UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 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 2, 2006

 

FOREST OIL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

New York

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

 

1-13515

 

25-0484900

(Commission File Number)

 

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

 

 

 

707 17th Street, Suite 3600, Denver, Colorado

 

80202

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

303.812.1400

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

(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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

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))

 



 

Item 2.01.              Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

 

        On March 2, 2006, Forest Oil Corporation (“Forest”) completed the spin-off of its offshore Gulf of Mexico operations by means of a special stock dividend, which consisted of a pro rata spin-off (the “Spin-off”) of all outstanding shares of Forest Energy Resources, Inc. (“FERI”), a total of 50,637,010 shares of common stock, to holders of record of Forest common stock, par value $.10 per share, as of the close of business on February 21, 2006. Immediately following the Spin-off, FERI was merged with a subsidiary of Mariner Energy, Inc. (“Mariner”) in a stock for stock transaction (the “Merger”). Mariner commenced trading on the New York Stock Exchange on March 3, 2006.

 

        The Spin-off was completed without the payment of consideration by Forest shareholders and consisted of a special stock dividend of 0.8093 shares of FERI for each outstanding share of Forest common stock. The Merger was also completed without the payment of consideration and was accomplished by the exchange of all issued and outstanding shares of FERI for shares of common stock of Mariner, with each whole share of FERI exchanged for one share of Mariner common stock. No fractional shares were issued. Instead, Forest shareholders will receive a cash distribution in lieu of any fractional shares of Mariner common stock. The exchange of FERI and Mariner shares was effected through book-entry, without the exchange of physical certificates.

 

        The Spin-off is intended to be a tax-free transaction for federal income tax purposes. Prior to the Merger, as part of the Spin-off, FERI paid Forest an initial cash amount equal to $176,102,000. The cash amount is subject to further adjustment.

 

        Immediately upon completion of the Merger, approximately 58% of the Mariner common stock was held by Forest shareholders and approximately 42% of the Mariner common stock was held by the pre-Merger stockholders of Mariner. In connection with the Merger, Mariner and Forest agreed that the size of the Mariner board of directors would be increased from five members to seven members. The board will include five of the directors elected by the stockholders of Mariner prior to the completion of the Merger, including the directors elected at the annual meeting of stockholders held on March 2, 2006 at which the Merger was approved and two directors mutually agreed between Forest and Mariner. Pursuant to this agreement, the size of the Mariner board was increased to six and H. Clayton Peterson was elected to serve as a director of Mariner immediately following the Merger. On or prior to March 31, 2006, the size of the Mariner board will be increased to seven and the additional director mutually agreed by Forest and Mariner will be added. As of March 8, 2006, Forest and Mariner had not yet determined the remaining director nominee. Also, pursuant to the terms of a transition services agreement, Forest will provide FERI and Mariner with certain transition services as may be requested for a period ending on September 30, 2006. Except for the Merger transaction and transactions contemplated by the Merger and related transaction documents, Forest and Mariner have not had any material relationship.

 

2



 

Item 7.01.              Regulation FD Disclosure.

 

        On March 2, 2006, Forest and Mariner jointly announced the completion of the Spin-off and Merger transactions. A copy of the press release is attached to this report as Exhibit 99.1. The information furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 in this report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or otherwise subject to liabilities of that section.

 

Item 9.01.              Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

        (b)   Pro forma financial information.

 

        Unaudited pro forma financial information of Forest Oil Corporation to give effect to the Spin-off of its offshore Gulf of Mexico operations is included in this report at pages 4 through 7.

 

                  Statement of Operations for Nine Months Ended September 30, 2005

                  Statement of Operations for Year Ended December 31, 2004

                  Balance Sheet as of September 30, 2005

 

        (d)   Exhibits.

 

Exhibit

 

Description

 

 

 

99.1

 

Forest Oil Corporation press release dated March 2, 2006, entitled “Forest Oil and Mariner Energy Complete Spin-off and Merger of Forest’s Offshore Gulf of Mexico Operations with Mariner.”

