NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Description of Operations
SM Energy Company, together with its consolidated subsidiaries, is an independent energy company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil, gas, and NGLs in the state of Texas.
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and have been prepared in accordance with GAAP and the instructions to Form 10-K and Regulation S-X. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. In connection with the preparation of the accompanying consolidated financial statements, the Company evaluated events subsequent to the balance sheet date of December 31, 2021, through the filing of this report. Additionally, certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to current period presentation in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of proved oil and gas reserves, assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Estimates of proved oil and gas reserve quantities provide the basis for the calculation of DD&A expense, impairment of proved and unproved oil and gas properties, and asset retirement obligations, each of which represents a significant component of the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all liquid investments purchased with an initial maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The carrying value of cash and cash equivalents approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments.
Accounts Receivable
The Company’s accounts receivable primarily consist of receivables due from oil, gas, and NGL purchasers and from joint interest owners on properties the Company operates. For receivables due from joint interest owners, the Company generally has the ability to withhold future revenue disbursements to recover non-payment of joint interest billings. Generally, the Company’s oil, gas, and NGL receivables are collected within 30 to 90 days and the Company has had minimal bad debts. Although diversified among many companies, collectability is dependent upon the financial wherewithal of each individual company and is influenced by the general economic conditions of the industry. Receivables are not collateralized. Please refer to Note 13 – Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses for additional disclosure.
Concentration of Credit Risk and Major Customers
The Company is exposed to credit risk in the event of nonpayment by counterparties, a significant portion of which are concentrated in energy related industries. The creditworthiness of customers and other counterparties is subject to regular review.
The Company does not believe the loss of any single purchaser of its production would materially impact its operating results, as oil, gas, and NGLs are products with well-established markets and numerous purchasers in the Company’s operating areas. The following major customers and entities under common control accounted for 10 percent or more of the Company’s total oil, gas, and NGL production revenue for at least one of the periods presented:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
Major customer #1 | 27 | % | | 15 | % | | 4 | % |
Major customer #2 | 18 | % | | 6 | % | | 9 | % |
Major customer #3 | 15 | % | | 24 | % | | 13 | % |
Major customer #4 | 9 | % | | 20 | % | | 14 | % |
Major customer #5 | 1 | % | | — | % | | 18 | % |
Group #1 of entities under common control (1) | 7 | % | | 5 | % | | 13 | % |
Group #2 of entities under common control (1) | 6 | % | | 7 | % | | 11 | % |
____________________________________________
(1)In the aggregate, these groups of entities under common control represented purchasers of more than 10 percent of total oil, gas, and NGL production revenue for at least one of the periods presented; however, no individual entity comprising either group was a purchaser of more than 10 percent of the Company’s total oil, gas, and NGL production revenue.
The Company generally contracts with the affiliates of the lenders under its Credit Agreement as its derivative counterparties, and the Company’s policy is that each counterparty must have certain minimum investment grade senior unsecured debt ratings.
The Company maintains its primary bank accounts with a large, multinational bank that has branch locations in the Company’s areas of operations. The Company’s policy is to diversify its concentration of cash and cash equivalent investments among multiple institutions and investment products to limit the amount of credit exposure to any single institution or investment.
Oil and Gas Producing Activities
Proved properties. The Company follows the successful efforts method of accounting for its oil and gas properties. Under this method, property acquisition costs and development costs are capitalized when incurred. Capitalized drilling and completion costs, including lease and well equipment, intangible development costs, and operational support facilities in the field, are depleted on an asset group basis (properties aggregated based on geographical and geological characteristics) using the units-of-production method based on estimated proved developed oil and gas reserves. Similarly, proved leasehold costs are depleted on the same asset group basis; however, the units-of-production method is based on estimated total proved oil and gas reserves. The computation of DD&A expense takes into consideration restoration, dismantlement, and abandonment costs as well as the anticipated proceeds from salvaging equipment.
Proved oil and gas property costs are evaluated for impairment on a pool-by-pool basis and reduced to fair value when there is an indication that associated carrying costs may not be recoverable. The Company uses Level 3 inputs and the income valuation technique, which converts future cash flows to a single present value amount, to measure the fair value of proved properties using a discount rate, price and cost forecasts, and certain reserve risk-adjustment factors, as selected by the Company’s management. The Company uses a discount rate that represents a current market-based weighted average cost of capital. The discount rate typically ranges from 10 percent to 15 percent. The prices for oil and gas are forecasted based on NYMEX strip pricing, adjusted for basis differentials, for the first five years, after which a flat terminal price is used for each commodity stream. The prices for NGLs are forecasted using OPIS Mont Belvieu pricing, for as long as the market is actively trading, after which a flat terminal price is used. Future operating costs are also adjusted as deemed appropriate for these estimates. Certain undeveloped reserve estimates are also risk-adjusted given the risk to related projected cash flows due to performance and exploitation uncertainties.
The partial sale of a proved property within an existing field is accounted for as a normal retirement and no net gain or loss on divestiture activity is recognized as long as the treatment does not significantly affect the units-of-production depletion rate. The sale of a partial interest in an individual proved property is accounted for as a recovery of cost. A net gain or loss on divestiture activity is recognized in the accompanying statements of operations for all other sales of proved properties.
Unproved properties. The unproved oil and gas properties line item on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets (“accompanying balance sheets”) consists of the costs incurred to acquire unproved leases. Leasehold costs allocated to those leases, or partial leases that have associated proved reserves recorded, are reclassified to proved properties and depleted on an asset group basis using the units-of-production method based on estimated total proved oil and gas reserves. Unproved oil and gas property costs are evaluated for impairment and reduced to fair value when there is an indication that the carrying costs may not be recoverable. Lease acquisition costs that are not individually significant are aggregated by asset group and the portion of such costs estimated to be nonproductive prior to lease expiration are recognized as a valuation allowance and amortized over the appropriate period. The estimate of what could be nonproductive is based on historical trends or other information, including current drilling plans and the
Company’s intent to renew leases. To measure the fair value of unproved properties, the Company uses a market approach, which takes into account the following significant assumptions: remaining lease terms, future development plans, risk-weighted potential resource recovery, estimated reserve values, and estimated acreage value based on price(s) received for similar, recent acreage transactions by the Company or other market participants.
For the sale of unproved properties where the original cost has been partially or fully amortized by providing a valuation allowance on an asset group basis, neither a gain nor loss is recognized unless the sales price exceeds the original cost of the property, in which case a gain shall be recognized in the accompanying statements of operations in the amount of such excess.
Exploratory. Exploratory geological and geophysical, including exploratory seismic studies, and the costs of carrying and retaining unproved acreage are expensed as incurred. Under the successful efforts method of accounting for oil and gas properties, exploratory well costs are initially capitalized pending the determination of whether proved reserves have been discovered. If proved reserves are discovered, exploratory well costs will be capitalized as proved properties and will be accounted for following the successful efforts method of accounting described above. If proved reserves are not found, exploratory well costs are expensed as dry holes. The application of the successful efforts method of accounting requires management’s judgment to determine the proper designation of wells as either development or exploratory, which will ultimately determine the proper accounting treatment of costs of dry holes. Once a well is drilled, the determination that proved reserves have been discovered may take considerable time and judgment. Exploratory dry hole costs are included in the cash flows from investing activities section as part of capital expenditures within the accompanying statements of cash flows.
Please refer to Note 8 – Fair Value Measurements for additional information.
Other Property and Equipment
Other property and equipment such as facilities, office furniture and equipment, buildings, and computer hardware and software are recorded at cost. The Company capitalizes certain software costs incurred during the application development stage. The application development stage generally includes software design, configuration, testing, and installation activities. Costs of renewals and improvements that substantially extend the useful lives of the assets are capitalized. Maintenance and repair costs are expensed when incurred. Depreciation is calculated using either the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which range from three to 30 years, or the unit of output method when appropriate. When other property and equipment is sold or retired, the capitalized costs and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the Company’s accounts.
Other property and equipment costs are evaluated for impairment and reduced to fair value when there is an indication the carrying costs may not be recoverable. To measure the fair value of other property and equipment, the Company uses an income valuation technique or market approach depending on the quality of information available to support management’s assumptions and the circumstances. The valuation includes consideration of the proved and unproved assets supported by the property and equipment, future cash flows associated with the assets, and fixed costs necessary to operate and maintain the assets.
Asset Retirement Obligations
The Company recognizes an estimated liability for future costs associated with the abandonment of its oil and gas properties, including facilities requiring decommissioning. A liability for the fair value of an asset retirement obligation and corresponding increase to the carrying value of the related long-lived asset are recorded at the time a well is drilled or acquired, or a facility is constructed. The increase in carrying value is included in the proved oil and gas properties line item in the accompanying balance sheets. The Company depletes the amount added to proved oil and gas property costs and recognizes expense in connection with the accretion of the discounted liability over the remaining estimated economic lives of the respective long-lived assets. Cash paid to settle asset retirement obligations is included in the cash flows from operating activities section of the accompanying statements of cash flows.
The Company’s estimated asset retirement obligation liability is based on historical experience in plugging and abandoning wells, estimated economic lives, estimated plugging and abandonment cost, and federal and state regulatory requirements. The liability is discounted using the credit-adjusted risk-free rate estimated at the time the liability is incurred or revised. The credit-adjusted risk-free rates used to discount the Company’s plugging and abandonment liabilities range from 5.5 percent to 12 percent. In periods subsequent to initial measurement of the liability, the Company must recognize period-to-period changes in the liability resulting from the passage of time, revisions to either the amount of the original estimate of undiscounted cash flows or economic life, or changes in inflation factors or the Company’s credit-adjusted risk-free rate as market conditions warrant. Please refer to Note 14 – Asset Retirement Obligations for a reconciliation of the Company’s total asset retirement obligation liability as of December 31, 2021, and 2020.
Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company periodically enters into commodity derivative instruments to mitigate a portion of its exposure to oil, gas, and NGL price volatility and location differentials for its expected future oil, natural gas, and NGL production, and the associated impact on cash flows. These instruments typically include commodity price swaps and costless collars, as well as, basis differential and roll
differential swaps. Commodity derivative instruments are measured at fair value and are included in the accompanying balance sheets as derivative assets and liabilities, with the exception of derivative instruments that meet the “normal purchase normal sale” exclusion. The Company does not designate its commodity derivative contracts as hedging instruments. Accordingly, the Company reflects changes in the fair value of its derivative instruments in its accompanying statements of operations as they occur. Gains and losses on derivatives are included within the cash flows from operating activities section of the accompanying statements of cash flows. Please refer to Note 10 – Derivative Financial Instruments for additional discussion.
Revenue Recognition
The Company derives revenue predominately from the sale of produced oil, gas, and NGLs. Revenue is recognized at the point in time when custody and title (“control”) of the product transfers to the purchaser, which may differ depending on the applicable contractual terms. Revenue accruals are recorded monthly and are based on estimated production delivered to a purchaser and the expected price to be received. We use our knowledge of our properties, contractual arrangements, historical performance, NYMEX, local spot market, and OPIS prices, and other factors as the basis of these estimates. Variances between estimates and the actual amounts received are recorded in the month payment is received. Please refer to Note 2 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers for additional discussion.
Stock-Based Compensation
At December 31, 2021, the Company had stock-based employee compensation plans that included RSUs and PSUs issued to employees, RSUs and restricted stock issued to non-employee directors, and an employee stock purchase plan available to eligible employees. The Company records expense associated with the fair value of stock-based compensation in accordance with authoritative accounting guidance, which is based on the estimated fair value of these awards determined at the time of grant, and is included within the general and administrative and exploration expense line items in the accompanying statements of operations. For stock-based compensation awards containing non-market based performance conditions, the Company evaluates the probability of the number of shares that are expected to vest, and then adjusts the expense to reflect the number of shares expected to vest and the cumulative vesting period met to date. Further, the Company accounts for forfeitures of stock-based compensation awards as they occur. Please refer to Note 7 – Compensation Plans for additional discussion.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for deferred income taxes whereby deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on the tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts on the accompanying consolidated financial statements and the tax basis of assets and liabilities, as measured using current enacted tax rates. These differences will result in taxable income or deductions in future years when the reported amounts of the assets or liabilities are recorded or settled, respectively. The Company records deferred tax assets and associated valuation allowances, when appropriate, to reflect amounts more likely than not to be realized based upon Company analysis. The cumulative effect of enacted tax rate changes on the net balance of reported amounts of assets and liabilities is recognized in the period of enactment. Please refer to Note 4 – Income Taxes for additional discussion.
Earnings per Share
The Company uses the treasury stock method to determine the effect of potentially dilutive instruments. Please refer to Note 9 - Earnings Per Share for additional discussion.
Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Comprehensive income (loss) is used to refer to net income (loss) plus other comprehensive income (loss). Other comprehensive income (loss) is comprised of revenues, expenses, gains, and losses that under GAAP are reported as separate components of stockholders’ equity instead of net income (loss). Comprehensive income (loss) is presented net of income taxes in the accompanying consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss) (“accompanying statements of comprehensive income (loss)”). The Company’s policy for releasing income tax effects within accumulated other comprehensive loss is an incremental, unit-of-account approach. Please refer to Note 11 – Pension Benefits for detail on the changes in the balances of components comprising other comprehensive income (loss).
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The Company’s financial instruments including cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, and accounts payable are carried at cost, which approximates fair value due to the short-term maturity of these instruments. The recorded value of the Company’s revolving credit facility approximates its fair value as it bears interest at a floating rate that approximates a current market rate. The Company had no outstanding balance under its revolving credit facility as of December 31, 2021, and had a $93.0 million balance as of December 31, 2020. The Company’s Senior Notes, as defined in Note 5 – Long-Term Debt, are recorded at cost, net of any unamortized discount and deferred financing costs, and their respective fair values are disclosed in Note 8 – Fair Value Measurements. The Company’s Warrants, as defined in Note 3 - Equity, were recorded at fair value upon issuance, with no recurring
fair value measurement required. Additionally, the Company has derivative financial instruments that are recorded at fair value. Considerable judgment is required to develop estimates of fair value. The estimates provided are not necessarily indicative of the amounts the Company would realize upon the sale or refinancing of such instruments.
Leases
The Company accounts for leases in accordance with ASC Topic 842, Leases, (“Topic 842”), which requires lessees to recognize operating and finance leases with terms greater than 12 months on the balance sheet. The Company evaluates a contractual arrangement at its inception to determine if it is a lease or contains an identifiable lease component. Certain leases may contain both lease and non-lease components. The Company’s policy for all asset classes is to combine lease and non-lease components together and account for the arrangement as a single lease.
Certain assumptions and judgments made by the Company when evaluating a contract that meets the definition of a lease under Topic 842 include those to determine the discount rate and lease term. Unless implicitly defined, the Company determines the present value of future lease payments using an estimated incremental borrowing rate based on a yield curve analysis that factors in certain assumptions, including the term of the lease and credit rating of the Company at lease inception. The Company evaluates each contract containing a lease arrangement at inception to determine the length of the lease term when recognizing a right-of-use (“ROU”) asset and corresponding lease liability. When determining the lease term, options available to extend or early terminate the arrangement are evaluated and included when it is reasonably certain an option will be exercised. Exercising an early termination option may result in an early termination penalty depending on the terms of the underlying agreement. The Company excludes from the balance sheet leases with terms that are less than one year.
