Pembina Pipeline Corporation Reports Strong Results for the First Quarter 2024 and Raises Quarterly Common Share Dividend

All financial figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted. This news release refers to certain financial measures and ratios that are not specified, defined or determined in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”), including net revenue; adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“adjusted EBITDA”); adjusted cash flow from operating activities; adjusted cash flow from operating activities per common share; and proportionately consolidated debt-to-adjusted EBITDA. For more information see “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures” herein.

CALGARY, Alberta–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Pembina Pipeline Corporation (“Pembina” or the “Company”) (TSX: PPL; NYSE: PBA) announced today its financial and operating results for the first quarter of 2024.

Highlights

• First Quarter Results – reported quarterly earnings of $438 million and record quarterly adjusted EBITDA of $1,044 million.
• Recent Business Updates – as previously disclosed, developments during and following the first quarter include closing the acquisition of additional interests in the Alliance Pipeline and Aux Sable (the “Alliance/Aux Sable Acquisition”) on April 1, 2024, raising Pembina’s 2024 adjusted EBITDA guidance range, signing long-term agreements to supply and transport up to 50,000 barrels per day of ethane to support a new petrochemical facility, approval of the expansion of Pembina Gas Infrastructure’s (“PGI”) Wapiti gas plant, and significant progress made on the development of the proposed Cedar LNG project.
• Common Share Dividend Increase – the board of directors declared a common share cash dividend for the second quarter of 2024 of $0.69 per share, representing an increase of 3.4 percent to be paid, subject to applicable law, on June 28, 2024, to shareholders of record on June 17, 2024.
• Strong Balance Sheet – at March 31, 2024, the ratio of proportionately consolidated debt-to-adjusted EBITDA was 3.4 times, below the low end of the Company’s targeted range.
• Investor Day – at its 2024 Investor Day to be held on May 16, 2024, Pembina’s officer team will provide an overview of the business and the outlook for the Company amidst transformational changes in the western Canadian energy industry. 

Financial and Operational Overview

	3 Months Ended March 31
($ millions, except where noted)	2024	2023
Revenue(1)	1,540	1,618
Net revenue(1)(2)	912	936
Gross profit	730	672
Adjusted EBITDA(2)	1,044	947
Earnings	438	369
Earnings per common share – basic (dollars)	0.74	0.61
Earnings per common share – diluted (dollars)	0.73	0.61
Cash flow from operating activities	436	458
Cash flow from operating activities per common share – basic (dollars)	0.79	0.83
Adjusted cash flow from operating activities(2)	782	634
Adjusted cash flow from operating activities per common share – basic (dollars)(2)	1.42	1.15
Capital expenditures	186	137

(1)		Comparative 2023 period has been adjusted. See “Accounting Policies & Estimates – Change in Accounting Policies” in Pembina’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis dated May 9, 2024 for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and Note 2 to the Interim Financial Statements for the three months ended March 31, 2024.
(2)		Refer to “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures”.

Financial and Operational Overview by Division

	3 Months Ended March 31
	2024			2023
($ millions, except where noted)	Volumes(1)	Earnings (Loss)	Adjusted EBITDA(2)	Volumes(1)	Earnings (Loss)	Adjusted EBITDA(2)
Pipelines	2,598	455	599	2,467	376	525
Facilities	805	177	310	721	135	298
Marketing & New Ventures	295	64	188	267	120	169
Corporate	—	(167)	(53)	—	(156)	(45)
Income Tax Expense	—	(91)	—	—	(106)	—
Total		438	1,044		369	947

(1)		Volumes for the Pipelines and Facilities divisions are revenue volumes, which are physical volumes plus volumes recognized from take-or-pay commitments. Volumes are stated in mboe/d, with natural gas volumes converted to mboe/d from MMcf/d at a 6:1 ratio. Excludes volumes through third-party processing agreements at Empress. Volumes for Marketing & New Ventures are marketed crude and NGL volumes.
(2)		Refer to “Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures”.

