Atlas Resource Partners Announces Amendment To Credit Facility And Borrowing Base Redetermination

FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlas Resource Partners, L.P. (NYSE: ARP) ("ARP" or "the Partnership") announced today that it has entered into an amendment to its revolving credit facility and has completed its semi-annual redetermination of its credit facility borrowing base, resulting in a revised borrowing base of $700 million, a decrease of approximately 6.7% from the previous level. In order to provide increased flexibility as a result of the current commodity price environment, the Partnership has reached an agreement with its commercial bank lending group to amend certain terms of its revolving credit facility, including improved terms on its leverage covenants. The new terms include:

• Suspension of a maximum total leverage covenant until Q1 2017; as well as new maximum total leverage covenants in future periods; including:
  • 5.75x beginning in Q1 2017
  • 5.50x beginning in Q3 2017
  • 5.25x beginning in Q1 2018
  • 5.00x beginning in Q2 2018 and thereafter
• Elimination of senior secured leverage covenant 
• Addition of maximum first lien secured leverage covenant of 2.75x
• Ability to add additional subordinated secured debt

The Partnership had a total leverage ratio of approximately 5.1x as of the third quarter of 2015. The next borrowing base redetermination is expected to occur in May of 2016. As part of the amendment of the credit facility, the Partnership has agreed to adjust the Partnership's common unit distribution to $0.15 per annum, which the Partnership expects to pay on a monthly basis. 

Daniel Herz, CEO of Atlas Resource Partners, L.P., commented, "As expected, the modest reduction in our borrowing base reflects the commodity price protection the Partnership has in place as well as ARP's high-quality, low-decline asset base. Further, the additional flexibility this amendment provides allows the Partnership to navigate the turbulent energy environment over an extended period of time. Finally, the reduction of the common distribution will strengthen our balance sheet."

Atlas Energy Group, LLC (NYSE: ATLS) is a limited liability company which owns the following interests: all of the general partner interest, incentive distribution rights and an approximate 23% limited partner interest in its upstream oil & gas subsidiary, Atlas Resource Partners, L.P.; the general partner interests, incentive distribution rights and limited partner interests in Atlas Growth Partners, L.P.; and a general partner interest in Lightfoot Capital Partners, an entity that invests directly in energy-related businesses and assets. For more information, please visit our website at www.atlasenergy.com, or contact Investor Relations at [email protected].

Atlas Resource Partners, L.P. (NYSE: ARP) is an exploration & production master limited partnership which owns an interest in over 14,500 producing natural gas and oil wells, located primarily in Appalachia, the Barnett Shale (TX), the Mississippi Lime (OK), the Eagle Ford Shale (TX), the Raton Basin (NM), Black Warrior Basin (AL) and the Rangely Field (CO). ARP is also the largest sponsor of natural gas and oil investment partnerships in the U.S. For more information, please visit our website at www.atlasresourcepartners.com, or contact Investor Relations at [email protected].

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain matters discussed within this press release are forward-looking statements. Although Atlas Resource Partners, L.P. believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be attained.  Atlas Resource Partners does not undertake any duty to update any statements contained herein (including any forward-looking statements), except as required by law. This release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. ARP cautions readers that any forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about ARP's objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause actual results to materially differ from the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those associated with general economic and business conditions; ARP's ability to realize the benefits of its acquisitions; changes in commodity prices; changes in the costs and results of drilling operations; uncertainties about estimates of reserves and resource potential; inability to obtain capital needed for operations; ARP's level of indebtedness; changes in government environmental policies and other environmental risks; the availability of drilling equipment and the timing of production; tax consequences of business transactions; and other risks, assumptions and uncertainties detailed from time to time in ARP's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and annual reports on Form 10-K. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and ARP assumes no obligation to update such statements, except as may be required by applicable law.

SOURCE Atlas Resource Partners, L.P.

Related Links

http://www.atlasresourcepartners.com