A ROU asset represents a lessee’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term, while the associated lease liability represents the lessee’s obligations to make lease payments. At the commencement date, which is the date on which a lessor makes an underlying asset available for use by a lessee, a lease ROU asset and corresponding lease liability is recognized based on the present value of the future lease payments. The initial measurement of lease payments may also be adjusted for certain items, including options that are reasonably certain to be exercised, such as options to purchase the asset at the end of the lease term, or options to extend or early terminate the lease. Excluded from the initial measurement of a ROU asset and corresponding lease liability are certain variable lease payments, such as payments made that vary depending on actual usage or performance.
Subsequent to initial measurement, costs associated with the Company’s operating leases are either expensed or capitalized depending on how the underlying ROU asset is utilized and in accordance with GAAP requirements. When calculating the Company’s ROU asset and liability for a contractual arrangement that qualifies as an operating lease, the Company considers all of the necessary payments made or that are expected to be made upon commencement of the lease. As discussed above, excluded from the initial measurement are certain variable lease payments, which for the Company’s drilling rigs, completion crews, and midstream agreements, may be a significant component of the total lease costs. Please refer to Note 12 - Leases for additional discussion.
Industry Segment and Geographic Information
The Company operates in the exploration and production segment of the oil and gas industry, onshore in the United States. The Company reports as a single industry segment.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
The Company has not participated in transactions that generate relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, such as entities often referred to as structured finance or SPEs, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purposes.
The Company evaluates its transactions to determine if any variable interest entities exist. If it is determined that the Company is the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity, that entity is consolidated into the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The Company has not been involved in any unconsolidated SPE transactions during 2021 or 2020, or through the filing of this report.
Recently Issued Accounting Standards
In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting (“ASU 2020-04”), and in January 2021, issued ASU No. 2021-01, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Scope (“ASU 2021-01”), to provide clarifying guidance regarding the scope of Topic 848. ASU 2020-04 was issued to provide optional guidance for a limited period of time to ease the potential burden in accounting for (or recognizing the effects of) reference rate reform on financial reporting. Generally, the guidance is to be applied as of any date from the beginning of an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, or prospectively from a date within an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, up to the date that the financial statements are available to be issued. ASU 2020-04 and ASU 2021-01 are effective for all entities through December 31, 2022. The Company has elected not to use the optional guidance provided by these
ASUs. Please refer to Note 5 – Long-Term Debt for discussion of the use of the LIBOR in connection with borrowings under the Credit Agreement.
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Debt - Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40) (“ASU 2020-06”). ASU 2020-06 was issued to reduce the complexity associated with accounting for certain financial instruments with characteristics of liabilities and equity. The guidance is to be applied using either a modified retrospective or a fully retrospective method. ASU 2020-06 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2020-06 on January 1, 2022, and there was no material impact on the Company’s accompanying consolidated financial statements or related disclosures.
As of December 31, 2021, and through the filing of this report, no other ASUs have been issued that are applicable to the Company and that would have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
Note 2 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers
The Company recognizes its share of revenue from the sale of produced oil, gas, and NGLs from its Midland Basin and South Texas assets. Oil, gas, and NGL production revenue presented within the accompanying statements of operations is reflective of the revenue generated from contracts with customers.
The tables below present oil, gas, and NGL production revenue by product type for each of the Company’s operating areas for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the year ended December 31, 2021 |
| Midland Basin | | South Texas | | Total |
| (in thousands) |
Oil production revenue | $ | 1,701,915 | | | $ | 189,911 | | | $ | 1,891,826 | |
Gas production revenue | 326,115 | | | 199,364 | | | 525,479 | |
NGL production revenue | 381 | | | 180,229 | | | 180,610 | |
Total | $ | 2,028,411 | | | $ | 569,504 | | | $ | 2,597,915 | |
Relative percentage | 78 | % | | 22 | % | | 100 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the year ended December 31, 2020 |
| Midland Basin | | South Texas | | Total |
| (in thousands) |
Oil production revenue | $ | 802,494 | | | $ | 51,074 | | | $ | 853,568 | |
Gas production revenue | 76,759 | | | 110,700 | | | 187,459 | |
NGL production revenue | 324 | | | 84,837 | | | 85,161 | |
Total | $ | 879,577 | | | $ | 246,611 | | | $ | 1,126,188 | |
Relative percentage | 78 | % | | 22 | % | | 100 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the year ended December 31, 2019 |
| Midland Basin | | South Texas | | | | Total |
| (in thousands) |
Oil production revenue | $ | 1,119,786 | | | $ | 63,426 | | | | | $ | 1,183,212 | |
Gas production revenue | 75,827 | | | 186,702 | | | | | 262,529 | |
NGL production revenue | 123 | | | 139,886 | | | | | 140,009 | |
Total | $ | 1,195,736 | | | $ | 390,014 | | | | | $ | 1,585,750 | |
Relative percentage | 75 | % | | 25 | % | | | | 100 | % |
The Company recognizes oil, gas, and NGL production revenue at the point in time when control of the product transfers to the purchaser, which differs depending on the applicable contractual terms. Transfer of control drives the presentation of transportation, gathering, processing, and other post-production expenses (“fees and other deductions”) within the accompanying statements of operations. Fees and other deductions incurred by the Company prior to control transfer are recorded within the oil, gas, and NGL production expense line item on the accompanying statements of operations. When control is transferred at or near the wellhead, sales
are based on a wellhead market price that is impacted by fees and other deductions incurred by the purchaser subsequent to the transfer of control. In general, the Company generates production revenue from a combination of the following types of contracts:
•The Company sells oil and gas production at or near the wellhead and receives an agreed-upon market price from the purchaser. Under this type of arrangement, control transfers at or near the wellhead.
•The Company has certain processing arrangements that include the delivery of unprocessed gas to a midstream processor’s facility for processing. Upon completion of processing, the midstream processor purchases the NGLs and redelivers residue gas back to the Company in-kind. For the NGLs extracted during processing, the midstream processor remits payment to the Company. For the residue gas taken in-kind, the Company has separate sales contracts where control transfers at points downstream of the processing facility. The Company also has certain oil sales that occur at market locations downstream of the production area. Given the structure of these arrangements and where control transfers, the Company separately recognizes fees and other deductions incurred prior to control transfer. These fees are recorded within the oil, gas, and NGL production expense line item on the accompanying statements of operations.
Significant judgments made in applying the guidance in ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, relate to the point in time when control transfers to purchasers in gas processing arrangements with midstream processors. The Company does not believe that significant judgments are required with respect to the determination of the transaction price, including amounts that represent variable consideration, as volume and price carry a low level of estimation uncertainty given the precision of volumetric measurements and the use of index pricing with generally predictable differentials. Accordingly, the Company does not consider estimates of variable consideration to be constrained.
The Company’s performance obligations arise upon the production of hydrocarbons from wells in which the Company has an ownership interest. The performance obligations are considered satisfied upon control transferring to a purchaser at the wellhead, inlet, or tailgate of the midstream processor’s processing facility, or other contractually specified delivery point. The time period between production and satisfaction of performance obligations is generally less than one day; thus, there are no material unsatisfied or partially unsatisfied performance obligations at the end of the reporting period.
Revenue is recorded in the month when performance obligations are satisfied. However, settlement statements from the purchasers of hydrocarbons and the related cash consideration are received 30 to 90 days after production has occurred. As a result, the Company must estimate the amount of production delivered to its customers and the consideration that will ultimately be received for sale of the product. Estimated revenue due to the Company is recorded within the accounts receivable line item on the accompanying balance sheets until payment is received. The accounts receivable balances from contracts with customers within the accompanying balance sheets as of December 31, 2021, and 2020, were $215.6 million and $108.9 million, respectively. To estimate accounts receivable from contracts with customers, the Company uses knowledge of its properties, historical performance, contractual arrangements, index pricing, quality and transportation differentials, and other factors as the basis for these estimates. Differences between estimates and actual amounts received for product sales are recorded in the month that payment is received from the purchaser.
Note 3 - Equity
On June 17, 2020, in connection with the Exchange Offers described below in Note 5 – Long-Term Debt, the Company issued warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of approximately 5.9 million shares, or approximately five percent of its then outstanding common stock, at an exercise price of $0.01 per share (“Warrants”).
Upon issuance, the $21.5 million fair value of the Warrants was recorded in additional paid-in capital on the accompanying balance sheets, and was determined using a stochastic Monte Carlo simulation using geometric Brownian motion (“GBM Model”). The Company evaluated the Warrants under authoritative accounting guidance and determined that they should be classified as equity instruments, with no recurring fair value measurement required. There have been no changes to the initial carrying amount of the Warrants since issuance.
The Warrant Agreement, dated as of June 17, 2020 (“Warrant Agreement”), provides that the Warrants are exercisable any time from and after the Triggering Date, as subsequently defined, until June 30, 2023. The Triggering Date, which occurred on January 15, 2021, is defined by the Warrant Agreement as the first trading day following five consecutive trading days on which the product of the number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding on four of the five trading days multiplied by the closing price per share of common stock for each such trading day exceeds $1.0 billion (“Triggering Date”). The Warrants are indexed to the Company’s common stock and are required to be settled through physical settlement or net share settlement, if exercised.
During 2021, the Company issued 5,918,089 shares of common stock as a result of the cashless exercise of 5,922,260 Warrants at a weighted-average share price of $15.45 per share, as determined under the terms of the Warrant Agreement. At the request of stockholders and pursuant to the Company’s obligations under the Warrant Agreement, a registration statement covering the resale of a majority of these shares was filed with the SEC on June 11, 2021. The unexercised Warrants will remain exercisable at the election of the holders until their expiration on June 30, 2023.
Note 4 – Income Taxes
The provision for income taxes consists of the following:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| (in thousands) |
Current portion of income tax (expense) benefit | | | | | |
Federal | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 3,826 | |
State | (373) | | | (449) | | | (1,618) | |
Deferred portion of income tax (expense) benefit | (9,565) | | | 192,540 | | | 41,835 | |
Income tax (expense) benefit | $ | (9,938) | | | $ | 192,091 | | | $ | 44,043 | |
| | | | | |
Effective tax rate | 21.5 | % | | 20.1 | % | | 19.1 | % |
The components of the net deferred tax liabilities are as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| As of December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 |
| (in thousands) |
Deferred tax liabilities | | | |
Oil and gas properties excluding asset retirement obligation liabilities | $ | 117,085 | | | $ | 83,816 | |
| | | |
| | | |
Other | 4,835 | | | 10,054 | |
Total deferred tax liabilities | 121,920 | | | 93,870 | |
Deferred tax assets | | | |
Derivative liabilities | 69,283 | | | 36,311 | |
Asset retirement obligation liabilities | 21,899 | | | 18,424 | |
Debt discount and deferred financing costs | 20,551 | | | 23,925 | |
Pension | 7,413 | | | 7,183 | |
Federal and state tax net operating loss carryovers | 3,299 | | | 3,898 | |
Stock compensation | 2,246 | | | 2,701 | |
Credit carryover | 897 | | | 7,543 | |
| | | |
Other liabilities | 5,024 | | | 7,273 | |
Total deferred tax assets | 130,612 | | | 107,258 | |
Valuation allowance | (18,461) | | | (13,388) | |
Net deferred tax assets | 112,151 | | | 93,870 | |
Total net deferred tax liabilities | $ | 9,769 | | | $ | — | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
Current state income tax payable | $ | 362 | | | $ | 853 | |
As of December 31, 2021, the Company estimated complete utilization of its federal net operating loss (“NOL”). The Company has state NOL carryforwards of $4.2 million and de minimus state tax credits which expire between 2022 and 2037. The Company’s current valuation allowance includes an amount for state NOL carryforwards and state tax credits, which are expected to expire before they can be utilized. The Company estimated its federal research and development (“R&D”) credit carryforward at $0.9 million, which will expire between 2028 and 2033 if not used, but the Company expects to utilize this credit before it expires. The remaining valuation allowance includes amounts related primarily to the Company’s net derivative liabilities, a portion of which the Company estimates will convert to an unused federal NOL in future years as a result of having cumulative financial statement losses exceeding cumulative financial statement income for the periods included in the Company’s accompanying statements of operations.
Recorded income tax expense or benefit differs from the amount that would be provided by applying the statutory United States federal income tax rate to income or loss before income taxes. These differences primarily relate to the effect of state income taxes, excess tax benefits and deficiencies from stock-based compensation awards, tax limitations on compensation of covered individuals, changes in valuation allowances, the cumulative impact of other smaller permanent differences, and can also reflect the
cumulative effect of an enacted tax rate change, in the period of enactment, on the Company’s net deferred tax asset and liability balance. These differences are reported as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| (in thousands) |
Federal statutory tax (expense) benefit | $ | (9,695) | | | $ | 200,908 | | | $ | 48,519 | |
(Increase) decrease in tax resulting from: | | | | | |
Employee share-based compensation | 3,080 | | | (2,578) | | | (3,346) | |
Acquisition basis, expired statute of limitation | 1,658 | | | — | | | — | |
Return to provision | 1,230 | | | (857) | | | (152) | |
State tax (expense) benefit (net of federal benefit) | (211) | | | 5,722 | | | (260) | |
Compensation of covered individuals | (1,216) | | | (719) | | | (471) | |
Change in valuation allowance | (5,073) | | | (10,318) | | | 13 | |
Other | 289 | | | (67) | | | (260) | |
Income tax (expense) benefit | $ | (9,938) | | | $ | 192,091 | | | $ | 44,043 | |
Acquisitions, divestitures, drilling activity, and basis differentials, which impact the prices received for oil, gas, and NGLs, impact the apportionment of taxable income to the states where the Company owns oil and gas properties. As these factors change, the Company’s state income tax rate changes. This change, when applied to the Company’s total temporary differences, impacts the total state income tax (expense) benefit reported in the current year. Items affecting state apportionment factors are evaluated upon completion of the prior year income tax return, after significant acquisitions and divestitures, if there are significant changes in drilling activity, or if estimated state revenue changes occur during the year. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company recorded tax benefit and expense items which decreased the Company’s change in valuation allowance and resulted in a net zero impact to the Company’s 2021 tax rate.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was enacted on March 27, 2020. The primary feature of the CARES Act that the Company benefited from was the acceleration of its refundable Alternative Minimum Tax (“AMT”) credits. On April 1, 2020, the Company filed an election to accelerate its remaining refundable AMT credits of $7.6 million. The Company received the refund in July 2020.
For all years before 2018, the Company is generally no longer subject to United States federal or state income tax examinations by tax authorities.
The Company complies with authoritative accounting guidance regarding uncertain tax provisions. The entire amount of unrecognized tax benefit reported by the Company would affect its effective tax rate if recognized. Interest expense in the accompanying statements of operations includes a negligible amount associated with income taxes. The total amount recorded for unrecognized tax benefits for each of the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, was $0.4 million. The Company does not expect a significant change to the recorded unrecognized tax benefits in 2022.
