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Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

Note 14. Commitments and Contingencies

 

Contractual Commitments

 

Future minimum contractual commitments as of December 31, 2016 under non-cancelable agreements having remaining terms in excess of one year are as follows: 

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2018

 

 

2019

 

 

2020

 

 

2021

 

 

Thereafter

 

Gas contract

 

$

1,643

 

 

$

1,643

 

 

$

1,643

 

 

$

1,647

 

 

$

680

 

 

$

 

Office leases

 

 

738

 

 

 

661

 

 

 

627

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

$

2,381

 

 

$

2,304

 

 

$

2,270

 

 

$

1,647

 

 

$

680

 

 

$

 

 

The Company has a non-cancelable fixed cost agreement of $1.6 million per year through 2021 to reserve pipeline capacity of 10,000 MMBtu per day for gathering and processing related to certain Eagle Ford assets in south Texas through 2021.Additionally, the Company leases corporate office space in The Woodlands, Texas and Denver, Colorado.  Rent expense was approximately $0.8 million, $0.8 million, and $0.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014, respectively.  Minimum lease payments under the terms of non-cancelable operating leases as of December 31, 2016 are shown in the table above.

   

Environmental

The Company’s operations are subject to risks normally associated with the drilling, completion and production of oil and gas, including blowouts, fires, and environmental risks such as oil spills or gas leaks that could expose the Company to liabilities associated with these risks.

In the Company’s acquisition of existing or previously drilled well bores, the Company may not be aware of prior environmental safeguards, if any, that were taken at the time such wells were drilled or during such time the wells were operated. The Company maintains comprehensive insurance coverage that it believes is adequate to mitigate the risk of any adverse financial effects associated with these risks.

However, should it be determined that a liability exists with respect to any environmental cleanup or restoration, the liability to cure such a violation could still fall upon the Company. No claim has been made, nor is the Company aware of any liability which the Company may have, as it relates to any environmental cleanup, restoration, or the violation of any rules or regulations relating thereto except for the matter discussed above.

Legal

From time to time, the Company and its subsidiaries may be involved in various legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of business.  In July 2015, EF Non-Op, LLC, a subsidiary of the Company, filed suit in the 125th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas against the operator of its properties in LaSalle County, Texas. In the case EF Non-Op, LLC vs. BHP Billiton Petroleum Properties (N.A.), LP (F/K/A Petrohawk Properties, LP), the Company claims the operator has breached the applicable joint operating agreements in numerous ways, including, but not limited to, improper authorization for expenditure requests, improper and imprudent operations, misrepresentation of charges and excessive billings, as well as refusal to provide requested information. The Company also claims damages from negligent representation and fraud.  The Company is seeking all relief to which it is entitled, including consequential damages and attorneys’ fees. With respect to a portion of the litigation associated with nine non-operated gas wells that were drilled in 2014 and placed on production in the first half of 2015, BHP Billiton in early 2016 elected to deem the Company as a non-consenting working interest owner regarding costs associated with the drilling, completing and operating of these nine wells, as BHP’s sole and exclusive remedy.  The Company has accepted this “non-consent” status. The litigation is continuing with respect to other disputes. The outcome of remaining disputes in this proceeding is uncertain, and while the Company is confident in its position, any potential monetary recovery to the Company cannot be estimated at this time.