RMP Energy Provides Second Quarter 2012 Financial and Operating Results

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Aug. 9, 2012) - RMP Energy Inc. ("RMP" or the "Company") (TSX:RMP) today provided its financial and operating results for the three months ended June 30, 2012. For the second quarter, RMP reported cash flow from operations of $9.6 million ($0.10 per fully-diluted share) on revenue of $17.0 million and average daily production of 4,763 barrels of oil equivalent with a light oil and natural gas liquids weighting of 40%. Detailed financial and operating highlights are as follows:

Financial Highlights		Three Months Ended June 30					,	Six Months Ended June 30					,
(thousands except share and per boe data) (6:1 oil equivalent conversion)		2012		2011		% Change		2012		2011		% Change
Petroleum and natural gas revenue (1)		16,971		10,692		59		36,145		18,804		92
Cash flow from operations (2)		9,644		4,512		114		19,960		8,001		149
	Per share - basic and diluted	0.10		0.06		67		0.21		0.11		91
Net income (loss)		2,678		(8,236	)	(133	)	5,240		117		-
	Per share - basic and diluted	0.03		(0.11	)	(127	)	0.05		-		-
E&D capital expenditures		18,308		7,843		133		37,224		21,801		71
Total capital expenditures		17,686		41,924		(58	)	36,668		55,997		(35	)
Net debt (3) - period end		63,295		12,599		402		63,295		12,599		402
Weighted average basic shares		96,834,196		76,147,439		27		96,741,441		70,995,975		36
Weighted average diluted shares		96,834,196		76,147,439		27		96,741,441		70,995,975		36
Issued and outstanding shares (4)		98,190,855		84,258,652		17		98,190,855		84,258,652		17

Operating Highlights
Average daily production:
	Natural gas (Mcf/d)	17,178		15,153		13		17,519		13,820		27
	Liquids (Oil and NGLs) (bbls/d)	1,900		618		207		1,975		571		246
	Oil equivalent (boe/d)	4,763		3,143		52		4,895		2,874		70
Average sales price(1) :
	Natural gas ($/Mcf)	2.09		4.10		(49	)	2.22		4.06		(45	)
	Liquids (Oil and NGLs) ($/bbl)	79.24		89.60		(12	)	80.91		83.68		(3	)
	Oil equivalent ($/boe)	39.16		37.38		5		40.57		36.15		12
Operating expenses ($/boe)		7.12		10.53		(32	)	7.91		10.14		(22	)
Operating netback (5) ($/boe)		26.69		20.19		32		26.55		19.82		34
Wells drilled: gross (net)		2 (1.4	)	1 (1.0	)	100		7 (6.4	)	6 (4.8	)	17

Notes:

(1)	Petroleum and natural gas revenue and pricing includes realized hedging gains or losses from commodity contract settlements.
(2)	Cash flow from operations or operating cash flow does not have any standardized meaning prescribed by International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). Please refer to the Reader Advisories within.
(3)	Net debt is not a recognized measure under IFRS. Please refer to the Reader Advisories within.
(4)	As of August 9, 2012, common shares outstanding were 98.2 million.
(5)	Operating netback is not a recognized measure under IFRS. Please refer to the Reader Advisories within.

Second Quarter 2012 Financial Commentary

• Second quarter production averaged 4,763 boe/d, with a light oil and NGLs composition of 40%, as compared to an average output level of 3,143 boe/d with a 20% liquids weighting in the second quarter of 2011. Production from the Company's Kaybob field was disrupted during the months of May and June 2012 due to a longer-than-planned maintenance turnaround at a mid-stream-operated gas plant. Additionally, early and prolonged wet spring break-up surface conditions delayed well completion and pump workover operations at Waskahigan.
  

• In the second quarter, the Company incurred net exploration and development capital expenditures of $18.3 million, including the $8.5 million acquisition of a 70% working interest in 12.25 sections (8.6 net) of contiguous undeveloped land, strategically located to the south east of RMP's existing Waskahigan light oil asset base in West Central Alberta. On June 11, 2012, the Company closed the minor disposition of its non-core, low margin Gordondale property for $870 thousand. Disposed production approximated 50 boe/d (60% natural gas weighted) with field operating costs of approximately $45/boe and associated decommissioning and abandonment obligations of approximately $1.0 million.
  

• Petroleum and natural gas revenue for the second quarter amounted to $17.0 million (including a realized oil hedging gain of $311 thousand), of which 81% was derived from crude oil and NGL sales. The Company's basis discount differential to the C$-converted WTI price was high when compared to historical differentials averaging $15.58/bbl for the quarter, as compared to $15.35/bbl in the first quarter of 2012 and $0.33/bbl in the fourth quarter of 2011. Current month discount differentials are approximately $10/bbl for its crude oil.

