EnerVest Announces Sale of Eagle Ford and Austin Chalk Assets for $2.66 Billion to TPG Pace Energy Holdings

EnerVest and TPG Pace Energy to form Magnolia Oil and Gas Corporation


HOUSTON, March 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EnerVest, Ltd., on behalf of certain institutional partnerships, announced today it has entered into definitive agreements to sell its Eagle Ford and Austin Chalk assets to TPG Pace Energy Holdings (“TPGE”) (NYSE:TPGE) (NYSE:TPGE.U) (NYSE:TPGE.WS), an energy-focused special purpose acquisition entity led by former Occidental Petroleum Corporation CEO Steve Chazen, for approximately $2.66 billion in cash and stock. As part of the transaction, TPGE and EnerVest are partnering to create Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (“Magnolia”), a new company led by Chazen who will serve as Magnolia’s full-time Chairman, President and CEO. The transaction is expected to close late in the second quarter of 2018.

EnerVest Operating, L.L.C., will continue to operate the assets under a long-term arrangement, and EnerVest, Ltd., will provide certain additional corporate services to MagnoliaUpon closing, Magnolia will trade on the NYSE under a new ticker, and EnerVest will receive approximately $1.2 billion in cash and will retain roughly 120 million shares of common stock.

“EnerVest’s strategy always has been to optimize returns for our investors and to leverage the strengths of our operating company to advance that strategy,” said John B. Walker, EnerVest founder and CEO.  “I have known Steve for more than 20 years and I cannot think of a better executive to lead Magnolia. The playbook he perfected at OXY is a great match for the outstanding acreage we have assembled in South Texas over the last 10 years.  All of us at EnerVest look forward to partnering with Steve as he builds Magnolia going forward.”

“In creating Magnolia, we have a unique opportunity to build a new company anchored by what we consider to be some of the highest quality oil producing acreage in the country,” said Chazen.  “We believe Magnolia’s acreage in Karnes County has some of the best economics in the United States and, when coupled with the upside in the Giddings Field, is a great fit with our criteria.  Our objective is to maximize shareholder returns by generating steady production growth, strong pre-tax margins in excess of industry norms and significant free cash flow.  Assuming  moderate commodity prices, we  plan to invest less than 60% of cash flow to fund a drilling program that consistently delivers more than 10% annual production growth.  I look forward to leading this rigorous capital allocation process at Magnolia for the benefit of our shareholders and employees.”

About EnerVest
Houston-based EnerVest, founded in 1992, acquires, develops and operates oil and gas fields in 14 states on behalf of its investors.  More information about EnerVest is available at www.enervest.net.

About Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation
Following completion of the transaction, Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation will be a publicly traded oil and gas exploration and production company with South Texas operations in the core of the Eagle Ford. Magnolia will focus on generating value for shareholders through steady production growth and free cash flow. For more information, visit www.magnoliaoilgas.com.

About TPG Pace Group and TPG Pace Energy Holdings
TPG Pace Group is TPG’s dedicated permanent capital platform. Led by TPG partner Karl Peterson, the platform was created in 2015 with the objective of sponsoring special purpose acquisition companies and other permanent capital solutions for companies. TPG Pace Group has a long-term, patient, and highly flexible investor base, allowing it to seek compelling opportunities that will thrive in the public markets with its sponsorship. TPG Pace Group has sponsored three SPACs and has raised roughly $2 billion since 2015. The first of these vehicles was used to sponsor the public listing of Playa Hotels and Resorts in March of 2017 (NASDAQ:PLYA).

TPG Pace Holdings (NYSE:TPGH) (NYSE:TPGH.U) (NYSE:TPGH.WS) raised $450 million in its June 2017, IPO and is currently seeking targets for a business combination that are suited to generate strong returns in a public market environment while benefitting from the broader operational knowledge, resources and private equity heritage of its team and TPG. For more information, visit www.tpg.com/tpg-pace-holdings.

TPG Pace Energy Holdings Corp.  is a $650 million special purpose acquisition company formed by TPG Pace Group and Oxy Veteran Steve Chazen that went public on the NYSE in May of 2017. TPGE was formed with the intent to build a large scale, focused oil and gas business with a meaningful production base, strong free cash flow and a disciplined financial return philosophy. Following its IPO, TPGE began its search for attractive assets that would fit with Chazen’s operating approach and succeed as a public company with low leverage. For more information, visit www.tpg.com/pace-energy.

Advisors
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC acted as financial advisor to TPGE, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Goldman, Sachs & Co. acted as capital markets advisors to TPGE; Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. acted as legal counsel to TPGE.  Citigroup acted as financial advisor and capital markets advisor to EnerVest; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP acted as legal counsel to EnerVest.

Forward-Looking Statements
The information in this press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this press release, regarding the proposed acquisition discussed herein, TPGE’s ability to consummate the transaction, the benefits of the transaction and Magnolia’s future financial performance following the transaction, as well as Magnolia’s strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues, and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward looking statements. When used in this press release, the words “could,” “should,” “will,” “may,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” the negative of such terms and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions about future events and are based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, TPGE and Magnolia disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release. TPGE cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of TPGE, incident to the development, production, gathering and sale of oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. In addition, TPGE cautions you that the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are subject to the following factors: (i) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could delay the business combination or give rise to the termination of the agreements related thereto; (ii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against TPGE following announcement of the transactions; (iii) the inability to complete the business combination due to the failure to obtain approval of the shareholders of TPGE, or other conditions to closing in the transaction agreement; (iv) the risk that the proposed business combination disrupts TPGE’s current plans and operations as a result of the announcement of the transactions; (v) Magnolia’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the business combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition and the ability of Magnolia to grow and manage growth profitably following the business combination; (vi) costs related to the business combination; (vii) changes in applicable laws or regulations; and (viii) the possibility that Magnolia may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this press release, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and plans could different materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact the operations and projections discussed herein can be found in TPGE’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. TPGE's SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

No Offer or Solicitation
This press release is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities pursuant to the proposed business combination or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act.

Important Information for Investors and Shareholders
In connection with the proposed business combination, TPGE intends to file a proxy statement with the SEC. The definitive proxy statement and other relevant documents will be sent or given to the shareholders of TPGE and will contain important information about the proposed business combination and related matters. TPGE shareholders and other interested persons are advised to read, when available, the proxy statement in connection with TPGE’s solicitation of proxies for the meeting of shareholders to be held to approve the business combination because the proxy statement will contain important information about the proposed business combination. When available, the definitive proxy statement will be mailed to TPGE shareholders as of a record date to be established for voting on the business combination. Shareholders will also be able to obtain copies of the proxy statement, without charge, once available, at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, shareholders will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement by directing a request to: TPG Pace Energy Holdings Corp., 301 Commerce Street, Suite 3300, Fort Worth, Texas 76102, email: media@mgyoil.com, Attn: Mike Gehrig. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, the websites referenced in this press release is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this press release.

Participants in the Solicitation
TPGE, EnerVest and their respective directors and officers may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies of TPGE’s shareholders in connection with the proposed business combination. TPGE shareholders and other interested persons may obtain, without charge, more detailed information regarding the directors and officers of TPGE in TPGE’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 initially filed with the SEC on April 17, 2017. Additional information will be available in the definitive proxy statement when it becomes available.

For EnerVest
Ron Whitmire
713 495-6525
Rwhitmire@enervest.net

For Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation
Mike Gehrig
713 627-2223
media@mgyoil.com

For TPGE

Luke Barrett
415 743-1550
media@tpg.com