Note 7 - Long-term Debt

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Notes to Financial Statements

Long-Term Debt [Text Block]

NOTE 7. Long-Term Debt

The components of long-term debt, including the effects of debt issuance costs, are as follows (in thousands):

	December 31,
	2022			2021
Credit Agreement due 2024	$	270,000		$	100,000
10.625% Senior Notes, due 2024		250,000			—
10.000% Senior Notes, due 2024		225,000			—
Discounts, net (a)		(27,086	)		—
Debt issuance costs, net (b)		(13,565	)		(2,071	)
Total debt		704,349			97,929
Less current portion of long-term debt		—			—
Long-term debt, net	$	704,349		$	97,929

(a) Discounts as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 consisted of $34.8 million and zero, respectively, in discounts less accumulated amortization of $7.7 million and zero, respectively.

(b) Debt issuance costs as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 consisted of $19.7 million and $2.6 million, respectively, in costs less accumulated amortization of $6.1 million and $502,000, respectively.

Credit Agreement. In December 2020, the Company entered into a Credit Agreement with Fifth Third Bank, National Association (“Fifth Third”) as the administrative agent and sole lender to establish a revolving credit facility (the “Credit Agreement”) that matures on June 17, 2024. The Credit Agreement had an initial borrowing base of $40.0 million. However, the Company elected to reduce the aggregate elected commitments under the Credit Agreement to $20.0 million. In June 2021, the Company entered into the First Amendment to, among other things, (i) complete the semi-annual borrowing base redetermination process which increased the borrowing base from $40.0 million to $125.0 million and (ii) modify the terms of the Credit Agreement to increase the aggregate elected commitments from $20.0 million to $125.0 million. A syndicate of banks joined the credit facility at differing levels of commitments with Fifth Third remaining the administrative agent. In October 2021, the Company entered into the Second Amendment to, among other things, (i) complete a semi-annual borrowing base redetermination process, which increased the borrowing base from $125.0 million to $195.0 million and (ii) modify the terms of the Credit Agreement to increase the aggregate elected commitments from $125.0 million to $195.0 million. In February 2022, the Company entered into the Third Amendment to, among other things, (i) reduce the borrowing base from $195.0 million to $138.8 million, (ii) modify the terms of the Credit Agreement to reduce the aggregate elected commitments from $195.0 million to $138.8 million, (iii) update the maturity date to a springing maturity date, which will cause the Credit Agreement to mature on October 1, 2023 if the 10.000% Senior Notes are not redeemed or refinanced by that date or the terms of the 10.000% Senior Notes have not been amended to extend the scheduled repayment thereof to no earlier than October 1, 2024, (iv) allow the Company to redeem the 10.000% Senior Notes with proceeds of a refinancing, with proceeds of an equity offering or with cash, in each case, subject to certain customary conditions and (v) replace the USD LIBOR rates with Term SOFR rates. In June 2022, the Company entered into the Fourth Amendment to, among other things, (i) increase (a) the aggregate elected commitments to $400.0 million, (b) the borrowing base to $400.0 million and (c) the maximum credit amount to $1.5 billion, (ii) increase the excess cash threshold to $75.0 million, (iii) modify the affirmative hedging requirement so that if total debt to EBITDAX is greater than 1.25 to 1.00 but less than or equal to 1.75 to 1.00, notional volumes covering the first 24 months following the measurement date shall be hedged in an amount equal to not less than 25% of the projected production and if total debt to EBITDAX is greater than 1.75 to 1.00, notional volumes covering the first 24 months following the measurement date shall be hedged in an amount equal to not less than 50% of the projection production and (iv) increase the number of banks included in the syndicate at differing levels of commitments, with Fifth Third remaining the administrative agent. In October 2022, the Company entered into the Fifth Amendment to, among other things, (i) increase the elected commitments to $525 million and the borrowing base to $550 million, (ii) require an additional borrowing base redetermination on or about December 1, 2022, (iii) modify the permitted dividends and distributions conditions such that minimum availability under the credit facility must be 25% percent (as opposed to 30% before giving effect to the Fifth Amendment) and (iv) appoint Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (“Wells Fargo”) as the new administrative agent to replace Fifth Third. In addition, in connection with the Fifth Amendment, to the extent the Company incurs any additional specified unsecured senior, senior subordinated or subordinated future indebtedness in an aggregate amount of up to $250.0 million before June 30, 2023, the Company’s obligation to reduce the borrowing base by an amount equal to 25% of the principal amount of such additional future indebtedness shall be waived. In connection with the Fifth Amendment, the lenders waived two technical events of default existing with the Credit Agreement, as it existed prior to giving effect to the Fifth Amendment, related to entering into and maintaining certain minimum hedges as of the fiscal quarters ending June 30, 2022 and September 30, 2022 and complying with the required current ratio as of the fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2022. In October 2022, the Company entered into the Sixth Amendment to, among other things, (i) change the period to 120 days following the maturity date for which there can be no scheduled principal payments, mandatory redemption or maturity date for the 10.000% Senior Notes (as defined in the Credit Agreement) and the Specified Senior Notes (as defined in the Credit Agreement), (ii) clarify that the Specified Senior Notes are subject to the restriction on the voluntary redemption by the Company of certain specified additional debt, including the 10.000% Senior Notes, (iii) add a permitted lien basket in connection with the escrow account to be opened in connection with the Specified Senior Notes and (iv) provide for an exception for the restriction on mandatory redemptions of the Specified Senior Notes in connection with the special mandatory redemption provided for with respect to the Specified Senior Notes. In December 2022, the Company entered into the Seventh Amendment to, among other things, increase the amount of Specified Senior Notes from $225.0 million to $250.0 million.