Note 5 – Long-Term Debt
The following table summarizes the Company’s total outstanding balance on its revolving credit facility, Senior Secured Notes net of unamortized discount and deferred financing costs, and Senior Unsecured Notes net of unamortized deferred financing costs, as of December 31, 2021, and 2020:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| As of December 31, 2021 | | As of December 31, 2020 |
| (in thousands) |
Revolving credit facility | $ | — | | | $ | 93,000 | |
Senior Secured Notes (1) | 407,712 | | | 460,656 | |
Senior Unsecured Notes (1) | 1,673,452 | | | 1,660,663 | |
Total | $ | 2,081,164 | | | $ | 2,214,319 | |
____________________________________________
(1) Senior Secured Notes and Senior Unsecured Notes are defined below.
Credit Agreement
The Company’s Credit Agreement, which is scheduled to mature on September 28, 2023, provides for a senior secured revolving credit facility with a maximum loan amount of $2.5 billion. As of December 31, 2021, the borrowing base and aggregate lender commitments under the Credit Agreement were $1.1 billion. The next borrowing base redetermination date is scheduled for April 1, 2022. On June 8, 2021, the Company entered into a sixth amendment to the Credit Agreement which amended certain definitions and covenants relating to the Company's ability to issue permitted refinancing debt and to repurchase or redeem outstanding indebtedness to facilitate the Tender Offer and the 2022 Senior Notes Redemption, each as defined below.
Interest and commitment fees associated with the revolving credit facility are accrued based on a borrowing base utilization grid set forth in the Credit Agreement, as presented in the table below. At the Company’s election, borrowings under the Credit Agreement may be in the form of Eurodollar, Alternate Base Rate (“ABR”), or Swingline loans. Eurodollar loans accrue interest at LIBOR, plus the applicable margin from the utilization grid, and ABR and Swingline loans accrue interest at a market-based floating rate, plus the applicable margin from the utilization grid. Commitment fees are accrued on the unused portion of the aggregate lender commitment amount at rates from the utilization grid and are included in the interest expense line item on the accompanying statements of operations.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage | | <25% | | ≥25% <50% | | ≥50% <75% | | ≥75% <90% | | ≥90% |
Eurodollar Loans (1) | | 1.750 | % | | 2.000 | % | | 2.500 | % | | 2.750 | % | | 3.000 | % |
ABR Loans or Swingline Loans | | 0.750 | % | | 1.000 | % | | 1.500 | % | | 1.750 | % | | 2.000 | % |
Commitment Fee Rate | | 0.375 | % | | 0.375 | % | | 0.500 | % | | 0.500 | % | | 0.500 | % |
____________________________________________
(1) LIBOR was discontinued as a global reference rate for new loans and contracts after December 31, 2021. The Credit Agreement specifies that if LIBOR is no longer a widely used benchmark rate, or if it is no longer used for determining interest rates for loans in the United States, a replacement interest rate that fairly reflects the cost to the lenders of funding loans shall be established by the Administrative Agent, as defined in the Credit Agreement, in consultation with the Company. During 2022, in advance of the maturity date of the Company’s existing Credit Agreement, the Company expects to enter into a new credit agreement that will, in addition to other negotiated terms, conditions, agreements, and other provisions, specify a new interest rate for Eurodollar loans. The Company does not expect to incur borrowings in the form of Eurodollar loans prior to that time. Please refer to Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies for discussion of FASB ASU 2020-04 and ASU 2021-01, which provide guidance related to reference rate reform.
The following table presents the outstanding balance, total amount of letters of credit outstanding, and available borrowing capacity under the Credit Agreement as of February 10, 2022, December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| As of February 10, 2022 | | As of December 31, 2021 | | As of December 31, 2020 |
| (in thousands) |
Revolving credit facility (1) | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 93,000 | |
Letters of credit (2) | 2,500 | | | 2,500 | | | 42,000 | |
Available borrowing capacity | 1,097,500 | | | 1,097,500 | | | 965,000 | |
Total aggregate lender commitment amount | $ | 1,100,000 | | | $ | 1,100,000 | | | $ | 1,100,000 | |
____________________________________________
(1) Unamortized deferred financing costs attributable to the revolving credit facility are presented as a component of the other noncurrent assets line item on the accompanying balance sheets and totaled $2.7 million and $4.3 million as of December 31, 2021, and 2020, respectively. These costs are being amortized over the term of the revolving credit facility on a straight-line basis.
(2) Letters of credit outstanding reduce the amount available under the revolving credit facility on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
Senior Secured Notes
Senior Secured Notes, net of unamortized discount and deferred financing costs, included within the Senior Notes, net line item on the accompanying balance sheets as of December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, consisted of the following (collectively referred to as “Senior Secured Notes”):
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| As of December 31, 2021 |
| Principal Amount | | Unamortized Debt Discount | | Unamortized Deferred Financing Costs | | Net |
| (in thousands) |
10.0% Senior Secured Notes due 2025 | $ | 446,675 | | | $ | 30,236 | | | $ | 8,727 | | | $ | 407,712 | |
| | | | | | | |
| As of December 31, 2020 |
| Principal Amount | | Unamortized Debt Discount | | Unamortized Deferred Financing Costs | | Net |
| (in thousands) |
1.50% Senior Secured Convertible Notes due 2021 | $ | 65,485 | | | $ | 1,828 | | | $ | 175 | | | $ | 63,482 | |
10.0% Senior Secured Notes due 2025 | 446,675 | | | 37,943 | | | 11,558 | | | 397,174 | |
Total | $ | 512,160 | | | $ | 39,771 | | | $ | 11,733 | | | $ | 460,656 | |
The Senior Secured Notes listed above are senior obligations of the Company, secured on a second-priority basis, ranking junior to the Company’s obligations under the Credit Agreement. The Senior Secured Notes rank senior in right of payment with all of the Company’s existing and any future unsecured senior or subordinated debt.
2021 Senior Secured Convertible Notes. On August 12, 2016, the Company issued $172.5 million in aggregate principal amount of 1.50% Senior Convertible Notes with a maturity date of July 1, 2021 (“2021 Senior Convertible Notes”).
Upon issuance of the 2021 Senior Convertible Notes, the Company received net proceeds of $166.6 million after deducting fees of $5.9 million, of which a portion was amortized over the life of the 2021 Senior Convertible Notes. The Company recorded $132.3 million as the initial carrying amount of the debt component, which approximated its fair value at issuance, and was estimated by using an interest rate for nonconvertible debt with terms similar to the Senior Convertible Notes. The effective interest rate used was 7.25%. The $40.2 million excess of the principal amount of the 2021 Senior Convertible Notes over the fair value of the debt component was recorded as a debt discount and a corresponding increase in additional paid-in capital. The Company incurred fees of $5.9 million relating to the issuance of the 2021 Senior Convertible Notes, which were allocated between the debt and equity components in proportion to their determined fair value amounts.
In connection with the issuance of the 2021 Senior Convertible Notes, the Company entered into capped call transactions with affiliates of the underwriters of such issuance. The aggregate cost of the capped call transactions was approximately $24.2 million. The Company classified the costs associated with the capped call transactions as equity instruments with no recurring fair value measurement recorded. The capped call transactions expired upon the maturity of the 2021 Senior Convertible Notes on July 1, 2021.
During the second quarter of 2020, the Company agreed to satisfy any conversion obligation solely in cash, resulting in the reclassification of the fair value of the equity components related to the debt discount and the capped call transactions out of additional paid-in capital. The debt discount and debt-related issuance costs were amortized to the principal value of the 2021 Senior Secured Convertible Notes as interest expense through the maturity date. Interest expense recognized on the 2021 Senior Secured Convertible Notes related to the stated interest rate and amortization of the debt discount and totaled $2.3 million, $7.7 million, and $11.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively.
Upon the closing of the Exchange Offers on June 17, 2020, the Company retired $107.0 million in aggregate principal amount of its 2021 Senior Convertible Notes and at that time, the remaining outstanding 2021 Senior Convertible Notes became secured and are subsequently referred to as “2021 Senior Secured Convertible Notes”. The Company canceled all 2021 Senior Convertible Notes that were retired upon closing of the Exchange Offers. See below for additional discussion and definition of Exchange Offers. On July 1, 2021, the Company used borrowings under its revolving credit facility to retire, at par, the remaining outstanding principal amount of $65.5 million.
2025 Senior Secured Notes. On June 17, 2020, the Company issued $446.7 million in aggregate principal amount of 10.0% Senior Secured Notes (“2025 Senior Secured Notes”), at par, which mature on January 15, 2025. The Company incurred fees of $13.1 million, which are being amortized as deferred financing costs over the life of the 2025 Senior Secured Notes. Upon the issuance of the 2025 Senior Secured Notes, the Company recorded $405.0 million as the initial carrying amount, which approximated their fair
value at issuance. The excess of the principal amount of the 2025 Senior Secured Notes over its fair value was recorded as a debt discount. The debt discount and deferred financing costs are being amortized to interest expense through the maturity date. The Company may redeem some or all of its 2025 Senior Secured Notes prior to their maturity at redemption prices based on a premium, plus accrued and unpaid interest, as described in the indenture governing the 2025 Senior Secured Notes.
Senior Unsecured Notes
Senior Unsecured Notes, net of unamortized deferred financing costs, included within the Senior Notes, net line item on the accompanying balance sheets as of December 31, 2021, and 2020, consisted of the following:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| As of December 31, 2021 | | As of December 31, 2020 |
| Principal Amount | | Unamortized Deferred Financing Costs | | Principal Amount, Net | | Principal Amount | | Unamortized Deferred Financing Costs | | Principal Amount, Net |
| (in thousands) |
6.125% Senior Notes due 2022 | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 212,403 | | | $ | 855 | | | $ | 211,548 | |
5.0% Senior Notes due 2024 | 104,769 | | | 403 | | | 104,366 | | | 277,034 | | | 1,576 | | | 275,458 | |
5.625% Senior Notes due 2025 | 349,118 | | | 2,160 | | | 346,958 | | | 349,118 | | | 2,792 | | | 346,326 | |
6.75% Senior Notes due 2026 | 419,235 | | | 3,270 | | | 415,965 | | | 419,235 | | | 3,970 | | | 415,265 | |
6.625% Senior Notes due 2027 | 416,791 | | | 3,949 | | | 412,842 | | | 416,791 | | | 4,725 | | | 412,066 | |
6.5% Senior Notes due 2028 | 400,000 | | | 6,679 | | | 393,321 | | | — | | | — | | | — | |
Total | $ | 1,689,913 | | | $ | 16,461 | | | $ | 1,673,452 | | | $ | 1,674,581 | | | $ | 13,918 | | | $ | 1,660,663 | |
The senior unsecured notes listed above (collectively referred to as “Senior Unsecured Notes,” and together with the Senior Secured Notes, “Senior Notes”) are unsecured senior obligations and rank equal in right of payment with all of the Company’s existing and any future unsecured senior debt and are senior in right of payment to any future subordinated debt. The Company may redeem some or all of its Senior Unsecured Notes prior to their maturity at redemption prices based on a premium, plus accrued and unpaid interest as described in the indentures governing the Senior Unsecured Notes. Fees incurred upon issuance of each series of Senior Unsecured Notes are being amortized as deferred financing costs over the life of the respective notes, unless earlier redeemed or retired, in which case amortization has been proportionately accelerated.
2022 Senior Notes. On November 17, 2014, the Company issued $600.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 6.125% Senior Notes due 2022, at par, which mature on November 15, 2022 (“2022 Senior Notes”). The Company received net proceeds of $590.0 million after deducting fees of $10.0 million.
2024 Senior Notes. On May 20, 2013, the Company issued $500.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 5.0% Senior Notes due 2024, at par, which mature on January 15, 2024 (“2024 Senior Notes”). The Company received net proceeds of $490.2 million after deducting fees of $9.8 million.
2025 Senior Notes. On May 21, 2015, the Company issued $500.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 5.625% Senior Notes due 2025, at par, which mature on June 1, 2025. The Company received net proceeds of $491.0 million after deducting fees of $9.0 million.
2026 Senior Notes. On September 12, 2016, the Company issued $500.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 6.75% Senior Notes due 2026, at par, which mature on September 15, 2026. The Company received net proceeds of $491.6 million after deducting fees of $8.4 million.
2027 Senior Notes. On August 20, 2018, the Company issued $500.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 6.625% Senior Notes due 2027, at par, which mature on January 15, 2027. The Company received net proceeds of $492.1 million after deducting fees of $7.9 million.
2028 Senior Notes. On June 23, 2021, the Company issued $400.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 6.5% Senior Notes due 2028, at par, which mature on July 15, 2028 (“2028 Senior Notes”). The Company received net proceeds of $392.8 million after deducting fees of $7.2 million.
Senior Notes Activity
2022 Senior Notes Transactions. On February 14, 2022, the Company redeemed the remaining $104.8 million of aggregate principal amount outstanding of its 2024 Senior Notes, with cash on hand, pursuant to the terms of the indenture governing the 2024 Senior Notes which provided for a redemption price equal to 100 percent of the principal amount of the 2024 Senior Notes on the date
of redemption, plus accrued and unpaid interest. Upon redemption, the Company accelerated the amortization of all remaining previously unamortized deferred financing costs.
2021 Senior Notes Transactions. On June 23, 2021, the Company issued $400.0 million in aggregate principal amount of its 2028 Senior Notes, as described above. The net proceeds of $392.8 million were used to repurchase $193.1 million and $172.3 million of outstanding principal amount of the Company’s 2022 Senior Notes and 2024 Senior Notes, respectively, through a cash tender offer (“Tender Offer”), and to redeem the remaining $19.3 million of 2022 Senior Notes not repurchased as part of the Tender Offer (“2022 Senior Notes Redemption”). The Company paid total consideration, excluding accrued interest, of $385.3 million, and recorded a net loss on extinguishment of debt of $2.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, which included the accelerated amortization of $1.5 million of previously unamortized deferred financing costs and $0.6 million of net premiums. The Company canceled all repurchased and redeemed 2022 Senior Notes and 2024 Senior Notes upon settlement.
2020 Senior Notes Transactions. During the second quarter of 2020, the Company initiated an offer to exchange certain of its then outstanding Senior Unsecured Notes, other than its 2021 Senior Convertible Notes, (and together with the Senior Unsecured Notes, “Old Notes”), and entered into a private exchange of certain of its then outstanding 2021 Senior Convertible Notes and portions of its then outstanding Senior Unsecured Notes (“Private Exchange”), in each case, for newly issued 2025 Senior Secured Notes, referred to together as “Exchange Offers.”
On June 17, 2020, the Company exchanged $611.9 million in aggregate principal amount of Senior Unsecured Notes and $107.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 2021 Senior Convertible Notes for $446.7 million in aggregate principal amount of 2025 Senior Secured Notes. Further, in connection with the Private Exchange, the Company tendered $53.5 million in cash to certain holders of the 2021 Senior Convertible Notes and issued the Warrants. Please refer to Note 3 - Equity for more information regarding the Warrants. Upon the closing of the Exchange Offers, the Company recorded a net gain on extinguishment of debt of $227.3 million which included the accelerated amortization of $6.1 million and $5.6 million of previously unamortized debt discount and deferred financing costs, respectively.
