Transactions

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2024

Transactions

Transactions

(3) Transactions

(a) Conveyance of Overriding Royalty Interest

On June 15, 2020, the Company announced the consummation of a transaction with an affiliate of Sixth Street Partners, LLC (“Sixth Street”) relating to certain overriding royalty interests across the Company’s existing asset base (the “ORRIs”). In connection with the transaction, the Company contributed the ORRIs to Martica and Sixth Street contributed $300 million in cash (subject to customary adjustments) and agreed to contribute up to an additional $102 million in cash if certain production thresholds attributable to the ORRIs were achieved in 2020 and 2021. The Company met these production thresholds and received the $102 million of additional contributions from Sixth Street during 2020 and 2021. All cash contributed by Sixth Street at the initial closing and received as part of these additional contributions was distributed to the Company.

The ORRIs include an overriding royalty interest of 1.25% of the Company’s working interest in all of its operated proved developed properties in West Virginia and Ohio, subject to certain excluded wells (the “Initial PDP Override”), and an overriding royalty interest of 3.75% of the Company’s working interest in all of its undeveloped properties in West Virginia and Ohio (the “Development Override”). Wells turned to sales after April 1, 2020 and prior to the later of (a) the date on which the Company turns to sales 2.2 million lateral feet (net to the Company’s interest) of horizontal wells burdened by the Development Override or (b) the earlier of (i) April 1, 2023 or (ii) the date on which the Company turns to sales 3.82 million lateral feet (net to the Company’s interest) of horizontal wells are subject to the Development Override. As of April 1, 2023,

Sixth Street no longer has the right to participate in any new wells, and Martica reconveyed the Development Override to the Company, except for the portion relating to wells turned to sales prior to April 1, 2023.

The ORRIs also include an additional overriding royalty interest of 2.00% of the Company’s working interest in the properties underlying the Initial PDP Override (the “Incremental Override”). The Incremental Override (or a portion thereof, as applicable) could be re-conveyed to the Company (at the Company’s election) if certain production targets attributable to the ORRIs were achieved through March 31, 2023. Any portion of the Incremental Override that could not be re-conveyed to the Company based on the Company failing to achieve such production volumes through March 31, 2023 will remain with Martica. As of March 31, 2023, 24% of the Incremental Override (or a 0.48% overriding royalty interest) will remain with Martica.

Prior to Sixth Street achieving an internal rate of return of 13% and 1.5x cash-on-cash return (the “Hurdle”), Sixth Street will receive all distributions in respect of the Initial PDP Override and the Development Override, and 24% of all distributions in respect of the Incremental Override, and the Company will receive 76% of all distributions in respect of the Incremental Override. Following Sixth Street achieving the Hurdle, the Company will receive 85% of the distributions in respect of the ORRIs to which Sixth Street was entitled immediately prior to the Hurdle being achieved.

(b) Drilling Partnership

On February 17, 2021, Antero Resources announced the formation of a drilling partnership with QL Capital Partners (“QL”), an affiliate of Quantum Energy Partners, for the Company’s 2021 through 2024 drilling program. Under the terms of the arrangement, each year in which QL participates represents an annual tranche, and QL will be conveyed a working interest in any wells spud by Antero Resources during such tranche year. For 2021 through 2024, Antero Resources and QL agreed to the estimated internal rate of return (“IRR”) of the Company’s capital budget for each annual tranche, and QL agreed to participate in all four annual tranches. Antero Resources develops and manages the drilling program associated with each tranche, including the selection of wells. Additionally, for each annual tranche, Antero Resources and QL will enter into assignments, bills of sale and conveyances pursuant to which QL will be conveyed a proportionate working interest percentage in each well spud in that year, which conveyances will not be subject to any reversion.

Under the terms of the arrangement, QL funded development capital of 20%, 15% and 15% for wells spud in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively, and will fund 20% of development capital for wells spud in 2024, which funding amounts represent QL’s proportionate working interest in such wells. Additionally, Antero Resources may receive a carry in the form of a one-time payment from QL for each annual tranche if the IRR for such tranche exceeds certain specified returns, which will be determined no earlier than October 31 and no later than December 1 following the end of each tranche year. The Company received a carry of $29 million for each of the 2021 and 2022 tranches during the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023. All of the wells spud during each calendar year period will be a separate annual tranche. Capital costs in excess of, and cost savings below, a specified percentage of budgeted amounts for each annual tranche will be for Antero Resources’ account. Subject to the preceding sentence, for any wells included in a tranche, QL is obligated and responsible for its working interest share of costs and liabilities, and is entitled to its working interest share of revenues, associated with such wells for the life of such wells.

The Company has accounted for the drilling partnership as a conveyance under FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 932, Extractive Activities—Oil and Gas, and such conveyances are recorded in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as QL obtains its proportionate working interest in each well. No gain or loss was recognized for the interests conveyed during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2024.