The borrowing capacity under the Credit Agreement is equal to the lowest of (i) the borrowing base (which stands at $550.0 million as of December 31, 2022), (ii) the aggregate elected commitments (which stands at $525.0 million as of December 31, 2022) and (iii) $1.5 billion. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had $270.0 million and $100.0 million, respectively, outstanding borrowings under the Credit Agreement. Borrowings under the Credit Agreement prior to February 2022 bore interest, at the option of the Company, based on (a) a rate per annum equal to the higher of (i) the prime rate announced from time to time by Fifth Third, (ii) the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System during the last preceding business day plus 0.5 percent and (iii) the Adjusted LIBO Rate for one-month Interest Period, plus a margin (the “Applicable Margin”) which was determined by the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage as defined in the Credit Agreement or (b) the LIBO Rate for a one, three or six month Interest Period multiplied by the Statutory Reserve Rate. As of February 2022, borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest at the option of the Company, based on (a) the prime rate announced from time to time by the administrative agent or (b) a rate equal to the higher of (i) zero percent per annum and (ii) SOFR relating to quotations for 1 or 3 months. Letters of credit outstanding under the Credit Agreement are subject to a per annum fee, representing the Applicable Margin plus 0.125 percent. The Company also pays commitment fees on undrawn amounts under the Credit Agreement equal to 0.50 percent. Borrowings under the Credit Agreement are secured by a first lien security interest on substantially all assets of the Company and its restricted subsidiaries, including mortgages on the Company’s and its restricted subsidiaries’ crude oil and natural gas properties. The Credit Agreement is scheduled to have the borrowing base redetermined in early 2023 and semiannually in April and October thereafter. Additionally, the Company and Wells Fargo each have the option for a wild card evaluation between redeterminations.

The Credit Agreement requires the maintenance of a ratio of total debt to EBITDAX, subject to certain adjustments, not to exceed 3.00 to 1.00 as of the last day of any fiscal quarter and a current ratio, subject to certain adjustments, of at least 1.00 to 1.00 as of the last day of any fiscal quarter.

The Company has limited equity cure rights for a breach of the above-listed financial covenants. Additionally, the Credit Agreement contains additional restrictive covenants that limit the ability of the Company and its restricted subsidiaries to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness, incur additional liens, make investments and loans, enter into mergers and acquisitions, make or declare dividends and other payments, enter into certain hedging transactions, sell assets and engage in transactions with affiliates. The Credit Agreement contains customary mandatory prepayments, including a monthly mandatory prepayment if the Consolidated Cash Balance (as defined in the Credit Agreement) is in excess of $75.0 million. In addition, the Credit Agreement is subject to customary events of default, including a change in control. If an event of default occurs and is continuing, the administrative agent or the majority of the lenders may accelerate any amounts outstanding and terminate lender commitments.

10.000% Senior Notes. In February 2022, the Company issued $225.0 million aggregate principal amount of its 10.000% Senior Notes due 2024 (“10.000% Senior Notes”), which will mature on February 15, 2024. The Company received proceeds, net of $22.1 million of issuance costs and discounts, of $202.9 million. The net proceeds were used to pay down the balance of the Credit Agreement to zero at closing and to fund our ongoing capital development program with subsequent draws on the Credit Agreement. Interest on the 10.000% Senior Notes will be payable on February 15 and August 15 of each year. The indenture governing the 10.000% Senior Notes contains restrictive covenants that limit the ability of the Company and, with respect to certain restrictive covenants, its restricted subsidiaries to, among other things, incur indebtedness, incur liens, make investments and loans, enter into mergers and acquisitions, make or declare dividends and other payments, sell assets and engage in transactions with affiliates. In addition, the indenture governing the 10.000% Senior Notes contains customary events of default, including payment events of default and events of default upon certain bankruptcy and insolvency events of default. If a bankruptcy or insolvency-related event of default occurs, the principal of, and accrued and unpaid interest on all outstanding 10.000% Senior Notes will become immediately due and payable. With respect to certain other events of default, the trustee may, in certain circumstances, pursue any available remedy to collect the payment of principal of, premium, if any, on and interest, if any, on the 10.000% Senior Notes or enforce performance of any provisions of the 10.000% Senior Notes or the indenture governing such notes.

10.625% Senior Notes. In November 2022 and December 2022, the Company issued $225.0 million and $25.0 million, respectively, for a total of $250 million aggregate principal amount of its Senior Notes due 2024 (“10.625% Senior Notes”), which will mature on November 15, 2024. The Company received proceeds, net of $26.3 million of issuance costs and discounts, of approximately $223.7 million. The net proceeds were used to reduce the outstanding balance of the Credit Agreement at closing and for general corporate purposes. Interest on the 10.625% Senior Notes will be payable on May 15 and November 15 of each year. The indentures governing the 10.625% Senior Notes contain restrictive covenants that limit the ability of the Company and, with respect to certain restrictive covenants, its restricted subsidiaries to, among other things, incur indebtedness, incur liens, make investments and loans, enter into mergers and acquisitions, make or declare dividends and other payments, sell assets and engage in transactions with affiliates. In addition, the indentures governing the 10.625% Senior Notes contain customary events of default, including payment events of default and events of default upon certain bankruptcy and insolvency events of default. If a bankruptcy or insolvency-related event of default occurs, the principal of, and accrued and unpaid interest on all outstanding 10.625% Senior Notes will become immediately due and payable. With respect to certain other events of default, the trustee may, in certain circumstances, pursue any available remedy to collect the payment of principal of, premium, if any, on and interest, if any, on the 10.625% Senior Notes or enforce performance of any provisions of the 10.625% Senior Notes or the indenture governing such notes.

The Credit Agreement and the indentures governing the 10.000% Senior Notes and 10.625% Senior Notes have hedging obligations to which the Company adheres.