Upon the closing of the Exchange Offers, the Company retired $611.9 million in aggregate principal amount of its Senior Unsecured Notes. Portions of the then-outstanding principal amount of each series of our Senior Unsecured Notes listed below were tendered and retired in connection with the Exchange Offers. The following table summarizes the principal amounts of the Senior Unsecured Notes tendered as of the Settlement Date:
| | | | | | | | |
Title of Senior Unsecured Notes Tendered | | Principal Amount of Senior Unsecured Notes Tendered |
| | (in thousands) |
6.125% Senior Notes due 2022 | | $ | 141,701 | |
5.0% Senior Notes due 2024 | | 155,339 | |
5.625% Senior Notes due 2025 | | 150,882 | |
6.75% Senior Notes due 2026 | | 80,765 | |
6.625% Senior Notes due 2027 | | 83,209 | |
Total | | $ | 611,896 | |
The Company canceled all Senior Unsecured Notes that were retired upon closing of the Exchange Offers.
Additionally, during 2020, in open market transactions, the Company repurchased a total of $122.7 million and $67.6 million in aggregate principal amount of its 2022 Senior Notes and 2024 Senior Notes, respectively, for a total settlement amount, excluding accrued interest, of $136.5 million. In connection with the repurchases, the Company recorded a net gain on extinguishment of debt of $52.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. This amount included discounts realized upon repurchase of $53.8 million partially offset by approximately $1.0 million related to the accelerated amortization of previously unamortized deferred financing costs. The Company canceled all repurchased 2022 Senior Notes and 2024 Senior Notes upon settlement.
Covenants
The Company is subject to certain financial and non-financial covenants under the Credit Agreement and the indentures governing the Senior Notes that, among other terms, limit the Company’s ability to incur additional indebtedness, make restricted payments including dividends, sell assets, create liens that secure debt, enter into transactions with affiliates, merge or consolidate with another company, and with respect to the Company’s restricted subsidiaries, permit the consensual restriction on the ability of such restricted subsidiaries to pay dividends or indebtedness owing to the Company or to any other restricted subsidiaries. The financial covenants under the Credit Agreement require that the Company’s (a) total funded debt, as defined in the Credit Agreement, to 12-month trailing adjusted EBITDAX ratio cannot be greater than 4.00 to 1.00 on the last day of each fiscal quarter; and (b) adjusted current ratio, as defined in the Credit Agreement, cannot be less than 1.00 to 1.00 as of the last day of any fiscal quarter. The Company
was in compliance with all covenants under the Credit Agreement and the indentures governing the Senior Notes as of December 31, 2021, and through the filing of this report.
Capitalized Interest
Capitalized interest costs for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, totaled $15.0 million, $15.8 million, and $18.5 million, respectively. The amount of interest the Company capitalizes generally fluctuates based on the amount borrowed, the Company’s capital program, and the timing and amount of costs associated with capital projects that are considered in progress. Capitalized interest costs are included in total costs incurred. Please refer to Costs Incurred in Overview of the Company in Part II, Item 7, and Supplemental Oil and Gas Information (unaudited) in Part II, Item 8 of this report.
Note 6 – Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments
As of December 31, 2021, the Company had entered into various agreements, which included drilling rig contracts of $7.7 million, gathering, processing, transportation throughput, and delivery commitments of $96.9 million, office leases, including maintenance, of $40.5 million, fixed price contracts to purchase electricity of $38.0 million, and other miscellaneous contracts and leases of $15.2 million. As of December 31, 2021, the annual minimum payments for the next five years and total minimum payments thereafter are presented below:
| | | | | | | | |
For the Years Ending December 31, | | Amount |
| | (in thousands) |
2022 | | $ | 83,565 | |
2023 | | 48,473 | |
2024 | | 15,530 | |
2025 | | 14,882 | |
2026 | | 14,205 | |
Thereafter | | 21,665 | |
Total | | $ | 198,320 | |
Drilling Rig and Completion Service Contracts. The Company has drilling rig and completion service contracts in place to facilitate its drilling and completion plans. As of December 31, 2021, the Company’s drilling rig commitments totaled $7.7 million under contract terms extending through the third quarter of 2022. If all of these contracts were terminated as of December 31, 2021, the Company would avoid a portion of the contractual service commitments; however, the Company would be required to pay $4.9 million in early termination fees. Subsequent to December 31, 2021, the Company entered into a new drilling rig contract, and as of the filing of this report, the Company’s drilling rig commitments totaled $10.1 million under contract terms extending through the fourth quarter of 2022. If all of these contracts were terminated as of the filing of this report, the Company would avoid a portion of the contractual service commitments; however, the Company would be required to pay $6.3 million in early termination fees. Excluded from these amounts are variable commitments and potential penalties determined by the number of completion crews the Company has in operation in a particular area under a completion service agreement. As of December 31, 2021, potential penalties under this completion service agreement, which expires on December 31, 2023, range from zero to a maximum of $6.7 million. No material expenses related to early termination or standby fees were incurred by the Company during the year ended December 31, 2021, and the Company does not expect to incur material penalties with regard to its drilling rig and completion service contracts during 2022.
Pipeline Transportation Commitments. The Company has gathering, processing, transportation throughput, and delivery commitments with various third-parties that require delivery of a minimum amount of oil, gas, and produced water. As of December 31, 2021, the Company has commitments to deliver a minimum of 10 MMBbl of oil and 89 Bcf of gas through 2024, and 14 MMBbl of produced water through 2027. The Company will be required to make periodic deficiency payments for any shortfalls in delivering the minimum volume commitments under certain agreements. As of December 31, 2021, if the Company fails to deliver any product, as applicable, the aggregate undiscounted deficiency payments total approximately $96.9 million. This amount does not include deficiency payment estimates associated with approximately 8 MMBbl of future oil delivery commitments where the Company cannot predict with accuracy the amount and timing of these payments, as such payments are dependent upon the price of oil in effect at the time of settlement. The Company expects to fulfill the delivery commitments from a combination of production from existing productive wells, future development of proved undeveloped reserves, and future development of resources not yet characterized as proved reserves. Under certain of the Company’s commitments, if the Company is unable to deliver the minimum quantity from its production, it may deliver production acquired from third-parties to satisfy its minimum volume commitments. As of the filing of this report, the Company does not expect to incur material shortfalls with regard to these commitments.
Office Leases. The Company leases office space under various operating leases totaling $40.5 million, including maintenance, with certain terms extending into 2033. Rent expense for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, was $4.8 million, $5.4 million, and $5.5 million, respectively.
Electrical Power Purchase Contracts. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had a fixed price contract for the purchase of electrical power through 2027 with a total remaining obligation of $38.0 million.
Delivery and Purchase Commitments. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had a sand sourcing agreement with certain commitments and potential penalties that vary based on the amount of sand the Company uses in well completions occurring in a particular area. This sand sourcing agreement expires on December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2021, potential penalties under this sand sourcing agreement range from zero to a maximum of $10.0 million. The Company does not expect to incur penalties with regard to this agreement.
Drilling and Completion Commitments. During 2021, the Company amended an agreement that includes minimum drilling and completion footage requirements on certain existing leases. If these minimum requirements are not satisfied by March 31, 2022, the Company will be required to pay liquidated damages based on the difference between the actual footage drilled and completed and the minimum requirements. As of December 31, 2021, the liquidated damages could range from zero to a maximum of $17.7 million, with the maximum exposure assuming no additional development activity occurred prior to March 31, 2022. The Company does not expect to incur material liquidated damages with regard to this agreement.
Contingencies
The Company is subject to litigation and claims arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company accrues for such items when a liability is both probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. In the opinion of management, the anticipated results of any pending litigation and claims are not expected to have a material effect on the results of operations, the financial position, or the cash flows of the Company.
Note 7 – Compensation Plans
Equity Incentive Compensation Plan
As of December 31, 2021, approximately 4.9 million shares of common stock were available for grant under the Equity Plan. The issuance of a direct share benefit, such as a share of common stock, a stock option, a restricted share, an RSU, or a PSU, counts as one share against the number of shares available to be granted under the Equity Plan. Each PSU has the potential to count as two shares against the number of shares available to be granted under the Equity Plan based on the final performance multiplier.
Performance Share Units
The Company may grant PSUs to eligible employees as part of its Equity Plan. The number of shares of the Company’s common stock issued to settle PSUs ranges from zero to two times the number of PSUs awarded and is determined based on certain criteria over a three-year performance period. PSUs generally vest on the third anniversary of the date of the grant or upon other triggering events as set forth in the Equity Plan. Employees who are retirement eligible at the time a PSU award is granted, vest in each portion of that award equally in six-month increments over a three-year period beginning at the grant date. Retirement eligible employees must stay with the Company through the entire six-month vesting period to receive that increment of vesting and any non-vested portions of a PSU award will be forfeited when the employee leaves the Company.
The fair value of PSUs is measured at the grant date using a stochastic Monte Carlo simulation using the GBM Model. A stochastic process is a mathematically defined equation that can create a series of outcomes over time. These outcomes are not deterministic in nature, which means that by iterating the equations multiple times, different results will be obtained for each iteration. In the case of the Company’s PSUs, the Company cannot predict with certainty the path its stock price or the stock prices of its peers will take over the three-year performance period. By using a stochastic simulation, the Company can create multiple prospective stock pathways, statistically analyze these simulations, and ultimately make inferences regarding the path the stock price may take. As such, because future stock prices are stochastic, or probabilistic with some direction in nature, the stochastic method, specifically the GBM Model, is deemed an appropriate method by which to determine the fair value of the PSUs. Significant assumptions used in this simulation include the Company’s expected volatility, dividend yield, and risk-free interest rate based on U.S. Treasury yield curve rates with maturities consistent with a three-year vesting period, as well as the volatilities and dividend yields for each of the Company’s peers.
For PSUs granted in 2018 and 2019, which the Company determined to be equity awards, the settlement criteria include a combination of the Company’s Total Shareholder Return (“TSR”) relative to the TSR of certain peer companies and the Company’s cash return on total capital invested (“CRTCI”) relative to the CRTCI of certain peer companies over the associated three-year performance period. In addition to these performance criteria, the award agreements for these grants also stipulate that if the Company’s absolute TSR is negative over the three-year performance period, the maximum number of shares of common stock that can be issued to settle
outstanding PSUs is capped at one times the number of PSUs granted on the award date, regardless of the Company’s TSR and CRTCI performance relative to its peer group. The fair value of the PSUs granted in 2018 and 2019 was measured on the applicable grant dates using the GBM Model, with the assumption that the associated CRTCI performance condition will be met at the target amount at the end of the respective performance periods. Compensation expense for PSUs is recognized within general and administrative expense and exploration expense over the vesting periods of the respective awards. As these awards depend on a combination of performance-based settlement criteria and market-based settlement criteria, compensation expense may be adjusted in future periods as the number of units expected to vest increases or decreases based on the Company’s expected CRTCI performance relative to the applicable peer companies. The PSUs granted in 2018 fully vested during 2021 and were settled as discussed below.
The Company records compensation expense associated with the issuance of PSUs based on the fair value of the awards as of the grant date. Total compensation expense recorded for PSUs was $6.0 million, $4.4 million, and $10.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. As of December 31, 2021, there was $1.4 million of total unrecognized expense related to non-vested PSUs, which is being amortized through mid-2022.
A summary of activity is presented in the following table:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| PSUs (1) | | Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value | | PSUs (1) | | Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value | | PSUs (1) | | Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value |
Non-vested at beginning of year | 830,464 | | | $ | 17.52 | | | 2,022,585 | | | $ | 16.87 | | | 1,711,259 | | | $ | 20.68 | |
Granted | — | | $ | — | | | — | | | $ | — | | | 793,125 | | | $ | 12.80 | |
Vested | (352,395) | | | $ | 23.81 | | | (792,572) | | | $ | 15.85 | | | (346,021) | | | $ | 26.32 | |
Forfeited | (13,586) | | | $ | 15.46 | | | (399,549) | | | $ | 17.56 | | | (135,778) | | | $ | 16.98 | |
Non-vested at end of year | 464,483 | | | $ | 12.80 | | | 830,464 | | | $ | 17.52 | | | 2,022,585 | | | $ | 16.87 | |
____________________________________________
(1)The number of shares of common stock assumes a multiplier of one. The actual final number of shares of common stock to be issued will range from zero to two times the number of PSUs awarded depending on the three-year performance multiplier.
The fair value of the PSUs granted in 2019 was $10.2 million. No PSUs were granted in 2021 or 2020.
A summary of the shares of common stock issued to settle employee PSUs is presented in the table below:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 |
Shares of common stock issued to settle PSUs (1) | 347,742 | | | 700,511 | |
Less: shares of common stock withheld for income and payroll taxes | (112,919) | | | (215,451) | |
Net shares of common stock issued | 234,823 | | | 485,060 | |
| | | |
Multiplier earned | 1.0 | | 0.9 |
____________________________________________
(1) During the years ended December 31, 2021, and 2020, the Company settled PSUs that were granted in 2018 and 2017, respectively. The Company and all eligible recipients in 2021 and the majority of eligible recipients in 2020, mutually agreed to net share settle a portion of the awards to cover income and payroll tax withholdings, as provided for in the Equity Plan and applicable award agreements.
During the year ended December 31, 2019, PSUs that were granted in 2016 did not satisfy the minimum performance requirements. This resulted in a multiplier of zero times and no shares of common stock were issued upon settlement.
The total fair value of PSUs that vested during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, was $8.4 million, $12.6 million, and $9.1 million, respectively.
Employee Restricted Stock Units
The Company may grant RSUs to eligible persons as part of its Equity Plan. Each RSU represents a right to receive one share of the Company’s common stock upon settlement of the award at the end of the specified vesting period. RSUs generally vest one-third of the total grant on each anniversary date of the grant over the applicable vesting period or upon other triggering events as
set forth in the Equity Plan. Employees who are retirement eligible at the time an RSU award is granted generally vest in each portion of that award equally in six-month increments over the applicable vesting period beginning at the grant date. Retirement eligible employees must stay with the Company through the entire six-month vesting period to receive that increment of vesting and any non-vested portions of an RSU award will be forfeited when the employee leaves the Company.
The Company records compensation expense associated with the issuance of RSUs based on the fair value of the awards as of the grant date. The fair value of an RSU is equal to the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of the grant. Compensation expense for RSUs is recognized within general and administrative expense and exploration expense over the vesting periods of the respective awards. Total compensation expense recorded for employee RSUs for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, was $10.2 million, $8.7 million, and $11.1 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2021, there was $20.7 million of total unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested RSUs, which is being amortized through mid-2024.
