NATURE OF COMPANY AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

NATURE OF COMPANY AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

NOTE 1—NATURE OF COMPANY AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

General

Houston American Energy Corp. (a Delaware Corporation) (“the Company” or “HUSA”) was incorporated in 2001. The Company is engaged, as a non-operating joint owner, in the exploration, development, and production of natural gas, crude oil, and condensate from properties. The Company’s principal properties are in the Texas Permian Basin with additional holdings in Gulf Coast areas of the United States and international holdings in Colombia, South America.

Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include all accounts of HUSA and its subsidiaries (HAEC Louisiana E&P, Inc., HAEC Oklahoma E&P, Inc. and HAEC Caddo Lake E&P, Inc.). All significant inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Reverse Stock Split

In July 2020, the Company’s shareholders approved a reverse split of the Company’s common stock in a ratio to be determined, within a specified range, by the Company’s board of directors. The Company’s board of directors approved, and, effective at the close of business on July 31, 2020, the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation was amended to affect a 1-for-12.5 reverse split (the “Reverse Split”) of the Company’s common stock. Fractional shares otherwise issuable pursuant to the Reverse Split were rounded up to the next highest whole number of shares. As a result of the Reverse Split, the shares of common stock outstanding immediately prior to the Reverse Split decreased from 87,007,145 to 6,960,575 shares and the shares of common stock authorized for issuance decreased from 150,000,000 shares to 12,000,000 shares. Similarly, all shares of common stock issuable under outstanding options, warrants and shares of convertible preferred stock were adjusted, and applicable conversion or exercise prices were proportionately adjusted, to reflect the Reverse Split. The par value of the Company’s common stock remained unchanged at $0.001 per share.

All references to shares of common stock and per share data for all periods in the financial statements and notes thereto have been adjusted to reflect the Reverse Split on a retroactive basis.

Liquidity and Capital Requirements

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business for the twelve-month period following the issuance date of these consolidated financial statements. The Company has incurred continuing losses since 2011, including a loss of $1,021,530 for the year ended December 31, 2021. As a result of the steep global economic slowdown that began in March 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic (“COVID-19”) spread, oil and gas demand and prices realized from oil and gas sales declined sharply. While the COVID-19 crisis has, in some regards, subsided and the global economy and oil and gas prices have recovered, future spikes in COVID-19 infection rates could result in declines in global economic activity and oil and gas prices. Any such future declines in prices would adversely affect the Company’s revenues and profitability.

During January and February 2021, the Company raised $6.5 million, net of offering costs, from the sale of common stock. With those funds, the Company believes that it has the ability to fund, from cash on hand, its operating costs and anticipated drilling operations for at least the next twelve months following the issuance of these financial statements.

The actual timing and number of wells drilled during 2022 will be principally controlled by the operators of the Company’s acreage, based on a number of factors, including but not limited to availability of financing, performance of existing wells on the subject acreage, energy prices and industry condition and outlook, costs of drilling and completion services and equipment and other factors beyond the Company’s control or that of its operators.

In the event that the Company pursues additional acreage acquisitions or expands its drilling plans, the Company may be required to secure additional funding beyond our resources on hand. While the Company may, among other efforts, seek additional funding from “at-the-market” sales of common stock, and private sales of equity and debt securities, it presently has limited shares of common stock authorized for issuance to support sales of such shares and does not have any commitments to provide additional funding, and there can be no assurance that the Company can secure the necessary capital to fund its share of drilling, acquisition or other costs on acceptable terms or at all. If, for any reason, the Company is unable to fund its share of drilling and completion costs, it would forego participation in one or more of such wells. In such event, the Company may be subject to penalties or to the possible loss of some of its rights and interests in prospects with respect to which it fails to satisfy funding obligations and it may be required to curtail operations and forego opportunities.

