Transform Build Shareholder Review Grow 2016 LNG tanker ‘Papua’, PNG LNG. An Australian Inside energy pioneer Santos is an Australian natural gas company. Established 2 in 1954, the company is proud to deliver the economic Message from the Chairman and from the and environmental benefits of natural gas to homes and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer businesses throughout Australia and Asia. 3 Five core long-life natural gas assets sit at the heart of a disciplined, focused strategy to drive Santos discovers first commercial Financial overview sustainable shareholder value: the Cooper Basin, GLNG, Papua New Guinea, Northern Australia hydrocarbon resource at Gidgealpa-2, and Western Australia Gas. Each of these core assets provide stable production, long-term in the Cooper Basin, 1963. revenue streams and significant upside opportunities. 4–5 Asset performance With one of the largest exploration and production acreages in Australia, a significant and growing footprint in Papua New Guinea and a strategic infrastructure position, Santos is well positioned to benefit from the growing global demand for energy. 6 The Santos turnaround is now well underway. A three phase strategy to Transform, Build and New three phase strategy Grow the business will drive returns as we continue to focus on the exploration, development, To download the Investing in Australian natural gas production and sale of natural gas. 2016 Annual Report please visit the Santos is focused on delivering sustainable shareholder value by becoming a low-cost, reliable Santos website: 7 and high performance business with the financial flexibility to build and grow the business Board of Directors through the oil price cycle. Santos Executive Committee www.santos.com Glossary STAY INFORMED AND CUT DOWN ON WASTE Join over 50,000 Santos shareholders and make the switch to receive all your shareholder communications online at www.investorcentre.com 8 or contact Santos’ share registry provider, Computershare, on 1300 017 716 (within Australia) or +61 3 9938 4343 (outside Australia). Investor information Shareholder calendar 2 / Santos Shareholder Review 2016 Message from the Chairman and from the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Dear Shareholder, Consistent with the company’s immediate This focus is not only driving improved focus to strengthen the balance sheet and 2016 was a year of transformational change performance and further productivity gains reduce net debt, the Board resolved not to for Santos. With the oil price trading at less but also providing a clear line-of-sight to pay a final dividend. Whilst we understand than US$30 per barrel at the start of the year, higher-margin growth opportunities and the that some shareholders will be disappointed, decisive action was taken to stabilise the delivery of Australia’s lowest-cost onshore it is our firm view that a disciplined focus on business and increase operating cash flow. operations. debt reduction is the most responsible course We enter 2017 with a The aim was to be free cash flow breakeven Our remaining assets are being run separately of action in the circumstances. With the “clear strategy, a new at US$35-40 per barrel on a portfolio basis. as a stand-alone business. Bruce Clement, strong progress being made in reducing costs The key strategic imperative was to create ex-CEO of AWE, has been appointed Vice leadership team and a and improving free cash flow, the Board is shareholder value by becoming a low-cost, President Asia, NSW and WA Oil Assets to confident in the company’s ability to return solid platform off which reliable, high performance business and manage these assets with a mid-tier oil and to paying dividends and will next review this we can build and grow. position Santos to deliver positive cash gas company mindset to maximise value. position at the 2017 half-year results. returns through the cycle. We are confident that we Under the Build phase we are building the SAFETY have the strategy, assets, A new leadership team with strong technical portfolio of development and exploration people and growth expertise was established. Stronger levels of The company recorded its lowest three-year opportunities across the five core long-life governance and central controls were also rolling average lost time injury frequency rate natural gas assets to maximise production, options to drive future implemented around key decision making and on record. It is a credit to all Santos employees drive down costs and increase gas supply. planning processes. A new operating model that they have stayed focused during the success, and deliver Future Growth will come from focussing was embraced to focus on our primary restructuring of the organisation and indeed shareholder value. on opportunities to increase production from business of exploration, development, have embraced a low-cost, high performance our core assets and an exploration strategy to production and sales of natural gas both mindset to re-establish Santos as a strong identify new high-value gas targets. onshore and offshore. and sustainable business with a proud history. In 2017 we will continue to refine our As a result of the changes implemented STRONGER BALANCE SHEET operating model and look to further improve by the Board and management, Santos Strengthening the balance sheet was a the asset mix and value drivers as well as build is beginning to turnaround. The free cash significant focus for the organisation in 2016. our capabilities and focus on a disciplined cost flow breakeven oil price was reduced from Net debt was reduced by US$1.3 billion to structure to drive more value out of our US$47 per barrel at the start of the year US$3.5 billion via a combination of assets assets. to US$36.50 per barrel by year-end. Santos sales, free cash flow and the successful generated US$370 million positive free cash completion of the A$1,040 million institutional BOARD RENEWAL flow over the last eight months of 2016 placement in December. The decision to raise In the first-half of the year we continued the resulting in a net US$206 million of free capital was not taken lightly. It was deemed process of Board renewal by acknowledging cash flow for the full-year, before asset sales. necessary to enable the company to operate the services of Ken Dean and Jane Hemstritch Whilst these results are pleasing and faster in a lower oil price environment and to provide who both retired from the Board and than anticipated, we recognise that there is the financial flexibility to build and grow the welcomed Peter Hearl and Guy Cowan as still more to do and we will continue to focus business in 2017 and beyond. Directors. Peter has over 30 years’ on sustainably driving costs out of the international business experience, including business in the coming year. We will continue to adopt a disciplined approach to capital management and will 18 years in the oil and gas industry with Exxon OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE target a further US$1.5 billion reduction in Mobil. He is a director of Telstra Corporation and Treasury Wine Estates. Guy also has over Operations continued to perform well, net debt by the end of 2019 through free 30 years’ experience, including 25 years in the with annual sales volumes up 31% to a record cash flow, asset sales and monetisation of oil and gas industry with Shell and is Chairman 84.1 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe) infrastructure assets. of Queensland Sugar Limited. reflecting a ramp up in LNG from GLNG train US$447 million in proceeds from asset sales 1 and first LNG from train 2 in May 2016. were received in 2016, including the sale of These new appointments underscore Record annual production of 61.6 mmboe the Kipper asset offshore Victoria, Stag asset the Board renewal process with more than was also reported, up 7% on 2015. offshore Western Australia and pastoral half the Directors appointed within the last 3 years. A statutory net loss after tax, of US$1,047 holdings in the Cooper Basin. million was recorded which included after tax The sale of the company’s Gippsland and Thank you for your continued support for impairments of US$1,050 million on GLNG, Otway Basin assets offshore Victoria were Santos. We enter 2017 with a clear strategy, announced earlier in the year. The impairment announced in October and completed in early a new leadership team and a solid platform was due to the scaling back of activity in the January 2017, with proceeds of A$61 million off which we can build and grow. We are field in response to lower oil prices, which received. A A$118 million abandonment liability confident that we have the strategy, assets, impacted the ramp-up of production. was removed from the balance sheet upon people and growth options to drive future Combined with an increase in the price of completion. success and deliver shareholder value. third party gas, this resulted in the need to Sincerely, update long-term operating assumptions for In December 2016, we also entered into an the asset. agreement to sell our remaining 50% interest in the Mereenie oil and gas asset in the Excluding impairments and other significant Northern Territory for A$52 million. items, underlying net profit after tax was Completion is expected in the first quarter US$63 million, 29% higher than the prior year. of 2017. PETER COATES AO Excellent progress has been made over the NEW GROWTH STRATEGY Chairman past twelve months in sustainably taking costs out of the business and has contributed In December 2016 Santos announced a to a 51% reduction in capital expenditure to new three phase growth strategy to drive US$625 million and an 18% reduction in shareholder value – Transform, Build, Grow.