A summary of activity is presented in the following table:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| RSUs | | Weighted- Average Grant-Date Fair Value | | RSUs | | Weighted- Average Grant-Date Fair Value | | RSUs | | Weighted- Average Grant-Date Fair Value |
Non-vested at beginning of year | 2,097,860 | | | $ | 8.83 | | | 1,532,131 | | | $ | 16.01 | | | 1,243,163 | | | $ | 21.50 | |
Granted | 666,052 | | | $ | 25.52 | | | 1,458,869 | | | $ | 5.98 | | | 978,932 | | | $ | 12.36 | |
Vested | (843,098) | | | $ | 11.00 | | | (746,132) | | | $ | 16.74 | | | (466,535) | | | $ | 21.94 | |
Forfeited | (79,577) | | | $ | 10.64 | | | (147,008) | | | $ | 15.34 | | | (223,429) | | | $ | 18.16 | |
Non-vested at end of year | 1,841,237 | | | $ | 13.79 | | | 2,097,860 | | | $ | 8.83 | | | 1,532,131 | | | $ | 16.01 | |
The fair value of RSUs granted to eligible employees in 2021, 2020, and 2019, was $17.0 million, $8.7 million, and $12.1 million, respectively.
A summary of the shares of common stock issued to settle employee RSUs is presented in the table below:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
Shares of common stock issued to settle RSUs (1) | 843,098 | | | 746,132 | | | 466,535 | |
Less: shares of common stock withheld for income and payroll taxes | (250,349) | | | (209,173) | | | (132,136) | |
Net shares of common stock issued | 592,749 | | | 536,959 | | | 334,399 | |
____________________________________________
(1) During the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, the Company issued shares of common stock to settle RSUs that related to awards granted in previous years. The Company and all eligible recipients in 2021, and the majority of eligible recipients in 2020, and 2019 mutually agreed to net share settle a portion of the awards to cover income and payroll tax withholdings in accordance with the Company’s Equity Plan and individual award agreements.
The total fair value of employee RSUs that vested during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, was $9.3 million, $12.5 million, and $10.2 million, respectively.
Director Shares
In 2021, 2020, and 2019, the Company issued 60,510, 267,576, and 96,719 shares, respectively, of its common stock to its non-employee directors under the Equity Plan. For the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, the Company recorded $1.2 million, $1.0 million, and $1.2 million, respectively, of compensation expense related to director shares. All shares issued to non-employee directors fully vest on December 31 of the year granted.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Under the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”), eligible employees may purchase shares of the Company’s common stock through payroll deductions of up to 15 percent of eligible compensation, subject to a maximum of 2,500 shares per offering period and a maximum of $25,000 in value related to purchases for each calendar year. The purchase price of the common stock is 85 percent of the lower of the trading price of the common stock on either the first or last day of the six-month offering period.
The ESPP is intended to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the IRC. The Company had approximately 3.5 million shares of its common stock available for issuance under the ESPP as of December 31, 2021. There were 313,773, 464,757, and 314,868 shares issued under the ESPP in 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. Total proceeds to the Company for the issuance of these shares was $2.6 million, $1.5 million, and $3.2 million, for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively.
The fair value of ESPP grants is measured at the grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. Expected volatility is calculated based on the Company’s historical daily common stock price, and the risk-free interest rate is based on U.S. Treasury yield curve rates with maturities consistent with a six-month vesting period.
The fair value of ESPP shares issued during the periods reported above were estimated using the following weighted-average assumptions:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
Risk free interest rate | 0.8 | % | | 0.8 | % | | 2.3 | % |
Dividend yield | 0.3 | % | | 0.7 | % | | 0.7 | % |
Volatility factor of the expected market price of the Company’s common stock | 106.1 | % | | 166.2 | % | | 56.6 | % |
Expected life (in years) | 0.5 | | 0.5 | | 0.5 |
For the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, the Company expensed $1.4 million, $0.9 million, and $1.1 million, respectively, based on the estimated fair value of the ESPP grants.
401(k) Plan
The Company has a defined contribution plan (“401(k) Plan”) that is subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The 401(k) Plan allows eligible employees to contribute a maximum of 60 percent of their base salaries up to the contribution limits established under the IRC. For employees hired before December 31, 2014, the Company matches 100 percent of each employee’s contribution in cash on a dollar-for-dollar basis, up to six percent of the employee’s base salary and performance bonus, and may make additional contributions at its discretion. The Company matches 150 percent of contributions made by employees hired after December 31, 2014, up to six percent of the employee’s base salary and performance bonus in lieu of pension plan benefits, and may make additional contributions at its discretion. Please refer to Note 11 – Pension Benefits for additional discussion of pension benefits. The Company’s matching contributions to the 401(k) Plan were $3.9 million, $4.2 million, and $5.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively.
Note 8 – Fair Value Measurements
The Company follows fair value measurement accounting guidance for all assets and liabilities measured at fair value. This guidance defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Market or observable inputs are the preferred sources of values, followed by assumptions based on hypothetical transactions in the absence of market inputs. The fair value hierarchy for grouping these assets and liabilities is based on the significance level of the following inputs:
•Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities
•Level 2 – quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active, and model-derived valuations whose inputs are observable or whose significant value drivers are observable
•Level 3 – significant inputs to the valuation model are unobservable
The following table is a listing of the Company’s assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value in the accompanying balance sheets and where they are classified within the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2021:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Level 1 | | Level 2 | | Level 3 |
| (in thousands) |
Assets: | | | | | |
Derivatives (1) | $ | — | | | $ | 24,334 | | | $ | — | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
Liabilities: | | | | | |
Derivatives (1) | $ | — | | | $ | 345,202 | | | $ | — | |
____________________________________________
(1) This represents a financial asset or liability that is measured at fair value on a recurring basis.
The following table is a listing of the Company’s assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value in the accompanying balance sheets and where they are classified within the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2020:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Level 1 | | Level 2 | | Level 3 |
| (in thousands) |
Assets: | | | | | |
Derivatives (1) | $ | — | | | $ | 54,353 | | | $ | — | |
Liabilities: | | | | | |
Derivatives (1) | $ | — | | | $ | 222,520 | | | $ | — | |
____________________________________________
(1) This represents a financial asset or liability that is measured at fair value on a recurring basis.
Both financial and non-financial assets and liabilities are categorized within the above fair value hierarchy based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The following is a description of the valuation methodologies used by the Company as well as the general classification of such instruments pursuant to the above fair value hierarchy. Please refer to Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies for additional information on the Company’s policies for determining fair value for the categories discussed below.
Derivatives
The Company uses Level 2 inputs to measure the fair value of oil, gas, and NGL commodity derivative instruments. Fair values are based upon interpolated data. The Company derives internal valuation estimates taking into consideration forward commodity price curves, counterparties’ credit ratings, the Company’s credit rating, and the time value of money. These valuations are then compared to the respective counterparties’ mark-to-market statements. The considered factors result in an estimated exit price that management believes provides a reasonable and consistent methodology for valuing derivative instruments. The commodity derivative instruments utilized by the Company are not considered by management to be complex, structured, or illiquid. The oil, gas, and NGL commodity derivative markets are highly active.
Generally, market quotes assume that all counterparties have near zero, or low, default rates and have equal credit quality. However, an adjustment may be necessary to reflect the credit quality of a specific counterparty to determine the fair value of the instrument. The Company monitors the credit ratings of its counterparties and may require counterparties to post collateral if their ratings deteriorate. In some instances, the Company will attempt to novate the trade to a more stable counterparty.
Valuation adjustments are necessary to reflect the effect of the Company’s credit quality on the fair value of any commodity derivative liability position. This adjustment takes into account any credit enhancements, such as collateral margin that the Company may have posted with a counterparty, as well as any letters of credit between the parties. The methodology to determine this adjustment is consistent with how the Company evaluates counterparty credit risk, taking into account the Company’s credit rating, current revolving credit facility margins, and any change in such margins since the last measurement date.
The methods described above may result in a fair value estimate that may not be indicative of net realizable value or may not be reflective of future fair values and cash flows. While the Company believes that the valuation methods utilized are appropriate and consistent with authoritative accounting guidance and other marketplace participants, the Company recognizes that third parties may use different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments that could result in a different estimate of fair value at the reporting date.
Please refer to Note 10 – Derivative Financial Instruments for more information regarding the Company’s derivative instruments.
Oil and Gas Properties and Other Property and Equipment
The Company had no assets included in total property and equipment, net, measured at fair value as of December 31, 2021, or 2020.
The following table presents impairment of proved properties expense and abandonment and impairment of unproved properties expense recorded for the periods presented:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| (in thousands) |
Impairment of proved oil and gas properties and related support equipment | $ | — | | | $ | 956,650 | | | $ | — | |
Abandonment and impairment of unproved properties (1) | 35,000 | | | 59,363 | | | 33,842 | |
Impairment | $ | 35,000 | | | $ | 1,016,013 | | | $ | 33,842 | |
____________________________________________
(1) These impairments related to actual and anticipated lease expirations, as well as actual and anticipated losses on acreage due to title defects, changes in development plans, and other inherent acreage risks. The balances in the unproved oil and gas properties line item on the accompanying balance sheets as of December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, are recorded at carrying value.
For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company recorded impairment expense of $956.7 million related to its South Texas proved oil and gas properties and related support facilities due to the decrease in commodity price forecasts at the end of the first quarter of 2020, specifically decreases in oil and NGL prices. The Company used a discount rate of 11 percent in its calculation of the present value of expected future cash flows based on the prevailing market-based weighted average cost of capital as of March 31, 2020. No proved property impairment expense was recorded during the years ended December 31, 2021, or 2019.
Please refer to Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies for information on the Company’s policies for determining fair value of its oil and gas producing properties and related impairment expense.
Long-Term Debt
The following table reflects the fair value of the Company’s Senior Notes obligations measured using Level 1 inputs based on quoted secondary market trading prices. These notes were not presented at fair value on the accompanying balance sheets as of December 31, 2021, or 2020, as they were recorded at carrying value, net of any unamortized discounts and deferred financing costs. Please refer to Note 5 – Long-Term Debt for additional information.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| As of December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 |
| Principal Amount | | Fair Value | | Principal Amount | | Fair Value |
| (in thousands) |
1.50% Senior Secured Convertible Notes due 2021 | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 65,485 | | | $ | 61,449 | |
10.0% Senior Secured Notes due 2025 | $ | 446,675 | | | $ | 491,628 | | | $ | 446,675 | | | $ | 482,887 | |
6.125% Senior Notes due 2022 | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 212,403 | | | $ | 205,379 | |
5.0% Senior Notes due 2024 | $ | 104,769 | | | $ | 104,583 | | | $ | 277,034 | | | $ | 240,072 | |
5.625% Senior Notes due 2025 | $ | 349,118 | | | $ | 353,091 | | | $ | 349,118 | | | $ | 289,401 | |
6.75% Senior Notes due 2026 | $ | 419,235 | | | $ | 431,787 | | | $ | 419,235 | | | $ | 342,385 | |
6.625% Senior Notes due 2027 | $ | 416,791 | | | $ | 432,783 | | | $ | 416,791 | | | $ | 331,220 | |
6.5% Senior Notes due 2028 | $ | 400,000 | | | $ | 417,284 | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | |
As of December 31, 2020, the carrying value of the Company’s revolving credit facility approximated its fair value, as the applicable interest rates are floating, based on prevailing market rates.
Warrants
As discussed in Note 3 - Equity and Note 5 – Long-Term Debt, on June 17, 2020, the Company issued Warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of approximately 5.9 million shares, or approximately five percent of its outstanding common stock, at an exercise price of $0.01 per share. The fair value of the Warrants on the issuance date was determined using a stochastic Monte Carlo simulation using the GBM Model. The Company evaluated the Warrants under authoritative accounting guidance and determined that
they should be classified as equity instruments. Upon issuance, the Warrants were recorded in additional paid-in capital on the accompanying balance sheets at a fair value of $21.5 million, with no recurring fair value measurement required. There have been no changes to the initial carrying amount of the Warrants since issuance.
Note 9 - Earnings Per Share
Basic net income or loss per common share is calculated by dividing net income or loss available to common stockholders by the basic weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the respective period. Diluted net income or loss per common share is calculated by dividing net income or loss available to common stockholders by the diluted weighted-average number of common shares outstanding, which includes the effect of potentially dilutive securities.
For the years ended December 31, 2021, and 2020, potentially dilutive securities for this calculation consisted primarily of non-vested RSUs, contingent PSUs, and Warrants, all of which were measured using the treasury stock method. The Warrants became exercisable at the election of the holders on January 15, 2021, and as a result, they were included as potentially dilutive securities on an adjusted weighted-average basis for the portion of the year ended December 31, 2021, for which they were outstanding. The Warrants were not exercisable for the year ended December 31, 2020, and therefore had no dilutive impact. Please refer to Note 3 - Equity for additional detail regarding the terms of the Warrants.
For the year ended December 31, 2019, potentially dilutive securities for this calculation consisted primarily of non-vested RSUs, contingent PSUs, and shares into which the 2021 Senior Convertible Notes were convertible, all of which were measured using the treasury stock method. The 2021 Senior Convertible Notes did not become convertible into shares of common stock at any time prior to their maturity on July 1, 2021, and therefore had no dilutive impact at any point in time while they were outstanding. Please refer to Note 5 – Long-Term Debt for additional discussion.
PSUs represent the right to receive, upon settlement of the PSUs after the completion of the three-year performance period, a number of shares of the Company’s common stock that may range from zero to two times the number of PSUs granted on the award date. The number of potentially dilutive shares related to PSUs is based on the number of shares, if any, which would be issuable at the end of the respective reporting period, assuming that date was the end of the contingency period applicable to such PSUs. For additional discussion on PSUs, please refer to Note 7 – Compensation Plans under the heading Performance Share Units.
When the Company recognizes a net loss from continuing operations, all potentially dilutive shares are anti-dilutive and are consequently excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per common share. The following table details the weighted-average number of anti-dilutive securities for the years presented:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| (in thousands) |
Anti-dilutive | — | | | 265 | | | 684 | |
The following table sets forth the calculations of basic and diluted net income (loss) per common share:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| (in thousands, except per share data) |
Net income (loss) | $ | 36,229 | | | $ | (764,614) | | | $ | (187,001) | |
| | | | | |
Basic weighted-average common shares outstanding | 119,043 | | | 113,730 | | | 112,544 | |
Dilutive effect of non-vested RSUs and contingent PSUs | 2,582 | | | — | | | — | |
Dilutive effect of Warrants | 2,065 | | | — | | | — | |
Diluted weighted-average common shares outstanding | 123,690 | | | 113,730 | | | 112,544 | |
| | | | | |
Basic net income (loss) per common share | $ | 0.30 | | | $ | (6.72) | | | $ | (1.66) | |
Diluted net income (loss) per common share | $ | 0.29 | | | $ | (6.72) | | | $ | (1.66) | |
Note 10 – Derivative Financial Instruments
Summary of Oil, Gas, and NGL Derivative Contracts in Place
The Company regularly enters into commodity derivative contracts to mitigate a portion of its exposure to oil, gas, and NGL price volatility and location differentials, and the associated impact on cash flows. As of December 31, 2021, all contracts were entered into for other-than-trading purposes. The Company’s commodity derivative contracts consist of swap and collar arrangements for oil, gas, and NGL production. In a typical commodity swap agreement, if the agreed upon published third-party index price (“index price”) is lower than the swap fixed price, the Company receives the difference between the index price and the agreed upon swap fixed price. If the index price is higher than the swap fixed price, the Company pays the difference. For collar arrangements, the Company receives the difference between an agreed upon index price and the floor price if the index price is below the floor price. The Company pays the difference between the agreed upon ceiling price and the index price if the index price is above the ceiling price. No amounts are paid or received if the index price is between the floor and ceiling prices.
