Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

v3.23.1
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2023
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company after elimination of intercompany transactions and balances. These financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC and therefore do not include all disclosures required for financial statements prepared in conformity with GAAP. In the opinion of management, these financial statements reflect all normal, recurring adjustments and accruals considered necessary to present fairly, in all material respects, the Company’s interim financial position, results of operations and cash flows. However, the results of operations for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations that may be expected for the full year. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts to conform to the current period presentation. Such reclassifications did not have a material impact on prior period financial statements.
Significant Accounting Policies
The Company’s significant accounting policies are described in “Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in its 2022 Annual Report and are supplemented by the notes included in this Form 10-Q. The financial statements and related notes included in this Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the Company’s 2022 Annual Report.
Recast Financial Information for Change in Accounting Principle
In the first quarter of 2023, the Company voluntarily changed its method of accounting for its oil and gas exploration and development activities from the full cost method to the successful efforts method of accounting. Accordingly, the financial information for prior periods has been recast to reflect retrospective application of the successful efforts method, as prescribed by the FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 932 “Extractive Activities — Oil and Gas.” Although the full cost method of accounting continues to be an accepted alternative, the successful efforts method of accounting is the generally preferred method of the SEC and, because it is more widely used in the industry, the Company expects the change to improve the comparability of its financial statements to its peers. The Company also believes the successful efforts method provides a more representational depiction of assets and operating results and provides for its investments in oil and natural gas properties to be assessed for impairment in accordance with ASC Topic 360 “Property Plant and Equipment,” rather than valuations based on prices and costs prescribed under the full cost method as of the balance sheet date. As required by ASC 250 “Accounting Changes and Error Corrections”, the Company has presented the accumulated effect of the change in accounting principle as a change in the beginning balance of retained earnings (accumulated deficit) of the earliest period presented in the consolidated financial statements. For detailed information regarding the effects of the change to the successful efforts method, see “Note 3 — Change in Accounting Principle.”
Oil and Gas Property
Proved oil and gas properties. The Company follows the successful efforts method of accounting for its oil and gas properties. Under this method, drilling and completion costs, including lease and well equipment, intangible development costs, and operational support facilities in the field, associated with development wells are capitalized to proved oil and gas properties and 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. The calculation of depletion expense takes into consideration estimated asset retirement costs, net of estimated salvage values.
Proved oil and gas properties are assessed for impairment on an asset group basis whenever events and circumstances indicate that there could be a possible decline in the recoverability of the net book value of such property. The Company estimates the expected future net cash flows of its proved oil and gas properties and compares these undiscounted cash flows to the net book value of the proved oil and gas properties to determine if the net book value is recoverable. If the net book value exceeds the estimated undiscounted future net cash flows, the Company will recognize an impairment to reduce the net book value of the proved oil and gas properties to fair value. The factors used to determine fair value include, but are not limited to, estimates of reserves, future commodity prices, future production estimates, estimated future development costs and operating costs, and discount rates, which are based on a weighted average cost of capital. There were no impairments of proved oil and gas properties for the three months ended March 31, 2023 or 2022.
The partial sale of a proved property within an existing asset group is accounted for as a normal retirement and no net gain or loss on divestiture is recognized as long as the treatment does not significantly alter 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 is recognized in the consolidated statements of operations for all other sales of proved properties.
Unproved oil and gas properties. Unproved oil and gas properties consist of costs incurred in obtaining a mineral interest or a right in a property such as a lease, in addition to broker fees, recording fees and other similar costs. Leasehold costs are classified as unproved until proved reserves are discovered on or otherwise attributed to the property, at which time the related unproved oil and gas property costs are reclassified to proved oil and gas properties and depleted on an asset group basis using the units-of-production method based on estimated total proved oil and gas reserves.
The Company evaluates significant unproved oil and gas property costs for impairment based on remaining lease term, drilling results, reservoir performance, seismic interpretation or changes in future plans to develop acreage. Unproved oil and gas properties that are not individually significant are aggregated by asset group, and the portion of such costs estimated to be nonproductive prior to lease expiration is amortized over the average holding period. The estimate of what could be nonproductive is based on the Company’s historical experience or other information, including current drilling plans and existing geological data. Impairment and amortization of unproved oil and gas properties are recognized as “Impairment of oil and gas properties” in the consolidated statements of operations.
Exploratory. Exploratory costs, including personnel and other internal costs, geological and geophysical expenses and delay rentals for oil and gas leases, are expensed as incurred. Exploratory well costs are initially capitalized pending the determination of whether proved reserves have been discovered. If proved reserves are discovered, exploratory well costs are capitalized as proved oil and gas properties. 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.
Capitalized interest. The Company capitalizes interest on expenditures made in connection with exploration and development projects that meet certain thresholds and are not subject to current amortization. For projects that meet these thresholds, interest is capitalized only for the period that activities are in process to bring the projects to their intended use. Capitalized interest cannot exceed interest expense for the period capitalized. During the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company did not have any projects that met the thresholds, therefore, had no capitalized interest.
Subsequent Events
The Company evaluates subsequent events through the date the financial statements are issued. See “Note 16 — Subsequent Events” for further discussion.