Note 8 - Asset Retirement Obligations

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Notes to Financial Statements

Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 8. Asset Retirement Obligations

The Company’s asset retirement obligations primarily relate to the future plugging and abandonment of wells and related facilities. Market risk premiums associated with asset retirement obligations are estimated to represent a component of the Company’s credit-adjusted risk-free rate that is utilized in the calculations of asset retirement obligations.

Asset retirement obligations activity is as follows (in thousands):

	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021
Beginning asset retirement obligations	$	2,293
Liabilities incurred from new wells		877
Liabilities assumed in acquisitions		980
Liabilities divested		(6	)
Revision of estimates (a)		(10	)
Accretion of discount		116
Ending asset retirement obligations	$	4,250

(a) The revisions to the Company’s asset retirement obligation estimates are primarily due to changes in estimated costs based on experience with the properties and their expected useful lives.

As of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, all asset retirement obligations are considered noncurrent and classified as such in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet.