QEP Resources Reports Third Quarter 2012 Financial and Operational Results

QEP Resources Reports Third Quarter 2012 Financial and Operational Results

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- QEP Resources, Inc. (NYS: QEP) reported Adjusted EBITDA (a non-GAAP measure) for the third quarter 2012 of $328.7 million, compared to $353.7 million in the third quarter 2011, a 7% decrease. QEP Resources reported a net loss during the third quarter 2012 of $3.1 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, compared to net income of $101.5 million, or $0.57 per diluted share, in the third quarter 2011. Net income includes non-cash gains and losses associated with the change in the fair value of derivative instruments, gains and losses from asset sales, costs associated with the early extinguishment of debt and non-cash price-related impairment charges. Excluding these items, the Company's Adjusted Net Income (a non-GAAP measure) was $32.7 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, in the third quarter 2012 compared to $83.6 million, or $0.47 per diluted share, in the third quarter 2011. The lower Adjusted Net Income is primarily due to lower natural gas and NGL prices in the third quarter 2012 compared to 2011. A reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income to net income is provided within the financial tables of this release.

Third Quarter 2012 Highlights

• On September 27, 2012, QEP Energy completed the previously announced acquisition of approximately 27,600 net acres and 72 gross producing wells in the Williston Basin for an aggregate adjusted purchase price of approximately $1.4 billion, subject to post closing adjustments.

• QEP Energy reported record net production of 81.5 Bcfe in the third quarter 2012, an increase of 15% when compared to the prior-year period. The growth was driven primarily by increased crude oil and NGL production.

• QEP Energy delivered a 56% increase in crude oil production and a 55% increase in NGL production in the third quarter 2012, when compared to the prior-year period.

• QEP Field Services' (Field Services) NGL sales volumes increased by 3%, gathering volumes by 2% and total fee-based processing volumes by 2% in the third quarter 2012 compared to 2011.

"QEP achieved a number of significant accomplishments in the third quarter of 2012," said Chuck Stanley, Chairman, President and CEO of QEP Resources. "QEP Energy's third quarter production increased to a new record, up 15% compared to last year. The record production was driven by an increase in crude oil and NGL volumes that were both up over 50% from a year ago. Crude oil and NGL represented 21% of QEP Energy's total production volumes in the third quarter, up from 15% a year ago."

Crude oil and NGL revenues increased to 48% of field-level revenues in the third quarter of 2012 from 32% in the third quarter of 2011.

"With the successful completion of our previously announced Bakken/Three Forks property acquisition in North Dakota's Williston Basin, combined with an aggressive capital allocation focus on higher-return crude oil and liquids-rich gas plays, we now have a solid platform to drive continued growth of crude oil production next year and beyond," continued Stanley. "At QEP Field Services, processing, gathering and NGL sales volumes all increased, but financial performance was adversely impacted by lower NGL sales prices that compressed keep-whole gas processing margins. As we described in our August conference call announcing the North Dakota property acquisition, we continue to examine various deleveraging options and are pleased with our progress toward determining a course of action."

QEP Energy

• Natural gas, crude oil and NGL net production increased to 81.5 Bcfe in the third quarter 2012 compared to 70.7 Bcfe in 2011. Crude oil production increased 56%, NGL production increased 55%, and natural gas production increased 8% in the third quarter 2012 compared to 2011.

• Adjusted EBITDA decreased 2% compared to the third quarter 2011, driven by a 16% decrease in the net realized price for natural gas and 23% decrease in the net realized price for NGL, mostly offset by a 15% increase in production.

• Crude oil and NGL revenues increased 39% compared to the third quarter 2011 and represented approximately 48% of field-level production revenues.

• Capital investment (on an accrual basis) in the first nine months of 2012 was $2.4 billion. Investments included $990.7 million in drilling, completion and other expenditures (including $0.1 million of dry hole exploration expense) and $1.4 billion in property acquisitions.

• The slides for the third quarter 2012 with maps and other supporting materials referred to in this release are posted on the Company's website www.qepres.com.