General Principles and Use of Estimates

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. In preparing financial statements, management makes informed judgments and estimates that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and affect the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. On an ongoing basis, management reviews its estimates, including those related to such potential matters as litigation, environmental liabilities, income taxes, and determination of proved reserves of oil and gas and asset retirement obligations. Changes in facts and circumstances may result in revised estimates and actual results may differ from these estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist of demand deposits and cash investments with initial maturity dates of less than three months when purchased. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company had no cash equivalents outstanding.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk include cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities (if any). The Company had cash deposits of $4.5 million in excess of the FDIC’s current insured limit of $250,000 at December 31, 2021 for interest bearing accounts. The Company also had cash deposits of $3,328 in Colombian banks at December 31, 2021 that are not insured by the FDIC. The Company has not experienced any losses on its deposits of cash and cash equivalents.

Revenue Recognition

ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)”. Topic 606 requires an entity to recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. The Company adopted Topic 606 on January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective method applied to contracts that were not completed as of January 1, 2018. Under the modified retrospective method, prior period financial positions and results are not adjusted. The cumulative effect adjustment recognized in the opening balances included no significant changes as a result of this adoption. While the Company’s 2018 net earnings were not materially impacted by revenue recognition timing changes, Topic 606 requires certain changes to the presentation of revenues and related expenses beginning January 1, 2018. Refer to Note 2 – Revenue from Contracts with Customers for additional information.

The Company’s revenue is comprised principally of revenue from exploration and production activities. The Company’s oil is sold primarily to marketers, gatherers, and refiners. Natural gas is sold primarily to interstate and intrastate natural-gas pipelines, direct end-users, industrial users, local distribution companies, and natural-gas marketers. NGLs are sold primarily to direct end-users, refiners, and marketers. Payment is generally received from the customer in the month following delivery.

Contracts with customers have varying terms, including spot sales or month-to-month contracts, contracts with a finite term, and life-of-field contracts where all production from a well or group of wells is sold to one or more customers. The Company recognizes sales revenues for oil, natural gas, and NGLs based on the amount of each product sold to a customer when control transfers to the customer. Generally, control transfers at the time of delivery to the customer at a pipeline interconnect, the tailgate of a processing facility, or as a tanker lifting is completed. Revenue is measured based on the contract price, which may be index-based or fixed, and may include adjustments for market differentials and downstream costs incurred by the customer, including gathering, transportation, and fuel costs.

Revenues are recognized for the sale of the Company’s net share of production volumes.

Loss per Share

Basic loss per share is computed by dividing net loss available to common shareholders by the weighted average common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common shares were exercised or converted in common shares that then shared in the earnings of the Company. In periods in which the Company reports a net loss, dilutive securities are excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share amounts as the effect would be anti-dilutive.

For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the following convertible preferred stock and warrants and options to purchase shares of common stock were excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share, as the inclusion of such shares would be anti-dilutive:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2021		2020
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock		—		434,000
Series B Convertible Preferred Stock		—		185,644
Stock warrants		98,400		98,400
Stock options		990,173		784,977
Totals		1,088,573		1,503,021

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable – other and escrow receivables have been evaluated for collectability and are recorded at their net realizable values.

Allowance for Accounts Receivable

The Company regularly reviews outstanding receivables and provides for estimated losses through an allowance for doubtful accounts when necessary. In evaluating the need for an allowance, the Company makes judgments regarding its customers’ ability to make required payments, economic events and other factors. As the financial condition of these parties change, circumstances develop or additional information becomes available, an allowance for doubtful accounts may be required. When the Company determines that a customer may not be able to make required payments, the Company increases the allowance through a charge to income in the period in which that determination is made. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company evaluated their receivables and determined that no allowance was necessary.

