98

(75,224)

(75,224)

-

98

Balance at 31 December 2018

186,488,465

416,426

26,588

(338,536)

104,478

72

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 2018CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Year Ended 31 December 2018

Note

31 December 2018
$000

31 December 2017
$000

Operating activities

Net loss for the year

Adjustments for:

 Depreciation and depletion 

 Impairment loss on E&E assets

 Provision for Tanzania Government receivables

 Finance (income)/costs, net

 Deferred tax expense

 Share based compensation

 Loss on sale of PPE

Change in non-cash working capital

Net  cash  generated  from/(utilised  in)  operating 
activities

Investing activities 

Additions to exploration and evaluation assets

Additions to property, plant and equipment

Reduction of long-term receivable

Proceeds from sale of office assets

Net cash from investing activities

Financing activities 

Issue of share capital, net of issue costs

Principal term-loan repayments

Debt restructuring fee

Drawn on overdraft credit facility

Interest paid

Payment of contingent PTTEP liability

Net cash used in financing activities

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the period

Cash and cash equivalents, end of the period

13

12

11

24

21

26

27

27

27

13

17

17

16/17

18

(75,224)

7,815

41,598

4,959

(1,043)

26,714

98

3

4,920

1,576

6,496

(1,806)

(1,968)

15,377

3

11,606

-

(6,996)

-

-

(1,612)

(1,341)

(9,949)

8,153

3,750

11,903

(709)

4,091

-

-

1,351

394

215

-

5,342

(5,363)

(21)

(2,383)

(1,728)

7,030

-

2,919

4,933

(5,346)

(83)

2,500

(1,809)

(322)

(127)

2,771

979

3,750

73

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Year Ended 31 December 2018

1. INCORPORATION AND BASIS OF PREPARATION

Wentworth  Resources  Plc  (“Wentworth”  or  the  “Company”)  is  an  East  Africa-focused  upstream  oil  and 
natural  gas  company.  These  audited  consolidated  financial  statements  include  the  accounts  of  the 
Company and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as “Wentworth Group of Companies” or the “Group”). 
The  Company  is  actively  involved  in  oil  and  gas  exploration,  development  and  production  operations. 
Wentworth is incorporated in Jersey, having completed its re-domicile from Canada effective 26 October 
2018. Shares of the Company as at 31 December 2018 were widely held and listed on the AIM part of the 
London Stock Exchange (ticker: WEN). Full details of both the re-domicile and the Oslo Børs de-listing 
which became effective on 13 February 2019 are available in the Directors’ Report.

The Company’s principal place of business is located at Thames Tower, 2nd Floor, Station Road, Reading 
RG1 1LX after being relocated from 3210, 715 - 5 Avenue, SW Calgary, Canada. 

The Company maintains offices in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Reading, UK.

Basis of presentation and statement of compliance
These  consolidated  financial  statements  have  been  prepared  on  a  historical  cost  basis  and  have  been 
prepared  using  the  accrual  basis  of  accounting.  The  consolidated  financial  statements  are  prepared 
in  accordance  with  International  Financial  Reporting  Standard  (“IFRS”)  as  issued  by  the  International 
Accounting Standards Board (”IASB”). 

The consolidated financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 24 April 2019. 

Functional and presentation currency
These consolidated financial statements are presented in US dollars which is the functional currency the 
majority of its subsidiaries.

Basis of consolidation
These  consolidated  financial  statements  include  the  accounts  of  the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries. 
Subsidiaries are entities that the Company controls. An investor controls an investee when it is exposed, or 
has rights, to variable returns from its involvement with the investee and can affect those returns through 
its  authority  over  the  investee. The  existence  and  effect  of  potential voting  rights  are  considered when 
assessing whether a company controls another entity. Subsidiaries are fully consolidated from the date on 
which control is transferred to the Company. They are deconsolidated from the date that control ceases.

74

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 2018The following legal entities are within the Wentworth Group of Companies:

Legal entity

Registered

Holdings at 
31 December 2018

Wentworth Resources plc

Jersey

Ultimate Parent 

Wentworth Resources (UK) Limited

United Kingdom

Wentworth Holdings (Jersey) Limited

Wentworth Tanzania (Jersey) Limited

Wentworth Gas (Jersey) Limited

Wentworth Gas Limited

Cyprus Mnazi Bay Limited

Wentworth Mozambique (Mauritius) Limited

Jersey

Jersey

Jersey

Tanzania

Cyprus

Mauritius

Wentworth Moçambique Petroleos, Limitada

Mozambique

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

39.925%

100%

100%

Functional 
currency

US dollar

GBP

US dollar

US dollar

US dollar

US dollar

US dollar

US dollar

US dollar

All inter-company transactions, balances and unrealised gains on transactions between the parent and 
subsidiary companies are eliminated on consolidation.

Future accounting pronouncements
The  following  amended  standards  and  interpretation  are  effective  for  financial  years  commencing  on 
or after 1 January 2019. The Group does not intend to adopt the standards below before their mandatory 
application date.

New and amended standards

Standard

Description

Effective date

EU  Endorsement 
Status

IFRS 16

Leases

1 January 2019

Endorsed

IFRS 13 (amendments)

Business combinations

1 January 2019

Endorsed

IAS 12 (amendments)

Income taxes

1 January 2019

Endorsed

IFRIC 23

Uncertainties over income tax treatments

1 January 2019

Endorsed

The  Company  intends  to  adopt  above  listed  standards  and  interpretation  in  its  financial  statements  for 
the annual period beginning 1 January 2019. The Company does not expect the interpretation to have a 
material impact on the financial statements.

75

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

2. SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these Company and Group consolidated 
financial  statements  are  set  out  below.  These  policies  have  been  consistently  applied  to  all  the  years 
presented, unless otherwise stated.

Joint arrangements
The  analysis  of  joint  arrangements  requires  management  to  analyse  numerous  agreements  and  the 
requirements  of  IFRS  10  and  IFRS  11.  Several  judgements  and  estimates  are  made  by  management 
including whether joint control exists and the extent of exposure to the underlying assets and liabilities 
of the joint arrangement. The Company has a joint arrangement through its 39.925% ownership in Cyprus 
Mnazi Bay Limited, which is classified as a joint operation.

Financial instruments
Financial  assets  and  liabilities  are  recognised  when  the  Company  becomes  a  party  to  the  contractual 
provisions  of  the  instrument.  Financial  assets  are  derecognised  when  the  rights  to  receive  cash  flows 
from the assets have expired or have been transferred to an independent third party and the Company 
has transferred substantially all risks and rewards of ownership. Financial assets and liabilities are offset 
and the net amount is reported on the consolidated statement of financial position when there is a legally 
enforceable right to offset the recognised amounts and there is an intent to settle on a net basis or realise 
the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

All financial instruments are initially recognised at fair value on the consolidated statement of financial 
position depending on the purpose for which the instruments were acquired. The Company has classified 
each financial instrument into one of the following categories: i) fair value through profit and loss, ii) loans 
and  receivables,  and  iii)  other  financial  liabilities.  Subsequent  measurement  of  financial  instruments  is 
based on their classification. 

(i) Financial assets and liabilities at fair value through profit and loss
A financial asset or liability classified in this category is recognised at each period at fair value with gains 
and losses from revaluation being recognised in profit or loss. Additionally, a financial asset or liability is 
classified in this category if acquired principally for the purpose of selling or repurchasing in the short-
term. Derivatives are included in this category unless they are designated as hedges. 

(ii) Loans and receivables 
Loans and receivables are initially measured at fair value plus directly attributable transaction costs and 
are subsequently recorded at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Long-term receivables are non-derivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments that are 
not quoted in an active market. Long-term receivables are initially recognised at fair value based on the 
discounted cash flows. The discount rate is based on the credit quality and term of the financial instrument. 
The  financial  instrument  is  subsequently  valued  at  amortised  costs  by  accreting  the  instrument  over 
the  expected  life  of  the  assets. The  accretion  associated  with  instruments  valued  at  amortised  cost  is 
reported in profit/(loss) each reporting period. The fair value of the Company’s trade and other receivables 
approximates their carrying values due to the short-term nature of these instruments. 

76

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 2018(iii) Other financial liabilities
Other financial liabilities are initially measured at fair value less directly attributable transaction costs and 
are subsequently recorded at amortised cost using the effective interest method. 

Long-term  loans  and  other  long-term  liabilities  are  non-derivative  financial  assets  with  either  fixed  or 
determinable payments or no payment terms and which are not quoted in an active market. 

Long-term loans are initially recognised at fair value based on the amounts received. 

Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, term deposits and short-term highly liquid investments 
with the original term to maturity of three months or less, which are convertible to known amounts of cash 
and which, in the opinion of management, are subject to an insignificant risk of changes in value.

Long-term receivables
Long-term receivables plus applicable accrued interest are initially recognised at their fair value based 
on the discounted cash flows. The discounted cash flows are reviewed at least every year to adjust for 
variations in the estimated future cash flows with the change in estimate reported in profit or loss. The 
discount rate is based on the credit quality and term of the financial instrument. The financial instrument 
is  subsequently  valued  at  amortised  costs  by  accreting  the  instrument  over  the  life  of  the  asset.  The 
accretion is reported in profit or loss.

E&E exploration assets
E&E  costs,  including  costs  of  licence  acquisition,  technical  services  and  studies,  exploratory  drilling, 
whether  successful  or  unsuccessful,  and  testing  and  directly  attributable  overhead,  are  capitalised  as 
E&E assets according to the nature of the assets acquired. These costs are accumulated in cost centres 
by well, field or exploration area pending determination of technical feasibility and commercial viability. 

E&E assets are assessed for impairment if (i) sufficient data exists to determine technical feasibility and 
commercial  viability,  and  (ii)  facts  and  circumstances  suggest  that  the  carrying  amount  exceeds  the 
recoverable amount. 

The  technical  feasibility  and  commercial  viability  of  extracting  a  resource  is  generally  considered 
to  be  determinable  when  proven  and/or  probable  reserves  are  determined  to  exist.  A  review  of  each 
exploration licence or field is carried out, at least annually, to ascertain whether it is technically feasible 
and commercially viable. Upon determination of technical feasibility and commercial viability, intangible 
E&E  assets  attributable  to  those  reserves  are  first  tested  for  impairment with  the  unimpaired  amounts 
reclassified from E&E assets to a separate category within tangible assets within PP&E referred to as oil 
and gas interests.

Costs incurred prior to the legal awarding of petroleum and natural gas licences, concessions and other 
exploration rights are recognised in profit or loss as incurred.

