NOTE 13 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Operating Leases and Agreements

The Company leases its office facilities under a four-year non-cancelable operating lease agreement expiring in March 2021. The following is a schedule by year of future minimum rental payments required under the operating lease agreement:


Year ending December 31,	Amount
2018	$	129,738
2019		133,698
2020		137,658
2021		34,662
2022		—
Total	$	435,756

Lease expense totaled $0.1 million and $34,651 for the years ended December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively.

Employment Agreements

2017

On April 1, 2017, the Company entered an employment agreement with its Manager of Production and Completion Operations. The agreement provides for a base salary of $130,000 per year, an initial term expiring on March 31, 2018 with an automatic renewal for successive one-year periods unless terminated in accordance with its terms, and provisions for termination and payment of severance under various circumstances. In connection with the execution of the agreement, the employee was granted 50,000 shares of restricted stock and an option to purchase up to 200,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.83 per share.

On April 1, 2017, the Company entered into an employment agreement with its Executive Vice President for Capital Markets and Investor Relations. The agreement provides for a base salary of $156,000 per year, an initial term expiring on December 31, 2018 with an automatic renewal for successive one-year periods unless terminated in accordance with its terms, and provisions for termination and payment of severance under various circumstances. In

connection with the execution of the agreement, the employee was granted 66,700 shares of restricted stock and the vesting of 200,000 previously issued stock options were accelerated.

On June 1, 2017, the Company entered into an employment agreement with its Senior Landman. The agreement provides for a base salary of $130,000 per year, an initial term expiring on May 31, 2018 with an automatic renewal for successive one-month periods unless terminated in accordance with its terms, and provisions for termination. In connection with the execution of the agreement, the employee was granted 50,000 shares of restricted stock and an option to purchase 200,000 shares of common stock at $1.89 per share.

On June 1, 2017, the Company entered into an employment agreement with its Chief Financial Officer. The agreement provides for a base salary of $150,000 per year, an initial term expiring on December 31, 2018 with an automatic renewal for successive one-year periods unless terminated in accordance with its terms, and provisions for termination and payment of severance under various circumstances. In connection with the execution of the agreement, the employee was granted 50,000 shares of restricted stock.

2016

On February 25, 2016, the Board of Directors approved a form of amended and restated executive employment in order to provide uniform terms of employment for the Company’s executive officers. Effective March 1, 2016, the Company entered into an amended and restated employment agreement with each Stephen J. Foley and Fredrick J. Witsell. Pursuant to the amended and restated employment agreements, Messrs. Foley and Witsell are compensated by the Company at the rate of $13,000 per month, or $156,000 per year. The Company also executed an executive agreement with William B. Lloyd, Chief Operating Officer, pursuant to which, as amended, Mr. Lloyd is compensated at the rate of $13,000 per month, or $156,000 per year. For each of the foregoing executives, the employment agreements provide for an initial term expiring on December 31, 2018 with an automatic renewal for successive one-year periods unless terminated in accordance with its terms and provisions for termination and payment of severance under various circumstances.

On April 15, 2016, the Company entered into an executive employment agreement with William R. Givan, Vice President, Land, pursuant to which Mr. Givan is compensated at the rate of $10,833.33 per month, or $130,000 per year. Mr. Givan’s employment agreement provides for an initial term expiring on April 14, 2017 with an automatic renewal for successive one-year periods unless terminated in accordance with its terms and provisions for termination and payment of severance under various circumstances.