OREANDA-NEWS. GeoPark Latin America Limited Agencia en Chile (GeoPark) should retain sufficient liquidity to forestall a default scenario in 2016 based on oil at $45/bbl, according to the latest report in Fitch Ratings' 10-report series titled '10 Most Distressed LatAm Corporates.'

One report will be released each day through Feb. 12 per the schedule found at the bottom of this release.

'With the EBITDA interest coverage ratio at 3x, and its cash burn approximately $25 million, GeoPark would be left with cash reserves of approximately $55 million at the end of 2016 - an improvement over the $50 million cash burn seen in 2015,' said Xavier Olave, Associate Director. 'GeoPark also has sufficient liquidity to meet its short-term debt obligations.'

The largest concern for GeoPark is an oil price decline to $35/bbl or below, resulting in year-end cash holdings under $30 million which, in Fitch's view, would put the company in a distressed position unless it could access other sources of liquidity.

If GeoPark's liquidity finds itself threatened by sustained oil prices below $40/bbl, the company can draw additional funds from an offtake agreement with commodity trading firm, Trafigura Beheer BV.

Fitch's 10 Most Distressed LatAm Corporates series will be released one report per day as follows:

Feb. 1st: Samarco Mineracao S.A.
Feb. 2nd: Companhia Siderurgica Nacional
Feb. 3rd: Pacific Exploration and Production Corporation
Feb. 4th: GOL Linhas Aeresas S.A.
Feb. 5th: Oi S.A.
Feb. 8th: GeoPark Latin America Limited Agencia en Chile
Feb. 9th: Ajecorp B.V.
Feb. 10th: TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V.
Feb. 11th: QGOG Constellation S.A.
Feb. 12th: Odebrecht Offshore Drilling Finance Ltd.