Transportadora de Gas del Sur S.A. - Q4 2022
March 10, 2023
Transcript
Carlos Almagro (Head of Investor Relations)
Herein, we have prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, IFRS, and are stated in pesos as of December 31st 2022, unless otherwise noted. Joining us today from TGS in Buenos Aires, Alejandro Basso, Chief Financial Officer, now I will turn the video conference to Mr. Basso. Alejandro, please begin.
Alejandro Basso (CFO)
Thank you, Carlos. Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining us today to discuss the 2022's fourth quarter earnings and highlights for Transportadora de Gas del Sur. To begin the call today, I would like to share with you some news that have taken place since our last quarterly earnings call last November that are relevant to our operations. To begin, and talking about our natural gas transportation business, last December, the executive power issued the decree number 815, through which the integral tariff revision was postponed, extending the period that should have finished by the end of December 2022 to December of this year. As a result, a new transitional tariff adjustment process was initiated and a public hearing followed on January 4th, during which TGS requested a tariff increase of 135%.
The tariff increase that should be applied considering only 160% tariff adjustment received during the past almost four years was around 280%. We consider the evolution of the wholesale price index between March 2019 and December 2022. It is suspected that a tariff increase could be granted by ENARGAS this month with the TGS's commitment to make mandatory capex for ARS 4.8 billion. Important to mention the fact that TGS is not allowed to make any dividends payment until the integral tariff revision is completed. Moving on to our midstream business in Vaca Muerta, we continued working on the 32 kilometer pipeline extension in the north branch that would connect El Tordillo field by July 2023, whose operator signed a long-term agreement with TGS to transport and condition its natural gas production.
Also worth highlighting is that we have commissioned partially the 7 million cubic meters per day natural gas conditioning plant expansion at Tratayén, which will be totally in operation in the second quarter. This will allow us to reach a total conditioning capacity of 15 million of cubic meters per day. In addition, we are currently investing in two modules, one of which will be commissioned by the end of 2023, while the second module will be commissioned in 2024. Both modules will contribute to increase conditioning capacity to 28 million of cubic meters per day.
Regarding the construction of the first tranche of the Presidente Néstor Kirchner pipeline that will connect Tratayén with Salliqueló, its commissioning is expected for next winter with an initial capacity of 11 million cubic meters per day, and 21 million cubic meters per day by the end of 2023, through the construction of two compressor plants to be located at both streams of this first tranche. Last December, the Argentine government made a new auction with the purpose of extending the terms of the natural gas purchase contracts executed under Plan Gas 4 from 2024 to 2028. This term extension was accepted by almost all of the natural gas producers.
Furthermore, the government requested gas producers an additional volume of 11 million of cubic meters per day to be transported through the new pipeline starting July 2023 to December 2028, with a resulted average price of $3.4 per million BTU, as well as 3 million of cubic meters per day more, starting January 2024 to December 2028, 7 million cubic meters per day for winter period from May to September, starting 2024 to 2028, an additional 7 million of cubic meters per day for winter season between 2025 to 2028. In all the cases, the tender offers were oversubscribed, and as a result, the national government was able to secure the natural gas volume supply needed for each period.
The Presidente Néstor Kirchner pipeline commissioning and the extension of terms and increasing volumes of the Plan Gas 4 will be essential to keep our continuous growth at the midstream business in Vaca Muerta, not only in terms of transportation and conditioning services, but also in terms of challenging projects which are currently under evaluation. Coming now to slide four, I will briefly address some of our 2022 fourth quarter results highlights. Please keep in mind that all figures presented in this quarter and comparisons made with the previous quarters are expressed in constant pesos as of December 31, 2022, following the provisions established by IFRS for financial reporting in hyperinflationary economies.
As seen on the slide, we reported a net income of ARS 5.4 billion during the fourth quarter of 2022, which compares to ARS 13.2 billion reported during the same quarter of 2021. The decline in net income is mostly explained by the decrease in EBITDA for the liquid segment, which decreased by ARS 7.7 billion, as is mostly related to lower LPG reference international prices, which dropped by more than 30%. Moving on to slide 5, EBITDA for natural gas transportation business decreased by ARS 597 million, was mostly affected by the annual inflation rate of 95%, which negatively impacted revenues in ARS 5.2 billion. This effect was partially offset by the 60% tariff increase, which became effective last March and contributed to increasing our revenues by ARS 3 billion.