Oil and Gas Properties

The Company uses the full cost method of accounting for exploration and development activities as defined by the SEC. Under this method of accounting, the costs for unsuccessful, as well as successful, exploration and development activities are capitalized as oil and gas properties. Capitalized costs include lease acquisition, geological and geophysical work, delay rentals, costs of drilling, completing and equipping the wells and any internal costs that are directly related to acquisition, exploration and development activities but does not include any costs related to production, general corporate overhead or similar activities. Proceeds from the sale or other disposition of oil and gas properties are generally treated as a reduction in the capitalized costs of oil and gas properties, unless the impact of such a reduction would significantly alter the relationship between capitalized costs and proved reserves of oil and natural gas attributable to a country.

The Company categorizes its full cost pools as costs subject to amortization and costs not being amortized. The sum of net capitalized costs subject to amortization, including estimated future development and abandonment costs, are amortized using the unit-of-production method. Depletion and amortization for oil and gas properties was $245,606 and $364,810 for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and accumulated amortization, depreciation and impairment was $60,306,590 and $60,060,985 at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Costs Excluded

Oil and gas properties include costs that are excluded from capitalized costs being amortized. These amounts represent costs of investments in unproved properties. The Company excludes these costs on a country-by-country basis until proved reserves are found or until it is determined that the costs are impaired. All costs excluded are reviewed quarterly to determine if impairment has occurred. The amount of any impairment is transferred to the costs subject to amortization.

Ceiling Test

Under the full cost method of accounting, a ceiling test is performed each quarter. The full cost ceiling test is an impairment test prescribed by SEC Regulation S-X. The ceiling test determines a limit, on a country-by-country basis, on the book value of oil and gas properties. The capitalized costs of proved oil and gas properties, net of accumulated depreciation, depletion, amortization and impairment (“DD&A”) and the related deferred income taxes, may not exceed the estimated future net cash flows from proved oil and gas reserves, calculated for 2021 using the average oil and natural gas sales price received by the Company as of the first trading day of each month over the preceding twelve months (such prices are held constant throughout the life of the properties) with consideration of price change only to the extent provided by contractual arrangement, discounted at 10%, net of related tax effects. If capitalized costs exceed this limit, the excess is charged to expense and reflected as additional accumulated DD&A. During 2021 and 2020, the Company recorded impairments of oil and gas properties totaling $0 and $2,519,032, respectively. The 2020 ceiling test write-down was primarily related to a decline in energy prices.

Furniture and Equipment

Office equipment is stated at original cost and is depreciated on the straight-line basis over the useful life of the assets, which ranges from three to five years.

Office equipment having an original cost basis of $90,004 was fully depreciated as of January 1, 2020. Therefore, accumulated depreciation was $90,004 and $90,004 at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Asset Retirement Obligations

For the Company, asset retirement obligations (“ARO”) represent the systematic, monthly accretion and depreciation of future abandonment costs of tangible assets such as platforms, wells, service assets, pipelines, and other facilities. The fair value of a liability for an asset’s retirement obligation is recorded in the period in which it is incurred if a reasonable estimate of fair value can be made, and that the corresponding cost is capitalized as part of the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset. The liability is accreted to its then present value each period, and the capitalized cost is depreciated over the useful life of the related asset. If the liability is settled for an amount other than the recorded amount, an adjustment is made to the full cost pool, with no gain or loss recognized, unless the adjustment would significantly alter the relationship between capitalized costs and proved reserves. Although the Company’s domestic policy with respect to ARO is to assign depleted wells to a salvager for the assumption of abandonment obligations before the wells have reached their economic limits, the Company has estimated its future ARO obligation with respect to its domestic operations. The ARO assets, which are carried on the balance sheet as part of the full cost pool, have been included in our amortization base for the purposes of calculating depreciation, depletion and amortization expense. For the purposes of calculating the ceiling test, the future cash outflows associated with settling the ARO liability have been included in the computation of the discounted present value of estimated future net revenues. Asset retirement obligations are classified as Level 3 (unobservable inputs) fair value measurements.

Joint Venture Expense

Joint venture expense reflects the indirect field operating and regional administrative expenses billed by the operator of the Colombian concessions.