 

3



 

FOREST OIL CORPORATION

Introduction to the Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

 

The following unaudited pro forma consolidated financial statements of Forest Oil Corporation (“Forest”) adjust the historical financial statements of Forest for the spin-off of Forest Energy Resources, Inc. (“FERI”), Forest’s wholly-owned subsidiary that held its offshore Gulf of Mexico operations, herein after referred to as the Spin-off. The Spin-off was completed on March 2, 2006 by means of a special stock dividend, which consisted of a pro rata spin-off of all outstanding shares of FERI, a total of 50,637,010 shares of common stock, to all holders of record of Forest common stock on February 21, 2006. Immediately following the Spin-off, FERI was merged with a subsidiary of Mariner Energy, Inc. in a stock for stock transaction.

 

The historical financial information of Forest set forth below has been derived from the historical audited and unaudited consolidated financial statements of Forest included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 and the Quarterly Report filed on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2005. The unaudited pro forma consolidated balance sheet was prepared as if the transaction occurred as of September 30, 2005. The unaudited pro forma consolidated statements of income were prepared as if the transaction occurred as of January 1, 2004.

 

The unaudited pro forma statements presented do not purport to represent what the results of operations or financial position of Forest would actually have been had the transaction occurred on the dates noted above, or to project the results of operations or financial position of Forest for any future periods. The pro forma adjustments are based on available information and certain assumptions that management believes are reasonable. The adjustments are directly attributable to the transaction and are expected to have a continuing impact on the financial position and results of operations of Forest. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary to present fairly the unaudited pro forma financial information have been made.

 

The unaudited pro forma consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and the historical financial statements and related notes thereto of Forest included in the 2004 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Quarterly Report filed on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2005.

 

4



 

FOREST OIL CORPORATION

Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2005

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

 

 

Historical

 

Pro Forma Adjustments

 

Pro Forma

 

Revenue:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oil and gas sales:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural gas

 

$

470,711

 

(249,097

)(a)

221,614

 

Oil, condensate, and natural gas liquids

 

323,664

 

(77,625

)(a)

246,039

 

Total oil and gas sales

 

794,375

 

(326,722

)

467,653

 

Marketing, processing, and other

 

5,207

 

 

5,207

 

Total revenue

 

799,582

 

(326,722

)

472,860

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lease operating expenses

 

145,219

 

(57,431

)(a)

87,788

 

Production and property taxes

 

31,358

 

(1,948

)(a)

29,410

 

Transportation costs

 

14,352

 

(2,484

)(a)

11,868

 

General and administrative

 

31,694

 

(1,339

)(b)

30,355

 

Depreciation and depletion

 

284,554

 

(132,681

)(c)

151,873

 

Accretion of asset retirement obligations

 

12,951

 

(9,227

)(d)

3,724

 

Impairment and other

 

6,926

 

(3,580

)

3,346

 

Total operating expenses

 

527,054

 

(208,690

)

318,364

 

Earnings from operations

 

272,528

 

(118,032

)

154,496

 

Other income and expense:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

46,224

 

(5,025

)(e)

41,199

 

Unrealized losses on derivative instruments, net

 

74,365

 

(37,294

)(f)

37,071

 

Other expense, net

 

3,971

 

(505

)

3,466

 

Total other income and expense

 

124,560

 

(42,824

)

81,736

 

Earnings before income taxes

 

147,968

 

(75,208

)

72,760

 

Income tax expense

 

53,631

 

(26,503

)(g)

27,128

 

Net earnings

 

$

94,337

 

(48,705

)

45,632

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic earnings per common share

 

$

1.54

 

 

 

 

$

.75

 

Diluted earnings per common share

 

$

1.50

 

 

 

 

$

.73

 

 


(a)          To eliminate the revenues and direct operating expenses of FERI.

