Pacific Confirms Discussions with Stakeholders Regarding its Debt Restructuring Process

TORONTO, March 17, 2016 /CNW/ - Pacific Exploration & Production Corp. (TSX: PRE) (BVC: PREC) announced today that the Company is aware of media reports regarding its ongoing debt restructuring process. While the Company does not comment on market rumours, it confirms, as previously disclosed, that it continues to be in the midst of discussions with all stakeholders to strengthen the Company's capital structure and make it more suitable to current market conditions. As part of those discussions, various proposals are being evaluated by the Company and its advisors. This is an ongoing process and no definitive timetable has been set on acceptance of proposals, which are subject to confidentiality provisions. There can be no assurance that any proposal will be accepted or otherwise implemented. The Company will disclose relevant information in a timely manner in accordance with applicable securities laws.

About Pacific:

Pacific Exploration & Production Corp. is a Canadian public company and a leading explorer and producer of natural gas and crude oil, with operations focused in Latin America. The Company has a diversified portfolio of assets with interests in more than 70 exploration and production blocks in various countries including Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, Brazil, Guyana and Belize. The Company's strategy is focused on sustainable growth in production & reserves and cash generation. Pacific Exploration & Production is committed to conducting business safely, in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

The Company's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange and La Bolsa de Valores de Colombia under the ticker symbols PRE, and PREC, respectively.

Advisories:

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding estimates and/or assumptions in respect of production, revenue, cash flow and costs, reserve and resource estimates, potential resources and reserves and the Company's exploration and development plans and objectives and its strategy) are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: volatility in market prices for oil and natural gas; a continued depressed oil price environment with a potential of further decline; default under the Company's credit facilities and/or the Company's senior notes due to a breach of covenants therein; early termination of one or more of the forbearance arrangements with certain of the Company's creditors; amounts becoming due and payable under the credit facilities and/or the senior notes, notwithstanding the entering into of the such forbearance arrangements, whether through the actions of holders of the senior notes or the trustee under each respective indenture or otherwise; the impact of events of defaults in respect of the credit facilities and senior notes on other material contracts of the Company, including but not limited to, cross-defaults resulting in acceleration of amounts payable thereunder or the termination of such agreements; failure of the Company to reach an agreement with its creditors to restructure the Company's capital structure; failure to satisfy any terms or conditions of any agreement with the Company's creditors on a proposed restructuring; any negative impact on the Company's current operations as a result of any proposed restructuring or failure to reach an agreement with the creditors thereon; failure to satisfy the terms and conditions of any one of the Company's waiver agreements with applicable creditors or counterparties or any other waiver, failure to obtain further extensions of any such waivers, or failure to obtain waivers of other covenants, if and when required; the terms of any waivers, including the impact on the Company of any restrictions imposed upon it in connection with any waiver; investors' perceptions of the Company's prospects and the prospects of the oil and gas industry in Colombia and the other countries where the Company operates and/or has investments; expectations regarding the Company's ability to raise capital and to continually add to reserves through acquisitions and development; the effect of ratings downgrades on the Company's business and operations; political developments in Colombia, Guatemala, Peru, Brazil, Guyana and Mexico; liabilities inherent in oil and gas operations; uncertainties associated with estimating oil and natural gas reserves; competition for, among other things, capital, acquisitions of reserves, undeveloped lands and skilled personnel; incorrect assessments of the value of acquisitions and/or past integration problems; geological, technical, drilling and processing problems; fluctuations in foreign exchange or interest rates and stock market volatility; delays in obtaining required environmental and other licences; uncertainty of estimates of capital and operating costs, production estimates and estimated economic return; the possibility that actual circumstances will differ from estimates and assumptions; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future; changes in income tax laws or changes in tax laws, accounting principles and incentive programs relating to the oil and gas industry; and the other factors discussed under the heading entitled "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's AIF dated March 17, 2015 filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

Translation

This news release was prepared in the English language and subsequently translated into Spanish. In the case of any differences between the English version and its translated counterparts, the English document should be treated as the governing version.

SOURCE Pacific Exploration and Production Corporation

PDF available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/media/2016/03/17/20160317_C1641_PDF_EN_645886.pdf

Frederick Kozak, Corporate Vice President, Investor Relations, [phone], [phone]; Roberto Puente, Sr. Manager, Investor Relations, [phone], [phone]; Richard Oyelowo, Manager, Investor Relations, [phone]; MEDIA CONTACT: Tom Becker, Sitrick & Company, [phone]