ACE Enexor sets 74M follow-on offering of shares

ACE Enexor, Inc. (ACEX) on Tuesday said its board of directors had agreed to issue more shares to the public through a follow-on offering.

In a disclosure submitted to the exchange, the oil and gas exploration company said that on March 21, its executive committee, by the authority of its board of directors, approved its plan to conduct a follow-on offering of 74 million shares priced at P10 to P11.84 apiece.

The Ayala-led firm is also set to resume its drilling activities in Service Contract (SC) 55 exploration block, which spreads across 9,880 square meters in the West Philippine Sea off the coast of Palawan.

In a separate disclosure filed earlier, the company said the Energy department cleared Palawan55 Exploration & Production Corp., its joint venture with Pryce Gases, Inc., to proceed with its updated Cinco-1 drilling proposal, oil spill contingency plan, and health, safety, and environment plan.

ACEX holds 75% of Palawan55, while Pryce Gases has 25%. The company said it would begin drilling the appraisal well around April 2023, one year before the expiration of the government agency’s force majeure period on SC 55.

In February, ACEX and parent company AC Energy Corp. (ACEN) amended their deal, changing ACEN’s ownership percentage to 89.78% from 89.96% of ACEX’s capital stock.

The transaction, which was executed on Jan. 31, transferred ACEN’s rights and interests in five energy assets including Palawan55 to the exploration company.

Shares in ACE Enexor at the local bourse slipped P1.95 or 8.5% to close at P21 apiece on Tuesday. — Marielle C. Lucenio