QEP Field Services

• QEP Field Services' Adjusted EBITDA decreased 20% in the third quarter 2012 compared to the prior-year period, primarily due to a 32% decrease in net realized NGL prices, and a 52% decrease in other gathering revenue related to the elimination of a third-party interruptible processing agreement for certain gas volumes in the Northern Region, partially offset by a 3% increase in NGL sale volumes.

• Capital investment (on an accrual basis) for the first nine months of 2012 totaled $141.2 million.

QEP Resources

• The Company issued $650 million of 5.25% Senior Notes due May 2023. The proceeds from the Senior Notes were used to fund a portion of the third quarter property acquisition in North Dakota.

QEP 2012 & 2013 Guidance

QEP Resources has revised its full-year 2012 guidance for commodity prices and provided initial 2013 guidance. The Company's guidance incorporates commodity price derivative positions in place on the date of this release and other assumptions summarized in the table below:

"Following the completion of our North Dakota property acquisition, we expect 2013 will be a year of dramatic change in QEP's production mix," continued Stanley. "With over half of our 2013 capital investment going toward developing the Bakken and Three Forks formations, we expect our crude oil and NGL production to increase approximately 70% and 33%, respectively, over 2012 levels and represent approximately 31% of total 2013 forecast production. Even with this significant increase in liquids production, we expect modest overall production growth in 2013. Our discipline in capital allocation will lead to a minimal level of spending in the Haynesville causing production in that area to decline approximately 30% year-over-year in 2013, negatively impacting both QEP Energy and QEP Field Services. While the increase in natural gas prices seen in the futures curve is expected to be a positive development for QEP Energy, the associated increased shrink cost will have a negative impact on Field Services' profitability. Despite the expected startup of the Iron Horse II plant and the expansion of the fractionator at Blacks Fork, we anticipate Field Services operating income will decline in 2013. While we expect modest overall production growth and market headwinds in Field Services, higher margin oil growth is expected to propel mid-teens growth in Adjusted EBITDA for QEP Resources in 2013; furthermore, we expect this trend to continue into 2014, and at current forward prices for natural gas, oil and NGL's, we anticipate EBITDA could grow approximately 20% in 2014 from the midpoint of 2013 guidance on production growth of approximately 10%. We estimate 2014 oil and NGL production will represent approximately 41% of total 2014 forecast production, almost double the 2012 percentage."

Operations Summary

QEP Energy

Williston Basin:Continued growth in crude oil production on 117,000 acre Bakken/Three Forks leasehold

On September 27, 2012, QEP closed on the previously announced acquisition of 27,600 net acres of producing leasehold in McKenzie and Williams Counties, North Dakota. Going forward, this area will be referred to as South Antelope. Including the recently acquired property, at the end of the third quarter the Company operated 73 producing wells, including 36 Bakken wells, 36 Three Forks Formation wells and 1 dual lateral producing from both the Bakken and Three Forks Formations. In addition, the Company has a working interest in 177 producing outside-operated wells. During the quarter, the company completed and turned to sales five operated wells in which QEP owned an average working interest of 99%.

During the third quarter 2012, and excluding the acquired property, QEP's Bakken/Three Forks net production averaged 6,748 Boe/day. The net production from the acquired properties averaged an additional approximate 8,600 Boe/day at the time of closing.

At the end of the third quarter, QEP had 12 operated wells being drilled (including seven wells at intermediate casing) and 9 QEP-operated wells that had been drilled to total depth, cased and were waiting on completion. QEP has an average 83% working interest in these operated wells that were drilling or waiting on completion. Completion activities for all wells drilled from a pad (or a well-pod on a pad) are delayed until all wells have been drilled and cased. At the end of the third quarter, the Company also had interests in 15 outside-operated wells being drilled and 17 outside-operated wells that were drilled and cased and waiting on completion. The Company's working interest in these outside-operated wells averages approximately 4%.