For further details on the Company’s significant assets, including definitions for capitalized terms used herein that are not otherwise defined, refer to Pembina’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed at www.sedarplus.ca (filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov under Form 40-F) and on Pembina’s website at www.pembina.com.

Financial & Operational Highlights

Adjusted EBITDA

Pembina reported first quarter adjusted EBITDA of $1,044 million representing a $97 million or 10 percent increase over the same period in the prior year.

Pipelines reported adjusted EBITDA of $599 million for the first quarter, representing a $74 million or 14 percent increase compared to the same period in the prior year, reflecting the net impact of the following factors:

• higher revenues and volumes on the Peace Pipeline system;
• the Northern Pipeline system outage in the first quarter of 2023, which had an impact of $40 million, with no similar impacts in the first quarter of 2024;
• the reactivation of the Nipisi Pipeline; and
• higher contribution from Alliance Pipeline related to higher tolls on seasonal contracts.

Facilities reported adjusted EBITDA of $310 million for the first quarter, representing a $12 million or four percent increase over the same period in the prior year, reflecting the net impact of the following factors:

• higher volumes at the Redwater Complex and Younger compared to the first quarter of 2023, as the prior period was impacted by the Northern Pipeline system outage. The impact of the Northern Pipeline system outage was $14 million in the first quarter of 2023; and
• higher operating expenses.

Marketing & New Ventures reported adjusted EBITDA of $188 million for the first quarter, representing a $19 million or 11 percent increase compared to the same period in the prior year, reflecting the net impact of the following factors:

• higher contribution from Aux Sable due to wider frac spreads and a new third-party marketing arrangement;
• change in the provision related to financial assurances for Cedar LNG; and
• realized losses on NGL-based derivatives in the first quarter of 2024 compared to realized gains in the first quarter of 2023.

Corporate reported adjusted EBITDA of negative $53 million for the first quarter, representing an $8 million or 18 percent decrease compared to the same period in the prior year. The change over the prior period was the result of higher general and administrative costs, net of lower long-term incentive costs.

Earnings

Pembina reported first quarter earnings of $438 million, representing a $69 million or 19 percent increase over the same period in the prior year.

Pipelines had earnings in the first quarter of $455 million, representing a $79 million or 21 percent increase over the prior period. Facilities had earnings in the first quarter of $177 million, representing a $42 million or 31 percent increase over the prior year. The increases in Pipelines and Facilities earnings over the prior year are largely due to the same factors impacting adjusted EBITDA, as noted above.

Marketing & New Ventures had earnings in the first quarter of $64 million representing a $56 million or 47 percent decrease over the prior year. In addition to the factors impacting adjusted EBITDA, as noted above, the change in earnings in the first quarter was due to unrealized losses on renewable power purchase agreements due to a decline in forward power prices, and on crude oil-based derivatives, compared to unrealized gains in the first quarter 2023.

In addition to the changes in earnings for each division discussed above, the increase in first quarter earnings compared to the prior period was due to lower income tax expense, partially offset by higher costs in the corporate segment, as noted above.

Cash Flow From Operating Activities

Cash flow from operating activities of $436 million for the first quarter represents a five percent decrease over the same period in the prior year. The decrease was primarily driven by higher taxes paid, due to a make-up payment for the 2023 tax year, partially offset by higher operating results, higher distributions from equity accounted investees, an increase in payments collected through contract liabilities, lower net interest paid, and the change in non-cash working capital.

On a per share (basic) basis, cash flow from operating activities was $0.79 per share for the first quarter representing a decrease of five percent compared to the same period in the prior year.

Adjusted Cash Flow From Operating Activities

Adjusted cash flow from operating activities of $782 million for the first quarter represents a 23 percent increase over the same period in the prior year. The increase was primarily driven by the same items impacting cash flow from operating activities, discussed above, excluding taxes paid and the change in non-cash working capital, combined with lower current income tax expense.

On a per share (basic) basis, adjusted cash flow from operating activities was $1.42 per share for the first quarter representing an increase of 23 percent compared to the same period in the prior year.

