TLW Tullow Oil Plc

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF THAT JURISDICTION.

THIS IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT UNDER RULE 2.4 OF THE CITY CODE ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS (THE "CODE") AND IS NOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF A FIRM INTENTION TO MAKE AN OFFER UNDER RULE 2.7 OF THE CODE AND THERE CAN BE NO CERTAINTY THAT AN OFFER WILL BE MADE, NOR AS TO THE TERMS ON WHICH ANY OFFER MIGHT BE MADE.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

12 December 2024

Tullow Oil plc ("Tullow" or the "Company")

Response to media speculation

The Board of Tullow notes the recent media speculation and confirms that it is in preliminary discussions with Kosmos Energy Ltd ("Kosmos") regarding a possible all-share offer by Kosmos for the Company.

There can be no certainty that any offer will be made, nor as to the terms on which any such offer might be made. A further announcement will be made as and when appropriate.

In accordance with Rule 2.6(a) of the Code, Kosmos is required, by not later than 5.00 p.m. (London time) on 9 January 2025, being 28 days after today's date, to either announce a firm intention to make an offer for Tullow in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer for Tullow, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies. This deadline can be extended with the consent of the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers (the "Panel") in accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the Code.

For the purpose of Rule 2.5(a) of the Code, this announcement is being made by Tullow without the consent of Kosmos.

This Announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018). Upon publication of this announcement, this inside information will be considered to be in the public domain.  The person responsible for arranging the release of this announcement on behalf of Tullow is Adam Holland, Company Secretary.

This announcement is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form part of any offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, subscribe for or otherwise acquire, or to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, whether pursuant to this announcement or otherwise.

The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in, into or from jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom may be restricted by law and therefore persons into whose possession this announcement comes should inform themselves about, and observe, such restrictions. Any failure to comply with the restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities law of any such jurisdiction.

Disclaimer

PJT Partners (UK) Limited ("PJT Partners") which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom is acting exclusively for Tullow and no one else in connection with the matters described herein and will not be responsible to anyone other than Tullow for providing the protections afforded to clients of PJT Partners nor for providing advice in connection with the matters described herein. Neither PJT Partners nor any of its subsidiaries, branches or affiliates nor any of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of PJT Partners in connection with this announcement, any statement contained herein or otherwise. 

Barclays Bank PLC, acting through its Investment Bank ("Barclays"), which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, is acting exclusively for Tullow and no one else in connection with the matters described herein and will not be responsible to anyone other than Tullow for providing the protections afforded to clients of Barclays nor for providing advice in relation to a possible offer or any other matter referred to in this announcement.

In accordance with the Code, normal United Kingdom market practice and Rule 14e-5(b) of the Exchange Act, Barclays and its affiliates will continue to act as exempt principal trader in Tullow and Kosmos securities on the London Stock Exchange. These purchases and activities by exempt principal traders which are required to be made public in the United Kingdom pursuant to the Code will be reported to a Regulatory Information Service and will be available on the London Stock Exchange website at www.londonstockexchange.com. This information will also be publicly disclosed in the United States to the extent that such information is made public in the United Kingdom.

Barclays has given and not withdrawn its consent to the issue of this document with the inclusion of references to its name in the form and context in which they are included.

Publication on website

In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in restricted jurisdictions, a copy of this announcement will be available at Tullow's website (Tullowoil.com/investors) no later than 12 noon (London time) on 13 December 2024 (being the business day following the date of this announcement). The content of the website referred to in this announcement is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement.

Rule 2.9 information

In accordance with Rule 2.9 of the Code, as at the close of business on 12 December 2024 (being the business day prior to the date of this announcement), Tullow confirms that it had in issue 1,458,808,163 ordinary shares (with a nominal value of 10p each) with voting rights and admitted to trading on the main market of the London Stock Exchange under the ISIN code GB0001500809. Tullow holds no ordinary shares in treasury.

Dealing Disclosure Requirements

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.

Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.