UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): March 28, 2010
SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
| 1 -08246 | 71-0205415 | |
| (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
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2350 N. Sam Houston Pkwy. E., Suite 125, Houston, Texas |
77032 | |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
(281) 618-4700
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Section 8 - Other Events
Item 8.01 Other Events.
On March 28,
2010, Southwestern Energy Company (the "Company") issued a press release
announcing that the Department of Natural Resources of the Province of New
Brunswick, Canada has accepted the Company's bids for exclusive licenses to
search and conduct an exploration program covering approximately 2.5
million acres in the province in order to test new hydrocarbon
basins. The Company is required to make investments of
approximately $47 million USD over the next three years under the exploration
program, which represents the Company's first venture outside of the United
States. The press release is being furnished as
Exhibit 99.1
.
Section 9 - Financial Statements and Exhibits
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY | ||||
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Dated: March 29, 2010 |
By: |
/s/ GREG D. KERLEY |
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Name: |
Greg D. Kerley |
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Title: |
Executive Vice President and |
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Chief Financial Officer |
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EXHIBIT INDEX
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Exhibit
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Description |
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NEWS RELEASE
SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY ANNOUNCES EXPLORATION PROGRAM
IN NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA
Company Wins Bids on Approximately 2.5 Million Acres to Explore for New Hydrocarbon Basins
Houston, Texas March 28, 2010...Southwestern Energy Company (NYSE: SWN) announced that the Department of Natural Resources of the Province of New Brunswick, Canada has accepted the companys bids for exclusive licenses to search and conduct an exploration program covering over 1,018,000 hectares (2,519,000 acres) in the province in order to test new hydrocarbon basins. The companys winning bids require it to make investments of approximately $47 million USD over the next three years. The three-year exploration program represents the companys first venture outside of the United States.
While the Maritimes Basin has been recognized for years, we have identified a large area which we believe is prospective for oil and natural gas. There is a significant amount of data yet to be collected in order to confirm its economic merit, but if our testing yields positive results, we expect that our activity in the area could increase substantially over the next several years. This could be the beginning of an exciting new chapter in our companys history, stated Steve Mueller, President and Chief Executive Officer of Southwestern Energy.
This tender call was the largest ever issued in New Brunswick by land mass and has generated the highest bid ever received for exploration rights in our province, said Natural Resources Minister Wally Stiles. It is indicative of the strong level of interest in oil and natural gas exploration that we are currently experiencing in our province, and we are pleased to welcome Southwestern Energy to our province.
Southwestern Energy Company is an integrated company whose wholly-owned subsidiaries are engaged in oil and gas exploration and production, natural gas gathering and marketing. Additional information on the company can be found on the Internet at http://www.swn.com .
Contacts:
Greg D. Kerley
Brad D. Sylvester, CFA
Executive Vice President
Vice President, Investor Relations
and Chief Financial Officer
(281) 618-4897
(281) 618-4803
All statements, other than historical financial information, may be deemed to be 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. All
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statements that address activities, outcomes and other matters that should or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, statements regarding the financial position, business strategy, production and reserve growth and other plans and objectives for the companys future operations, are forward-looking statements. Although the company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The company has no obligation and makes no undertaking to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. They are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may affect the companys operations, markets, products, services and prices and cause its actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. In addition to any assumptions and other factors referred to specifically in connection with forward-looking statements, risks, uncertainties and factors that could cause the companys actual results to differ materially from those indicated in any forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to: the timing and extent of changes in market conditions and prices for natural gas and oil (including regional basis differentials); the companys ability to transport its production to the most favorable markets or at all; the timing and extent of the companys success in discovering, developing, producing and estimating reserves; the economic viability of, and the companys success in drilling, the companys large acreage position in the Fayetteville Shale play, overall as well as relative to other productive shale gas plays; the companys ability to fund the companys planned capital investments; the impact of federal, state and local government regulation, including any legislation relating to hydraulic fracturing, the climate or over the counter derivatives; the companys ability to determine the most effective and economic fracture stimulation for the Fayetteville Shale formation; the costs and availability of oil field personnel services and drilling supplies, raw materials, and equipment and services; the companys future property acquisition or divestiture activities; increased competition; the financial impact of accounting regulations and critical accounting policies; the comparative cost of alternative fuels; conditions in capital markets, changes in interest rates and the ability of the companys lenders to provide it with funds as agreed; credit risk relating to the risk of loss as a result of non-performance by the companys counterparties and any other factors listed in the reports the company has filed and may file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, see the reports filed by the company with the SEC. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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