Tellurian has appointed Simon Oxley as its new CFO. He replaces Kian Granmayeh, who resigned in March to become the CFO at Carriage Services, another Houston company. Khaled Sharafeldin, who was interim CFO, reverts back to previous role of Chief Accounting Officer.
Tellurian is trying to build an LNG export plant in Driftwood, Louisiana and needs about $13 billion in financing to do so. It had agreements in place last year with Shell and Vitol for each to buy 3 million metric tons a year. Those deals fell apart. It’s only deal currently is a similar-sized deal with Gunvor. However, Gunvor can walk away anytime as Tellurian missed a February deadline to secure financing.
It seems that higher interest rates and the tightening credit markets are causing the banks to push for more equity funding in the project. Tellurian has said it is seeking equity partners willing to invest about $2 billion to $2.5 billion.
Mr. Oxley is based in London and is the Managing Director and Co-Head of Oil & Gas Investment Banking for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Barclays Investment Bank. In that role, he led a number of liquified natural gas (LNG) related transactions. That experience will be invaluable for Tellurian. Mr. Oxley has a Chemical Engineering degree from Edinburgh University.
Mr. Oxley will receive a base salary of $525,000. He also receives 200,000 shares of common stock (current trading price $1.32). He will also receive a grant of 200,000 shares of restricted stock that will vest upon a final investment decision for Driftwood.
It’s not clear whether Mr. Oxley will relocate to Houston. I guess he will remain in London in the short term as the company has upcoming deadlines. Last month, Tellurian said it entered into a binding letter of intent (sounds like an oxymoron) with an unnamed institutional investor for the sale and leaseback of 800 acres at Driftwood for $1 billion. However, the deal is contingent on Tellurian securing financing commitments for Phase 1 by July 14.
The land at Driftwood was bought for $52 million and construction-in-progress was $351 million at March 31, 2023. So it’s understanding that the sale-leaseback is contingent on the project getting financed.