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PP&E - oil and natural gas properties 
Items  of  PP&E,  which  include  oil  and  gas  development  and  production  assets,  are  measured  at  cost 
less accumulated depletion and depreciation and accumulated impairment losses. PP&E assets include 
costs  incurred  in  developing  commercial  reserves  and  bringing  them  into  production,  such  as  drilling 
of development wells, tangible costs of facilities and infrastructure construction, together with the E&E 
expenditures  incurred  in  finding  the  commercial  reserves  that  have  been  reclassified  from  E&E  assets 
as  outlined  above,  the  projected  cost  of  retiring  the  assets  and  any  directly  attributable  general  and 
administrative expenses. Expenditures on developed oil and natural gas properties are capitalised to PP&E 
when it is probable that a future economic benefit will flow to the Company as a result of the expenditure 
and the cost can be reliably measured. The initial cost of an asset is comprised of its purchase price or 
construction cost, any costs directly attributable to bringing the asset into operation, the initial estimate 
of any decommissioning obligations associated with the asset and borrowing costs on qualifying assets. 
When significant parts of an asset with PP&E, including oil and gas interests, have different useful lives, 
they are accounted for as separate items (major components). 

Costs incurred subsequent to the determination of technical feasibility and commercial viability and the 
costs of replacing parts of PP&E are recognised as capitalised oil and gas interests only when they increase 
the future economic benefits embodied in the specific asset to which they relate. Subsequent changes 
in  estimated  decommissioning  obligation  due  to  changes  in  timing,  amounts,  and  discount  rates  are 
included in the cost of the asset. Such capitalised oil and gas interests generally represent costs incurred in 
developing proved and/or probable reserves and bringing in or enhancing production from such reserves 
and are accumulated on a field or geotechnical area basis. The carrying amount of any replaced or sold 
component is derecognised. The costs of the day-to-day operating of PP&E are recognised in profit or loss 
as incurred.

Depletion 
The net carrying amount of PP&E is depleted on a field by field unit of production method by reference 
to the ratio of production in the year to the related proven and probable reserves. If the useful life of the 
asset is less than the reserve life, the asset is depreciated over its estimated useful life using the straight-
line method. Future development costs are estimated considering the level of development required to 
produce  the  proven  and  probable  reserves.  These  estimates  are  reviewed  by  third  party  independent 
reserves  engineers.  Changes  in  factors  such  as  estimates  of  reserves  that  affect  unit-of-production 
calculations are dealt with on a prospective basis. Capital costs for assets under construction included in 
development and production assets are excluded from depletion until the asset is available for use, that is, 
when it is in the location and condition necessary for it to be capable of operating in the manner intended 
by management.

Disposals 
Oil and natural gas properties are derecognised upon disposal or when no future economic benefits are 
expected  to  arise  from  the  continued  use  of  the  asset. Any  gain  or  loss  on  derecognition  of  the  asset, 
including farm out transactions or asset sales or asset swaps, is calculated as the difference between the 
proceeds on disposal, if any, and the carrying value of the asset, is recognised in profit or loss in the period 
of derecognition.

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GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 2018PP&E - office and other equipment
Office  and  other  equipment  are  carried  at  cost  less  accumulated  depreciation  and  impairment  losses. 
Depreciation of the cost of these assets less residual value is charged to profit and loss on a straight-line 
basis over their estimated useful economic lives of between three and five years. 

Decommissioning obligation
Decommissioning obligations are recognised for legal obligations related to the decommissioning of long-
lived tangible assets that arise from the acquisition, construction, development or normal operation of such 
assets. A liability for decommissioning is recognised in the period in which it is incurred and when a reasonable 
estimate  of  the  liability  can  be  made  with  the  corresponding  decommissioning  provision  recognised  by 
increasing the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset. The recognised decommissioning provision 
is subsequently allocated in a rational and systematic method over the underlying asset’s useful life. The 
initial amount of the liability is accreted by charges to the profit or loss to its estimated future value. 

Impairment
Non-financial assets 
The  carrying  amounts  of  the  Company’s  non-financial  assets  are  reviewed  at  each  reporting  date  to 
determine whether there is any indication of impairment.

E&E assets are assessed for impairment when facts and circumstances suggest that the carrying amount 
exceeds the recoverable amount and when they are reclassified to PP&E. For the purpose of impairment 
testing, E&E assets are grouped by concession or field with other E&E and PP&E belonging to the same CGU. 
The impairment loss will be calculated as the excess of the carrying value over recoverable amount of the 
E&E impairment grouping and any resulting impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss. The recoverable 
amount of a CGU is the greater of its value in use and its fair value less costs to sell. In assessing value in 
use, the estimated future cash flows are discounted to their present value using a pre-tax discount rate 
that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the asset. In 
assessing fair value less costs to sell, the estimated future cash flows are discounted to their present value 
using an after-tax discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and 
the risk specific to the asset. Fair value less costs to sell is generally computed by reference to the present 
value of the future cash flows expected to be derived from production of proved and probable reserves.

PP&E will be tested for impairment whenever events and circumstances arising during the development 
and production phase indicate that the carrying amount of a PP&E may exceed its recoverable amount. For 
the purpose of impairment testing, PP&E will be grouped into the smallest group of assets that generate 
cash inflows that are largely independent of cash inflows from other assets or groups of assets; the CGU. 
The aggregate carrying value will be compared against the expected recoverable amount of the CGU. 
The recoverable amount of a CGU is the greater of its value in use and its fair value less costs to sell. In 
assessing value in use, the estimated future cash flows are discounted to their present value using a pre-tax 
discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to 
the asset. In assessing fair value less costs to sell, the estimated future cash flows are discounted to their 
present value using an after-tax discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of 
money and the risk specific to the asset. Fair value less costs to sell is generally computed by reference to 
the present value of the future cash flows expected to be derived from production of proved and probable 
reserves. CGU’s are generally defined by field except where a number of field interests can be grouped 
because the cash inflows generated by the fields are interdependent. Impairment losses recognised in 
respect of CGU’s are allocated first to reduce the carrying amount of goodwill, if any, allocated to the units 
and then to reduce the carrying amounts of the other assets in the unit (group of units) on a pro-rata basis. 

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Impairment losses recognised in prior years are assessed at each reporting date for any indication that 
the loss has decreased or no longer exists. Impairments are reversed when events or circumstances give 
rise to changes in the estimate of the recoverable amount since the period the impairment was recorded. 
An impairment loss is reversed only to the extent that the CGU’s carrying amount does not exceed the 
carrying  amount  that  would  have  been  determined,  net  of  depletion,  if  no  impairment  loss  had  been 
recognised. An impairment loss in respect of goodwill is not reversed.

Financial assets 
A financial asset is assessed at each reporting date to determine whether there is any objective evidence 
that it is impaired. A financial asset is considered to be impaired if objective evidence indicates that one or 
more events have had a negative effect on the estimated future cash flows of that asset. 

An impairment loss in respect of a financial asset measured at amortised cost is calculated as the difference 
between  its  carrying  amount  and  the  present  value  of  the  estimated  future  cash  flows  discounted  at 
the original effective interest rate. Individually significant financial assets are tested for impairment on an 
individual basis. The remaining financial assets are assessed collectively in groups that share similar credit 
risk characteristics. 

All impairment losses are recognised in profit or loss. An impairment loss is reversed if the reversal can be 
related objectively to an event occurring after the impairment loss was recognised. For financial assets 
measured at amortised cost the reversal is recognised in profit or loss.

Share capital
The proceeds from the exercise of share options and the issuance of shares from treasury are recorded as 
share capital in the amount for which the option, warrant, or treasury share enables the holder to purchase 
a share in the Company.

Share capital issued for non-monetary consideration is recorded at an amount based on fair market value 
of the shares issued.

Share issuance costs
Commissions paid to underwriters, and other related share issue costs, such as legal, auditing and advisory, 
on the issue of the Company’s shares are charged directly to share capital, net of tax. 

Share based payments
The fair value of the options at the date of the grant is determined using the Black-Scholes option pricing 
model and share based compensation is accrued and charged to profit or loss, with an offsetting credit to 
equity reserve over the vesting periods. A forfeiture rate is estimated on the grant date and is adjusted to 
reflect the actual number of options that vest.

80

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 2018Capitalisation of interest
The Company capitalises interest expense incurred during the construction phase of the projects, except 
E&E assets which were funded by the related financing.

Revenue recognition
Natural gas revenues are recognised upon the transfer of control over its gas to its customers, TPDC and 
TANESCO, which is when delivery is made to them through the offtake network.

Investment  income  is  accrued  on  a  time  basis  by  reference  to  the  principal  outstanding  and  at  the 
effective interest rate applicable, which is the rate that discounts estimated future cash receipts through 
the expected life of the financial asset to that asset’s net carrying value.

Income taxes
Tax expense comprises current and deferred tax. Tax is recognised in the profit or loss except to the extent 
it relates to items recognised in other comprehensive income (“OCI”) or directly in equity. 

Current income tax 
Current tax expense is based on the results for the period as adjusted for items that are not taxable or not 
deductible. Current tax is calculated using tax rates and laws that were enacted or substantively enacted 
at  the  end  of  the  reporting  period.  Management  periodically  evaluates  positions  taken  in  tax  returns 
with  respect  to  situations  in  which  applicable  tax  regulation  is  subject  to  interpretation.  Provisions  are 
established where appropriate on the basis of amounts expected to be paid to the tax authorities.

Deferred income tax 
Deferred taxes are the taxes expected to be payable or recoverable on differences between the carrying 
amounts of assets and liabilities in the consolidated statement of financial position and their corresponding 
tax basis. Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all taxable temporary differences. Deferred 
tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profits are expected to be 
available against which deductible temporary differences to the tax basis can be utilised. Deferred income 
tax assets and liabilities are not recognised if the temporary difference arises from the initial recognition 
of goodwill, if any, or from the initial recognition (other than in a business combination) of other assets in a 
transaction that affects neither the taxable profit nor the accounting profit. 

Deferred  tax  liabilities  are  recognised  for  taxable  temporary  differences  arising  on  investments  in 
subsidiaries  and  joint  arrangements  except  where  the  reversal  of  the  temporary  difference  can  be 
controlled, and it is probable that the difference will not reverse in the foreseeable future. 

Deferred tax assets are reviewed at each reporting period and reduced to the extent that it is no longer 
probable that sufficient future taxable profits are expected to be available to allow all or part of the asset to 
be recovered. Deferred tax assets are recognised for taxable temporary differences arising on investments 
in subsidiaries to the extent that it is probable that the temporary difference will reverse in the foreseeable 
future and future taxable profits are expected to be available against which the temporary difference can 
be utilised.

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Foreign currency translation
Items  included  in  the  financial  statements  of  the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries  are  measured  using 
the  currency  of  the  primary  economic  environment  in  which  the  legal  entity  operates  (the  “functional 
currency”). Foreign currency transactions are translated into the functional currency using the exchange 
rates  prevailing  at  the  dates  of  the  transaction.  Foreign  exchange  gains  and  losses  resulting  from  the 
settlement of such transactions and from the translation of monetary assets and liabilities not denominated 
in the functional currency of an entity are recognised in profit or loss. 

The functional currency of all Wentworth subsidiaries is US dollars except for Wentworth Resources (UK) 
Limited which is Pound Sterling. The assets and liabilities of this Company are translated into US dollars at 
the period-end exchange rate. The income and expenses of the Company are translated to US dollars at 
the average exchange rate for the period. 

Translation gains and losses are included in other comprehensive income; however, this subsidiary has 
limited operations so there is no significant amount of foreign exchange gains and losses to include in 
other comprehensive income. All other foreign exchange gains and losses are recognised in profit or loss. 

Changes in accounting policies
On 1 January 2018, the Company adopted new standards with respect to IFRS 9 - Financial Instruments 
and IFRS - 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers. 

IFRS 9
Effective 1 January 2018, the Company has adopted IFRS 9 “Financial Instruments” (“IFRS 9”). IFRS 9 sets 
out requirements for recognising and measuring financial assets, financial liabilities and some contracts 
to buy or sell non-financial items. This standard replaces IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and 
Measurement (“IAS 39”).

On 1 January 2018, the Company:

•  Identified the business model used to manage its financial assets and classified its financial instruments 

into the appropriate IFRS 9 category;

•  Applied  the  ‘expected  credit  loss’  (“ECL”)  model  to  financial  assets  classified  as  measured  at 

amortised cost.

The following table shows the original measurement categories under IAS 39 and the new measurement 
categories  under  IFRS  9  as  at  1 January  2018  for  each  class  of  the  Company’s  financial  assets  and 
financial liabilities.

Financial Instrument

Cash and cash equivalents

Trade and other receivables

Trade and other payables

Long-term loans 1

IAS 39

Loans and receivables

Loans and receivables

Loans and receivables

Loans and receivables

Measurement category

IFRS 9

Amortised cost

Amortised cost

Amortised cost

Amortised cost

1  Carrying value was adjusted by $0.75 million on adoption of IFRS 9.

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GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 2018The classification and measurement of financial instruments under IFRS 9 did not result in any adjustments 
to  the  Company’s  opening  retained  earnings  as  at  1  January  2018  except  for  an  adjustment  for  debt 
modifications  as  the  Company  renegotiated  the  repayment  terms  on  its  long-term  loan,  effective  31 
January 2017. Under IFRS 9, the amortised cost of the financial liability must be recalculated as the present 
value of the estimated future contractual cash flows that are discounted at the original effective interest 
rate. The difference in the carrying amount and the calculated amount is recognised in profit and loss

The Company calculated a modification loss of $0.75 million on the $20 million TIB Loan. The impact on 
the condensed consolidated interim statement of financial position is shown below:

As at:

Long-term loans

Accumulated deficit

31 December 2017
$000

Adjustments
$000

1 January 2018
$000

15,150

(262,566)

746

(746)

15,896

(263,312)

The new standard also introduces an ECL model for evaluating impairment of financial assets. On 1 January 
2018, the Company applied the ECL model to financial assets classified as measured at amortised cost. The 
new model will result in more timely recognition of expected credit losses. The ECL model applies to the 
Company’s receivables. As at 31 December 2018, the Company’s trade accounts receivable included gas 
sales to TPDC and TANESCO, and 51 percent were outstanding for less than 90 days. The average ECL on 
the Company’s trade accounts receivable was nil percent.

To  effect  the  changes  under  IFRS  9,  the  following  revised  policy  has  been  applied  to  current  period 
balances effective 1 January 2018. The Company applied IFRS 9 retrospectively, but elected not to restate 
comparative  information. As such the comparative information provided continues  to be  accounted  for 
in  accordance with  the  Company’s  previous  accounting  policy  as  disclosed  in  the  annual  consolidated 
financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2017.

IFRS 15
The Company adopted IFRS 15, Revenue from Contracts (“IFRS 15”) on 1 January 2018 using the modified 
retrospective approach. The Company has completed the process of reviewing sales contracts with its two 
customers (TPDC and TANESCO) using the IFRS 15 principles based five step model and concluded that 
there is no impact on opening retained earnings as of 1 January 2018 and on revenue recognition for 2018. 

Earnings or loss per share (“EPS”)
Basic earnings or loss per share is calculated by dividing profit or loss attributable to owners of the Company 
(the numerator) by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding (the denominator) during 
the period. The denominator is calculated by adjusting the shares outstanding at the beginning of the period 
by the number of shares bought back or issued during the period, multiplied by a time-weighting factor. 

Diluted  EPS  is  calculated  by  adjusting  the  earnings  and  number  of  shares  for  the  effects  of  all  dilutive 
potential ordinary shares deemed to have been converted at the beginning of the period or if later, the date 
of issuance. The effects of anti-dilutive potential ordinary shares are ignored in calculating diluted EPS. 

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3. CRITICAL ACCOUNTING JUDGEMENTS AND KEY SOURCES OF ESTIMATION UNCERTAINTY

In  applying  the  Company’s  accounting  policies,  the  preparation  of  consolidated  financial  statements 
requires management to make estimates, judgments and assumptions that affect the reported amounts 
of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as at the date of the consolidated 
financial  statements  and  the  reported  amounts  of  revenues  and  expenses  during  the  reporting  period. 
Actual amounts may differ materially from these estimates due to changes in general economic conditions, 
changes in laws and regulations, changes in future operating plans and the inherent imprecision associated 
with estimates. Significant estimates and judgments used in the preparation of these consolidated financial 
statements include the assessment of impairment triggers related to E&E and PP&E assets, estimation of 
decommissioning obligations, collectability of trade and other receivables and of long-term receivables, and 
recognition of a deferred tax asset.

Accounting treatment of CMBL
The  Group  holds  a  31.94%  participation  interest  in  the  Mnazi  Bay  Concession  through  two  subsidiaries. 
Wentworth Gas Limited (“WGL”), which is a wholly owned subsidiary, owns a 25.40% participation interest and 
Cyprus Mnazi Bay Limited (“CMBL”) owns a 16.38% participation interest of which the Group’s proportionate 
share is 6.54% (i.e. Wentworth’s interest of 39.925% interest in CMBL multiplied by 16.38% participation interest). 
CMBL is considered a jointly controlled entity and accounted for as a joint operation rather than a joint venture. 
The Group proportionately consolidates CMBL as related contractual agreements establish that the parties 
to the joint arrangement have rights to the assets and obligations for the liabilities of ownership in proportion 
to their interest in the arrangement. 

Recoverable value of Tembo E&E and Mnazi Bay PP&E costs
E&E are inherently judgemental to value. The amounts for E&E represent active exploration projects and 
investments. These amounts are expensed to profit or loss as exploration costs unless the determination 
process is not completed and there are no indications of impairment at the reporting date or commercial 
reserves  are  established.  The  outcome  of  ongoing  exploration  and  evaluation  activities  and  whether 
the  carrying  value  of  E&E  will  ultimately  be  recovered  is  inherently  uncertain  and  requires  significant 
judgement and estimates.

Management  performs  impairment  tests  on  the  Company’s  PP&E  when  indicators  of  impairment  are 
present. The  assessment  of  impairment  indicators  is  subjective  and  considers  the various  internal  and 
external factors such as the financial performance of individual CGUs, market capitalisation and industry 
trends.  In  addition,  the  impairment  assessment  is  impacted  by  how  management  determines  the 
composition of CGUs.

84

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 2018Reserve estimates
Oil and natural gas reserves, prepared by an external independent reserve evaluator as at December 31, 
2018, are used in the calculation of depletion, impairment and impairment reversal determinations and 
recognition  of  deferred  tax  asset.  Reserve  estimates  are  based  on  engineering  data,  estimated  future 
prices and costs, expected future rates of production and the timing of future capital expenditures; all of 
which are subject to many uncertainties and estimations. The Company expects that, over time, its reserve 
estimates will be revised upward or downward based on updated information such as the results of future 
drilling, oil and gas production levels and reservoir performance and may also be affected by changes in 
commodity prices.

Supply of Gas from Mnazi Bay
The  gas  sales  price  and  cost  base  of  production  operations  are  largely  fixed  in  nature. The  associated 
sensitivities  ensure  that  field  production  and  supply  volumes  are  critical  to  the  commerciality  of  the 
project. Whilst the benefits of increased production volumes are clear, the opposite is equally true during 
operational downtime, prolonged or permanent gas supply outages which may in turn impact upon the 
commerciality of the project. Mnazi Bay currently has 5 producing wells and is committed to supplying a 
minimum quota of gas to TPDC and TANESCO of 82.5 MMscf/d, the daily committed quotient (“DCQ”). Any 
significant adverse change to daily production operations may trigger an impairment review under IFRS 6 
and IAS 36 and a subsequent write down in the book value of the Mnazi Bay asset which currently totals 
$84.7 million.

Demand for gas from Mnazi Bay
Gas sales in Tanzania are not only constrained by the ability of the joint-venture to supply gas to TPDC 
and TANESCO, but are also contingent upon their ability to offtake gas from the Mnazi Bay field. There 
are other domestic gas producers in Tanzania that sell to both TPDC and TANESCO in addition to there 
being alternative sources of supply such as year-round solar and seasonal hydro-electric generation. The 
continued commerciality of the project is contingent upon the continued demand for Mnazi Bay gas. 

Foreign currency exposure 
Foreign exchange rate risk is the risk that the Company suffers financial loss as a result of changes in the value 
of an asset or liability or in the value of future cash flows due to movements in foreign currency exchange 
rates. Wentworth operates internationally and is exposed to foreign exchange risk arising from various currency 
exposures,  primarily  with  respect  to  the  Tanzanian  shilling  and  Pound  Sterling  against  the  presentation 
currency  of  US  dollars. All  group  revenue  is  generated  from  gas  sales  in Tanzania  in which  the  Production 
Sharing Agreement is currently in the Gas Testing and Commissioning phase. Upon declaration of COD, which 
is contingent upon the establishment of certain administrative and financial milestones by the Government 
of Tanzania, the Production Sharing Agreement will enter the Commercial Development phase under which 
both TPDC and TANESCO may elect to pay the operator in either US Dollars or Tanzanian Shillings for the gas 
that is produced and sold. Additionally, while some costs are denominated in Tanzanian Shilling most of the 
operating expenditures are denominated in US Dollars which would lead to an increased currency exposure. 
The Company does not currently undertake any currency hedges.

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Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Payment for Mnazi Gas
Payment  terms  for  Mnazi  Bay  gas  have  improved  during  2018,  however  there  remains  an  arrears  of 
approximately three months gas sales for Mnazi Bay gas. The continued receipt and settlement of gas 
sales  invoices  to TPDC  and TANESCO  is  critical  to  the  cash-flows  of  the  group  to  enable  it  to  meet  its 
liabilities as they fall due.

Abandonment provision
Decommissioning and Abandonment obligations have been estimated using technology at current prices 
inflated and discounted using discount rates that reflect current market assessments of the time value 
of money and the risks specific to each liability. These assessments are subjective by nature and may be 
significantly more or less than management’s current discounted cost estimations.

Taxes
The Group operates in countries where the legal and tax systems are less developed, which increases 
the requirement for management to make estimates and assumptions as to whether certain payments 
will be required related to matters such as income taxes, value added taxes, and other indirect taxes. A 
provision is recognised in the financial statements for such matters if it is considered probable that a future 
outflow of cash resources will be required. The provision, if any, is subject to management estimates and 
judgements with respect to the outcome of the event, the costs to defend, the quantum of the exposure 
and past practice in the country. 

The commencement of commercial production and gas sales under the Gas Sales Agreement, currently 
in the Gas Testing and Commissioning phase, allowed for the recognition of a deferred tax asset within 
the financial statements. The amount that the company recognises is subject to the following judgements 
and uncertainties:

•  The timing and discounting of the utilisation of tax losses from the current tax pools which are based 

on management assessments and forecasts of future performance;

•  The effective tax rate at which the losses will be utilised at throughout the Group which is currently the 

prevailing tax rate of the ultimate parent company;

•  The status of any current tax assessments and disputes and their impact on the deferred tax pool on 

a probabilistic basis;

•  Any material changes in legislation that may impact upon the fiscal regime on which the deferred tax 

asset is computed.

86

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 2018Recoverability of trade and other receivables
Recoverability of the long-term receivable from TPDC and the Tanzanian Government receivable involves 
estimating the volume and timing of future gas production from the Mnazi Bay Concession and estimating 
a  discount  rate  in  addition  to  assessing  credit  risk. Timing  of  collection  of  the  long-term  receivables  is 
impacted by the rate of production and the timing of the increase of production volumes. The assessment 
of  collectability  of  amounts  owed  from TANESCO  and TPDC  for  past  gas  sales  is  subject  to  significant 
estimates. Payment cycles from TANESCO and TPDC vary and are not generally consistent with traditional 
industry terms of payment of between 30 and 90 days. Management is required to estimate the bad debt 
provision for this balance based on current and historical payment patterns. Prolonged periods of non-
payment will be provided against in the balance sheet with a corresponding expense being recognised in 
the income statement.

Umoja receivable
The Company has an agreement with TANESCO, TPDC and the Ministry of Energy and Mines (“MEM”) in 
Tanzania to be reimbursed, at cost, for past project development costs associated with transmission and 
distribution (“T&D”) expenditures. The undiscounted face value of the receivable is $6.51 million, however 
there remain ongoing discussions and uncertainties with respect to final audited amount to be recovered 
and the timing of the ultimate recovery of this debt and it is for this reason that the Directors have taken 
the decision to provide in-full against the recovery of this debt in the 2018 accounts without prejudice to 
the ongoing commercial discussions with the Government.

Dissenting shareholders equity buyback
On 26 October 2018 the Company completed its redomicile from Canada to Jersey, full details of which are 
disclosed within the Directors’ Report. As part of the redomicile process and under Canadian law, certain 
shareholders  exercised  their  rights  to  dissent  to  the  Continuance  thereby  exercising  their  rights  to  sell 
their shares back to the company at the fair market value on 26 October 2018. The Company has received 
notifications over approximately 2.3 million shares and estimates the contingent liability to be £0.7 million. 
Some uncertainty remains over the final share price valuation and ultimate timing of the share buy-back, 
albeit this is not considered to be material to these financial statements.

4. SEGMENT INFORMATION

The Company conducts its business through two major operating business segments. Gas operations include 
the  exploration,  development,  and  production  of  natural  gas  and  other  hydrocarbons.   These  activities  are 
carried out in two operating segments - Tanzania (“Mnazi Bay Concession”) and Mozambique (“Rovuma Onshore 
Block”). The Company is on track to relinquish the Tembo block in Northern Mozambique ahead of the end 
of the current appraisal term on 15 June 2019. The Corporate segment activities include investment income, 
interest expense, financing related expenses, share based compensation relating to corporate activities and 
general corporate expenditures.  Inter-segment transfers of products, which are accounted for at market value, 
are eliminated on consolidation.  

87

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Net income/(loss) for the year ended 31 December 2018

Tanzania 
Operations
$000

Mozambique 
Operations
$000

 Corporate
$000

 Consolidated
$000

Total revenue

Production and operating costs

Depletion

Total cost of sales

Gross profit

Recurring administrative costs

Amounts capitalised as E&E assets

Impairment loss on E&E assets

16,224

(2,290)

(7,803)

(10,093)

6,131

(3,151)

449

-

Provision for Tanzania Government receivables

(4,959)

Management re-structuring costs

Redomicile costs

Share-based payment charges

Depreciation and depletion

Loss of sale of PPE

Tanzanian withholding tax costs

Total costs

Loss from operations

Finance income

Finance costs

Loss before tax

Current tax expense

Deferred tax expense

Net loss and comprehensive loss

Selected balances at 31 December 2018

Current assets

Exploration and evaluation assets

Property, plant and equipment

Deferred tax asset

Total assets

Current liabilities

Non-current liabilities

Total Liabilities

-

-

(5)

-

(3)

(993)

(8,662)

(2,531)

2,659

(1,592)

(1,464)

(33)

(26,714)

(26,747)

(28,211)

23,891

8,129

83,773

4,036

119,829

12,370

2,657

15,027

-

-

-

-

-

(19)

-

(41,598)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

(41,617)

(41,617)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

(3,119)

215

-

-

(940)

(1,393)

(93)

(12)

-

-

(5,342)

(5,342)

-

(24)

16,224

(2,290)

(7,803)

(10,093)

6,131

(6,289)

664

(41,598)

(4,959)

(940)

(1,393)

(98)

(12)

(3)

(993)

(55,621)

(49,490)

2,659

(1,616)

(41,617)

(5,366)

(48,447)

-

- 

(30)

-

(30)

(41,617)

(5,396)

(63)

(26,714)

(26,777)

(75,224)

24,694

8,129

83,777

4,036

120,636

13,501

2,657

16,158

1,806

1,262

392

-

-

-

392

428

-

428

411

-

4

-

415

703

-

703

-

6

Capital additions for the year ended 31 December 2018

Additions to exploration and evaluation assets

Additions to property, plant and equipment

-

1,256

1,806

-

88

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 2018Net income/(loss) for the year ended 31 December 2017

Tanzania 
Operations
$000

Mozambique 
Operations
$000

 Corporate
$000

 Consolidated
$000

Total revenue

Production and operating costs

Depletion

Total cost of sales

Gross profit

Recurring administrative costs

Amounts capitalised as E&E assets

Share-based payment charges

Depreciation and depletion

Total costs

Profit/(loss)/from operations

Finance income

Finance costs

Profit/(loss) before tax

Deferred tax expense

Net profit/(loss) and comprehensive 
profit/(loss)

Selected balances at 31 December 2017

Current assets

Tanzania Government receivable

Exploration and evaluation assets

Property, plant and equipment

Deferred tax asset

Total assets

Current liabilities

Non-current liabilities

Total Liabilities

13,440

(3,484)

(4,079)

(7,563)

5,877

(2,717)

590

(191)

-

(2,318)

3,559

2,386

(3,622)

2,323

(394)

(394)

1,927

30,994

4,959

8,129

90,327

30,751

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

(27)

(3,452)

-

-

-

(27)

(27)

-

-

992

(24)

(12)

(2,496)

(2,496)

-

(115)

(27)

(2,611)

-

-

-

-

(27)

(2,609)

169

-

39,792

-

-

1,650

-

-

9

-

13,440

(3,484)

(4,079)

(7,563)

5,877

(6,196)

1,582

(215)

(12)

(4,841)

1,036

2,386

(3,737)

(315)

(394)

(394)

(709)

32,813

4,959

47,921

90,336

30,751

165,160

39,961

1,659

 206,780

17,009

9,501

26,510

Capital additions for the year ended 31 December 2017

Additions to exploration and evaluation assets

Additions to property, plant and equipment

-

1,057

84

-

84

2,383

-

582

-

582

-

4

17,675

9,501

27,176

2,383

1,061

89

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

5. REVENUE

Revenue from gas sales

Revenue from condensate sales

6. GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS

Employee salaries and benefits

Contractors and consultants

Travel and accommodation

Professional, legal and advisory

Office and administration

Corporate & public company costs

Total general and administrative costs

 2018
$000

15,656

55

16,224

 2018
$000

2,685

775

347

1,257

696

529

6,289

 2017
$000

13,440

-

13,440

 2017
$000

2,723

686

443

958

730

656

6,196

7. MANAGEMENT RE-STRUCTURING COSTS

Management re-structuring costs total $940k (2017: $nil) and comprise Calgary employee severance and 
travel expenses related to the re-structuring of the senior management team, which is now based in Reading, 
United Kingdom in alignment with the redomicile of Wentworth Resources plc (see Directors’ Report).

90

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 20188. FINANCE INCOME AND FINANCE COSTS

Finance income

Accretion – TPDC receivable (Note 10)

Accretion – Tanzanian Government receivable (Note 11)

Finance costs

Accretion – decommissioning provision 

Accretion – other liability

Change in estimates – TPDC receivable (Note 10)

Change in estimates – Tanzanian Government receivable (Note 11)

Change in estimates – other liability (Note 18)

Interest expense and other finance costs

Foreign exchange loss

9. TRADE AND OTHER RECEIVABLES 

Trade receivable from TPDC

Other receivable from TPDC 

Trade receivable from TANESCO

Other receivables

2018
$000

2,188

471

2,659

(104)

-

-

(471)

-

(980)

(61)

(1,616)

 2018
$000

5,760

513

491

706

7,553

 2017
$000

2,080

306

2,386

(92)

(142)

(872)

(828)

(9)

(1,656)

(138)

(3,737)

 2017
$000

12,008

-

1,140

267

13,513

Other receivables from TPDC represent income tax $513k (2017 – $nil) paid by Wentworth Gas Limited, 
a  wholly  owned  subsidiary  of  the  Company.  The  income  tax  will  be  recovered  from  TPDC  profit  gas 
(security revenue).

91

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

10. TPDC RECEIVABLES 

On 30 June 2009, the Company and TPDC entered into a Joint Operating Agreement (“JOA”) related to the 
Mnazi Bay Concession in Tanzania. Under the terms of the JOA, TPDC has a 20% participating interest share 
in the Mnazi Bay Development Area production and will pay the Company for 20% of past costs incurred in 
respect of the Mnazi Bay Concession from TPDC’s share of future production. This receivable from TPDC 
is considered a financial instrument and initially recorded at fair value based on discounted cash flows 
and up to 30 June 2019 its carrying amount has been adjusted for accretion and changes in the estimated 
timing of cash flows. 

As  at  31  December  2018,  the  undiscounted  receivable  from  TPDC  is  $5.2  million  ($17.3  million  at 
31 December 2017).

Balance at 31 December 2016

Accretion 

Change in estimated timing of receipt

Retained gas revenue to offset receivable

Share of TPDC Mnazi Bay Concession costs paid by the Company

Balance at 31 December 2017

Accretion 

Retained gas revenue to offset receivable

Share of TPDC Mnazi Bay Concession costs paid by the Company

Balance at 31 December 2018

$000

24,836

2,080

(872)

(11,629)

1,135

15,550

2,188

(13,585)

1,085

5,238

92

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 201811. TANZANIA GOVERNMENT RECEIVABLES

As at 31 December 2018, the undiscounted Tanzanian Government receivable is $6.5 million (2017: $6.5 million). 

Balance at 31 December 2016

Accretion

Change in estimated timing of receipt

Balance of amortised cost at 31 December 2017 

Accretion

Change in estimated timing of receipt

Provision against amortized balance 

Balance of amortised cost at 31 December 2018

$000

5,481

306

(828)

4,959

471

(471)

(4,959)

-

The  fair  value  of  the  Tanzanian  Government  receivable  at  31  December  2018,  calculated  using  10.01% 
discount rate (2017 - 8.25%) was $5.0 million (31 December 2017 - $5.0 million). The discount rate is variable 
and is pegged to the $20.0 million credit facility interest rate.

The Company has an agreement with the Government of Tanzania (TANESCO, TPDC and the MEM) to be 
reimbursed for all the project development costs associated with T&D expenditures at cost. An audit of the 
Mtwara Energy Project (“MEP”) development expenditures was completed in November 2012 and costs 
of approximately $8.1 million were verified to be reimbursable. After deducting costs associated with the 
Tariff Equalisation Fund and VAT input credits associated with the MEP totaling $1.6 million, the amount 
agreed to be reimbursed was $6.5 million. 

During  2017,  the  Government  initiated  its  first  review  of  the  costs  to verify  the  balance  owing  by  it.  On 
February  8,  2018  the  Government  issued  the  results  of which  differed  from  the  previously  audited  and 
approved gross receivable of $6.5 million, which the company maintains was accurate and correct.

The  Government  is  currently  conducting  a  second  review.  Due  and  due  to  age  and  uncertainty 
onsurrounding  the  Tanzanian  Government  receivable  and  its  recoverability  the  Company  has  made  a 
provision in-full within the 2018 accounts against the fullcarrying amount without prejudice to the ongoing 
commercial discussions with the Government.

93

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

12. EXPLORATION AND EVALUATION ASSETS

Cost

Balance at 31 December 2016

Additions 

Balance at 31 December 2017

Additions 

Impairment loss

Balance at 31 December 2018

Tanzania
$000

Mozambique
$000

8,129

-

8,129

-

-

8,129

37,409

2,383

39,792

1,806

(41,598)

-

Total
$000

45,538

2,383

47,921

1,806

(41,598)

8,129

The  Company  performed  a  technical  and  commercial  review  of  the  Mozambique  E&E  asset  portfolio 
and determined that Tembo licence did not provide the Company with suitable monetisation solutions 
in keeping with Company material growth mandate. At 31 December 2017, all Mozambique E&E assets of 
$41.6 million were impaired. 

Tanzania  E&E  assets  were  $8.1  million  (31  December  2017  -  $8.1  million).  The  Mnazi  Bay  Concession 
agreement expires in 2031. The Mnazi Bay joint venture partners have identified several prospects within 
the concession area but outside of the area covering discovered gas reserves and therefore has concluded 
that an impairment test is not required for the Tanzanian asset.

94

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 201813. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

Cost

Balance at 31 December 2016

Additions

Balance at 31 December 2017

Additions 

Disposal of assets

Balance at 31 December 2018

Accumulated depreciation and depletion 

Balance at 31 December 2016

Depreciation and depletion

Balance at 31 December 2017

Depreciation and depletion

Disposal of assets

Balance at 31 December 2018

Carrying amounts

31 December 2017 

31 December 2018

Natural gas 
properties
$000

Office and 
other equipment 
$000

101,797

1,057

102,854

1,256

(82)

104,028

(8,448)

(4,079)

(12,527)

(7,803)

76

(20,254)

90,327

83,774

596

4

600

6

-

606

(579)

(12)

(591)

(12)

-

(603)

9

3

Total 
$000

102,393

1,061

103,454

1,262

(82)

104,634

(9,027)

(4,091)

(13,118)

(7,815)

76

(20,857)

90,336

83,777

The Company assessed triggers for impairment on the natural gas properties and determined that there 
were no triggers and accordingly an impairment test was not required. Most of the Company’s natural gas 
is sold under long-term, fixed price gas sales and purchase agreements, eliminating the current volatility 
in the commodity market. In addition, the independent valuation of the Company’s reserves of $106 million 
is in excess of the net book value of the Company’s PP&E.

95

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

14. SUBSIDIARY UNDERTAKINGS

The subsidiary undertakings at 31 December 2018 are:

Legal entity

Country of 
incorporation

Class of 
shares held

Types of 
ownership

Percentage 
holding

Nature of  
business

Wentworth Resources (UK) 
Limited 

United 
Kingdom

Ordinary 

Direct

100%

Wentworth Holding (Jersey) 
Limited

Wentworth Tanzania 
(Jersey) Limited

Wentworth Gas (Jersey) 
Limited

Jersey

Ordinary 

Direct

100%

Jersey

Ordinary

Indirect

100%

Jersey

Ordinary

Indirect

100%

Wentworth Gas Limited

Tanzania

Ordinary

Indirect

100%

Cyprus Mnazi Bay Limited

Cyprus

Ordinary

Indirect

39.925%

Investment holding 
company

Investment holding 
company

Investment holding 
company

Investment holding 
company

Exploration 
production company

Exploration 
production company

Investment holding 
company

Mauritius

Ordinary

Indirect

100%

Mozambique

Ordinary

Indirect

100% Exploration company

Wentworth Mozambique 
(Mauritius) Limited

Wentworth Moçambique 
Petroleos, Limitada

96

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 201815. TRADE AND OTHER PAYABLES

Payable to Maurel & Prom (Operator)

Trade payables

Interest

Other payables and accrued expenses

 2018 
$000

1,710

413

145

939 

3,207

 2017
$000

4,344

223

511

648

5,726

Interest represents accrued interest $145k (2017 - $502k) for the $20.0 million credit facility and nil (2017 - 
$9k) for the $6 million credit facility.

16. OVERDRAFT CREDIT FACILITY

The Company has a one-year, $2.5 million overdraft credit facility with a Tanzanian Government owned 
bank which is due and repayable on 5 April 2019. The facility can be extended for a further one year at 
the  mutual  agreement  of  the  bank  and  the  Company.  The  overdraft  facility  has  an  interest  rate  of  the 
lender’s base lending rate, minus 1% per annum to be paid monthly. At 31 December 2018, the lender’s 
base lending rate was 9% and the overdraft credit facility was fully drawn. 

Security provided to the lender includes a debenture over the fixed and floating assets of the Company’s 
Tanzanian assets and a deed of assignment of 20% of the revenue and cash flow from sales of natural gas 
from the Tanzanian assets.

During the year ended 31 December 2018, the Company paid interest expense $68k (2017 - $75k) on the 
overdraft credit facility. 

97

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

17. LONG-TERM LOANS

Credit facilities from Tanzania based banks
On 8 December 2014, Wentworth Gas Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into 
two long-term credit facilities: i) a $20.0 million loan to finance field infrastructure development within the 
Mnazi Bay Concession in Tanzania and ii) a $6.0 million loan to repay a medium-term loan. 

The term of each loan was initially forty-eight months in duration commencing on the first draw-down 
date and each loan bears interest at six-month LIBOR rate plus 750 basis points subject to a minimum 
(floor) of 8% p.a. and a maximum (ceiling) of 9.5% p.a. Security is in the form of a debenture creating first 
ranking charge over all the assets of the WGL (assets of WGL include a 25.4% participation interest in the 
Mnazi  Bay  Concession),  assignment  over  the  TPDC  long-term  receivable  and  assignment  of  revenues 
generated from the Mnazi Bay Concession.

During the year ended 31 December 2018, the Company incurred interest expense on long-term loans, 
inclusive  of accretion of financing costs, of $0.91 million (2017 - $1.6  million). A total  of $1.5  million was 
settled in cash during 2018 (2017 - $1.7 million).

The  carrying  amount  of  the  long-term  loans  include  transaction  costs  of  $310k  (net  of  accretion).  At 
December  31,  2018,  the  carrying  amount  of  the  credit  facilities  approximates  its  fair value  as  the  loan’s 
effective interest rate approximates market rates.

Credit facilities balance

Principal balance as at 31 December 2016

Loan repayments during the year 

Principal balance as at 31 December 2017

Loan repayments during the year 

Principal balance as at 31 December 2018

Net financing costs at 31 December 2017

Transitional adjustment (None - 2)

Net financing costs at 01 January 2018

Accretion during the year

Net financing costs at 31 December 2018

Carrying amount of long-term loans at 31 December 2018

Current

Non-current

98

$000

20,667

(5,346)

15,321

(6,996)

8,325

(171)

746

575

(266)

309

8,634

6,946

1,688

8,634

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 2018The $20 million credit facility
During  2017,  the  Company  executed  amendments  to  the  credit  facility  agreement, which  included  the 
restructuring of principal loan payments and added new provisions. The new provisions were not finalised 
at  the  time  of  the  execution  of  the  amendment  to  the  credit  facility  agreement.  On  06 June  2018,  the 
Company formalised the new provisions, which became effective 6 June 2018. 

The  new  provisions  contain  a  requirement  for  the  Company  to  maintain  two  financial  covenants  both 
calculated  semi-annually  beginning  on  30  June  and  31  December.  The  Debt  Service  Coverage  Ratio 
provides  that  the  Company  has  adequate  cover  to  meet  it’s  loan  interest  and  principal  repayment 
obligations for the next twelve months, while the Loan Life Coverage Ratio provides that adequate free 
discounted cash flow coverage is maintained for all future loan repayments over the full life of the loan.

The $20.0 million credit facility is subject to interest rate of six-month LIBOR rate plus 750 basis points 
subject  to  a  minimum  (floor)  of  8.5%  p.a.  and  no  maximum  (ceiling). As  at  31  December,  the  six-month 
interest rate was 10.30%. 

Principal repayments on the credit facility are set out in the following table. 

Principal repayment date

30 January 2019

30 April 2019

30 July 2019

30 October 2019

30 January 2020

Repayment amount 
$000

1,666

1,665

1,666

1,665

1,663

8,325

Medium term $6 million credit facility
At 31 December 2018, the Medium term $6 million credit facility was fully paid with $2 million paid during 
the year.

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Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

18. CONTINGENT PTTEP LIABILITY

Balance at 1 January

Accretion

Change in accounting estimate

Payments to reduce liability

Balance at 31 December

 2018
$000

2,189

-

-

(1,341)

848

 2017
$000

2,360

142

9

(322)

2,189

As  a  result  of  an  asset  purchase  and  sale  transaction  in  2012,  the  Company  has  been  obliged  to  make 
payments with a face value of $3.4 million should certain natural gas production thresholds from Mnazi Bay 
Concession be reached. The payable as at 31 December 2018 is $850k (31 December 2017 - $2.2 million). 

19. DECOMMISSIONING AND ABANDONMENT PROVISION

The Company’s decommissioning provisions result from net ownership interests in petroleum and natural 
gas  assets  including  well  sites,  pipeline  gathering  systems,  and  processing  facilities  in  Tanzania.  The 
operator of the Mnazi Bay Concession have estimated the Company’s share of the undiscounted inflation-
adjusted amount of cash flow required to settle decommissioning obligations for the infrastructure within 
the Mnazi Bay Concession to be $4.23 million. The costs are expected to be incurred around 2030. The 
obligations have been estimated using existing technology at current prices inflated and discounted using 
discount rates that reflect current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to 
each liability. The discount and inflation rates used in determining the value of the decommission provision 
at 31 December 2018 were 12.0% and 2.03%, respectively (2017 – 12.0% and 2.03%, respectively).

A reconciliation of the decommissioning obligations is provided below: 

Balance at 1 January

Accretion

Balance at 31 December

20. CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

 2018
$000

865

104

969

 2017
$000

773

92

865

Following the completion of the corporate transition to UK and Oslo Børs delisting, a number of shareholders 
exercised certain Dissent Rights under Canadian law which would require the Company to buy back their 
equity holdings at fair value. The Company received Dissent Rights notices over a total of 2,329,326 shares 
with an anticipated fair value of $710k. As the process has yet to be finalised and fair values agreed, the 
buy back remains contingent at the balance sheet date.

100

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 201821. SHARE-BASED PAYMENTS

Share based compensation recognised in the 
statement of Comprehensive loss

2018
$000

98 

 2017
$000

215

Movement in the total number of share options outstanding and their related weighted average exercise 
prices are summarised as follows:

2018

Weighted 
average exercise 
price (US$) 

0.52

0.49

0.49

0.49

Number of 
options

10,600,000

3,560,301

(1,600,000)

12,560,301

2017

Weighted average 
exercise price 
(US$) 

0.50

-

-

0.52

Number of 
options

10,600,000

-

-

10,600,000

Outstanding at January 1 

Granted

Forfeited

Outstanding at 31 December

The following table summarises share options outstanding and exercisable at 31 December 2018:

Outstanding

Exercisable

Exercise price 
(NOK)

Exercise price 
(US$)1

Number 
of options

Weighted average 
remaining life (years)

3.15

3.52

3.60

3.85

4.08

4.70

4.90

5.18

5.75

-

0.36

0.40

0.41

0.44

0.47

0.54

0.56

0.59

0.66

-

1,000,000

500,000

1,800,000

1,850,000

250,000

200,000

100,000

2,800,000

500,000

3,560,301

12,560,301

1.8

3.0

1.8

7.0

4.3

5.4

3.3

4.8

2.3

9.9

Number 
of options

1,000,000

500,000

1,800,000

1,850,000

250,000

200,000

100,000

2,800,000

500,000

-

9,000,000

1  The US Dollar to Norwegian Kroner exchange rate used for determining the exercise price at 31 December 2018 is 0.11456.

101

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The following table summarises share options outstanding and exercisable at 31 December 2017:

Outstanding

Exercisable

Exercise price 
(NOK)

Exercise price 
(US$)1

Number 
of options

Weighted average 
remaining life (years)

3.15

3.52

3.60

3.85

4.08

4.70

4.90

5.18

5.75

0.38

0.43

0.44

0.47

0.50

0.57

0.60

0.63

0.70

1,000,000

500,000

2,300,000

2,000,000

250,000

200,000

350,000

3,500,000

500,000

10,600,000

2.7

4.0

2.8

8.0

5.3

6.4

4.3

5.8

3.3

5.2

Number 
of options

1,000,000

500,000

2,300,000

1,333,338

250,000

200,000

350,000

3,500,000

500,000

9,933,338

1  The US Dollar to Norwegian Kroner exchange rate used for determining the exercise price at 31 December 2017 is 0.12166.

22. SHARE CAPITAL

Authorised, called up, allotted and fully paid

186,488,465 (2017 - 186,488,465) ordinary shares 

416,426

416,426

 2018
$000

 2017
$000

23. EARNINGS PER SHARE

Basic and diluted eps

Net loss for the period

2018
$000

(75,224)

Weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding

186,488,465

Dilutive weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding

186,488,465

Net profit/(loss) per ordinary share 

(0.40)

2017
$000

(709)

179,846,410

179,846,410

-

During the year ended 31 December 2018 and 2017, 12,560,301 (2017: 10,600,000) options were excluded 
from the dilutive weighted average number of shares outstanding because they were anti-dilutive.

102

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 201824. TAX ASSESSMENTS AND INCOME TAXES 

Tax assessments 
On 16 March 2018 the Company received correspondence from the Tanzania Revenue Authority (“TRA”) 
regarding their preliminary findings for WGL (the Company’s Tanzanian subsidiary) for taxation years 2013 
to 2016. On 26 June 2018, following further discussion with the TRA and exchange of information between 
the Company and the TRA, the TRA issued notice of adjusted assessments in respect of these taxation 
years. The following two matters were raised in the adjusted assessments:

(a) Impairment Reversal of Mnazi Bay Costs and other denied deductions
The TRA has reassessed the 2014 income tax filing of WGL and included in taxable income an impairment 
reversal  of  $23.81  million.  The  impact  of  this  reassessment  is  a  non-cash  reduction  of  the  Company’s 
deferred income tax asset by $7.1 million. 

The  TRA  has  also  denied  $6.6  million  of  deductions  in  the  2014  and  2015  income  tax  filings  of  WGL 
in  respect  of  interest  and  other  costs. The  impact  of  this  reassessment  is  a  non-cash  reduction  of  the 
Company’s deferred income tax asset of $2.0 million.

(b) Withholding Taxes on Loan Interest, Employment and Other Taxes
The  TRA  issued  an  adjusted  assessment  certificate  which  included  the  principal  taxes  of  $1.0  million 
(Tsh 2.3 billion), the principal taxes have been included in the statement of net loss and comprehensive loss. 

WGL was granted with TRA an interest and penalties waiver of the $740k (Tshs 1.69 billion) and made payment 
by instalments of principle taxes of $1.0 million (Tshs 2.3 billion).

Changes on Income Tax Act, 2004 (ITA) relating to petroleum operations.
Effective 2018 the TRA has introduced significant changes in respect to the computation of taxable income 
in Tanzania. The Miscellaneous Amendment Act, 2017 amended sections 65M and 65N of the Income Tax 
Act, 2004 (ITA). The Company is still evaluating the complete tax effects of the these changes, however, 
it has determined a reasonable estimate of the impact of them on its existing current and deferred tax 
balances. Based on this estimate, the Company has determined that while previously a contractor’s share 
of cost and profit gas alongside their allowable deductions would be taxable, under the new legislation 
no tax would be levied or allowances recognised on the cost gas element of its revenues. Profit gas would 
continue to be taxed in the usual way. 

Furthermore, and more significantly this new legislation would only allow up to 70% tax relief of current 
year  profits  from  historic  tax  loss  pools. The  Company  has  calculated  an  estimated  deferred  tax  asset 
write-down  of  $19.0  million with  respect  to  these  changes  alone  predominately with  respect  to  timing 
differences and the under-utilization of tax losses at the current licence expiry date of 2031.

Whilst the Company is still evaluating the complete tax effects of the enactment of the legislation, there 
are a number of uncertainties and ambiguities as to the specific interpretation and application of many of 
the provisions. In the absence of precedence on these matters and until the 2018 tax returns are finalized, 
which the Company expects to occur in 2019, the Company expects to use what it believes are reasonable 
interpretations  and  assumptions  in  applying  the  legislative  changes  for  purposes  of  determining  its 
cash tax liabilities and results of operations, which may change as it receives additional clarification and 
implementation guidance. 

103

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Income taxes
The Company’s income tax expense for the year end 31 December is as follows:

Loss before income taxes

Expected income tax (recovery) expense at combined Tanzanian rate 
of 30% (2017 - Canadian federal and provincial rate of 27.0%)

Rate differentials

Share based compensation 

2014- 2015 Tanzania tax reassessments 

Tanzania cost gas excluded from taxable income

Derecognition of Mozambique and Canada tax pools

Movement in deferred tax assets not previously recognised and other

Income tax expense/(recovery)

 2018
$000

(48,447)

(14,236)

1,396

29

8,096

(2,015)

13,236

21,264

27,770

 2017
$000

(315)

(85)

137

58

-

-

-

284

394

The Company operates in multiple jurisdictions with complex tax laws and regulations, which are evolving 
over time. The Company has taken certain tax positions in its tax filings and these filings are subject to 
audit and potential reassessment after the lapse of considerable time. Accordingly, the actual income tax 
impact may differ significantly from that estimated and recorded by management.

The Company has unrecognised deductible temporary differences that results in unrecognised deferred 
income tax assets of:

Non-capital losses

Property and equipment

Share issue costs

Accounts receivables

 2018
$000

19,675

-

-

1,470

21,145

 2017
$000

22,691

487

168

-

23,346

The total non-capital losses of the Company are $164.4 million (2017 – $273.4 million) of which nil (2017 - 
$83.3 million) are in Canada, $163.6 million (2017 - $189.5 million) are in Tanzania, nil (2016 - $590k) are in 
Mozambique and $800k are in the UK. 

The unrecognised non-capital losses in Canada expired in the year 2018 due to Company redomiciling to 
Jersey and becoming a tax resident in the UK. The unrecognised non-capital losses in Mozambique also 
expired due to relinquishment of the Tembo block and shutdown activities in the country. 

104

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 2018A  deferred  tax  asset  is  recognised  to  the  extent  that  it  is  probable  that  taxable  profit will  be  available 
against which deductible temporary differences and the loss carry forwards can be utilised. A deferred 
tax asset of $4.0 million as at 31 December 2018 (2017 – $30.8 million) is attributable to the accumulated 
tax  loss  carry-forward  of  the  Company’s Tanzanian  subsidiary, which  are  expected  to  be  offset  against 
future taxable income. Recognition of the tax asset is supported by the proven and probable reserves as 
determined by a third-party external reserves engineer, RPS Canada.