The Company has entered into fixed price oil and gas basis swaps in order to mitigate exposure to adverse pricing differentials between certain industry benchmark prices and the actual physical pricing points where the Company’s production is sold. As of the filing of this report, the Company had basis swap contracts with fixed price differentials between:
•NYMEX WTI and WTI Midland for a portion of its Midland Basin production with sales contracts that settle at WTI Midland prices;
•NYMEX WTI and Intercontinental Exchange Brent Crude (“ICE Brent”) for a portion of its Midland Basin oil production with sales contracts that settle at ICE Brent prices;
•NYMEX WTI and Argus WTI Houston Magellan East Houston Terminal ("MEH”) for a portion of its South Texas oil production with sales contracts that settle at Argus WTI Houston MEH (“WTI Houston MEH”) prices;
•NYMEX Henry Hub (“HH”) and Inside FERC Tennessee Texas, Zone 0 (“IF Tenn TX Z0”) for a portion of its South Texas gas production with sales contracts that settle at IF Tenn TX Z0 prices; and
•NYMEX HH and Inside FERC West Texas (“IF WAHA”) for a portion of its South Texas gas production with sales contracts that settle at IF WAHA prices.
The Company has also entered into crude oil swap contracts to fix the differential in pricing between the NYMEX calendar month average and the physical crude oil delivery month (“Roll Differential”) in which the Company pays the periodic variable Roll Differential and receives a weighted-average fixed price differential. The weighted-average fixed price differential represents the amount of net addition (reduction) to delivery month prices for the notional volumes covered by the swap contracts.
As of December 31, 2021, the Company had commodity derivative contracts outstanding through the fourth quarter of 2023 as summarized in the table below.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Contract Period | | | | |
| | First Quarter | | Second Quarter | | Third Quarter | | Fourth Quarter | | | | | | | | |
| | 2022 | | 2022 | | 2022 | | 2022 | | 2023 | | | | | | |
Oil Derivatives (volumes in MBbl and prices in $ per Bbl): | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Swaps | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
NYMEX WTI Volumes | | 2,009 | | | 1,953 | | | 1,938 | | | 1,923 | | | 1,190 | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Contract Price | | $ | 44.81 | | | $ | 44.75 | | | $ | 44.63 | | | $ | 44.58 | | | $ | 45.20 | | | | | | | |
Collars | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
NYMEX WTI Volumes | | 896 | | | 894 | | | 868 | | | 584 | | | 858 | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Floor Price | | $ | 53.54 | | | $ | 56.94 | | | $ | 61.88 | | | $ | 57.91 | | | $ | 60.00 | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Ceiling Price | | $ | 63.73 | | | $ | 64.93 | | | $ | 66.54 | | | $ | 61.61 | | | $ | 73.09 | | | | | | | |
Basis Swaps | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
WTI Midland-NYMEX WTI Volumes | | 2,222 | | | 2,374 | | | 2,442 | | | 2,462 | | | — | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Contract Price | | $ | 1.15 | | | $ | 1.15 | | | $ | 1.15 | | | $ | 1.15 | | | $ | — | | | | | | | |
NYMEX WTI-ICE Brent Volumes | | 900 | | | 910 | | | 920 | | | 920 | | | — | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Contract Price | | $ | (7.78) | | | $ | (7.78) | | | $ | (7.78) | | | $ | (7.78) | | | $ | — | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Contract Period | | | | |
| | First Quarter | | Second Quarter | | Third Quarter | | Fourth Quarter | | | | | | | | |
| | 2022 | | 2022 | | 2022 | | 2022 | | 2023 | | | | | | |
Basis Swaps (continued) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
WTI Houston MEH-NYMEX WTI Volumes | | 271 | | | 349 | | | 335 | | | 374 | | | — | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Contract Price | | $ | 1.25 | | | $ | 1.25 | | | $ | 1.25 | | | $ | 1.25 | | | $ | — | | | | | | | |
Roll Differential Swaps | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
NYMEX WTI Volumes | | 2,907 | | | 2,841 | | | 2,782 | | | 2,748 | | | 1,832 | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Contract Price | | $ | 0.11 | | | $ | 0.10 | | | $ | 0.11 | | | $ | 0.10 | | | $ | 0.39 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Gas Derivatives (volumes in BBtu and prices in $ per MMBtu): | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Swaps | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
IF HSC Volumes | | 8,208 | | | 6,808 | | | 6,934 | | | 6,982 | | | — | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Contract Price | | $ | 2.85 | | | $ | 2.34 | | | $ | 2.37 | | | $ | 2.47 | | | $ | — | | | | | | | |
IF WAHA Volumes | | 4,856 | | | 3,079 | | | 3,085 | | | 3,067 | | | — | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Contract Price | | $ | 2.63 | | | $ | 2.09 | | | $ | 2.19 | | | $ | 2.22 | | | $ | — | | | | | | | |
IF Tenn TX Z0 | | 513 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Contract Price | | $ | 3.22 | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | | | | | |
Collars | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
NYMEX HH Volumes | | 859 | | | 1,270 | | | 760 | | | 1,908 | | | 2,601 | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Floor Price | | $ | 4.00 | | | $ | 3.00 | | | $ | 3.25 | | | $ | 3.50 | | | $ | 3.00 | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Ceiling Price | | $ | 8.02 | | | $ | 4.48 | | | $ | 5.45 | | | $ | 4.44 | | | $ | 8.76 | | | | | | | |
IF HSC Volumes | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 900 | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Floor Price | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 3.38 | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Ceiling Price | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | 7.75 | | | | | | | |
Basis Swaps | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
IF Tenn TX Z0-NYMEX HH Volumes | | 859 | | | 1,270 | | | 760 | | | — | | | — | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Contract Price | | $ | 0.12 | | | $ | (0.14) | | | $ | (0.14) | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | | | | | |
IF WAHA-NYMEX HH | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 1,849 | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Contract Price | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | $ | (0.48) | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
NGL Derivatives (volumes in MBbl and prices in $ per Bbl): | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Swaps | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
OPIS Propane Mont Belvieu Non-TET Volumes | | 351 | | | 116 | | | 55 | | | 58 | | | — | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Contract Price | | $ | 28.67 | | | $ | 33.03 | | | $ | 29.44 | | | $ | 29.63 | | | $ | — | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collars | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
OPIS Propane Mont Belvieu Non-TET Volumes | | 180 | | | 253 | | | 164 | | | 173 | | | — | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Floor Price | | $ | 28.68 | | | $ | 25.94 | | | $ | 24.09 | | | $ | 24.11 | | | $ | — | | | | | | | |
Weighted-Average Ceiling Price | | $ | 38.25 | | | $ | 31.69 | | | $ | 27.84 | | | $ | 28.13 | | | $ | — | | | | | | | |
Commodity Derivative Contracts Entered Into Subsequent to December 31, 2021
Subsequent to December 31, 2021, and through the filing of this report, the Company entered into the following commodity derivative contracts:
Oil derivatives:
•NYMEX WTI fixed swap contracts for the second quarter of 2022 for a total of 0.5 MMBbl at a weighted-average contract price of $83.91 per Bbl;
•NYMEX WTI collar contracts for the third and fourth quarters of 2022 for a total of 0.8 MMBbl at a weighted-average floor contract price of $71.55 per Bbl and a weighted-average ceiling contract price of $90.50 per Bbl;
•WTI Midland-NYMEX WTI basis swap contract for 2023 for a total of 0.9 MMBbl at a weighted-average contract
price of $0.60 per Bbl;
•WTI Houston MEH-NYMEX WTI basis swap contracts for 2023 for a total of 0.6 MMBbl at a weighted-average contract price of $1.24 per Bbl; and
•NYMEX WTI Roll Differential swap contracts for 2022 and 2023 for a total of 3.6 MMBbl at a weighted-average contract price of $0.68 per Bbl.
Gas derivatives:
•NYMEX HH fixed swap contracts for the second through fourth quarters of 2022 for a total of 5,557 BBtu at a weighted-average contract price of $4.07 per MMBtu;
•IF WAHA-NYMEX HH basis swap contracts for the second quarter of 2023 through the fourth quarter of 2025 for a total of 36,608 BBtu at a weighted-average contract price of $(0.85) per MMBtu;
•IF WAHA fixed swap contracts for the first quarter of 2023 for a total of 900 BBtu at a weighted-average contract price of $3.98 per MMBtu; and
•NYMEX HH collar contracts for 2023 for a total of 8,975 BBtu at a weighted-average floor contract price of $3.32 per MMBtu and a weighted-average ceiling contract price of $4.76 per MMBtu.
NGL derivatives:
•OPIS Propane Mont Belvieu Non-TET swap contracts for the second through fourth quarters of 2022 for a total of 0.3 MMBbl at a weighted-average contract price of $45.88 per Bbl.
Derivative Assets and Liabilities Fair Value
The Company’s commodity derivatives are measured at fair value and are included in the accompanying balance sheets as derivative assets and liabilities, with the exception of derivative instruments that meet the “normal purchase normal sale” exclusion. The Company does not designate its commodity derivative contracts as hedging instruments. The fair value of the commodity derivative contracts at December 31, 2021, and 2020, was a net liability of $320.9 million and $168.2 million, respectively.
The following table details the fair value of commodity derivative contracts recorded in the accompanying balance sheets, by category:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| As of December 31, 2021 | | As of December 31, 2020 |
| (in thousands) |
Derivative assets: | | | |
Current assets | $ | 24,095 | | | $ | 31,203 | |
Noncurrent assets | 239 | | | 23,150 | |
Total derivative assets | $ | 24,334 | | | $ | 54,353 | |
Derivative liabilities: | | | |
Current liabilities | $ | 319,506 | | | $ | 200,189 | |
Noncurrent liabilities | 25,696 | | | 22,331 | |
Total derivative liabilities | $ | 345,202 | | | $ | 222,520 | |
Offsetting of Derivative Assets and Liabilities
As of December 31, 2021, and 2020, all derivative instruments held by the Company were subject to master netting arrangements with various financial institutions. In general, the terms of the Company’s agreements provide for offsetting of amounts payable or receivable between it and the counterparty, at the election of both parties, for transactions that settle on the same date and in the same currency. The Company’s agreements also provide that in the event of an early termination, the counterparties have the right to offset amounts owed or owing under that and any other agreement with the same counterparty. The Company’s accounting policy is to not offset these positions in its accompanying balance sheets.
The following table provides a reconciliation between the gross assets and liabilities reflected on the accompanying balance sheets and the potential effects of master netting arrangements on the fair value of the Company’s commodity derivative contracts:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Derivative Assets as of | | Derivative Liabilities as of |
| | December 31, 2021 | | December 31, 2020 | | December 31, 2021 | | December 31, 2020 |
| | (in thousands) |
Gross amounts presented in the accompanying balance sheets | | $ | 24,334 | | | $ | 54,353 | | | $ | (345,202) | | | $ | (222,520) | |
Amounts not offset in the accompanying balance sheets | | (22,862) | | | (53,598) | | | 22,862 | | | 53,598 | |
Net amounts | | $ | 1,472 | | | $ | 755 | | | $ | (322,340) | | | $ | (168,922) | |
The Company recognizes all gains and losses from changes in commodity derivative fair values immediately in earnings rather than deferring such amounts in accumulated other comprehensive loss. The Company had no commodity derivative contracts designated as hedging instruments for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019. Please refer to Note 8 – Fair Value Measurements for more information regarding the Company’s derivative instruments, including its valuation techniques.
The following table summarizes the commodity components of the derivative settlement (gain) loss, and the net derivative (gain) loss line items presented within the accompanying statements of cash flows and the accompanying statements of operations, respectively:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| (in thousands) |
Derivative settlement (gain) loss: | | | | | |
Oil contracts | $ | 523,245 | | | $ | (331,559) | | | $ | 19,685 | |
Gas contracts | 152,361 | | | (11,898) | | | (23,008) | |
NGL contracts | 73,352 | | | (7,804) | | | (35,899) | |
Total derivative settlement (gain) loss: | $ | 748,958 | | | $ | (351,261) | | | $ | (39,222) | |
| | | | | |
Net derivative (gain) loss: | | | | | |
Oil contracts | $ | 650,959 | | | $ | (205,180) | | | $ | 172,055 | |
Gas contracts | 172,248 | | | 30,038 | | | (41,205) | |
NGL contracts | 78,452 | | | 13,566 | | | (33,311) | |
Total net derivative (gain) loss: | $ | 901,659 | | | $ | (161,576) | | | $ | 97,539 | |
Credit Related Contingent Features
As of December 31, 2021, and through the filing of this report, all of the Company’s derivative counterparties were members of the Company’s Credit Agreement lender group. Under the Credit Agreement, the Company is required to provide mortgage liens on assets having a value equal to at least 85 percent of the total PV-9, as defined in the Credit Agreement, of the Company’s proved oil and gas properties evaluated in the most recent reserve report. Collateral securing indebtedness under the Credit Agreement also secures the Company’s derivative agreement obligations.
Note 11 – Pension Benefits
The Company has a non-contributory defined benefit pension plan covering employees who meet age and service requirements and who began employment with the Company prior to January 1, 2016 (“Qualified Pension Plan”). The Company also has a supplemental non-contributory pension plan covering certain management employees (“Nonqualified Pension Plan” and together with the Qualified Pension Plan, “Pension Plans”). The Company froze the Pension Plans to new participants, effective January 1, 2016. Employees participating in the Pension Plans prior to the plans being frozen will continue to earn benefits.
Obligations and Funded Status for the Pension Plans
The Company recognizes the funded status (i.e. the difference between the fair value of plan assets and the projected benefit obligation) of the Company’s Pension Plans in the accompanying balance sheets as either an asset or a liability and recognizes a corresponding adjustment within the other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax, line item in the accompanying statements of
comprehensive income (loss). The projected benefit obligation is the actuarial present value of the benefits earned to date by plan participants based on employee service and compensation including the effect of assumed future salary increases. The accumulated benefit obligation uses the same factors as the projected benefit obligation, but excludes the effects of assumed future salary increases. The Company’s measurement date for plan assets and obligations is December 31.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 |
| (in thousands) |
Change in benefit obligation: | | | |
Projected benefit obligation at beginning of year | $ | 73,593 | | | $ | 70,843 | |
Service cost | 4,455 | | | 4,516 | |
Interest cost | 2,089 | | | 2,358 | |
Actuarial loss | 1,914 | | | 7,483 | |
Benefits paid | (4,630) | | | (905) | |
Settlements | (1,661) | | | (10,702) | |
Projected benefit obligation at end of year | 75,760 | | | 73,593 | |
| | | |
Change in plan assets: | | | |
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year | 32,894 | | | 35,634 | |
Actual return on plan assets | 2,777 | | | 2,837 | |
Employer contribution | 6,561 | | | 6,030 | |
Benefits paid | (4,630) | | | (905) | |
Settlements | (1,661) | | | (10,702) | |
Fair value of plan assets at end of year | 35,941 | | | 32,894 | |
Funded status at end of year | $ | (39,819) | | | $ | (40,699) | |
The Company’s underfunded status for the Pension Plans as of December 31, 2021, and 2020, was $39.8 million and $40.7 million, respectively, and is recognized in the accompanying balance sheets within the other noncurrent liabilities line item. There are no plan assets in the Nonqualified Pension Plan.
