EX-99.1 12 dex991.htm REPORT OF NETHERLAND, SEWELL & ASSOCIATES, INC. Report of Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc.

Exhibit 99.1

January 31, 2011

Mr. Kerry D. Scott

Pioneer Natural Resources Company

5205 North O’Connor Boulevard, Suite 200

Irving, Texas 75039-3746

Dear Mr. Scott:

In accordance with your request, we have audited the estimates prepared by Pioneer Natural Resources Company (Pioneer), as of December 31, 2010, of the proved reserves and future revenue to the Pioneer interest in certain oil and gas properties located in the United States, Tunisia, and offshore South Africa. It is our understanding that the proved reserves estimates shown herein constitute all of the proved reserves owned by Pioneer. We have examined the estimates with respect to reserves quantities, reserves categorization, future producing rates, future net revenue, and the present value of such future net revenue, using the definitions set forth in U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Regulation S-X Rule 4-10(a). The estimates of reserves and future revenue have been prepared in accordance with the definitions and guidelines of the SEC and, with the exception of the exclusion of future income taxes, conform to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 932, Extractive Activities—Oil and Gas. We completed our audit on January 31, 2011. This report has been prepared for Pioneer’s use in filing with the SEC; in our opinion the assumptions, data, methods, and procedures used in the preparation of this report are appropriate for such purpose.

The following table sets forth Pioneer’s estimates of the net reserves and future net revenue, as of December 31, 2010, for the audited properties:

 

     Net Reserves      Future Net Revenue (M$)  

Category

   Oil
(MBBL)
     NGL
(MBBL)
     Gas
(MMCF)
     Total      Present Worth
at 10%
 

Proved Developed Producing

     161,983         105,383         1,683,975         11,086,092         5,583,657   

Proved Developed Non-Producing

     10,833         3,403         91,635         826,803         404,025   

Proved Undeveloped

     207,993         75,433         898,910         9,772,228         2,017,002   
                                            

Total Proved

     380,809         184,218         2,674,521         21,685,123         8,004,685   

Totals may not add because of rounding.

The oil reserves shown include crude oil and condensate. Oil and natural gas liquids (NGL) volumes are expressed in thousands of barrels (MBBL); a barrel is equivalent to 42 United States gallons. Gas volumes are expressed in millions of cubic feet (MMCF) at standard temperature and pressure bases.

When compared on a field-by-field basis, some of the estimates of Pioneer are greater and some are less than the estimates of Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. (NSAI). However, in our opinion the estimates of Pioneer’s proved reserves and future revenue shown herein are, in the aggregate, reasonable and have been prepared in accordance with the Standards Pertaining to the Estimating and Auditing of Oil and Gas Reserves Information promulgated by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE Standards). Additionally, these estimates are within the recommended 10 percent tolerance threshold set forth in the SPE Standards. We are satisfied with the methods and procedures used by Pioneer in preparing the December 31, 2010, estimates of reserves and future revenue, and we saw nothing of an unusual nature that would cause us to take exception with the estimates, in the aggregate, as prepared by Pioneer.

The estimates shown herein are for proved reserves. Pioneer’s estimates do not include probable or possible reserves that may exist for these properties, nor do they include any value for undeveloped acreage beyond those


tracts for which undeveloped reserves have been estimated. Reserves categorization conveys the relative degree of certainty; reserves subcategorization is based on development and production status. The estimates of reserves and future revenue included herein have not been adjusted for risk.

Prices used by Pioneer are based on the 12-month unweighted arithmetic average of the first-day-of-the-month price for the period January through December 2010. For oil and NGL volumes, the average of Platts Oil Daily West Texas Intermediate (Cushing) spot price of $79.282 per barrel is adjusted by lease for quality, transportation fees, and regional price differentials. For gas volumes, the average Platts Gas Daily Henry Hub spot price of $4.373 per MMBTU is adjusted by lease for energy content, transportation fees, and regional price differentials. All prices are held constant throughout the lives of the properties. The average adjusted product prices weighted by production over the remaining lives of the properties are $77.16 per barrel of oil, $37.82 per barrel of NGL, and $4.07 per MCF of gas.

