History
Greenfire listed in 2023, lost a control contest to Waterous Energy Fund, cleared its 12% notes in December 2025, then agreed in 2026 to buy Connacher using new bank debt and a bridge loan.
2023-2024: Listing and first paydowns
Greenfire closed its merger with the listed shell M3-Brigade Acquisition III Corp. in September 2023, valuing Greenfire at US$950 million, with shares trading on the NYSE as "GFR". It raised about US$42 million in a private placement at US$10.10 per share and issued US$300 million of 12.0% senior secured notes due 2028. The proceeds bought back nearly all of its older US$217.9 million notes due 2025. A new undrawn C$50 million bank facility led by Bank of Montreal was also set up. Planned convertible notes were not issued.
For 2023 Greenfire reported a net loss of C$135.7 million on revenue of C$652.3 million, including a C$106.5 million listing expense. Cash rose to C$109.5 million. In July 2024 it redeemed about US$61 million of the new notes, the first required paydown, under terms sending 75% of excess cash flow to redemptions until debt fell below US$150 million.
2024-2025: The control contest
In September 2024 Waterous Energy Fund (WEF) agreed to buy 43.3% of the shares from existing holders, including companies controlled by directors Julian McIntyre and Venkat Siva, at a 15% premium. The board said the price undervalued the shares. It revealed a strategic review run with TD Securities, formed a special committee and adopted a rights plan to stop WEF crossing 20%.
In November the Alberta Securities Commission cease-traded that plan. Greenfire sought a court injunction against the share sales and adopted a second plan that would cap WEF at about 44.3%. In late December an Investor Agreement ended the fight. The second plan was terminated, WEF's six nominees joined the board with Adam Waterous as Chairman, Tom Ebbern became Lead Director, and WEF bought Brigade's shares and warrants at US$7.83 per share, reaching 56.5%. That counted as a change of control, so Greenfire offered to buy back its notes at 101% of principal.
2025: Clearing the notes
In November 2025 Greenfire announced a C$300 million rights offering, letting existing shareholders buy new shares at C$5.44 (US$3.85), a 15% discount. WEF, then about 55.9% owner, agreed to take its rights and backstop the rest. The aim was to redeem the US$237.5 million of 2028 notes at 106%.
The offering was oversubscribed. On December 22, 2025, Greenfire issued 55,147,055 new shares, raising about C$298.5 million, without needing WEF's backstop. Shares outstanding rose to 125,404,146, diluting holders who did not take part. It redeemed all the notes and closed an upsized, undrawn C$275 million bank revolver, leaving it debt-free. Net income was C$47.5 million for 2025.
2026: The Connacher deal
On July 13, 2026, Greenfire agreed to buy private Connacher Oil and Gas Limited for about C$1.277 billion in cash. Connacher owns the Great Divide project next to Greenfire's Hangingstone assets, expected to produce about 19,500 barrels a day in 2026 with 441 million barrels of proved plus probable reserves. Combined production would be about 34,000 barrels a day, with about C$30 million a year of savings targeted by end-2026.
Funding is a roughly C$700 million draw on a C$1.0 billion bank loan plus a C$575 million bridge loan, to be repaid through a new rights offering with WEF committed to stand by for at least C$575 million. As of July 13, 2026, the deal was expected to close in August, subject to approvals, and the rights offering terms had not yet been seen.
Written from the 12 story beats below (2023 to 13 July 2026), which come from the company's own announcements and filings.