Range Announces First Quarter Production Results

FORT WORTH, Texas--()--RANGE RESOURCES CORPORATION (NYSE: RRC) today announced first quarter 2012 production results, preliminary realized prices and an update on the Pennsylvania impact fee. First quarter production volumes averaged 655.5 Mmcfe net per day, a 20% increase over the prior-year quarter. Adjusting for the Barnett production sold in April 2011, the production increase would have been 50%. The record production was driven by the continued success of the Company’s drilling program. Production was 78% natural gas, 16% natural gas liquids (NGLs) and 6% crude oil. Year-over-year oil production increased 36%, NGL production rose 20%, while natural gas production increased 19%.

The Company also announced that its preliminary first quarter 2012 commodity price realizations (including the impact of cash-settled hedges and derivative settlements which would correspond to analysts’ estimates) averaged $5.19 per mcfe before deduction of third-party transportation, gathering and compression fees. This represents a 14% decrease from the prior-year quarter. Preliminary first quarter average production and realized prices for each commodity were: natural gas – 512.5 Mmcf per day ($4.01), natural gas liquids – 17,152 barrels per day ($46.20) and crude oil – 6,682 barrels per day ($83.54). Third-party transportation, gathering and compression fees are expected to average $0.68 per mcfe for the first quarter. In prior years, third-party transportation, gathering and compression fees were netted in realized commodity prices. Such amounts were reclassified effective in the fourth quarter of 2011 and are now reported separately. The preliminary first quarter 2012 realized price after the deduction of third-party transportation, gathering and compression fees is expected to average $4.51 per mcfe.

Commenting on the announcement, Jeff Ventura, Range’s President and CEO, said, “First quarter production results reflect the excellent performance by our operating, midstream and marketing teams. As a result, we are well on track to achieve our 2012 production growth target of 30% to 35%. Moreover, with the growth of our oil and NGL production, we are executing on our goal of moving overall liquid production higher in our total production mix for 2012 and beyond.”

Pennsylvania Impact Fee

In February 2012, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania passed a natural gas impact fee. The legislation, which covers essentially all of Range’s Marcellus Shale acreage, imposes an annual fee for a period of fifteen years on each well drilled. The impact fee adjusts yearly based on three factors: age of the well, changes in the Consumer Price Index and the average monthly NYMEX natural gas price. A summary of the legislation and a table showing the annual fee scenarios is posted on Range’s website as a supplemental table.

As a result of the impact fee, Range expects company-wide production taxes to total approximately $13.6 million in the first quarter, or $0.23 per mcfe. In addition, Range will record in the first quarter a onetime expense of approximately $24 million, or $0.40 per mcfe, based on the required retroactive payment for wells drilled in 2011 and previous years. The majority of analysts have excluded the retroactive impact fee payment from their First Call consensus estimates for the quarter. To provide for consistent comparisons, Range plans to exclude the retroactive charge in its non-GAAP adjusted net income and non-GAAP cash flow from operations before changes in working capital.

RANGE RESOURCES CORPORATION (NYSE: RRC) is a leading independent oil and natural gas producer with operations focused in Appalachia and the southwest region of the United States. The Company pursues an organic growth strategy targeting high return, low-cost projects within its large inventory of low risk, development drilling opportunities. The Company is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. More information about Range can be found at http://www.rangeresources.com/ and http://www.myrangeresources.com/.

Except for historical information, statements made in this release such as projected production targets, realized prices subject to audit review and finalization of retroactive impact fee amounts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on assumptions and estimates that management believes are reasonable based on currently available information; however, management’s assumptions and Range’s future performance are subject to a wide range of business risks and uncertainties and there is no assurance that these goals and projections can or will be met. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the volatility of oil and gas prices, the results of our hedging transactions, the costs and results of drilling and operations, the timing of production, mechanical and other inherent risks associated with oil and gas production, weather, the availability of drilling equipment, changes in interest rates, litigation, uncertainties about reserve estimates and environmental risks. Range undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. Further information on risks and uncertainties is available in Range’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which are incorporated by reference. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, available from our website at www.rangeresources.com or by written request to 100 Throckmorton Street, Suite 1200, Fort Worth, Texas 76102. You can also obtain this Form 10-K by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.

Contacts

Range Resources Corporation
Investor Contacts:
Rodney Waller, 817-869-4258
Senior Vice President
or
David Amend, 817-869-4266
Investor Relations Manager
or
Laith Sando, 817-869-4267
Senior Financial Analyst
or
Media Contact:
Matt Pitzarella, 724-873-3224
Director of Corporate Communications
www.rangeresources.com

Contacts

Range Resources Corporation
Investor Contacts:
Rodney Waller, 817-869-4258
Senior Vice President
or
David Amend, 817-869-4266
Investor Relations Manager
or
Laith Sando, 817-869-4267
Senior Financial Analyst
or
Media Contact:
Matt Pitzarella, 724-873-3224
Director of Corporate Communications
www.rangeresources.com