Volumes

Pipelines volumes of 2,598 mboe/d in the first quarter represent a five percent increase compared to the same period in the prior year. The increase was primarily due to higher volumes on the Peace Pipeline system resulting from earlier recognition of take-or-pay deferred revenue and the impact of the Northern Pipeline system outage in the first quarter of 2023, combined with the reactivation of the Nipisi Pipeline. In the first quarter of 2023, the impact of the Northern Pipeline system outage on Pipelines volumes was approximately 62 mbbls/d.

Facilities volumes of 805 mboe/d in the first quarter represent a 12 percent increase compared to the same period in the prior year. The increase was primarily due to higher volumes at the Redwater Complex and Younger, as the first quarter of 2023 was impacted by the Northern Pipeline system outage, combined with higher interruptible volumes on certain PGI assets. In the first quarter of 2023, the impact of the Northern Pipeline system outage on Facilities volumes was approximately 70 mboe/d at the Redwater Complex and Younger.

Crude oil sales volumes of 80 mboe/d in the first quarter represent a 10 percent increase compared to the same period in the prior year, primarily due to higher blending opportunities compared to the first quarter of 2023, which was impacted by the Northern Pipeline system outage.

NGL sales volumes of 215 mboe/d in the first quarter represent an 11 percent increase compared to the same period in the prior year, primarily due to higher ethane and butane sales as the first quarter of 2023 was impacted by lower supply volumes from the Redwater Complex following the Northern Pipeline system outage.

Quarterly Common Share Dividend

Pembina’s board of directors has declared a common share cash dividend for the second quarter of 2024 of $0.69 per share, representing an increase of 3.4 percent, to be paid, subject to applicable law, on June 28, 2024, to shareholders of record on June 17, 2024. The common share dividends are designated as “eligible dividends” for Canadian income tax purposes. For non-resident shareholders, Pembina’s common share dividends should be considered “qualified dividends” and may be subject to Canadian withholding tax.

For shareholders receiving their common share dividends in U.S. funds, the cash dividend is expected to be approximately US$0.5024 per share (before deduction of any applicable Canadian withholding tax) based on a currency exchange rate of 0.7281. The actual U.S. dollar dividend will depend on the Canadian/U.S. dollar exchange rate on the payment date and will be subject to applicable withholding taxes.

Quarterly dividend payments are expected to be made on the last business day of March, June, September and December to shareholders of record on the 15th day of the corresponding month, if, as and when declared by the board of directors. Should the record date fall on a weekend or on a statutory holiday, the record date will be the next succeeding business day following the weekend or statutory holiday.

Executive Overview

Strong first quarter results, including record quarterly adjusted EBITDA, have provided an encouraging start to 2024 and our outlook for the business has been further bolstered by notable commercial successes and industry developments.

On April 1, 2024, we announced the completion of the Alliance/Aux Sable Acquisition. We are excited to further enhance our business by increasing our ownership in these unique and world class assets. The Alliance/Aux Sable Acquisition aligns with Pembina’s strategy by growing and strengthening our existing franchise and providing greater exposure to resilient end-use markets and lighter hydrocarbons.

In conjunction with the acquisition closing, Pembina updated its 2024 adjusted EBITDA guidance range to $4.05 billion to $4.30 billion (previously $3.725 to $4.025 billion). Relative to the previous guidance range, the revised outlook for 2024 primarily reflects the incremental contribution from increased ownership of Alliance and Aux Sable, as well as a stronger outlook in the marketing business.

Further, we are pleased today to announce an increase in the quarterly common share cash dividend of 3.4 percent. The increase reflects the continued growth of Pembina’s fee-based business, which is benefiting from rising volumes and increasing utilization across many of its assets in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (“WCSB”).

