Aurora Oil & Gas Corporation Files Voluntary Bankruptcy Petitions Under Chapter 11
July 14 2009 - 1:43PM
PR Newswire (US)
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., July 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Aurora Oil
& Gas Corporation (Pink Sheets: AOGS) today announced that on
July 12, 2009, Aurora and its subsidiary, Hudson Pipeline &
Processing Co., LLC (together, the "Companies") filed voluntary
petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code
in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of
Michigan. The Companies will continue to operate their businesses
as "debtors-in-possession" in accordance with sections 1107 and
1108 and other applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, which
require court approval of matters outside the ordinary course of
business. No trustee, examiner, or official committee has been
appointed. The Companies have worked diligently to facilitate a
global restructuring transaction, including entering into several
amendments and forbearance agreements with BNP Paribas and the
lenders under the Senior Secured Credit Facility and D.E. Shaw
Laminar Portfolios, LLC and the lenders under the Second Lien Term
Loan. The Companies have not yet been able to obtain agreement on
the terms of such a restructuring and intend to utilize the
bankruptcy process to attempt to achieve a consensual restructuring
or some other appropriate alternative. Huron Consulting Group, LLC
("Huron") continues to advise Aurora on its restructuring efforts,
focusing on cost reduction and containment initiatives,
streamlining the organization, and facilitating communication with
its lender and other creditor constituencies. Mr. Sanford R.
Edlein, the Companies' Chief Restructuring Officer and a Managing
Director with Huron, commented, "We hope to use Chapter 11 to
facilitate a global restructuring of the Companies' debt
obligations and expect to work on a consensual plan with the
lenders to minimize our time in bankruptcy, while at the same time
exploring other potential value-maximizing opportunities. Among
other petitions for relief, the Companies have sought authority to
make royalty payments and to satisfy other obligations of critical
vendors. Ultimately, we hope to operate in Chapter 11 in the
ordinary course as was done prior to this bankruptcy filing." About
Aurora Oil & Gas Corporation Aurora Oil & Gas Corporation
is an independent energy company focused on unconventional natural
gas exploration, acquisition, development and production, with its
primary operations in the Antrim Shale of Michigan, the New Albany
Shale of Indiana and Kentucky. Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking
Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended. In particular, statements by Aurora Oil & Gas
Corporation and its subsidiaries (the "Company") regarding future
events and developments and the Company's future performance,
including statements regarding proceedings relating to the
Company's petitions for relief under chapter 11 of Title 11 of the
United States Code and the Company's operations and funding during
the chapter 11 process, and any restructuring agreements or
consensual plans with the Company's lenders, as well as other
statements of management's intentions, hopes, beliefs,
expectations, representations, projections, estimations, plans or
predictions of the future, are forward-looking statements and are
made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking
statements in some cases can be identified by their being preceded
by, followed by or containing words such as "estimate," "plan,"
"project," "forecast," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "believe,"
"seek," "target" and other similar expressions. Forward-looking
statements are based on assumptions and assessments made by the
Company's management in light of their experience and their
perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected
future developments and other factors they believe to be
appropriate. Any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of
the Company's future performance and are subject to risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results, developments and
business decisions to differ materially from those contemplated by
any forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Aurora
undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking
statements, or to make any other forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Such statements include those relating to: forecasts of the
Company's ability to reach a consensual plan with its lenders,
successfully reorganize and emerge from bankruptcy; estimated
financial results; liquidity needs; and, the Company's ability to
finance the Company's working capital requirements. Investors are
cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties including without limitation the Company's ability to
continue as a going concern; the Company's ability to obtain
debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing or authorization to use cash
collateral on an interim or final basis to fund the Company's
working capital or other needs; the Company's ability to obtain
Court approval with respect to motions in the chapter 11 cases
prosecuted by the Company from time to time; the Company's ability
to develop, prosecute, confirm and consummate a plan of
reorganization with respect to the Company's bankruptcy cases;
risks associated with third parties seeking and obtaining court
approval to terminate or shorten the exclusivity period that the
Company has to propose and confirm a plan of reorganization, for
the appointment of a chapter 11 trustee or examiner or to convert
the Company's bankruptcy cases to cases under chapter 7 of the U.S.
Bankruptcy Code; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain
normal terms with vendors, service providers, and leaseholders and
to obtain orders authorizing payments to such parties; the
Company's ability to maintain contracts that are critical to its
operations; the potential adverse impact of the Company's
bankruptcy cases on the Company's liquidity or results of
operations; the Company's ability to fund and execute its business
plan; the Company's ability to attract, motivate and retain key
executives and employees; the Company's ability to enter into
hedging contracts; general market conditions; adverse capital and
credit market conditions; the costs and accidental risks inherent
in exploring and developing new oil and natural gas reserves; the
price for which such reserves and production can be sold;
fluctuation in prices of oil and natural gas; the uncertainties
inherent in estimating quantities of proved reserves and cash
flows; competition; actions by third party co-owners in properties
in which the Company also owns an interest; acquisitions of
properties and businesses; operating hazards; environmental
concerns affecting the drilling of oil and natural gas wells;
impairment of oil and natural gas properties due to depletion, low
oil and gas prices, or other causes; and hedging decisions,
including whether or not to hedge. Similarly, these and other
factors, including the terms of any reorganization plan ultimately
confirmed, can affect the value of the Company's various
pre-petition liabilities and the Company's common stock. No
assurance can be given as to what values, if any, will be ascribed
in the chapter 11 cases to each of these constituencies. No
assurance can be given that there will be any remaining value for
shareholders if and when the Company emerges from bankruptcy.
Accordingly, the Company urges that the appropriate caution be
exercised with respect to existing and future investments in any of
these liabilities and/or securities. Join our email distribution
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Contact: Aurora Oil & Gas Corporation Jeffrey W. Deneau,
Investor Relations (231) 941-0073 x 154 http://www.auroraogc.com/
DATASOURCE: Aurora Oil & Gas Corporation CONTACT: Jeffrey W.
Deneau, Investor Relations of Aurora Oil & Gas Corporation,
+1-231-941-0073 x 154 Web Site: http://www.auroraogc.com/
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