The Company currently has five rigs operating in the Bakken/Three Forks play (two in the South Antelope Area and three within the Fort Berthold Reservation). QEP currently estimates that completed well costs for a typical QEP-operated long-lateral Bakken or Three Forks well will average approximately $11 million for the balance of 2012.

Slides 5-7 depict QEP's acreage and activity in the Bakken/Three Forks play.

Pinedale Anticline:Approximately 100 new well completions expected for the full-year 2012

During the third quarter 2012, the Company's net production at Pinedale averaged 304 MMcfed, of which 22% was oil and NGL.

Drilling and completion efficiencies have allowed QEP to maintain industry-leading average gross completed well costs of approximately $4.1 million per well at Pinedale. Average drill time from spud to total depth during the first nine months of 2012 was 13.2 days. A new QEP drill time record of 8.6 days was set during the third quarter 2012, beating the previous record by more than a day.

QEP suspends Pinedale completion operations during the coldest months of the winter, generally from December to mid-March. In 2012, completion operations resumed in early March, and through the end of the third quarter QEP had completed and turned to sales 86 new wells (average working interest of 73%) and there were 44 wells that have been drilled and cased awaiting completion. The Company now expects to complete a total of approximately 100 wells during 2012.

Please refer to slide 8 for additional details on the Company's Pinedale operations.

Uinta Basin:Continued development drilling in the liquids-rich Lower Mesaverde Play

During the third quarter 2012, Uinta Basin production averaged 70 MMcfed of which 25 MMcfed was from the Lower Mesaverde play. QEP has two operated rigs drilling vertical wells targeting liquids-rich gas in stacked discontinuous sands in the Lower Mesaverde Formation.

QEP is continuing construction of two "Pinedale-style" multi-well pads in the play and plans to initially drill 20-acre density development wells from an average of two pads per square mile. The pads and wellbore geometries will be designed to allow for future 10-acre density development wells. Average measured depth for a typical Lower Mesaverde well in the play is approximately 11,000 feet.

At the end of the third quarter, the Company had 49 producing wells in the play, 29 of which were completed during 2012. QEP intends to complete approximately 40 wells in the play during 2012. QEP has a 100% working interest in the prospective acreage within the Red Wash Unit.

QEP is also operating a third rig in the Uinta Basin that is drilling horizontal and vertical wells targeting multiple oil-bearing limestone and sandstone reservoirs within the lower Green River Formation, at an average drill depth of 5,500 feet. At the end of the third quarter, QEP had completed six (three vertical and three horizontal) of the 11 Company-operated oil wells planned for 2012 within the Uinta Basin. QEP will have an average working interest of 73% in the 2012 oil wells.

Slides 9 and 10 depict QEP's acreage and additional details of the Lower Mesaverde play.

Powder River Basin:QEP completes second and third operated Sussex Formation crude oil wells; additional well waiting on completion

In the Powder River Basin of Wyoming, QEP completed and turned to sales two Company-operated horizontal Sussex Formation oil wells during the third quarter. At the end of the third quarter, there was one Company-operated horizontal Sussex Formation well waiting on completion. In addition to the recent QEP-operated activity, the Company also has an average 22% working interest in two outside-operated horizontal Sussex Formation wells that have been on production for more than one year.

QEP currently estimates average gross completed well costs of approximately $6.5 to $7.0 million with estimated ultimate recoverable reserves of 450 to 525 Mboe for a typical horizontal Sussex well. QEP has approximately 40,000 net leasehold acres in the Spearhead Ranch area of the Powder River Basin and intends to drill additional wells targeting the Sussex Formation, as well as other zones, including the Shannon, Niobrara and Frontier formations.

Slide 11 shows QEP's acreage and activity in the Powder River Basin oil play.

Woodford "Cana":Currently drilling 80-acre density development wells in the liquids-rich core of the play

During the third quarter 2012, QEP's net production from the Woodford "Cana" play averaged 45 MMcfed. At the end of the third quarter, QEP operated 29 producing horizontal Cana wells and had working interests in an additional 238 producing Cana wells that are operated by others.

