Note 14 – Other



Commitments and contingencies



The Company is involved in various claims and lawsuits incidental to its business. In the opinion of management, the ultimate liability hereunder, if any, will not have a material adverse effect on the financial position or results of operations of the Company.



The Company’s activities are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations governing environmental quality and pollution control. Although no assurances can be made, the Company believes that, absent the occurrence of an extraordinary event, compliance with existing federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations governing the release of materials into the environment or otherwise relating to the protection of the environment are not expected to have a material effect upon the capital expenditures, earnings or the competitive position of the Company with respect to its existing assets and operations. The Company cannot predict what effect additional regulation or legislation, enforcement policies hereunder, and claims for damages to property, employees, other persons and the environment resulting from the Company’s operations could have on its activities.



Operating leases



As of December 31, 2016, the Company had contracts for three horizontal drilling rigs (the “Cactus 1 Rig”, “Cactus 2 Rig” and “Cactus 3 Rig”). The contract terms, as amended through December 31, 2016, of the Cactus 1 Rig and Cactus 2 Rig will end in July 2018 and August 2018, respectively. Effective October 27, 2016, the Company entered into a contract for the Cactus 3 Rig, which commenced drilling in mid-January 2017. The contract terms of the Cactus 3 Rig will end in July 2017.



The rig lease agreements include early termination provisions that obligate the Company to reduced minimum rentals for the remaining term of the agreement. These payments would be reduced assuming the lessor is able to re-charter the rig and staffing personnel to another lessee. In January 2016, the Company decided to place the Cactus 1 Rig on standby and was required to pay a “standby” day rate of $15,000 per day, pursuant to the terms of the agreement, allowing the Company to retain the option to return the rig to service under the contract terms. In August 2016, the Company returned its Cactus 1 Rig to service.



In March 2015, the Company decided to terminate its one-year contract for a vertical rig (effective April 2015). The Company paid approximately $3,075 in reduced rental payments over the remainder of the lease term, which ended November 2015. The amount was recognized as rig termination fee on the consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2015.