Accumulated Benefit Obligation in Excess of Plan Assets for the Pension Plans
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| As of December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 |
| (in thousands) |
Projected benefit obligation | $ | 75,760 | | | $ | 73,593 | |
| | | |
Accumulated benefit obligation | $ | 64,325 | | | $ | 63,934 | |
Less: fair value of plan assets | (35,941) | | | (32,894) | |
Underfunded accumulated benefit obligation | $ | 28,384 | | | $ | 31,040 | |
Pension expense is determined based upon the annual service cost of benefits (the actuarial cost of benefits earned during a period) and the interest cost on those liabilities, less the expected return on plan assets. The expected long-term rate of return on plan assets is applied to a calculated value of plan assets that recognizes changes in fair value over a five-year period. This practice is intended to reduce year-to-year volatility in pension expense, but it can have the effect of delaying recognition of differences between actual returns on assets and expected returns based on long-term rate of return assumptions. Amortization of the unrecognized net gain or loss resulting from actual experience different from that assumed and from changes in assumptions (excluding asset gains and losses not yet reflected in market-related value) is included as a component of net periodic benefit cost for the year. If, as of the beginning of the year, the unrecognized net gain or loss exceeds 10 percent of the greater of the projected benefit obligation and the market-related value of plan assets, then the amortization is the excess divided by the average remaining service period of participating employees expected to receive benefits under the plan.
The pre-tax amounts not yet recognized in net periodic pension costs, but rather recognized in the accumulated other comprehensive loss line item within the accompanying balance sheets as of December 31, 2021, and 2020, were as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| As of December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 |
| (in thousands) |
Unrecognized actuarial losses | $ | 16,388 | | | $ | 17,328 | |
Unrecognized prior service costs | — | | | 14 | |
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (pre-tax) | $ | 16,388 | | | $ | 17,342 | |
The pension liability adjustments recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) during 2021, 2020, and 2019, were as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| (in thousands) |
Net actuarial gain (loss) | $ | (612) | | | $ | (6,381) | | | $ | 377 | |
Amortization of prior service cost | 13 | | | 17 | | | 17 | |
Amortization of net actuarial loss | 1,240 | | | 950 | | | 958 | |
Settlements | 312 | | | 2,509 | | | — | |
Total pension liability adjustment, pre-tax | 953 | | | (2,905) | | | 1,352 | |
Tax (expense) benefit | (204) | | | 626 | | | (291) | |
Total pension liability adjustment, net | $ | 749 | | | $ | (2,279) | | | $ | 1,061 | |
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost for the Pension Plans
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| (in thousands) |
Components of net periodic benefit cost: | | | | | |
Service cost | $ | 4,455 | | | $ | 4,516 | | | $ | 5,582 | |
Interest cost | 2,089 | | | 2,358 | | 2,791 | |
Expected return on plan assets that reduces periodic pension benefit cost | (1,474) | | | (1,735) | | | (1,574) | |
Amortization of prior service cost | 13 | | | 17 | | | 17 | |
Amortization of net actuarial loss | 1,240 | | | 950 | | | 958 | |
Net periodic benefit cost | 6,323 | | | 6,106 | | | 7,774 | |
Settlements | 312 | | | 2,509 | | | — | |
Total net benefit cost | $ | 6,635 | | | $ | 8,615 | | | $ | 7,774 | |
Pension Plan Assumptions
The weighted-average assumptions used to measure the Company’s projected benefit obligation are as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| As of December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 |
Projected benefit obligation: | | | |
Discount rate | 3.1% | | 2.9% |
Rate of compensation increase | 3.6% | | 4.4% |
The weighted-average assumptions used to measure the Company’s net periodic benefit cost are as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
Net periodic benefit cost: | | | | | |
Discount rate | 2.9% | | 3.6% | | 4.4% |
Expected return on plan assets (1) | 4.4% | | 5.3% | | 5.0% |
Rate of compensation increase | 4.4% | | 4.5% | | 6.2% |
____________________________________________
(1)There is no assumed expected return on plan assets for the Nonqualified Pension Plan because there are no plan assets in the Nonqualified Pension Plan.
The Company’s pension investment policy includes various guidelines and procedures designed to ensure that assets are prudently invested in a manner necessary to meet the future benefit obligation of the Pension Plans. The policy prohibits the direct investment of plan assets in the Company’s securities. The Qualified Pension Plan’s investment horizon is long-term and accordingly the target asset allocations encompass a strategic, long-term perspective of capital markets, expected risk and return behavior and perceived future economic conditions. The key investment principles of diversification, assessment of risk, and targeting the optimal expected returns for given levels of risk are applied.
The Qualified Pension Plan’s investment portfolio contains a diversified blend of investments, which may reflect varying rates of return. The investments are further diversified within each asset classification. This portfolio diversification provides protection against a single security or class of securities having a disproportionate impact on aggregate investment performance. The actual asset allocations are reviewed and rebalanced on a periodic basis to maintain the target allocations.
The weighted-average asset allocation of the Qualified Pension Plan is as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Target | | As of December 31, |
Asset Category | | 2022 | | 2021 | | 2020 |
Equity securities | | 37.0 | % | | 39.0 | % | | 37.0 | % |
Fixed income securities | | 38.0 | % | | 27.9 | % | | 24.9 | % |
Other securities | | 25.0 | % | | 33.1 | % | | 38.1 | % |
Total | | 100.0 | % | | 100.0 | % | | 100.0 | % |
There is no asset allocation of the Nonqualified Pension Plan since there are no plan assets in the plan. The assumption of the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets of the Qualified Pension Plan is based upon the target asset allocation and is determined using forward-looking assumptions in the context of historical returns and volatilities for each asset class, as well as correlations among asset classes. The Company evaluates the expected rate of return on plan assets assumption on an annual basis.
Pension Plan Assets
The fair values of the Company’s Qualified Pension Plan assets as of December 31, 2021, and 2020, utilizing the fair value hierarchy discussed in Note 8 – Fair Value Measurements are as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Fair Value Measurements Using: |
| Actual Asset Allocation (1) | | Total | | Level 1 Inputs | | Level 2 Inputs | | Level 3 Inputs |
| | | (in thousands) |
As of December 31, 2021 | | | | | | | | | |
Equity securities: | | | | | | | | | |
Domestic (2) | 19.1 | % | | $ | 6,860 | | | $ | 4,909 | | | $ | 1,951 | | | $ | — | |
International (3) | 19.9 | % | | 7,138 | | | 7,138 | | | — | | | — | |
Total equity securities | 39.0 | % | | 13,998 | | | 12,047 | | | 1,951 | | | — | |
Fixed income securities: | | | | | | | | | |
Core fixed income (4) | 18.8 | % | | 6,770 | | | 6,770 | | | — | | | — | |
Floating rate corporate loans (5) | 9.1 | % | | 3,272 | | | 3,272 | | | — | | | — | |
Total fixed income securities | 27.9 | % | | 10,042 | | | 10,042 | | | — | | | — | |
Other securities: | | | | | | | | | |
Real estate (6) | 5.1 | % | | 1,833 | | | — | | | — | | | 1,833 | |
Collective investment trusts (7) | 1.4 | % | | 499 | | | — | | | 499 | | | — | |
Hedge fund (8) | 26.6 | % | | 9,569 | | | 5,207 | | | — | | | 4,362 | |
Total other securities | 33.1 | % | | 11,901 | | | 5,207 | | | 499 | | | 6,195 | |
Total investments | 100.0 | % | | $ | 35,941 | | | $ | 27,296 | | | $ | 2,450 | | | $ | 6,195 | |
| | | | | | | | | |
As of December 31, 2020 | | | | | | | | | |
Equity securities: | | | | | | | | | |
Domestic (2) | 18.7 | % | | $ | 6,149 | | | $ | 4,165 | | | $ | 1,984 | | | $ | — | |
International (3) | 18.3 | % | | 6,010 | | | 6,010 | | | — | | | — | |
Total equity securities | 37.0 | % | | 12,159 | | | 10,175 | | | 1,984 | | | — | |
Fixed income securities: | | | | | | | | | |
Core fixed income (4) | 16.6 | % | | 5,447 | | | 5,447 | | | — | | | — | |
Floating rate corporate loans (5) | 8.3 | % | | 2,755 | | | 2,755 | | | — | | | — | |
Total fixed income securities | 24.9 | % | | 8,202 | | | 8,202 | | | — | | | — | |
Other securities: | | | | | | | | | |
Real estate (6) | 5.7 | % | | 1,870 | | | — | | | — | | | 1,870 | |
Collective investment trusts (7) | 4.6 | % | | 1,498 | | | — | | | 1,498 | | | — | |
Hedge fund (8) | 27.8 | % | | 9,165 | | | 5,299 | | | — | | | 3,866 | |
Total other securities | 38.1 | % | | 12,533 | | | 5,299 | | | 1,498 | | | 5,736 | |
Total investments | 100.0 | % | | $ | 32,894 | | | $ | 23,676 | | | $ | 3,482 | | | $ | 5,736 | |
____________________________________________
(1)Percentages may not calculate due to rounding.
(2)Level 1 equity securities consist of United States large and small capitalization companies, which are actively traded securities that can be sold on demand. Level 2 equity securities are investments in a collective investment fund that is valued at net asset value based on the value of the underlying investments and total units outstanding on a daily basis. The objective of these funds is to approximate the S&P 500 by investing in one or more collective investment funds.
(3)International equity securities consist of a well-diversified portfolio of holdings of mostly large issuers organized in developed countries with liquid markets, commingled with investments in equity securities of issuers located in emerging markets that are believed to have strong sustainable financial productivity at attractive valuations.
(4)The objective of core fixed income funds is to achieve value added from sector or issue selection by constructing a portfolio to approximate the investment results of the Barclay’s Capital Aggregate Bond Index with a modest amount of variability in duration around the index.
(5)Investments consist of floating rate bank loans. The interest rates on these loans are typically reset on a periodic basis to account for changes in the level of interest rates.
(6)The investment objective of direct real estate is to provide current income with the potential for long-term capital appreciation. Ownership in real estate entails a long-term time horizon, periodic valuations, and potentially low liquidity.
(7)Collective investment trusts invest in short-term investments and are valued at the net asset value of the collective investment trust. The net asset value, as provided by the trustee, is used as a practical expedient to estimate fair value. The net asset value is based on the fair value of the underlying investments held by the fund less its liabilities.
(8)The hedge fund portfolio includes investments in actively traded global mutual funds that focus on alternative investments and a hedge fund of funds that invests both long and short using a variety of investment strategies.
Included below is a summary of the changes in Level 3 plan assets (in thousands):
| | | | | |
Balance at January 1, 2020 | $ | 5,748 | |
Purchases | — | |
Realized gain on assets | 526 | |
Unrealized gain on assets | 41 | |
Disposition | (579) | |
Balance at December 31, 2020 | $ | 5,736 | |
Purchases | 250 | |
Realized gain on assets | 132 | |
Unrealized gain on assets | 298 | |
Disposition | (221) | |
Balance at December 31, 2021 | $ | 6,195 | |
Contributions
The Company contributed $6.6 million, $6.0 million, and $7.2 million to the Pension Plans for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. The Company expects to make a $6.0 million contribution to the Pension Plans in 2022.
Benefit Payments
The Pension Plans made actual benefit payments of $6.3 million, $11.6 million, and $5.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. Expected benefit payments over the next 10 years are as follows:
| | | | | | | | |
For the Years Ending December 31, | | Amount |
| | (in thousands) |
2022 | | $ | 4,200 | |
2023 | | $ | 5,066 | |
2024 | | $ | 4,404 | |
2025 | | $ | 4,879 | |
2026 | | $ | 6,834 | |
2027 through 2031 | | $ | 27,197 | |
Note 12 - Leases
As of December 31, 2021, and 2020, the Company had operating leases for asset classes that include office space, office equipment, drilling rigs, midstream agreements, vehicles, and equipment rentals used in field operations. For operating leases recorded on the accompanying balance sheets, remaining lease terms range from less than one year to approximately 11 years. Certain leases contain optional extension periods that allow for terms to be extended for up to an additional 10 years, however in order to maintain financial and operational flexibility, there are no available options to extend that the Company is reasonably certain it will exercise. An early termination option exists for certain leases, some of which allow the Company to terminate a lease within one year, however, there are no leases in which material early termination options are reasonably certain to be exercised by the Company. As of December 31, 2021, and 2020, the Company did not have any agreements in place that were classified as finance leases under Topic 842. As of December 31, 2021, and through the filing of this report, the Company has no material lease arrangements which are scheduled to commence in the future. Please refer to Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies for additional information on the Company’s policies for lease determination and classification.
The following table reflects the components of the Company’s total costs, whether capitalized or expensed, related to operating leases, including short-term leases, and variable lease payments made for leases with initial lease terms greater than 12 months, for the years ended December 31, 2021, and 2020. This total does not reflect amounts that may be reimbursed by other third parties in the normal course of business, such as non-operating working interest owners.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 |
| (in thousands) |
Operating lease cost | $ | 12,825 | | | $ | 17,980 | |
Short-term lease cost (1) | 145,052 | | | 143,892 | |
Variable lease cost (2) | 48,931 | | | 70,858 | |
Total lease cost | $ | 206,808 | | | $ | 232,730 | |
____________________________________________
(1) Costs associated with short-term lease agreements relate primarily to operational activities where underlying lease terms are less than one year. This amount includes drilling and completion activities and field equipment rentals, most of which are contracted for 12 months or less. It is expected that this amount will fluctuate primarily with the number of drilling rigs and completion crews the Company is operating under short-term agreements.
(2) Variable lease payments include additional payments made that were not included in the initial measurement of the ROU asset and corresponding liability for lease agreements with terms longer than 12 months. Variable lease payments relate to the actual volumes transported under certain midstream agreements, actual usage associated with drilling rigs, completion crews, and vehicles, and variable utility costs associated with the Company’s leased office space. Fluctuations in variable lease payments are driven by actual volumes delivered and the number of drilling rigs and completion crews operating under long-term agreements.
