SM Energy Announces Update On Divestiture Process

DENVER, May 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SM Energy Company (the "Company") (NYSE: SM) announced today that it has postponed indefinitely the planned sale of its Divide County, North Dakota assets as valuations in the sales process did not reach the Company's threshold to meaningfully reduce its leverage.  

President and Chief Executive Officer Jay Ottoson comments: "We have successfully pre-funded the expected outspend for our capital program for 2017 and 2018 with the completed sale of our third party-operated Eagle Ford assets, and we do not need to sell our Divide County assets.   We have concluded that current market uncertainty around forward oil prices is not conducive to realizing a sales price that meets our deleveraging objective.  We remain committed to our long-term financial strategy, which is best served by retaining the cash flow generated by the Divide County assets and supported by a solid balance sheet, significant liquidity and continuing hedging strategy.

"As a result of retaining our Divide County assets, we have positively revised our production guidance for the year to add 1.3 MMBoe, which is applied to the second half of the year, thereby increasing projected cash flow and reducing projected outspend."

The Company is posting slides to its website in conjunction with this release, revising its 2017 guidance and three-year plan metrics to be consistent with this change.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities laws. The words "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "budget," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "guidance," "intend," "plan," "project," "will" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, which may cause SM Energy's actual results to differ materially from results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release include, among other things, projected changes in production volumes, cash flows, operating costs and commodity mix. General risk factors include the availability of and access to capital markets; the availability, proximity and capacity of gathering, processing and transportation facilities; the volatility and level of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids prices, including any impact on the Company's asset carrying values or reserves arising from price declines; uncertainties inherent in projecting future rates of production or other results from drilling and completion activities; the imprecise nature of estimating oil and gas reserves; uncertainties inherent in projecting future drilling and completion activities, costs or results, including from pilot tests; the uncertainty of negotiations to result in an agreement or a completed transaction; the uncertain nature of acquisition, divestiture, joint venture, farm down or similar efforts and the ability to complete any such transactions; the uncertain nature of expected benefits from the actual or expected acquisition, divestiture, joint venture, farm down or similar efforts; the availability of additional economically attractive exploration, development, and acquisition opportunities for future growth and any necessary financings; unexpected drilling conditions and results; unsuccessful exploration and development drilling results; the availability of drilling, completion, and operating equipment and services; the risks associated with the Company's commodity price risk management strategy; uncertainty regarding the ultimate impact of potentially dilutive securities; and other such matters discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of SM Energy's 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as such risk factors may be updated from time to time in the Company's other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak as of the date of this announcement. Although SM Energy may from time to time voluntarily update its prior forward-looking statements, it disclaims any commitment to do so except as required by securities laws.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

SM Energy Company is an independent energy company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in onshore North America.  SM Energy routinely posts important information about the Company on its website.  For more information about SM Energy, please visit its website at www.SM-Energy.com.

INVESTOR CONTACT:

Jennifer Martin Samuels, jsamuels@sm-energy.com, 303-864-2507

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SOURCE SM Energy Company