Sable Offshore Corp DEFA14A, filed Jul 21, 2023
Sable Offshore Corp. (SOC)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 17, 2023
Flame Acquisition Corp.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 001-40111 | 85-3514078 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
| 700 Milam Street, Suite 3300 Houston, Texas |
77002 | |
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
(713) 579-6106
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| ☐ | Written communication pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ☒ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencements communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
| Securities | registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: |
| Title of each class |
Trading |
Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
| Units, each consisting of one share of Class A common stock and one-half of one warrant | FLME.U | The New York Stock Exchange | ||
| Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share | FLME | The New York Stock Exchange | ||
| Warrants, each whole warrant exercisable for one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share | FLME.WS | The New York Stock Exchange |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☒
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
IMPORTANT NOTICES
Additional Information and Where to Find It
This communication relates to the proposed Business Combination (as defined in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on November 2, 2022) by and among Flame Acquisition Corp. (“Flame”), Sable Offshore Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdco”) and Sable Offshore Corp., a Texas corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Holdco (“Sable”). In connection with the proposed Business Combination, Flame filed with the SEC a preliminary proxy statement on Schedule 14A on November 10, 2022 (as may be amended from time to time, including on December 23, 2022 and January 27, 2023, the “Proxy Statement”). Flame may also file other documents regarding the proposed Business Combination with the SEC. The Proxy Statement which will be sent or given to the Flame stockholders will contain important information about the proposed Business Combination and related matters. INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO), WHICH IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE, AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN, AND WILL CONTAIN, IMPORTANT INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSED BUSINESS COMBINATION AND THE OTHER TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THE BUSINESS COMBINATION AGREEMENT (AS DEFINED IN THE PROXY STATEMENT). You may obtain a free copy of the Proxy Statement and other relevant documents filed by Flame with the SEC at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. You may also obtain Flame’s documents on its website at www.Flameacq.com.
Participants in the Solicitation
Flame and its directors and officers may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies of Flame’s stockholders in connection with the Business Combination. Flame’s stockholders and other interested persons may obtain, without charge, more detailed information regarding the directors and officers of Flame in Flame’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, which was initially filed with the SEC on February 5, 2021 and amended on February 18, 2021 and February 22, 2021, in Flame’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, which was filed with the SEC on March 31, 2023, and in the Proxy Statement.
Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies of Flame’s stockholders in connection with the Business Combination and other matters to be voted upon at the special meeting will be set forth in the definitive proxy statement for the Business Combination.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains a number of “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-looking statements include information concerning the SYU Assets (as defined in the Proxy Statement), Sable’s, Holdco’s or Flame’s possible or assumed future results of operations, business strategies, debt levels, competitive position, industry environment, potential growth opportunities and effects of regulation, including Sable’s ability to close the transaction to acquire the SYU Assets and Flame’s ability to close the transaction with Sable. When used in this communication, including any oral statements made in connection therewith, the words “could,” “should,” “will,” “ may,” “ believe,” “ anticipate,” “ intend,” “ estimate,” “ expect,” “project,” “continue,” “plan,” forecast,” “predict,” “potential,” “future,” “outlook,” and “target,” the negative of such terms and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements will contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on Sable’s, Holdco’s and Flame’s management’s current expectations and assumptions about future events and are based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, Sable, Holdco and Flame disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this communication. Sable, Holdco and Flame caution you that these forward-looking statements are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of Sable and Flame, incidental to the development, production, gathering, transportation and sale of oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. These risks include, but are not limited to, (a) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of negotiations and any subsequent definitive agreements with respect to the Business Combination; (b) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Sable, Holdco, Flame or others following the announcement of the Business Combination and any definitive agreements with respect thereto; (c) the inability to complete the Business Combination due to the failure to obtain approval of the stockholders of Flame, to obtain financing to complete the Business Combination or to satisfy other conditions to closing the Business Combination; (d) the ability to meet the applicable stock exchange listing standards following the consummation of the Business Combination; (e) the ability to recommence production of the SYU Assets and the cost and time required therefor, and production levels once recommenced; (f) commodity price volatility, low prices for oil, natural gas and/or natural gas liquids, global economic conditions, inflation, increased operating costs, lack of availability of drilling and production equipment, supplies, services and qualified personnel, processing volumes and pipeline throughput; (g) uncertainties related to new technologies, geographical concentration of operations, environmental risks, weather risks, security risks, drilling and other operating risks, regulatory changes and regulatory risks; (h) the uncertainty inherent in estimating oil and natural gas reserves and in projecting future rates of production; (i) reductions in cash flow and lack of access to capital; (j) Flame’s ability to satisfy future cash obligations; (k) restrictions in existing or future debt agreements or structured or other financing arrangements; (l) the timing of development expenditures, managing growth and integration of acquisitions, and failure to realize expected value creation from acquisitions; and (m) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Business Combination. While forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses that management of Flame, Holdco and Sable believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, whether actual results and developments will meet such expectations and predictions depends on a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance, and financial condition to differ materially from such expectations. Any forward-looking statement made in this communication speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all of them. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of the Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Proxy Statement and other documents filed by Flame from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Flame, Holdco and Sable assume no obligation and do not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities and other applicable laws. Neither Flame, Holdco nor Sable gives any assurance that any of Flame, Holdco, Sable or the combined company will achieve its expectations.