As previously announced, during the first quarter, Pembina entered into long-term agreements with Dow Chemical Canada (“Dow”) to supply and transport up to 50,000 barrels per day of ethane to support the recently announced construction of a new integrated ethylene cracker and derivatives facility in Fort Saskatchewan (the “Path2Zero Project”). The Path2Zero project is an important development for the industry, representing a significant increase to the current ethane market in Alberta. Given Pembina’s existing leading ethane supply and transportation business and extensive and integrated value chain, there are multiple opportunities for the Company to benefit from this new development, through both the existing asset base and new investment opportunities.

Finally, Pembina recently announced significant achievements in the development of the proposed Cedar LNG project, including securing long-term commercial agreements and issuing a notice to proceed to its engineering, procurement, and construction contractors. Following these critical milestones Cedar LNG and Pembina’s partner, the Haisla Nation, have commenced their respective financing processes, in advance of a final investment decision, which is expected by June 2024.

In addition to LNG developments on Canada’s West Coast and the continued growth of Alberta’s petrochemical industry, the western Canadian energy industry has been readying itself for the completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, which is bringing new egress capacity for Canadian oil producers and is expected to result in incremental condensate demand. Together, these transformational developments are expected to drive growing volumes across the WCSB.

At our upcoming Investor Day on May 16, 2024, we look forward to providing an overview of Pembina’s business, and the outlook for the Company amidst transformational changes in the western Canadian energy industry.

Projects and New Developments⁽¹⁾

Pipelines

• The Phase VIII Peace Pipeline expansion will enable segregated pipeline service for ethane-plus and propane-plus NGL mix from Gordondale, Alberta, which is centrally located within the Montney trend, into the Edmonton area for market delivery. The project includes new 10-inch and 16-inch pipelines, totaling approximately 150 kilometres, in the Gordondale to La Glace corridor of Alberta, as well as new mid-point pump stations and terminal upgrades located throughout the Peace Pipeline system. Phase VIII will add approximately 235,000 bpd of incremental capacity between Gordondale, Alberta and La Glace, Alberta, as well as approximately 65,000 bpd of capacity between La Glace, Alberta and the Namao hub near Edmonton, Alberta. As previously disclosed, the estimated project cost was revised lower to $430 million, compared to the original budget of $530 million. The revised cost reflects highly effective project management and execution, favourable weather conditions and productive contractor relationships. The project is trending on time, with all pump stations and pipeline construction completed as of the end of the first quarter of 2024. Pipeline and facility commissioning is currently underway and start-up is expected in the second quarter of 2024.
• The NEBC MPS Expansion includes a new mid-point pump station, terminal upgrades, and additional storage, which will support approximately 40,000 bpd of incremental capacity on the NEBC Pipeline system. This expansion is expected to cost $90 million and will fulfill customer demand in light of growing production volumes from NEBC and previously announced long-term midstream service agreements with three premier NEBC Montney producers. The project is trending on time and on budget and is expected to enter service in the fourth quarter of 2024. Additionally, Pembina continues to evaluate further expansions to support volume growth in northeastern British Columbia, including new pipelines and terminal upgrades on the NEBC Pipeline and downstream systems between Taylor, British Columbia and Gordondale, Alberta. On April 23, 2024, Pembina filed its project application with the Canada Energy Regulator.

Facilities

• Pembina is constructing a new 55,000 bpd propane-plus fractionator (“RFS IV”) at its existing Redwater fractionation and storage complex (the “Redwater Complex”). RFS IV is expected to cost approximately $460 million and will leverage the design, engineering and operating best practices of its existing facilities. The project includes additional rail loading capacity at the Redwater Complex. Subject to regulatory and environmental approvals, RFS IV is expected to be in-service in the first half of 2026 and is currently trending on time and on budget. With the addition of RFS IV, the fractionation capacity at the Redwater Complex will total 256,000 bpd. Site clearing activities have been completed, engineering and procurement activities continue, and site construction is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2024.
• As previously disclosed, during the quarter PGI approved an expansion (the “Wapiti Expansion”) that will increase natural gas processing capacity at the Wapiti Plant by 115 mmcf/d (gross to PGI). The Wapiti Plant is fully integrated into Pembina’s value chain and the liquids processed at the plant are transported on the Peace Pipeline system. The Wapiti Expansion is being driven by strong customer demand supported by growing Montney production and will be fully underpinned by long-term, take-or-pay contracts.