Balance at 1 January

Deferred income tax assets recognised in profit or loss:

 Non-capital losses

 Asset retirement obligations

Deferred income tax liabilities recognised in profit or loss:

 PP&E

 Receivables

Balance at 31 December

25. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

 2018
$000

30,751

(27,300)

124

1,002

(541)

4,036

 2017
$000

31,145

(130)

28

(259)

(33)

30,751

The Company’s activities expose it to a variety of financial risks: credit risk, liquidity risk and market risk 
(currency  fluctuations,  interest  rates  and  commodity  prices).  The  Company’s  overall  risk  management 
program  focuses  on  the  unpredictability  of  financial  markets  and  seeks  to  minimise  potential  adverse 
effects on the Company’s financial performance. A full description of the risks and key risks affecting the 
business is noted in the Business Risks section of the Strategic Report.

Credit risk
Wentworth’s  credit  risk  exposure  is  equal  to  the  carrying value  of  its  cash  and  cash  equivalents,  trade, 
other and long-term receivables. 

Trade  and  other  receivables  are  comprised  predominantly  of  amounts  due  from  government  owned 
entities in Tanzania and Value Added Tax (“VAT”) in Tanzania and Mozambique. 

The Company’s ongoing exposure to trade receivables from TANESCO, the state power company, relates 
to the gas sales from the Mnazi Bay Concession to a TANESCO owned 18-megawatt gas-fired power plant 
located in Mtwara, Tanzania. At 31 December 2018, the Mnazi Bay Concession partners were owed four 
months of invoices for gas sales made to TANESCO, with $491k owing to Wentworth which includes sales 
revenue of $251k and the Company’s share of TPDC sales revenue to recover a long-term receivable of 
$240k (2017 - $1.1 million representing sales revenue of $613k and the Company’s share of TPDC sales 
revenue to recover a long-term receivable of $527k). Subsequent to year end, TANESCO has paid $427k 
net  to  Wentworth.  The  receivable  from  TANESCO  was  not  discounted  at  year  end  (2017  -  $nil)  as  the 
receivable consisted of less than twelve months of invoices. The Company continues to be engaged in 
ongoing discussions with TANESCO to accelerate payment of amounts past due.

105

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

During 2015, the Company commenced gas sales to TPDC under a long-term gas sales agreement, the 
operator of the new transnational gas pipeline in Tanzania. Credit risk relating to sales to TPDC is substantially 
mitigated through a two-part payment guarantee structure. The first part relates to a prepayment amount 
of approximately three to four months of gas deliveries at current sales volumes which has been received 
and is held by the operator of the Mnazi Bay Concession. The second part is a one-month replenishable 
letter of credit which is not yet executed but expected to be executed during 2019. At 31 December 2018, 
the Mnazi Bay Concession partners were owed four months gas sales invoices, with $5.7 million owing to 
Wentworth which includes sales revenue of $2.5 million and the Company’s share of TPDC sales revenue 
to recover a long-term receivable of $3.2 million (2017 – $12.0 million representing sales revenue of $6.4 
million and the Company’s share of TPDC sales revenue to recover a long-term receivable of $5.6 million). 
Subsequent  to year  end, TPDC  has  paid  $5.7  million  net  to Wentworth. The  Company  continues  to  be 
engaged in ongoing discussions with TPDC to accelerate payment of amounts past due.

In addition to the receivable for current gas sales to TPDC, at 31 December 2018, an undiscounted long-
term  receivable  of  $5.2  million  net  to  Wentworth  (2017  -  $17.3  million)  is  due  from  TPDC,  a  partner  in 
the Mnazi Bay Concession (see note 10). The Company currently receives, directly from the operator ofthe 
Mnazi  Bay  Concession,  a  significant  portion  of  TPDC’s  and  the  Government’s  share  of  gas  sales  from 
the Mnazi Bay Concession to reduce the long-term receivable from TPDC. The risk that future production 
from the Mnazi Bay Concession may not be sufficient to settle the receivable is very low. 

At 31 December 2018, an undiscounted long-term receivable of $6.5 million (2016 - $6.5 million) related 
to the Company’s disposal of transmission and distribution assets, and the costs associated with the MEP 
incurred  in  prior  years  by  a  wholly  owned  subsidiary  of Wentworth  (see  note  11).  On  February  6,  2012, 
the  Company, TANESCO, TPDC  and  MEM  reached  an  agreement  that  the  Company’s  cost  of  historical 
operations  in  respect  of  the  Mtwara  Energy  Project  should  be  reimbursed.  Wentworth  is  currently  in 
discussions with TANESCO, TPDC and MEM on agreeing on a method of reimbursement. There is a risk 
that the cost reimbursement method may not be in cash, but rather in a long-term recovery from other 
sources. Timing of reaching an agreement on the reimbursement procedure is uncertain. 

The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are held at recognised international financial institutions.

The exposure to credit risk as at:

Trade and other receivables

TPDC receivable (Note 10)

Tanzania Government receivable (Note 11)

Cash and cash equivalents 

 2018
$000

7,553

5,238

4,959

11,903

29,653

 2017
$000

13,513

15,550

4,959

3,750

37,772

106

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 2018Aged trade and other receivables

Balance at 31 December 2018

Trade receivables

Other receivables

Balance at 31 December 2017

Trade receivables

Other receivables

Current
 1-30 days
$000

3,007

1,376

4,384

2,692

365

3,057

31-60
 days
$000

1,507

-

1,507

2,483

-

2,483

61-90
 days
$000

1,420

-

1,420

-

-

-

>90
 days
$000

243

-

243

7,973

-

7,973

Total 
$000

6,177

1,376

7,553

13,148

365

13,513

Liquidity risk
Liquidity  risk  is  the  risk  that  the  Company  will  not  have  sufficient  funds  to  meet  its  liabilities  as  they 
become payable. Other than routine trade and other payables, incurred in the normal course of business, 
the Company also has long-term loans and an overdraft credit facility.

The table below summarises the maturity profile of the Company’s financial liabilities based on contractual 
undiscounted payments including future interest payments on long-term loans.

Balance at December 31, 2018

Trade and other payables

Contingent PTTEP liability

Overdraft facility

Long-term loans, including interest 1

Balance at December 31, 2017

Trade and other payables

Contingent PTTEP liability 

Overdraft facility

Long-term loans, including interest 1

Less than 1 year
$000

1 to 2 years
$000

2 to 5 years
$000

3,207

848

2,500

7,548

14,103

5,726

2,189

2,500

7,940

18,355

-

-

-

1,732

1,732

-

-

-

7,099

7,099

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1,701

1,701

1  Includes future interest expense at the rate in effect at December 31.

Total
$000

3,207

848

2,500

9,280

15,835

5,726

2,189

2,500

16,740

27,155

107

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018 
 
 
 
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The  fair value  of  the  Company’s  trade  and  other  payables  approximates  their  carrying values  due  to 
the  short-term  nature  of  these  instruments. The  fair value  of  the  long-term  loans  approximates  their 
carrying amounts as they bear market rates of interest. The fair value of the other liability approximates 
its carrying amount.

The Company has working capital surplus at 31 December 2018 and generated positive cash flow from 
operations in 2018. The Company plans to pay its financial liabilities in the normal course of operations and 
fund future operating and capital requirements through operating cash flows, bank debt, bank overdraft 
and equity raises, when deemed appropriate. Operating cash flow of the Company is dependent upon 
the purchasers of natural gas, TPDC and TANESCO, continuing to meet their payment obligations on a 
timely manner. Any delays in collecting funds from these purchasers for an extended period of time could 
negatively  impact  the  Company’s  ability  to  pay  its  financial  liabilities  in  a  timely  manner  in  the  normal 
course of business (see also Capital management section).

Market risk
Market risk is the risk that the fair value or future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate because 
of changes in market prices. Market risk is comprised of foreign currency risk, interest rate risk and other 
price risk (e.g. commodity price risk). The objective of market risk management is to manage and control 
market price exposures within acceptable limits, while maximising returns.

Commodity price risk
Commodity price risk is the risk that the Company suffers financial loss as a result of fluctuations in oil or 
natural gas prices. The Company’s exposure to commodity price risk is mitigated as the sale prices for gas 
sold by the Company is fixed under the existing gas sale and purchase agreements. An increase of 1% in 
the gas production would result in an increase of $57k (2017 - $34k) in revenue.

Interest rate risk
Interest rate risk is the risk that future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate because of changes 
in market interest rates. The Company has a $20.0 million credit facility with a floating interest rate of six-
month  LIBOR  plus  7.5  percentage  points with  a  minimum  8.5%  and with  no  maximum  interest  rate  per 
annum. The $6.0 million credit facility which was fully paid in December 2018 had a floating interest rate 
of six-month LIBOR plus 7.5 percentage points with a minimum 8.0% and maximum 9.5% interest rate per 
annum. The Company’s objective is to minimise its interest rate risk on its cash balances by investing for 
short periods of time (less than 1 year) and only in term deposits. An increase of 1% in the six-month LIBOR 
rate would result in an increase of $102k (2017 - $159k) in interest expense on an annualised basis.

Foreign exchange risk
Foreign exchange rate risk is the risk that the Company suffers financial loss as a result of changes in the 
value of an asset or liability or in the value of future cash flows due to movements in foreign currency 
exchange rates. Wentworth operates internationally and is exposed to foreign exchange risk arising from 
various currency exposures, primarily with respect to the Tanzanian shilling, Pound Sterling and Canadian 
dollar against its functional currency of its operating entities, the US dollar. The Company’s objective is 
to minimise its risk by borrowing funds in US dollars as revenues are paid (or indexed) to the US dollar. In 
addition, the Company holds substantially all its cash and cash equivalents in US dollars and converts to 
other currencies only when cash requirements demand such conversion. 

108

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 2018Current receivables and liabilities denominated in various currency:

Canadian 
Dollar
$000

Tanzanian 
Shilling
$000

Other 
Currency
$000

United States
Dollar
$000

Balance at December 31, 2018

Cash and cash equivalents

Trade and other receivables

Trade and other payables

Balance at December 31, 2017

Cash and cash equivalents

Trade and other receivables

Trade and other payables

14

21

(42)

(7)

70

27

(72)

25

37

106

(246)

(103)

102

103

(129)

76

15

174

(248)

(59)

3

44

(65)

(18)

Total
$000 

11,903

7,553

11,837

7,252

(2,671)

(3,207)

(16,418)

(16,249)

3,575

13,339

3,750

13,513

(5,460)

(5,726)

(11,454)

(11,537)

A 10% increase/decrease of the GBP against US dollar would result in a change in profit or loss before 
tax of $11k (2017: $3k). In addition, a 10% increase/decrease of the Tanzanian shilling against the US dollar 
would result in a change in profit or loss before tax of approximately $5k (2017: $8k).