Our property plant and equipment maintenance expenses of $933 million and lower other operating expenses of $914 million helped to partially offset the negative inflation effect variation. On slide 6, you can see that the EBITDA from the liquids business decreased by almost 50% in the fourth quarter of 2022 to $8.6 billion from $16.3 billion reported in the same quarter of 2021. The main negative variation is related to a $5.6 billion revenues decline due to lower reference international prices, with LPG average price decreasing by more than 30%, while gas oil price dropped by more than 10%.
In addition, the monetary effects negatively impacted the liquids EBITDA in $3.6 billion, with inflation increases 95% in the last 12-month period, compared to a 72% increase in the foreign exchange rate, affecting this segment considering that most of the liquids revenues at variable costs are adjusted by the dollar exchange rate. In addition, the average natural gas price rose from $2.5 to $3.1 per million BTU, resulting in a natural gas cost increase of $1.7 billion. These negative effects were partially offset by higher ethane revenues amounting to $2.7 billion, mostly attributable, as you can see on the slide, to a higher average price, which rose 40% in dollars.
Higher LPG volumes exports, which increased by almost 19,000 tons and resulted in higher operating margin of $466 million. Turning to slide seven, EBITDA from other services decreased 8% to $2.6 billion from $2.8 billion. Higher revenues generated by additional services rendered by Vaca Muerta amounted to $1.3 billion, which were totally offset by the monetary effect loss, as the annual inflation rate was above the annual foreign exchange rate increase. On slide eight, we can see that financial results experienced a negative variation of $2.2 billion. This variation was mainly explained by higher foreign exchange rate loss of $5.7 billion, which was attributable to a higher Argentine peso depreciation. There was a negative inflation exposure result variation of $3.8 billion.
These two negative effects were partially offset by higher financial asset income totaling ARS 6.7 billion, resulting from higher cash invested in financial investment denominated in pesos and higher yields. Turning to cash flow on slide 9. Our cash position in real terms remains stable at ARS 82.4 billion, which is roughly equivalent to $466 million. EBITDA generation in the fourth quarter amounted to ARS 14.7 billion, of which 76% was generated by the non-regulated business and additional 24% stems from the transportation business. Capex amounted to ARS 9.1 billion, and our working capital increased by approximately ARS 2.6 billion. Payments of interest amounted to ARS 2.8 billion, and income tax advanced payments totaled ARS 5.7 billion.
As you can see, we maintain a comfortable level of cash, which give us enough liquidity to continue investing in our Vaca Muerta upstream business. This concludes our presentation. I will now turn it over to Carlos, who will open the floor for questions. Thank you.
Carlos Almagro (Head of Investor Relations)
Thank you, Alejandro. The floor is now open for questions. If you have a question, please send it through the Zoom chat. We will read and answer the questions in the order in which they are received. Also, please make sure that your name and company are displayed so we can introduce you to the audience. Please lower your hand once your question is answered. Should any participant need assistance, send us a message in the chat box. Please hold while we poll for questions. Thank you. Well. Constantino. Hi, Constantino from Puente. Thank you for your question. His third question is regarding the advance with the project in the processing project in Tratayén, apart from the treatment and conditioning. Do we have any idea about the FID?
Alejandro Basso (CFO)
Okay. How are you, Constantino? Thank you for your questions. Regarding the our Tratayén project, we are advancing two different projects. One, a small one, regarding the converting the condition plan, one of the modules that we are building right now into a processing module and add small fractionation and storage facilities there. We are working in one of these project. The other one, we are for the big one, we are working on certain agreements with partners to go ahead with the big project. The project that needs the new modules there in Tratayén and processing modules and a pipeline to Bahía Blanca and then fractionation and storage and the harbor in at Bahía Blanca also. Okay.
Carlos Almagro (Head of Investor Relations)
Uh, there is-
Alejandro Basso (CFO)
Regarding your... Sorry.
Carlos Almagro (Head of Investor Relations)
Yes, the second question is regarding the About if we have news about the floating regasification units in Bahía Blanca and if it materially change our perception to feed gas availability?
Alejandro Basso (CFO)
I cannot give the confirmation, but the news that we heard is that the LNG ship is going to be, was contracted, was already contracted by Reinertsen. It's good news for us. It allow us to have additional natural gas for the winter.
Carlos Almagro (Head of Investor Relations)
Hi, Christian from Balanz. His question, his third question regarding the jump in the capex in the fourth quarter compared with last year, that there was 70%. He wants to know what is the reason.