Income Taxes

Deferred income taxes are provided on a liability method whereby deferred tax assets and liabilities are established for the difference between the financial reporting and income tax basis of assets and liabilities as well as operating loss and tax credit carry forwards. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of changes in tax laws and rates on the date of enactment.

Uncertain Tax Positions

The Company evaluates uncertain tax positions to recognize a tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities based on the technical merits of the position. Those tax positions failing to qualify for initial recognition are recognized in the first interim period in which they meet the more likely than not standard or are resolved through negotiation or litigation with the taxing authority, or upon expiration of the statute of limitations. De-recognition of a tax position that was previously recognized occurs when an entity subsequently determines that a tax position no longer meets the more likely than not threshold of being sustained.

The Company is subject to ongoing tax exposures, examinations and assessments in various jurisdictions. Accordingly, the Company may incur additional tax expense based upon the outcomes of such matters, including any interest or penalties. In addition, when applicable, the Company will adjust tax expense to reflect the Company’s ongoing assessments of such matters, which require judgment and can materially increase or decrease its effective rate as well as impact operating results. There were no liabilities recorded for uncertain tax positions at December 31, 2021 and 2020.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for stock and stock options based on the grant date fair value of the awards. The Company determines the fair value of stock option grants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Company determines the fair value of shares of non-vested stock based on the last quoted price of our stock on the date of the share grant. The fair value determined represents the cost for the award and is recognized over the vesting period during which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the award. As stock-based compensation expense is recognized based on awards ultimately expected to vest, the Company reduces the expense for estimated forfeitures based on historical forfeiture rates. Previously recognized compensation costs may be adjusted to reflect the actual forfeiture rate for the entire award at the end of the vesting period. Excess tax benefits, if any, are recognized as an addition to paid-in capital.

Concentration of Risk

As a non-operator oil and gas exploration and production company, and through its interest in a limited liability company (“Hupecol”) and concessions operated by Hupecol in the South American country of Colombia, the Company is dependent on the personnel, management and resources of the operators of its various properties to operate efficiently and effectively.

As a non-operating joint interest owner, the Company has a right of investment refusal on specific projects and the right to examine and contest its division of costs and revenues determined by the operator.

The Company’s Permian Basin, Texas properties accounted for all of the Company’s drilling operations and substantially all of its oil and gas investments in 2021 and 2020. In the event of a significant negative change in operations or operating outlook pertaining to the Company’s Permian Basin properties, the Company may be forced to abandon or suspend such operations, which abandonment or suspension could be materially harmful to the Company.

Additionally, the Company currently has interests in concessions in Colombia and expects to be active in Colombia for the foreseeable future. The political climate in Colombia is unstable and could be subject to radical change over a very short period of time. In the event of a significant negative change in political and economic stability in the vicinity of the Company’s Colombian operations, the Company may be forced to abandon or suspend its efforts. Either of such events could be harmful to the Company’s expected business prospects.

For 2021, the Company’s oil production from the its mineral interests was sold to U.S. oil marketing companies based on the highest bid. The gas production is sold to U.S. natural gas marketing companies based on the highest bid. No purchaser accounted for more than 10% of our oil and gas sales.

The Company reviews accounts receivable balances when circumstances indicate a balance may not be collectible. Based upon the Company’s review, no allowance for uncollectible accounts was deemed necessary at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Recent Accounting Developments

In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes – Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. The new guidance simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing several exceptions in the current standard and adding guidance to reduce complexity in certain areas, such as requiring that an entity reflect the effect of an enacted change in tax laws or rates in the annual effective tax rate computation in the interim period that includes the enactment date. The new standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact that adopting this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements.

The Company does not expect the adoption of any recently issued accounting pronouncements to have a significant impact on its financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Subsequent Events

The Company evaluated subsequent events for disclosure from December 31, 2021 through the date the consolidated financial statements were issued.