  The Wapiti Expansion, which includes a new sales gas pipeline and other related infrastructure, is expected to cost $230 million ($140 million net to Pembina) with an estimated in-service date in the first half of 2026, subject to regulatory and environmental approval.

• PGI is developing a 28 MW cogeneration facility at its K3 Plant (the “K3 Cogeneration Facility”), which is expected to cost $115 million ($70 million net to Pembina). The K3 Cogeneration Facility is expected to reduce overall operating costs by providing power and heat to the gas processing facility, while reducing customers’ exposure to power prices. The K3 Cogeneration Facility is expected to fully supply the K3 Plant’s power requirements, with excess power sold to the grid at market rates. Further, the K3 Cogeneration Facility is expected to contribute to a reduction in annual emissions compliance costs at the K3 Plant through the utilization of the cogeneration waste heat and the low-emission power generated and is expected to be in-service in the first half of 2026.

Marketing & New Ventures

• Pembina has formed a partnership with the Haisla Nation (“Cedar LNG”) to develop the Cedar LNG project (the “Cedar LNG Project”) a proposed 3.3 million tonne per annum (“mtpa”) floating liquified natural gas (“LNG”) facility in Kitimat, British Columbia, within the traditional territory of the Haisla Nation. The Cedar LNG Project will provide a valuable outlet for WCSB natural gas to access global markets and is expected to achieve higher prices for Canadian producers, contribute to lower overall global emissions, and enhance global energy security. Given it will be a floating LNG facility, manufactured in the controlled conditions of a shipyard, it is expected that the Cedar LNG Project will have lower construction and execution risk. Further, powered by BC Hydro, the Cedar LNG Project is expected to be one of the lowest emissions LNG facilities in the world.

  Cedar LNG has secured a 20-year take-or-pay, fixed toll contract with ARC Resources for 1.5 mtpa of LNG. As part of the agreement, ARC Resources will supply Cedar LNG approximately 200 million cubic feet per day of natural gas via the Coastal GasLink pipeline from its production base in the Montney. Pembina has also entered into an identical bridging agreement with Cedar LNG for 1.5 mtpa of capacity. Commercial negotiations with multiple other potential customers continue to progress as Pembina plans to assign its capacity to a third-party following a positive final investment decision.

  Following the finalization of the commercial tolling agreements and in order to maintain schedule, Cedar LNG issued a notice to proceed to Samsung Heavy Industries and Black & Veatch to continue the engineering, procurement, and construction for the design, fabrication and delivery of the floating LNG production unit. Cedar LNG has obtained a detailed Class III level capital cost estimate of approximately US$3.4 billion (gross), including US$2.3 billion (gross), or approximately 70 percent, for the floating LNG production unit, which is being constructed under a fixed-price, lump-sum agreement, and US$1.1 billion (gross) related to onshore infrastructure, owner’s costs, commissioning and start-up costs, financial assurances during construction, and other costs. The total project cost, including US$0.6 billion (gross) of interest during construction and transaction costs, is expected to be approximately US$4.0 billion (gross).

  Significant milestones have been completed to date and Cedar LNG is continuing to progress towards a final investment decision by June 2024, with an anticipated in-service date in late 2028.

• Pembina and TC Energy Corporation (“TC Energy”) have formed a partnership to develop the Alberta Carbon Grid (“ACG”), a carbon transportation and sequestration platform. ACG is developing the Industrial Heartland project, which will have the potential to transport and store up to ten million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. ACG completed the appraisal well drilling, logging and testing in December 2023. Preliminary data was consistent with ACG’s storage capacity expectations and further work is underway to confirm the initial results. Throughout 2024, ACG will continue to progress commercial conversations, refine the project scope, and advance project engineering, including facility design and work on the pipeline routing.

Contacts

Investor Relations

(403) 231-3156

1-855-880-7404

e-mail: [email protected]
www.pembina.com

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