Lease and well operating costs used by Pioneer are based on historical operating expense records. For nonoperated properties, these costs include the per-well overhead expenses allowed under joint operating agreements along with estimates of costs to be incurred at and below the district and field levels. Lease and well operating costs for the operated properties include direct lease- and field-level costs and Pioneer’s estimate of the portion of its headquarters general and administrative overhead (G&A) expenses necessary to operate the properties. Pioneer’s estimate of G&A expenses is included at the field area level for all areas except for Raton Basin, which is included at the lease level. Lease and well operating costs are held constant throughout the lives of the properties. Pioneer’s estimates of capital costs are included as required for workovers, new development wells, production equipment, abandonment, and salvage. The future capital costs are held constant to the date of expenditure.

The reserves shown in this report are estimates only and should not be construed as exact quantities. Proved reserves are those quantities of oil and gas which, by analysis of engineering and geoscience data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be economically producible. Estimates of reserves may increase or decrease as a result of market conditions, future operations, changes in regulations, or actual reservoir performance. In addition to the primary economic assumptions discussed herein, estimates of Pioneer and NSAI are based on certain assumptions including, but not limited to, that the properties will be developed consistent with current development plans, that the properties will be operated in a prudent manner, that no governmental regulations or controls will be put in place that would impact the ability of Pioneer to recover the reserves, and that projections of future production will prove consistent with actual performance. If the reserves are recovered, the revenues therefrom and the costs related thereto could be more or less than the estimated amounts. Because of governmental policies and uncertainties of supply and demand, the sales rates, prices received for the reserves, and costs incurred in recovering such reserves may vary from assumptions made while preparing these estimates.

It should be understood that our audit does not constitute a complete reserves study of the audited oil and gas properties. Our audit consisted primarily of substantive testing, wherein we conducted a detailed review of major properties making up approximately 90 percent of Pioneer’s total proved reserves and accounting for approximately 79 percent of the present worth for those reserves. In the conduct of our audit, we have not independently verified the accuracy and completeness of information and data furnished by Pioneer with respect to ownership interests, oil and gas production, well test data, historical costs of operation and development, product prices, or any agreements relating to current and future operations of the properties and sales of production. However, if in the course of our examination something came to our attention that brought into question the validity or sufficiency of any such information or data, we did not rely on such information or data until we had satisfactorily resolved our questions relating thereto or had independently verified such information or data. Our audit did not include a review of Pioneer’s overall reserves management processes and practices.

We used standard engineering and geoscience methods, or a combination of methods, including performance analysis, volumetric analysis, and analogy, that we considered to be appropriate and necessary to establish the conclusions set forth herein. As in all aspects of oil and gas evaluation, there are uncertainties inherent in the interpretation of engineering and geoscience data; therefore, our conclusions necessarily represent only informed professional judgment.


Supporting data documenting this audit, along with data provided by Pioneer, are on file in our office. The technical persons responsible for conducting this audit meet the requirements regarding qualifications, independence, objectivity, and confidentiality set forth in the SPE Standards. We are independent petroleum engineers, geologists, geophysicists, and petrophysicists; we do not own an interest in these properties nor are we employed on a contingent basis.

 

Sincerely,
NETHERLAND, SEWELL & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Texas Registered Engineering Firm F-002699
  /s/ C.H. (Scott) Rees III
By:  
  C.H. (Scott) Rees III, P.E.
  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
  /s/ G. Lance Binder
By:  
  G. Lance Binder, P.E., 61794
  Executive Vice President
Date Signed: January 31, 2011

GLB:JLW

Please be advised that the digital document you are viewing is provided by Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. (NSAI) as a convenience to our clients. The digital document is intended to be substantively the same as the original signed document maintained by NSAI. The digital document is subject to the parameters, limitations, and conditions stated in the original document. In the event of any differences between the digital document and the original document, the original document shall control and supersede the digital document.