• Operating expenses on a boe basis decreased 32% to $7.12/boe in the quarter, as compared to the per-unit field expenses of $10.53/boe in the second quarter of 2011.
  

• RMP reported cash flow from operations of $9.6 million ($0.10 per share) for the three months ended June 30, 2012, an increase of 114% (67% per share) from the cash flow from operations for the second quarter of 2011. As a result of the Company's ongoing successful transition to an oil-weighted producer, internal cash flow generating capabilities have increased significantly. Field operating netbacks for the second quarter of 2012 were $26.69/boe, as compared to the $20.19/boe in the second quarter of 2011.
  

• Net debt as of June 30, 2012 was $63.3 million, representing a leverage ratio of 1.6 times annualized second quarter operating cash flow. Effective May 11, 2012, the Company's borrowing limit under its bank credit facility was increased to $90.0 million, facilitating additional financial flexibility and liquidity. RMP is committed to maintaining its strong financial position through continued vigilance on commodity prices and internal cash flow generation in relation to capital investment plans for the balance of this year. Currently drawn bank debt is approximately $62.3 million. Pro forma bank debt, adjusted for the net proceeds from the July 30th announced $10 million flow-through financing, is approximately $53.1 million, (1.4 times annualized second quarter operating cash flow). On June 20, 2012, the Company closed a $2.5 million flow-through common share private placement in respect of Canadian development expenses ("CDE"), pursuant to which 1.54 million shares were issued at $1.62 per share.
  

• Subsequent to the quarter-end, on July 30^th, the Company announced that it entered into a bought-deal equity financing involving the issuance of 4,445,000 flow-through common shares in respect of Canadian exploration expenditures ("CEE") at a price of $2.25 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $10 million. Closing is expected to occur on or about August 21, 2012. This financing is strategic in nature as it provides RMP with funding to advance its oil-directed exploration drilling activities in the Montney formation on some of its recently-acquired lands.

Second Quarter 2012 Operations Update

Waskahigan, West Central Alberta

With typical spring break-up conditions, field drilling and completion activities were muted in the second quarter. The Company drilled a 100% working interest horizontal oil well (5-3-64-23W5) and successfully completed a first-quarter drilled horizontal well (1.0 net) during the second quarter (12-3-64-23W5). In the first half of this year, RMP has drilled a total of six (6.0 net) horizontal wells at Waskahigan and recently drilled its seventh well of the year in July 2012. Pad drilling is providing cost efficiencies for drilling and fracture stimulation. Additionally, lower industry demand for services has resulted in lower costs for drilling rigs and pressure pumping equipment.

The Company has established a core Montney light oil project at Waskahigan, which has the size and scale to drive significant future production and cash flow growth. In this area, RMP has amassed a light oil drilling inventory of approximately 190 locations, with an average working interest of 94%.

RMP's execution of its development drilling program, infrastructure construction and operating cost optimization initiatives have been very successful at Waskahigan. Since the corporate re-structuring in May 2011, the Company has drilled sixteen (16.0 net) Waskahigan horizontal wells with 100% success. Operating costs for the second quarter were $5.40/boe at Waskahigan, a substantial decrease from the operating costs of approximately $12/boe in 2011. With start-up in mid-April 2012 of the Company's water disposal well, field operating costs at Waskahigan are expected to continue to decline.

Production results to-date from the Waskahigan field are encouraging. Since bringing on-stream the 4-36-63-23W5 discovery well in June 2010, RMP has produced and recovered a total of 573 thousand barrels of light oil from the Montney reservoir from a total of twenty (20.0 net) horizontal oil wells (through to June 30, 2012). Field output is tracking the Company's internal type curve expectations, which model an expected ultimate recovery ("EUR") for each well of approximately 160,000 barrels of light oil (220,000 boe).

In the second quarter, the Company kicked-off expansion plans for its Waskahigan oil battery, which will on completion increase oil handling capacity to approximately 6,000 bbls/d from the current capacity of 2,500 bbls/d. RMP's decision to expand its infrastructure at Waskahigan will allow for the: i) future handling of the Company's expanded production base, ii) processing of RMP's trucked-in Ante Creek oil production, and iii) the accommodation of third-party volumes from area operators of which the Company has been receiving numerous capacity enquiries. Battery expansion is anticipated to be fully-completed in the fourth quarter of this year.

