GeoPark Looks for Equity to Fund Expansion

Chilean-based oil and gas explorer and producer GeoPark is considering an SEC-registered IPO to raise funds for expansion, according to a prospectus. The size and the timing have not been set. GeoPark operates in Chile, Brazil, Colombia and Argentina, and plans to use funds for acquisitions in the first three countries, as well as for organic growth and general corporate purposes. An acquisition in Peru is also a possibility, the company says. The issuer booked $84m in adjusted Ebitda in 1H 2013, up from $70m in 1H 2012, after getting $121m in all of 2012. BTG Pactual, Itau and JPMorgan have been hired to manage. GeoPark hit the bond market in February, raising $300m in 2020 NC4 bonds through the GeoPark Latin America unit.