Financial instrument classification and measurement
The Company classifies the fair value of financial instruments according to the following hierarchy based 
on the amount of observable inputs used to value the instrument:

•  Level 1 – Quoted prices are available in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reporting 
date.  Active  markets  are  those  in  which  transactions  occur  in  sufficient  frequency  and  volume  to 
provide pricing information on an ongoing basis. 

•  Level  2  –  Pricing  inputs  are  other  than  quoted  prices  in  active  markets  included  in  Level  1.  Prices 
in Level 2 are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reporting date. Level 2 valuations are 
based on inputs, including expected interest rates, share prices, and volatility factors, which can be 
substantially observed or corroborated in the marketplace. 

•  Level 3 – Valuation in this level are those with inputs for the asset or liabilities that are not based on 

observable market data. 

The Company does not have any fair value measurements considered as Level 1. The Company’s long-
term receivables, long-term loans, and other liability are considered Level 2 and Level 3 measurements.

109

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Capital management
The Company’s objectives when managing capital are to safeguard the Company’s ability to continue as 
a going concern, in order to develop its oil and gas properties and maintain a flexible capital structure for 
its projects for the benefit of its stakeholders. In the management of capital, the Company includes the 
components of shareholders’ equity as well as cash and long-term liabilities. 

The Company manages the capital structure and adjusts it in light of changes in economic conditions and 
the risk characteristics of the underlying assets. As part of its capital management process, the Company 
prepares budgets and forecasts, which are used by management and the Board of Directors to direct and 
monitor the strategy, ongoing operations and liquidity of the Company. Budgets and forecasts are subject to 
judgement and estimates such as those relating to future gas demand and ultimate timing of collectability 
of trade receivables for gas sales. These factors may not be within the control of the Company, which may 
create near term risks that may impact the need to alter the capital structure. The Company continues to 
effectively manage its relationships with its gas purchasers to ensure timely collection and with external 
lenders  such  that  lending  facilities  are  available  to  the  Company  as  and  when  needed. The  Company 
may attempt to issue new shares, enter into joint arrangements or acquire or dispose of assets in order to 
maintain or adjust the capital structure. Management reviews the capital structure on a regular basis to 
ensure that the above-noted objectives are met. The Company’s overall strategy remains unchanged from 
the prior year. 

26. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Details of Directors’ remuneration, which comprise key management personnel, are provided below:

 Short-term employee benefits

 Share based compensation

27. SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION

Change in non-cash working capital: 

Net change in non-cash working capital related to 
operating activities:

Trade and other receivables

Prepayments and deposits

Trade and other payables

110

 2018
$000

1,167

52

1,219

 2018
$000

3,381

(300)

(1,505)

1,576

 2017
$000

560

67

627

 2017
$000

(3,158)

(4)

(2,201)

(5,363)

GROUP ACCOUNTSYear Ended 31 December 2018Cash movements from investing activities in the Statements of Cash Flows consists of the following:

Exploration and 
evaluation
$000 

Property, plant and 
equipment
$000

Long-term 
receivable
$000

1,806

-

-

1,806

2,383

-

-

2,383

1,262

-

706

1,968

1,061

-

667

1,728

(18,254)

2,877

-

(15,377)

(8,759)

1,729

-

(7,030)

Year ended 31 December 2018

Total additions/(reductions)

Change in non-cash investing activities

Change in non-cash working capital

Cash additions/(reductions)

Year ended 31 December 2017

Total additions/(reductions)

Change in non-cash investing activities

Change in non-cash working capital

Cash additions/(reductions)

28. COMMITMENTS

Lease payments
The Company has office locations in Reading, UK and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The future minimum lease 
payments associated with these office premises as at 31 December 2018 is $152k committed for year 2019.

29. SUBSEQUENT EVENT

On  6  February  the  Company  announced  confirmation  that  from  14  February  2019,  it’s  shares would  be 
delisted from the Oslo Børs Stock Exchange.

On 14 February the Company announced the publication of its 2018 CPR Reserves Report.

111

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018GLOSSARY OF TERMS

$ or US Dollar

United States Dollar

£ 

1P

2C

2D

2P 

3D

3P

A&D

AIM

AGM

Articles

Bbl

Bcf

Boe

Bopd

Board

Capex

CGU

City Code

COD

Company

UK Pound Sterling

Proven Reserves (both proved developed reserves + proved undeveloped 
reserves)

Best estimate contingent resource

Two Dimensional

1P (proven reserves) + probable reserves, hence “proved AND probable”

Three Dimensional

The sum of 2P (proven reserves + probable reserves) + possible reserves, all 3Ps 
“proven AND probable AND possible”

Abandonment and Decommissioned

AIM, a SME Growth market of the London Stock Exchange

Annual General Meeting

The Articles of Association of the Company

Barrel, equivalent to 42 US gallons of fluid

Billion standard cubic feet

Barrel of oil equivalent, a measure of the gas component converted into its 
equivalence in barrels of oil

Barrel of oil per day

The Board of Directors of the Company

Capital expenditure

Cash Generating Units

The City Code on Takeovers and Mergers

Commercial Operations Date

Wentworth Resources PLC

Companies (Jersey) Law

The Companies (Jersey) Law 1991

CSR

DCQ

Directors

Dissent Rights

D&P

E&A

E&E

Corporate Social Responsibility

Daily Committed Quotient 

The Directors of the Company

Alberta Business Corporations Act Dissent Right in compliance with Section 191 
of that Act entitling shareholders compensation for the fair value of the common 
shares determined as of the close of business on the last business day (in Alberta) 
before the day on which the Continuance is approved by the Shareholders.

Development and Production assets

Exploration and Appraisal 

Exploration and Evaluation assets

112

APPENDICESE&P

EBITDAX

ECL

EITI

EPS

Exploration and Production

(Adjusted) earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, depletion and 
amortisation, impairment, share-based payments, provisions, and pre-licence 
expenditure

Expected Credit Lose

Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative

Earnings Per Share 

EWURA

Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority 

FA

FCA

G&A

G&G

GAAP

GBP

GDP

GHG

GSA

Group

HMRC

HSSE

Funding Agreement

Financial Conduct Authority of the United Kingdom

General and Administrative

Geological and Geophysical

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles 

UK Pounds Sterling

Gross Domestic Product 

Greenhouse Gases 

Gas Sales Agreement 

The Company and its subsidiary undertakings

Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs

Health, Safety, Security and Environment

hydrocarbons

Organic compounds of carbon and hydrogen

IAS

IASB

INP

IFRS

Index

JV

K

Km

km2

KPIs

Lead

LNG

International Accounting Standards

International Accounting Standards Board

Mozambique regulator

International Financial Reporting Standards

FTSE 350 Index

Joint Venture

Thousands

Kilometre(s)

Square kilometre(s)

Key Performance Indicators

Indication of a potential exploration prospect

Liquid natural gas 

113

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018GLOSSARY OF TERMS

London Stock Exchange or LSE

London Stock Exchange Plc

LTI 

LTIP

M&A

M

MEM

MEP

Mcf

Mmboe

Mscf

MMscf/d

MW

NPV

OECD

OPEC

Lost Time Incident

Long-Term Incentive Plan adopted in 2019??

Merger and Acquisition

Metre(s)

Ministry of Energy & Minerals

Mtwara Energy Project

Thousand cubic feet

Million barrels of oil equivalent

Thousand standard cubic feet of gas 

Million standard cubic feet per day of gas

Megawatt

Net Present Value (at a specified discount rate and specified discount date)

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development

Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries

Ordinary Shares

Ordinary shares of 10 pence each

P90

P50

P10

Pmean

The value on a probabilistic distribution which is exceeded by 90% of the 
outcomes

The value on a probabilistic distribution which is exceeded by 50% of the 
outcomes. The P50 is also the median value of the distribution

The value on a probabilistic distribution which is exceeded by 10% of the 
outcomes

The average of the values in the probabilistic distribution between defined 
‘boundary conditions’. Universally regarded as the best single value to quote or 
communicate for any uncertain distribution of outcomes involved in repeated 
trial investigations

PAET

Pan African Energy Tanzania

Panel or Takeover Panel 

The Panel on Takeovers and Mergers

Petroleum

Oil, gas, condensate and natural gas liquids

Petroleum system

Geologic components and processes necessary to generate and store 
hydrocarbons, including a mature source rock, migration pathway, reservoir 
rock, trap and seal

PPE

Prospect

PSA

PSC

Property Plant and Equipment

An area of exploration in which hydrocarbons have been predicted to exist in 
economic quantity. A group of prospects of a similar nature constitutes a play

Production Sharing Agreement

Production Sharing Contract

114

APPENDICESPT Pertamina

An Indonesian state-owned oil and natural gas corporation based in Jakarta

PTTEP

PURA

QCA Code

RA

Reserves

Reservoir

Seismic

Shares

PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited is a national 
petroleum exploration and production company based in Thailand

Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority

Corporate Governance Code for Small and Mid-Size Quoted Companies 2012

Royalty Agreement

Reserves are 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 satisfy 
four criteria; they must be discovered, recoverable, commercial and remaining 
based on the development projects applied. Reserves are further categorised 
in accordance with the level of certainty associated with the estimates and 
may be sub-classified based on project maturity and/or characterised by 
development and production status

A porous and permeable rock capable of containing fluids

Data, obtained using a sound source and receiver, that is processed to provide 
a representation of a vertical cross-section through the subsurface layers

Ordinary shares

Shareholders

Ordinary shareholders of 10p each in the Company

Subsidiary

TANESCO

Tcf

TEITI

TPDC

TND

Tsh

TSR

VAT

WAF

A subsidiary undertaking as defined in the 2006 Act

The Tanzania Electric Supply Company

Trillion cubic feet

Tanzania Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative

Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation

Transmission and Distribution

Tansanian Shillings

Total Shareholder Return (End Share Price – Opening Share Price/Opening 
Share Price) plus (Sum of Dividends per Share/Opening Share Price)

Value Added Tax

Wentworth Africa Foundation

Working Interest or WI

A Company’s equity interest in a project before reduction for royalties or 
production share owed to others under the applicable fiscal terms Working 
interest attributable to Wentworth

115

Strategic ReportCorporate GovernanceGroup AccountsAppendicesWentworth Resources plc Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018REGISTERED OFFICE:
4th Floor, St Paul’s Gate
22 – 24 New Street
St Helier
Jersey 
JE1 4TR

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HEAD OFFICE:
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116

APPENDICESWentworth Resources plc 
Thames Tower 
2nd Floor 
Station Road 
Reading 
RG1 1LX

Phone: +44 (0) 118 206 2982

Email: info@wentplc.com

www.wentplc.com