(b)         To eliminate the salaries and other direct general and administrative expenses attributable to FERI. The pro forma adjustment includes only general and administrative costs directly related to Forest’s offshore Gulf of Mexico operations. Accordingly, no reductions were assumed for general corporate overhead costs, such as indirect personnel costs, professional services, cost of public ownership, insurance and accounting which Forest expects will occur subsequent to the Spin-off.

(c)          To adjust depreciation and depletion to give effect to the reduction in Forest’s consolidated full cost pool and a reduction in production volumes.

(d)         To eliminate accretion expense attributable to asset retirement obligations associated with properties of FERI.

(e)          To adjust interest expense to give effect to the repayment of a portion of Forest’s outstanding credit facilities using the approximate $200 million in proceeds received from FERI at the time of the Spin-off.

(f)            To adjust for the changes in the fair value of derivative instruments that did not qualify for cash flow hedge accounting treatment, but which were designated as economic hedges of FERI’s oil and gas production.

(g)         To adjust income tax expense for the effects of the pro forma adjustments based on the federal statutory tax rate of 35%.

 

5



 

 

FOREST OIL CORPORATION

Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

Year Ended December 31, 2004

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

 

 

 

Historical

 

Pro Forma Adjustments

 

Pro Forma

 

Revenue:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oil and gas sales:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural gas

 

$

573,342

 

(353,929

)(a)

219,413

 

Oil, condensate, and natural gas liquids

 

336,438

 

(99,210

)(a)

237,228

 

Total oil and gas sales

 

909,780

 

(453,139

)

456,641

 

Marketing, processing, and other

 

3,118

 

 

3,118

 

Total revenue

 

912,898

 

(453,139

)

459,759

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lease operating expenses

 

189,161

 

(80,079

)(a)

109,082

 

Production and property taxes

 

32,241

 

(1,548

)(a)

30,693

 

Transportation costs

 

16,792

 

(2,175

)(a)

14,617

 

General and administrative

 

32,145

 

(1,249

)(b)

30,896

 

Depreciation and depletion

 

354,092

 

(184,628

)(c)

169,464

 

Accretion of asset retirement obligations

 

17,251

 

(12,551

)(d)

4,700

 

Impairment and other

 

12,929

 

(4,148

)

8,781

 

Total operating expenses

 

654,611

 

(286,378

)

368,233

 

Earnings from operations

 

258,287

 

(166,761

)

91,526

 

Other income and expense:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

57,844

 

(4,698

)(e)

53,146

 

Unrealized loss on derivative instruments, net

 

1,088

 

(870

)(f)

218

 

Other income, net

 

(2,515

)

143

 

(2,372

)

Total other income and expense

 

56,417

 

(5,425

)

50,992

 

Earnings before income taxes and discontinued operations

 

201,870

 

(161,336

)

40,534

 

Income tax expense

 

78,744

 

(57,048

)(g)

21,696

 

Net earnings from continuing operations

 

$

123,126

 

(104,288

)

18,838

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic earnings per common share from continuing operations

 

$

2.16

 

 

 

 

$

.33

 

Diluted earnings per common share from continuing operations

 

$

2.12

 

 

 

 

$

.32

 

 


(a)          To eliminate the revenues and direct operating expenses of FERI.

(b)         To eliminate the salaries and other direct general and administrative expenses attributable to FERI. The pro forma adjustment includes only general and administrative costs directly related to Forest’s offshore Gulf of Mexico operations. Accordingly, no reductions were assumed for general corporate overhead costs, such as indirect personnel costs, professional services, cost of public ownership, insurance and accounting which Forest expects will occur subsequent to the Spin-off.

(c)          To adjust depreciation and depletion to give effect to the reduction in Forest’s consolidated full cost pool based using the units-of-production method.

(d)         To eliminate accretion expense attributable to asset retirement obligations associated with properties of FERI.

(e)          To adjust interest expense to give effect to the repayment of a portion of Forest’s outstanding credit facilities using the approximate $200 million in proceeds received from FERI at the time of the Spin-off.

(f)            To adjust for ineffectiveness measured on derivative instruments which were designated as cash flow hedges of FERI’s oil and gas production.