During the third quarter, the Company participated in 17 additional horizontal Woodford "Cana" Shale completed wells operated by others in which QEP has working interests ranging from less than 1% to 51%.

QEP has two operated rigs currently drilling 80-acre horizontal development wells in which the Company has a 75% working interest. Also, there are eight wells in which QEP has a 100% working interest that have been drilled to total depth and cased and are scheduled for completion by the end of the fourth quarter.

Slide 12 depicts QEP's acreage and additional details on the Cana play.

Granite Wash, Marmaton and Tonkawa:Horizontal development in the Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma

During the third quarter 2012, net production from the Texas Panhandle Granite Wash play (vertical and horizontal wells) averaged 41 MMcfed. As of the end of the third quarter, QEP had a working interest in a total of 89 producing horizontal Granite Wash/Atoka Wash wells.

During the third quarter, the Company completed one QEP-operated Missourian Kansas City Formation horizontal well in Wheeler County, Texas and participated in seven outside-operated Granite Wash wells in the Texas Panhandle. QEP will take over as Operator for production of three Kansas City "B" wells (51% working interest) from the company that drilled and completed the wells, referred to on slide 13 as well numbers 5, 6 and 7, which were completed in mid-September with an average peak 24-hour rate of 4,300 Boepd. One QEP-operated well in Wheeler County, Texas was drilling at the end of the third quarter.

During the third quarter, QEP completed four Marmaton oil wells with an average peak 24-hour rate of approximately 300 Boe/day. The Company has an average 91% working interest in the new wells. The Company also has an average 17% working interest in two outside-operated Tonkawa wells that were completed during the quarter with an average peak 24-hour rate of 422 Boe/day and an average 9% working interest in two outside-operated Tonkawa wells that were drilling.

See slide 13 for details on the Granite Wash play.

Haynesville:No operated drilling activity in the Haynesville Shale play of NW Louisiana

During the third quarter 2012, the Company's Haynesville net production averaged 261 MMcfed and Cotton Valley/Hosston net production averaged 42 MMcfed. In response to current natural gas prices, QEP released its last operated drilling rig in the Haynesville Shale play in early July of this year and has not completed any additional Company-operated Haynesville wells since April 2012. QEP has five operated wells drilled and cased (48% working interest) and currently plans to defer completion of these wells until 2013. The Company operates 123 producing wells in the play and has a working interest in 124 producing wells that are operated by others. The Company participated with a 1.5% working interest in one outside-operated Haynesville well that was being completed at the end of the third quarter. The Company also participated with an 11% working interest in a horizontal Lower Cotton Valley well that came on line in the third quarter at an initial 24-hour rate of 17 MMcfed.

Refer to slide 14 for additional information on QEP's Haynesville activities.

QEP Field Services

Field Services' third quarter 2012 gathering volumes were up 2%, NGL sales volumes were up 3%, and fee-based processing volumes were up 2% compared to the prior-year quarter.

Processing margin (total processing plant revenues less plant shrink, transportation, fractionation and operating expenses) was $34.7 million in the third quarter 2012 compared to $43.1 million in the third quarter 2011, a 19% decrease, primarily due to a decrease in the keep-whole margin received (NGL sales revenues less shrink, transportation and fractionation expenses) of 46% between the two periods.

Gathering margin (total gathering revenues less gathering related operating expenses) was $42.9 million in the third quarter 2012 compared to $47.4 million in the third quarter 2011, a 9% decrease, primarily due to a decrease in other gathering revenue related to the elimination of a third-party interruptible processing agreement for certain gas volumes in the Northern Region. The short-term processing arrangement was in effect until the Blacks Fork II processing plant was put into service during the third quarter 2011.

Approximately 80% of Field Services' third quarter 2012 net operating revenue was derived from fee-based gathering and processing activities compared to 72% in the third quarter 2011.

