Dana Gas, the Middle East’s leading regional private sector natural gas company, has secured through its wholly owned subsidiary Dana Gas Explorations, a $100 million term facility for the Zora Field Development Project in the UAE.  

This facility will contribute towards the debt component of the financing needed to complete the project and bring the Zora gas field on-stream, the company said.

The credit facility, with Emirates Bank NBD Capital Limited as initial mandated lead arranger, bookrunner and coordinator, will be provided by the following syndicated banks in their role as “mandated lead arranger and joint bookrunners”, Emirates NBD Bank, Commercial Bank International, Commercial Bank of Dubai and Barwa Bank.

Emirates NBD Bank will also act as the global facility agent, term facility agent, security agent and account bank, while Barwa Bank will act as the murabaha investment agent for the shariah tranche of this loan, it said.

The repayment for the term facility is over a period of 15 quarterly investments and will commence in the second half of 2015 on completion of the project and gas production goes on stream, subject to a cash sweep mechanism. The facility is currently scheduled to mature on November 30, 2018.

As of June 30, 2014, Dana Gas has spent approximately $49 million as part of the equity financing for the project.

Dr Patrick Allman-Ward, chief executive officer of Dana Gas, said: “This financing agreement demonstrates the confidence leading banks and financers have towards the Zora project. The project work is proceeding as per plan and we remain committed towards bringing the project on-stream in the first half of 2015. Natural gas produced from the field will provide a much needed source of clean energy for the benefit of the Northern Emirates of the UAE.”  

The Zora Gas Field, which spans the territorial waters of Sharjah and Ajman, comprises a tilted fault block structure with a closure of some 25 sq km. Once on-stream, Zora will provide an additional source of gas for local power generation in the Northern Emirates with an expected production capacity of 40 mmscfd (6,650 boepd).  - TradeArabia News Service