OIL AND NATURAL GAS PROPERTIES	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
OIL AND NATURAL GAS PROPERTIES
OIL AND NATURAL GAS PROPERTIES	3. OIL AND NATURAL GAS PROPERTIES The Company uses the full cost method of accounting for its investment in oil and natural gas properties. Under this method of accounting, all costs of acquisition, exploration and development of oil and natural gas reserves (including such costs as leasehold acquisition costs, geological expenditures, treating equipment and gathering support facilities costs, dry hole costs, tangible and intangible development costs and direct internal costs) are capitalized as the cost of oil and natural gas properties when incurred. To the extent capitalized costs of evaluated oil and natural gas properties, net of accumulated depletion, exceed the discounted future net revenues of proved oil and natural gas reserves, net of deferred taxes, such excess capitalized costs are charged to expense. Additionally, the Company assesses all properties classified as unevaluated property on a quarterly basis for possible impairment. The Company assesses properties on an individual basis or as a group, if properties are individually insignificant. The assessment includes consideration of the following factors, among others: intent to drill; remaining lease term; geological and geophysical evaluations; drilling results and activity; the assignment of proved reserves; and the economic viability of development if proved reserves are assigned. During any period in which these factors indicate impairment, the cumulative drilling costs incurred to date for such property and all or a portion of the associated leasehold costs are transferred to the full cost pool and are then subject to depletion and the full cost ceiling test limitation. At June 30, 2024 and 2023, using first-day-of-the-month average West Texas Intermediate (“WTI”) crude oil spot prices and Henry Hub natural gas prices for the respective prior 12-month periods, the Company’s net book value of oil and natural gas properties at June 30, 2024 and 2023, did not exceed the ceiling test value of the Company’s reserves. Oil and natural gas prices utilized for the ceiling test calculations as of June 30, 2024 and 2023 were $79.45 per barrel and $83.23 per barrel of oil, respectively, and $2.32 per MMBtu and $4.76 per MMBtu for natural gas, respectively. Changes in commodity prices, production rates, levels of reserves, future development costs, transfers of unevaluated properties to the full cost pool, capital spending, and other factors will determine the Company’s ceiling test calculation and impairment analyses in future periods. Additionally, because oil and natural gas prices are inherently volatile, sustained lower commodity prices would reduce the calculated first-day-of-the-month average prices which could result in non-cash impairment charges of the Company’s oil and natural gas properties under its full cost ceiling test calculation, negatively impacting earnings and financial position.

OIL AND NATURAL GAS PROPERTIES

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2024

3. OIL AND NATURAL GAS PROPERTIES

The Company uses the full cost method of accounting for its investment in oil and natural gas properties. Under this method of accounting, all costs of acquisition, exploration and development of oil and natural gas reserves (including such costs as leasehold acquisition costs, geological expenditures, treating equipment and gathering support facilities costs, dry hole costs, tangible and intangible development costs and direct internal costs) are capitalized as the cost of oil and natural gas properties when incurred. To the extent capitalized costs of evaluated oil and natural gas properties, net of accumulated depletion, exceed the discounted future net revenues of proved oil and natural gas reserves, net of deferred taxes, such excess capitalized costs are charged to expense.

Additionally, the Company assesses all properties classified as unevaluated property on a quarterly basis for possible impairment. The Company assesses properties on an individual basis or as a group, if properties are individually insignificant. The assessment includes consideration of the following factors, among others: intent to drill; remaining lease term; geological and geophysical evaluations; drilling results and activity; the assignment of proved reserves; and the economic viability of development if proved reserves are assigned. During any period in which these factors indicate impairment, the cumulative drilling costs incurred to date for such property and all or a portion of the associated leasehold costs are transferred to the full cost pool and are then subject to depletion and the full cost ceiling test limitation.

At June 30, 2024 and 2023, using first-day-of-the-month average West Texas Intermediate (“WTI”) crude oil spot prices and Henry Hub natural gas prices for the respective prior 12-month periods, the Company’s net book value of oil and natural gas properties at June 30, 2024 and 2023, did not exceed the ceiling test value of the Company’s reserves. Oil and natural gas prices utilized for the ceiling test calculations as of June 30, 2024 and 2023 were $79.45 per barrel and $83.23 per barrel of oil, respectively, and $2.32 per MMBtu and $4.76 per MMBtu for natural gas, respectively.

Changes in commodity prices, production rates, levels of reserves, future development costs, transfers of unevaluated properties to the full cost pool, capital spending, and other factors will determine the Company’s ceiling test calculation and impairment analyses in future periods. Additionally, because oil and natural gas prices are inherently volatile, sustained lower commodity prices would reduce the calculated first-day-of-the-month average prices which could result in non-cash impairment charges of the Company’s oil and natural gas properties under its full cost ceiling test calculation, negatively impacting earnings and financial position.