(g)         To adjust income tax expense for the effects of the pro forma adjustments based on the federal statutory tax rate of 35%.

 

6



 

FOREST OIL CORPORATION

Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet

September 30, 2005

(In thousands)

 

 

 

Historical

 

Pro Forma
Adjustments

 

Pro Forma

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

6,589

 

48,000

 (a) 

54,589

 

Accounts receivable

 

161,372

 

(42,709

)(b)

118,663

 

Deferred tax asset

 

125,298

 

(39,257

)(c)

86,041

 

Other current assets

 

32,601

 

(7,170

)(b)

25,431

 

Total current assets

 

325,860

 

(41,136

)

284,724

 

Property and equipment, at cost:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oil and gas properties, full cost method of accounting:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proved, net of accumulated depletion

 

2,781,577

 

(1,007,876

)(b)

1,773,701

 

Unproved

 

299,050

 

(38,450

)(b)

260,600

 

Net oil and gas properties

 

3,080,627

 

(1,046,326

)

2,034,301

 

Other property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization

 

24,774

 

(279

)(b)

24,495

 

Net property and equipment

 

3,105,401

 

(1,046,605

)

2,058,796

 

Goodwill

 

101,590

 

(8,742

)(b)

92,848

 

Other assets

 

39,845

 

(9,017

)(b)

30,828

 

 

 

$

3,572,696

 

(1,105,500

2,467,196

 

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

 

$

263,007

 

(67,819

)(b)

195,188

 

Derivative instruments

 

290,413

 

(108,031

)(c)

182,382

 

Asset retirement obligations

 

34,733

 

(30,362

)(b)

4,371

 

Total current liabilities

 

588,153

 

(206,212

)

381,941

 

Long-term debt

 

851,480

 

(152,000

)(a)

699,480

 

Asset retirement obligations

 

177,116

 

(116,203

)(b)

60,913

 

Derivative instruments

 

42,832

 

(17,203

)(c)

25,629

 

Other liabilities

 

41,299

 

(2,042

)(b)

39,257

 

Deferred income taxes

 

344,514

 

(188,173

)(b)

156,341

 

Total liabilities

 

2,045,394

 

(681,833

)

1,363,561

 

Shareholders’ equity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock, 63,981 shares issued and outstanding

 

6,398

 

 

6,398

 

Capital surplus

 

1,498,191

 

(327,386

)

1,170,805

 

Retained earnings

 

160,331

 

(160,331

)

 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 

(86,715

)

64,050

(c)

(22,665

)

Treasury stock, at cost, 1,891 shares held

 

(50,903

)

 

(50,903

)

Total shareholders’ equity

 

1,527,302

 

(423,667

)

1,103,635

 

 

 

$

3,572,696

 

(1,105,500

)

2,467,196

 

 


(a)          To adjust for the receipt of the approximate $200 million in cash received from FERI at closing which was used to pay off outstanding balances on Forest’s credit facilities ($152 million) with the excess of $48 million reflected as an adjustment to Forest’s cash balance.

(b)         To eliminate the assets and liabilities attributable to Forest’s Offshore Gulf of Mexico operations. The pro forma adjustment to proved oil and gas properties is based on the relative fair value of the proved properties included in the Spin-off to the fair value of all of Forest’s proved properties.

(c)          To eliminate the effects of derivative instruments assigned to FERI.

 

7



 

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.

 

 

FOREST OIL CORPORATION

 

(Registrant)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dated: March 8, 2006

By

/s/ CYRUS D. MARTER IV

 

 

Cyrus D. Marter IV

 

 

Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

 

8



 

INDEX TO EXHIBITS FILED WITH THE CURRENT REPORT ON FORM 8-K

 

Exhibit

 

Description

 

 

 

99.1

 

Forest Oil Corporation press release dated March 2, 2006, entitled “Forest Oil and Mariner Energy Complete Spin-off and Merger of Forest’s Offshore Gulf of Mexico Operations with Mariner.”

 

9