| Item 1.01 | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. |
As previously disclosed, in connection with the transactions contemplated by that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 2, 2022 (the “Merger Agreement”), among Flame Acquisition Corp. (“Flame”), Sable Offshore Holdings LLC (“Holdco”), and Sable Offshore Corp. (“SOC” and, together with Holdco, “Sable”), on November 2, 2022, Holdco entered into subscription agreements (the “Sable PIPE Subscription Agreements”) with certain investors (such investors, the “Sable PIPE Investors”), pursuant to which the Sable PIPE Investors agreed to purchase, in the aggregate, 7,150,000 limited liability company membership interests in Holdco designated as Class B shares at $10.00 per share, for an aggregate commitment amount of approximately $71,500,000 (the “Sable PIPE Investment”). The Sable PIPE Subscription Agreements provide, among other things, that, in the event the mergers contemplated by the Merger Agreement are consummated, the Sable PIPE Investors will be deemed to have subscribed for and will purchase Flame Class A common stock at the same price per share and, by operation of law pursuant to the mergers contemplated by the Merger Agreement, Flame will have succeeded to Holdco’s obligations under the Sable PIPE Subscription Agreements.
As previously disclosed, on June 30, 2023, the parties to the Merger Agreement amended the Merger Agreement to extend the date by which the parties must consummate the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, or either Flame or Sable may terminate the Merger Agreement, from June 30, 2023 to March 1, 2024 (the “Termination Date”). In connection with the extension of the Termination Date under the Merger Agreement, on July 17, 2023 and July 21, 2023, Holdco entered into amendments to certain Sable PIPE Subscription Agreements (each, a “Subscription Agreement Amendment”) with certain Sable PIPE Investors representing an aggregate commitment amount of $57,000,000, pursuant to which Holdco and such Sable PIPE Investors agreed to extend the date by which the parties must consummate the subscription contemplated by such Sable PIPE Subscription Agreements, or terminate such Sable PIPE Subscription Agreements, from July 31, 2023 to March 1, 2024. Holdco intends to seek to enter into substantially similar amendments to the Sable PIPE Subscription Agreements with the remaining Sable PIPE Investors.
A copy of the form Subscription Agreement Amendment is filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing description of the Subscription Agreement Amendment is not complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the form text of the form Subscription Agreement Amendment.
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
| (d) | Exhibits. |
| Exhibit No. |
Description of Exhibits | |
| 10.1 | Form of Subscription Agreement Amendment. | |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within Inline XBRL document) | |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| Flame Acquisition Corp. | ||||||
| Date: July 21, 2023 | By: | /s/ Gregory D. Patrinely | ||||
| Name: | Gregory D. Patrinely | |||||
| Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | |||||
Exhibit 10.1
Execution Version
AMENDMENT NO. 1
TO
SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
This Amendment No. 1, entered into this day of July, 2023 (this “Amendment”), to the Subscription Agreement, entered into on November 1, 2022 (the “Original Agreement”), is by and between Sable Offshore Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Sable”), and the subscriber party set forth on the signature page hereto (“Subscriber”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, Sable and Subscriber entered into the Original Agreement; and
WHEREAS, Sable and Subscriber desire to amend certain provisions of the Original Agreement as set forth herein in accordance with Section 9(f) of the Original Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual undertakings and agreements contained in this Amendment and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Sable and Subscriber agree as follows:
Section 1. Amendment. Section 6(c) of the Original Agreement is hereby amended by replacing “July 31, 2023” therein with “March 1, 2024.”
Section 2. Remainder of Original Agreement. Except as expressly set forth herein, this Amendment shall not by implication or otherwise alter, modify, amend or in any way affect any of the terms, conditions, obligations, covenants or agreements contained in the Original Agreement, all of which shall continue to be in full force and effect. Unless the context otherwise requires, after the execution and delivery hereof, any reference to the “Subscription Agreement” shall mean the Original Agreement as amended hereby.
Section 3. Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in one or more counterparts (including by facsimile or electronic mail or in .pdf) and by different parties in separate counterparts, with the same effect as if all parties hereto had signed the same document. All counterparts so executed and delivered shall be construed together and shall constitute one and the same agreement.
[Signature Pages Immediately Follow]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of Sable and Subscriber has executed or caused this Amendment to be executed by its duly authorized representative as of the date set forth below.
| SABLE OFFSHORE HOLDINGS, LLC | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: Gregory D. Patrinely | ||
| Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | ||
Date: July , 2023
Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to Subscription Agreement
| SUBSCRIBER: |
| Signature of Subscriber: |
|
|
| Name: Title: |
Date: July , 2023
Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to Subscription Agreement