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities for the years ended December 31, 2021, and 2020, were as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 |
| (in thousands) |
Operating cash flows from operating leases | $ | 11,286 | | | $ | 12,046 | |
Investing cash flows from operating leases | $ | 2,316 | | | $ | 7,313 | |
Maturities for the Company’s operating lease liabilities included on the accompanying balance sheets as of December 31, 2021, were as follows:
| | | | | | | | |
| | As of December 31, 2021 |
| | (in thousands) |
2022 | | $ | 7,123 | |
2023 | | 4,601 | |
2024 | | 3,330 | |
2025 | | 3,308 | |
2026 | | 2,381 | |
Thereafter | | 10,965 | |
Total Lease payments | | $ | 31,708 | |
Less: Imputed interest (1) | | (5,752) | |
Total | | $ | 25,956 | |
____________________________________________
(1) The weighted-average discount rate used to determine the operating lease liability as of December 31, 2021, was 5.4 percent.
The following table presents supplemental accompanying balance sheet information for operating leases as of December 31, 2021, and 2020:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| As of December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 |
| (in thousands, except discount rate and lease term) |
Balance sheet classifications of operating leases: | | | |
Other noncurrent assets | $ | 19,026 | | | $ | 21,701 | |
Other current liabilities | $ | 6,516 | | | $ | 11,659 | |
Other noncurrent liabilities | $ | 19,440 | | | $ | 11,898 | |
| | | |
ROU assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities | $ | 13,018 | | | $ | 745 | |
Weighted-average discount rate | 5.4% | | 7.0% |
Weighted-average remaining lease term (in years) | 7 | | 3 |
Note 13 – Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses
Accounts receivable are comprised of the following accruals:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| As of December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 |
| (in thousands) |
Oil, gas, and NGL production revenue | $ | 215,630 | | | $ | 108,928 | |
Amounts due from joint interest owners | 23,782 | | | 31,514 | |
State severance tax refunds | 1,416 | | | 2,301 | |
Derivative settlements | — | | | 16,348 | |
Other | 6,373 | | | 3,364 | |
Total accounts receivable | $ | 247,201 | | | $ | 162,455 | |
Accounts payable and accrued expenses are comprised of the following accruals:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| As of December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 |
| (in thousands) |
Drilling and lease operating cost accruals | $ | 71,012 | | | $ | 65,365 | |
Trade accounts payable | 25,072 | | | 63,006 | |
Revenue and severance tax payable | 254,422 | | | 105,233 | |
Property taxes | 20,250 | | | 20,584 | |
Compensation | 47,037 | | | 30,907 | |
Derivative settlements | 57,186 | | | 1,146 | |
Interest | 60,273 | | | 52,802 | |
Other | 28,054 | | | 32,627 | |
Total accounts payable and accrued expenses | $ | 563,306 | | | $ | 371,670 | |
Note 14 – Asset Retirement Obligations
Please refer to Asset Retirement Obligations in Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies for a discussion of the initial and subsequent measurements of asset retirement obligation liabilities and the significant assumptions used in the estimates.
The following is a reconciliation of the Company’s total asset retirement obligation liability as of December 31, 2021, and 2020:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| As of December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 |
| (in thousands) |
Beginning asset retirement obligations | $ | 85,325 | | | $ | 86,846 | |
Liabilities incurred (1) | 1,715 | | | 1,018 | |
Liabilities settled (2) | (1,948) | | | (1,404) | |
Accretion expense | 4,159 | | | 4,034 | |
Revision to estimated cash flows | 12,173 | | | (5,169) | |
Ending asset retirement obligations (3) | $ | 101,424 | | | $ | 85,325 | |
____________________________________________
(1)Reflects liabilities incurred through drilling activities and acquisitions of drilled wells.
(2)Reflects liabilities settled through plugging and abandonment activities and divestitures of properties.
(3)Balances as of December 31, 2021, and 2020, included $4.1 million and $2.0 million, respectively, related to the Company’s current asset retirement obligation liability, which is recorded in the accounts payable and accrued expenses line item on the accompanying balance sheets.
Note 15 – Suspended Well Costs
The following table reflects the net changes in capitalized exploratory well costs during 2021, 2020, and 2019. The table does not include amounts that were capitalized and either subsequently expensed or reclassified to producing well costs in the same year:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| (in thousands) |
Beginning balance | $ | 5,698 | | | $ | 11,925 | | | $ | 11,197 | |
Additions to capitalized exploratory well costs pending the determination of proved reserves | 15,576 | | | 3,346 | | | 11,925 | |
Divestitures | — | | | — | | | — | |
Reclassifications based on the determination of proved reserves | (5,698) | | | (9,573) | | | (11,197) | |
Capitalized exploratory well costs charged to expense | — | | | — | | | — | |
Ending balance | $ | 15,576 | | | $ | 5,698 | | | $ | 11,925 | |
As of December 31, 2021, there were no exploratory well costs that were capitalized for more than one year.
Note 16 – Acquisitions, Divestitures, and Assets Held for Sale
During the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, the Company completed non-monetary acreage trades of primarily undeveloped properties located in Howard, Martin, Midland, and Upton Counties, Texas, with $4.7 million, $6.5 million, and $73.4 million, respectively, of carrying value attributed to the properties transferred by the Company. These trades were recorded at carryover basis with no gain or loss recognized.
Supplemental Oil and Gas Information (unaudited)
Costs Incurred
Costs incurred in oil and gas property acquisition, exploration, and development activities, whether capitalized or expensed, are summarized as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| (in thousands) |
Development costs (1) | $ | 583,527 | | | $ | 490,935 | | | $ | 913,959 | |
Exploration costs | 125,415 | | | 77,911 | | | 114,957 | |
Acquisitions | | | | | |
Proved properties | 71 | | | 5,579 | | | (310) | |
Unproved properties (2) | 9,036 | | | 10,854 | | | 11,633 | |
Total, including asset retirement obligations (3)(4) | $ | 718,049 | | | $ | 585,279 | | | $ | 1,040,239 | |
____________________________________________
(1)Includes facility costs of $18.2 million, $27.2 million, and $28.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively.
(2)Includes amounts related to leasing activity and acquiring surface rights outside of acquisitions of proved and unproved properties totaling $5.8 million, $8.6 million, and $8.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively.
(3)Includes amounts relating to estimated asset retirement obligations of $12.8 million, $(4.7) million, and $(9.9) million for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively.
(4)Includes capitalized interest of $15.0 million, $15.8 million, and $18.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively.
Oil and Gas Reserve Quantities
The reserve estimates presented below were made in accordance with GAAP requirements for disclosures about oil and gas producing activities and SEC rules for oil and gas reporting of reserve estimation and disclosure.
Proved reserves are the estimated quantities of oil, gas, and NGLs which, by analysis of geoscience and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be economically producible from a given date forward, from known reservoirs, and under existing economic conditions, operating methods, and government regulations prior to the time at which contracts providing the right to operate expire, unless evidence indicates that renewal is reasonably certain, regardless of whether deterministic or probabilistic methods are used for the estimation. Existing economic conditions include prices and costs at which economic producibility from a reservoir is to be determined, and the price to be used is the average price during the 12-month period prior to the ending date of the period covered by the report, determined as an unweighted arithmetic average of the first-day-of-the-month price for each month within such period, unless prices are defined by contractual arrangements, excluding escalations based upon future conditions. All of the Company’s estimated proved reserves are located in the United States.
The table below presents a summary of changes in the Company’s estimated proved reserves for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2021. The Company engaged Ryder Scott to audit internal engineering estimates for at least 80 percent of the Company’s total calculated proved reserve PV-10 for each year presented. The Company emphasizes that reserve estimates are inherently imprecise and that estimates of new discoveries and undeveloped locations are more imprecise than estimates of established producing oil and gas properties. Accordingly, these estimates are expected to change as future information becomes available.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 (1) | | 2020 (2) | | 2019 (3) |
| Oil | | Gas | | NGLs | | Oil | | Gas | | NGLs | | Oil | | Gas | | NGLs |
| (MMBbl) | | (Bcf) | | (MMBbl) | | (MMBbl) | | (Bcf) | | (MMBbl) | | (MMBbl) | | (Bcf) | | (MMBbl) |
Total proved reserves: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Beginning of year | 172.7 | | | 1,052.0 | | | 56.6 | | | 184.1 | | | 1,223.2 | | | 74.0 | | | 175.7 | | | 1,321.8 | | | 107.4 | |
Revisions of previous estimate | (4.7) | | | 11.8 | | | 2.7 | | | (28.2) | | | (246.6) | | | (24.7) | | | (19.2) | | | (212.5) | | | (40.0) | |
Discoveries and extensions | 19.3 | | | 141.4 | | | 21.9 | | | 19.6 | | | 96.5 | | | 11.5 | | | 5.4 | | | 28.8 | | | 2.9 | |
Infill reserves in an existing proved field | 40.4 | | | 147.1 | | | 9.5 | | | 20.5 | | | 91.1 | | | 3.0 | | | 41.8 | | | 190.2 | | | 11.8 | |
Sales of reserves | (0.3) | | | (0.5) | | | (0.1) | | | (0.5) | | | (8.9) | | | (1.1) | | | (0.2) | | | (0.7) | | | — | |
Purchases of minerals in place | 0.1 | | | 0.1 | | | — | | | 0.2 | | | 0.6 | | | — | | | 2.5 | | | 5.4 | | | — | |
Production | (27.9) | | | (108.4) | | | (5.4) | | | (23.0) | | | (103.9) | | | (6.1) | | | (21.9) | | | (109.8) | | | (8.1) | |
End of year | 199.5 | | | 1,243.5 | | | 85.2 | | | 172.7 | | | 1,052.0 | | | 56.6 | | | 184.1 | | | 1,223.2 | | | 74.0 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Proved developed reserves: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Beginning of year | 89.8 | | | 643.9 | | | 32.1 | | | 85.0 | | | 712.1 | | | 43.4 | | | 68.2 | | | 699.1 | | | 60.1 | |
End of year | 110.7 | | | 833.0 | | | 50.7 | | | 89.8 | | | 643.9 | | | 32.1 | | | 85.0 | | | 712.1 | | | 43.4 | |
Proved undeveloped reserves: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Beginning of year | 82.9 | | | 408.1 | | | 24.4 | | | 99.1 | | | 511.1 | | | 30.6 | | | 107.6 | | | 622.7 | | | 47.2 | |
End of year | 88.8 | | | 410.4 | | | 34.5 | | | 82.9 | | | 408.1 | | | 24.4 | | | 99.1 | | | 511.1 | | | 30.6 | |
____________________________________________
Note: Amounts may not calculate due to rounding.
(1)For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company added 139.1 MMBOE through extensions and infill as a result of continued success in and further development of the Company’s Austin Chalk and Midland Basin assets. The Company also added 40.6 MMBOE of estimated proved reserves through positive price and performance revisions, primarily driven by improved commodity prices during 2021. These additions were offset by production of 51.4 MMBOE and the removal of 40.6 MMBOE of estimated proved undeveloped reserves reclassified to unproved reserves categories as a result of revising certain aspects of our future development plans. Please refer to Areas of Operation in Part I, Items 1 and 2 of this report, and to Oil and Gas Reserve Quantities in Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates in Part II, Item 7 of this report for additional information.
(2)For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company added 85.8 MMBOE from its drilling program and through further development plan optimization, and had net downward revisions of 94.0 MMBOE, which were primarily driven by the removal of certain longer term estimated proved undeveloped reserves and declining commodity prices during 2020.
(3)For the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company added 98.4 MMBOE from its drilling program and through further development plan optimization. These additions were offset by net downward revisions of 94.7 MMBOE, which were primarily driven by declining commodity prices during 2019.
Standardized Measure of Discounted Future Net Cash Flows
The Company computes a standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows and changes therein relating to estimated proved reserves in accordance with authoritative accounting guidance. Future cash inflows and production and development costs are determined by applying prices and costs, including transportation, quality, and basis differentials, to the year end estimated future reserve quantities. Each property the Company operates is also charged with field-level overhead in the estimated reserve calculation. Estimated future income taxes are computed using the current statutory income tax rates, including consideration for estimated future statutory depletion. The resulting future net cash flows are reduced to present value amounts by applying a 10 percent annual discount factor.
Future operating costs are determined based on estimates of expenditures to be incurred in developing and producing the estimated proved reserves in place at the end of the period using year end costs and assuming continuation of existing economic conditions, plus Company overhead incurred by the central administrative office attributable to operating activities.
The assumptions used to compute the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows are those prescribed by the FASB and the SEC. These assumptions do not necessarily reflect the Company’s expectations of actual revenues to be derived from those reserves, nor their present value amount. The limitations inherent in the reserve quantity estimation process, as discussed previously, are equally applicable to the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows computations since these reserve
quantity estimates are the basis for the valuation process. The following prices as adjusted for transportation, quality, and basis differentials were used in the calculation of the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
Oil (per Bbl) | $ | 66.21 | | | $ | 37.63 | | | $ | 53.68 | |
Gas (per Mcf) | $ | 4.28 | | | $ | 1.81 | | | $ | 2.49 | |
NGLs (per Bbl) | $ | 29.31 | | | $ | 14.64 | | | $ | 18.88 | |
The following summary sets forth the Company’s future net cash flows relating to proved oil, gas, and NGL reserves based on the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| As of December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| (in thousands) |
Future cash inflows | $ | 21,027,406 | | | $ | 9,227,390 | | | $ | 14,327,131 | |
Future production costs | (5,498,098) | | | (3,429,288) | | | (4,579,119) | |
Future development costs | (1,591,550) | | | (1,259,395) | | | (2,108,859) | |
Future income taxes | (2,130,280) | | | — | | | (579,815) | |
Future net cash flows | 11,807,478 | | | 4,538,707 | | | 7,059,338 | |
10 percent annual discount | (4,844,871) | | | (1,856,250) | | | (2,955,340) | |
Standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows | $ | 6,962,607 | | | $ | 2,682,457 | | | $ | 4,103,998 | |
The principal sources of changes in the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows were:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| (in thousands) |
Standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows, beginning of year | $ | 2,682,457 | | | $ | 4,103,998 | | | $ | 4,654,383 | |
Sales of oil, gas, and NGLs produced, net of production costs | (2,092,499) | | | (734,971) | | | (1,085,041) | |
Net changes in prices and production costs | 5,242,783 | | | (2,251,636) | | | (1,539,042) | |
Extensions, discoveries and other including infill reserves in an existing proved field, net of related costs | 1,953,633 | | | 482,717 | | | 887,254 | |
Sales of reserves in place | (4,361) | | | (10,755) | | | (2,788) | |
Purchase of reserves in place | 1,565 | | | 2,120 | | | 57,519 | |
Previously estimated development costs incurred during the period | 426,120 | | | 431,926 | | | 736,770 | |
Changes in estimated future development costs | (25,355) | | | 215,460 | | | 132,825 | |
Revisions of previous quantity estimates | (154,879) | | | (172,197) | | | (398,409) | |
Accretion of discount | 268,246 | | | 436,284 | | | 510,427 | |
Net change in income taxes | (1,196,013) | | | 258,844 | | | 191,040 | |
Changes in timing and other | (139,090) | | | (79,333) | | | (40,940) | |
Standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows, end of year | $ | 6,962,607 | | | $ | 2,682,457 | | | $ | 4,103,998 | |