Construction on Iron Horse II, a 150 MMcfed cryogenic gas processing plant in the Uinta Basin, is proceeding as planned. The plant should be operational by early 2013. Fifty percent of the processing capacity in this new facility is contracted to a third-party customer under a fee-based processing agreement with the remaining capacity available to QEP Energy and other third-party customers.

During the third quarter, construction continued on Field Services' 10,000 Bbl per day NGL fractionator expansion at QEP's Blacks Fork plant in southwestern Wyoming. When complete in mid-2013, NGL fractionation capacity at Blacks Fork will total 15,000 barrels per day. To support this expansion, QEP is doubling existing railcar loading capacity at Blacks Fork to facilitate access to what are often higher-value local, regional, and national NGL markets.

Third Quarter 2012 Results Conference Call

QEP Resources' management will discuss third quarter 2012 results in a conference call on Wednesday, October 31, 2012, beginning at 11:00 a.m. EDT. The conference call can be accessed at www.qepres.com. You may also participate in the conference call by dialing 877-257-5561 in the U.S. or Canada and 706-902-0993 for international calls, and then entering the conference ID # 37424430. A replay of the teleconference will be available on the website immediately after the call through November 30, 2012, or by dialing 855-859-2056 in the U.S. or Canada and 404-537-3406 for international calls, and then entering the conference ID # 37424430. In addition, QEP's slides for the third quarter 2012, with updated maps showing QEP's leasehold and current activity for key operating areas discussed in this release, can be found on the Company's website.

About QEP Resources, Inc.

QEP Resources, Inc. (NYS: QEP) is a leading independent natural gas and crude oil exploration and production company focused in two major regions: the Northern Region (primarily in the Rockies and the Williston Basin) and the Southern Region (primarily Oklahoma, Louisiana, and the Texas Panhandle) of the United States. QEP Resources also gathers, compresses, treats, processes and stores natural gas. For more information, visit QEP Resources' website at: www.qepres.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "anticipates," "believes," "forecasts," "plans," "estimates," "expects," "should," "will" or other similar expressions. Such statements are based on management's current expectations, estimates and projections, which are subject to a wide range of uncertainties and business risks. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding: forecasted Adjusted EBITDA, operating income, production and capital investment for 2012 and related assumptions for such guidance; higher natural gas prices and their impact on QEP; plans to drill and complete wells; estimated average gross completed well costs; average estimated ultimate recoveries per well; completion dates and capacity for new projects of QEP Field Services; operatorship of certain wells; and remaining locations to drill wells. Actual results may differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to: the availability of capital; global geopolitical and macroeconomic factors; general economic conditions; including interest rates; changes in local, regional, national and global demand for natural gas, oil and NGL; natural gas, NGL and oil prices; impact of new laws and regulations; including regulations regarding the use of hydraulic fracture stimulation and the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act; drilling results; shortages of oilfield equipment, services and personnel; operating risks such as unexpected drilling conditions; weather conditions; changes in maintenance and construction costs and possible inflationary pressures; permitting delays; the availability and cost of credit; outcome of contingencies such as legal proceedings; and the other risks discussed in the Company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Risk Factors section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. QEP Resources undertakes no obligation to publicly correct or update the forward-looking statements in this news release, in other documents, or on the website to reflect future events or circumstances. All such statements are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Disclosures regarding Estimated Ultimate Recovery (EUR)

The Securities and Exchange Commission requires oil and gas companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose proved reserves that a company has demonstrated by actual production or through reliable technology to be economically and legally producible at specific prices and existing economic and operating conditions. The SEC permits optional disclosure of probable and possible reserves, however QEP has made no such disclosures in its filings with the SEC. QEP uses certain terms in its periodic news releases and other presentation materials such as "estimated ultimate recovery" or "EUR," "resource potential," and "net resource potential." These estimates are by their nature more speculative than estimates of proved, probable or possible reserves and accordingly are subject to substantially more risks of actually being realized. The SEC guidelines strictly prohibit us from including such estimates in filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to closely consider the disclosures about the Company's reserves in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, and in other reports on file with the SEC.