Alejandro Basso (CFO)
Hi, Christian. How are you doing? Thank you for your questions. Regarding the CapEx jump in the fourth quarter, it's due to the projects that we already mentioned in the call. The increase in the capacity of the our Tratayén conditioning plant of 7 million kilograms per day. That it was put in service this month and then in there partially and then total service for the in the next quarter.
Carlos Almagro (Head of Investor Relations)
Well, the second question is about the LNG project. How much CapEx and how much capacity are you thinking of, and which financial option are we studying? Also, any updates on any eventual expansion for the liquid business with potential investment, when?
Alejandro Basso (CFO)
Well, right now, regarding the LNG project, we have already contracted three different consultants, engineering consultants, to be able to assess the cost of this project with more certainty given current conditions. For the first module of 2 million tons per year, our estimations were around $2 billion, but that's what we are going to assess with this new consultants. Regarding the liquids business and the potential investment, well, I already talked about, we are working with other partners to go ahead with this project. We think that by the end of the year, we are going to have more news on both projects.
Carlos Almagro (Head of Investor Relations)
His other question is regarding the liquid business performance in the fourth quarter. The international prices for propane butane, natural gasoline, took a hit during the final months of the year. How did TGS manage to realize a higher prices than benchmark prices? I think that is really regarding the premium price, the premium that we collect.
Alejandro Basso (CFO)
Well, we think that prices are quite good right now in the fourth quarter. The difference between, as Carlos said, the difference between the Mont Belvieu prices and our prices are due to the premium that we can negotiate with our clients. These prices, even the fact that these prices are lower than what we have seen in the one year ago, they are very good prices for us. The reason for the higher prices are the premiums. Pre-premiums may vary from $30 per ton up to $80 per ton, depending the market conditions. Okay.
Carlos Almagro (Head of Investor Relations)
Luciano, the same question that Alejandro answered regarding the LNG project. Marina Mertens from Latin Securities. Hi, Marina. She's asking about the status of the tariff adjustment requested by TGS, and when we expect a response, and what is the anticipated increase in tariffs that finally will be granted.
Alejandro Basso (CFO)
Hi, Marina. How are you doing? Well, okay, right now we are expecting the proposal for Rio Nuevo Gas. What we have already talked with Rio Nuevo Gas is about, I can give no assurance about that, but it's about an increase close to 100%, 95%, something like that. We are expecting for the formal notice regarding that. After that, we have to approve that in our role of directors, and then the government has to go ahead with the decree approving this increase, this agreement.
Carlos Almagro (Head of Investor Relations)
The second question is regarding the new, the transitionally, new transitional adjustment after the elections, how we think it will be before the new integral tariff revision?
Alejandro Basso (CFO)
As I have said, the tariffs that are due to TGS right now is more than 200%, 280%. If you consider that inflation in Argentina is going to be around 100% for this year, something like that, the adjustment will be close to that. no, more. It should be close to that, to more than 200. obviously that's what should be reasonable. There are other reasons for the government to go ahead with this adjustment. I don't know, maybe in two tranches or something like that. I might not... I don't think it's going to be in one time adjustment. Maybe in two steps and then the full tariff revision in a year, something like that.
Carlos Almagro (Head of Investor Relations)
The third question, is regarding the operation of the Néstor Kirchner pipeline. If there is any news regarding, how it will define the operator of the first tranche?
Alejandro Basso (CFO)
We don't have any formal new about that. It should be decided in the near future as the pipeline is going to be put in service in next July or something like that. Maybe in a few days, we will have notice about that.
Carlos Almagro (Head of Investor Relations)
Well, last question is regarding our two big projects, if we have any details. I think that we give all the information or the information that we have right now. I don't know if we have. Yes, we have another question from Stephanie Valverde. If the company has closed debt maturities, how do you plan to handle the maturity of the bond in 2025?
Alejandro Basso (CFO)
Hi, Stephanie. well, significant maturity is the bond in 2025. we think that we are going to start the liability management process maybe next year, okay? After the elections. That should be the more reasonable approach.
Carlos Almagro (Head of Investor Relations)
Another question from Luciano regarding the tariff increase, if it will be retroactive to February in 2023.
Alejandro Basso (CFO)
Hi, Luciano. I don't think so. Unfortunately, I don't think that the increase is going to be retroactive. Okay.