Commitments and Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2015

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

15. Commitments and Contingencies

Litigation

The Company is involved in various matters incidental to its operations and business that might give rise to a loss contingency.  These matters may include legal and regulatory proceedings, commercial disputes, claims from royalty, working interest and surface owners, property damage and personal injury claims and environmental authorities or other matters. In addition, the Company may be subject to customary audits by governmental authorities regarding the payment and reporting of various taxes, governmental royalties and fees as well as compliance with unclaimed property (escheatment) requirements and other laws.   Further, other parties with an interest in wells operated by the Company have the ability under various contractual agreements to perform audits of its joint interest billing practices.

The Company vigorously defends itself in these matters.  If the Company determines that an unfavorable outcome or loss of a particular matter is probable and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated, it accrues a liability for the contingent obligation.  As new information becomes available or as a result of legal or administrative rulings in similar matters or a change in applicable law, the Company’s conclusions regarding the probability of outcomes and the amount of estimated loss, if any, may change. The impact of subsequent changes to the Company’s accruals could have a material effect on its results of operations.