Ante Creek, West Central Alberta

On August 3, 2012, the Company brought on-stream its wholly-owned 4-35-66-24W5 Montney oil well at Ante Creek. The well recently produced "flush" production at a restricted rate of approximately 1,300 bbls/d of light oil, or 1,400 boe/d including associated solution gas which is been conserved and processed at an area operator's gas plant. RMP is excited with the resource potential of its six section land block at Ante Creek and its five sections in South Ante Creek. The Company anticipates drilling a second 100% working interest horizontal well by the end of the year off the existing surface lease pad for the 4-35 well and potentially an exploration well on the South Ante Creek acreage. At Ante Creek, the Company has identified an additional 23 drilling locations at 100% working interest, and with success with its exploration location, significantly more locations could be added to the Company's drilling inventory in this area.

The Company's interim condensed consolidated financial statements and associated Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 is available on RMP's website at www.rmpenergyinc.com within "Investors" under "Financials". Additionally, these documents will be filed by the close of business today, on the Company's profile on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval ("SEDAR"). These documents can be retrieved electronically from the SEDAR system by accessing RMP's public filings under "Search for Public Company Documents" within the "Search Database" module at www.sedar.com.

Abbreviations

bbl	barrel		Mcf/d	thousand cubic feet per day
Mbbl	thousand barrels		MMcf/d	million cubic feet per day
bbls/d	barrels per day		Bcf	billion cubic feet
boe	barrels of oil equivalent		psi	pounds per square inch
Mboe	thousand barrels of oil equivalent		kPa	kilopascals
boe/d	barrels of oil equivalent per day		WTI	West Texas Intermediate
NGLs	natural gas liquids		C$	Canadian dollars

Reader Advisories

Any references in this news release to initial and/or final raw test or production rates and/or "flush" production rates are useful in confirming the presence of hydrocarbons, however, such rates are not determinative of the rates at which such wells will commence production and decline thereafter. While encouraging, readers are cautioned not to place reliance on such rates in calculating the aggregate production for the Company.

The information in this news release contains certain forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or our future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "budget", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "approximate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe", "would" and similar expressions. More particularly and without limitation, this new release contains forward looking information relating to: Waskahigan and Ante Creek area drilling inventory, the ongoing transition of RMP to an oil-weighted production company, operating expense reductions, forward market pricing discount for the Company's Waskahigan crude oil grade, Waskahigan well type curve EUR, expected closing of its CEE flow-through financing, pro forma bank indebtedness, the timing of the Company's Waskahigan oil battery expansion, and drilling plans for the Company's Ante Creek area. These statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control, including: the impact of general economic conditions; industry conditions; changes in laws and regulations including the adoption of new environmental laws and regulations and changes in how they are interpreted and enforced; fluctuations in commodity prices and foreign exchange and interest rates; stock market volatility and market valuations; volatility in market prices for oil and natural gas; liabilities inherent in oil and natural gas operations; changes in income tax laws or changes in tax laws and incentive programs relating to the oil and gas industry ; geological, technical, drilling and processing problems and other difficulties in producing petroleum reserves; and obtaining required approvals of regulatory authorities. The Company's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur or, if any of them do, what benefits that the Company will derive from them. The Company's forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

In this news release RMP has adopted a standard for converting thousands of cubic feet ("mcf") of natural gas to barrels of oil equivalent ("boe") of 6 mcf:1 boe. Use of boes may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. The boe rate is based on an energy equivalent conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. Given that the value ratio based on the current price of crude oil as compared to natural gas is significantly different than the energy equivalency of the 6:1 conversion ratio, utilizing the 6:1 conversion ratio may be misleading as an indication of value.

As an indicator of the Company's performance, the term cash flow from operations or operating cash flow contained within this news release should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, cash flow from operating, financing or investing activities, as determined in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). This term is not a recognized measure, does not have a standardized meaning nor is it a financial measure under IFRS. Cash flow from operations is widely accepted as a financial indicator of an exploration and production company's ability to generate cash which is used to internally fund exploration and development activities and to service debt. This measure is widely used by shareholders and investors in the valuation, comparison and investment recommendations of companies within the natural gas and crude oil exploration and production industry. Cash flow from operations, as disclosed within this news release, represents cash flow from operating activities before: expensed corporate acquisition-related costs, decommissioning obligation cash expenditures and changes in non-cash working capital from operating activities. The Company presents cash flow from operations per share whereby per share amounts are calculated consistent with the calculation of earnings per share.

Net debt refers to outstanding bank debt plus working capital deficit or less any working capital surplus (excludes current unrealized amounts pertaining to risk management commodity contracts). Net debt is not a recognized measure under IFRS and does not have a standardized meaning.

Operating netbacks refers to realized wellhead revenue less royalties, operating expenses and transportation costs per barrel of oil equivalent ("boe"). Operating netback is not a recognized measure under IFRS and does not have a standardized meaning.