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Description of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Description of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies
1. Description of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies
Nature of Operations:
PrimeEnergy Resources Corporation (“PERC”), a Delaware corporation, was organized in March 1973 and is engaged in the development, acquisition and production of oil and natural gas properties. PrimeEnergy Resources Corporation and its subsidiaries are herein referred to as the “Company.” The Company owns leasehold, mineral and royalty interests in producing and
non-producing
oil and gas properties across the United States, primarily in Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia. The Company operates approximately 1,400 active wells and owns
non-operating
interests and royalties in approximately 800 additional wells. Additionally, the Company provides well-servicing support operations, site-preparation and construction services for oil and gas drilling and reworking operations, both in connection with the Company’s activities and providing contract services for third parties. The Company is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol “PNRG.” PERC owns Eastern Oil Well Service Company (“EOWSC”) and EOWS Midland Company (“EMID”) which perform oil and gas field servicing. PERC also owns Prime Operating Company (“POC”), which serves as operator for most of the producing oil and gas properties owned by the Company and affiliated entities. PrimeEnergy Management Corporation (“PEMC”), a wholly-owned subsidiary, acts as the managing general partner, providing administration, accounting and tax preparation services for 3 limited partnerships and 2 trusts (collectively, the “Partnerships”). The markets for the Company’s products are highly competitive, as oil and gas are commodity products and prices depend upon numerous factors beyond the control of the Company, such as economic, political and regulatory developments and competition from alternative energy sources.
Effects of Coronavirus on Business:
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the Coronavirus
(“COVID-19”),
which continues to spread throughout the U.S. and the world, a pandemic. The outbreak is having an impact on the global economy, resulting in rapidly changing market and economic conditions. Similar to many businesses in the energy sector, our business has been impacted by the recent
COVID-19
outbreak and associated restrictions that have been implemented. The Company temporarily implemented social distancing requirements and work from home accommodations where appropriate.
The oversupply in the oil markets and related price volatility, depending on its duration may have an adverse impact on cash flows from operations and the valuation of capitalized costs related to oil and gas producing activities. The full extent to which
COVID-19
will impact the Company’s results will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of the virus and the actions to contain or treat its impact. 
Consolidation and Presentation:
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of PrimeEnergy Resources Corporation, its subsidiaries and the Partnerships, using the full consolidation method for those partnerships which are controlled by the Company. The Company’s reserve estimates are based on the ownership percentage of Partnership reserve reports. DD&A expense and evaluation of impairment may differ from the Partnership as the Company’s cost basis for the Partnership interests acquired may be different than the cost basis at the Partnership level for properties acquired by the Partnership. All significant intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated in preparing the consolidated financial statements.
Reclassifications:
Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year statements to conform with the current year presentation. These reclassifications have no impact on net income and no material impact on any other financial statement captions.
 
Subsequent Events:
Subsequent events have been evaluated through the date that the consolidated financial statements were issued. During this period, there were no material subsequent items requiring disclosure other than as stated in footnotes 2 and 4 to these financial statements.
Use of Estimates:
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Estimates of oil and gas reserves, as determined by independent petroleum engineers, are continually subject to revision based on price, production history and other factors. Depletion expense, which is computed based on the units of production method, could be significantly impacted by changes in such estimates. Additionally, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles require that if the expected future undiscounted cash flows from an asset are less than its carrying cost, that asset must be written down to its fair market value. As the fair market value of an oil and gas property will usually be significantly less than the total undiscounted future net revenues expected from that asset, slight changes in the estimates used to determine future net revenues from an asset could lead to the necessity of recording a significant impairment of that asset.
 
Property and Equipment:
The Company follows the “successful efforts” method of accounting for its oil and gas properties. Under the successful efforts method, costs of acquiring undeveloped oil and gas leasehold acreage, including lease bonuses, brokers’ fees and other related costs are capitalized. Provisions for impairment of undeveloped oil and gas leases are based on periodic evaluations. Annual lease rentals and exploration expenses, including geological and geophysical expenses and exploratory dry hole costs, are charged against income as incurred. Costs of drilling and equipping productive wells, including development dry holes and related production facilities, are capitalized. All other property and equipment are carried at cost. Depreciation and depletion of oil and gas production equipment and properties are determined under the
unit-of-production
method based on estimated proved developed recoverable oil and gas reserves. Depreciation of all other equipment is determined under the straight-line method using various rates based on useful lives generally ranging from 5 to 10 years. The cost of assets and related accumulated depreciation is removed from the accounts when such assets are disposed of, and any related gains or losses are reflected in current earnings.
Capitalization of Interest:
Interest costs related to financing major oil and gas projects in progress are capitalized until the projects are evaluated or until the projects are substantially complete and ready for their intended use if the projects are evaluated and successful.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets:
The Company reviews long-lived assets, including oil and gas properties, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts may not be recovered. If the carrying amounts are not expected to be recovered by undiscounted cash flows, the assets are impaired, and an impairment loss is recorded. The amount of impairment is based on the estimated fair value of the assets determined by discounting anticipated future net cash flows.
 
Fair Value:
The Company follows the authoritative guidance that establishes a formal framework for measuring fair values of assets and liabilities in financial statements that are already required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles to be measured at fair value. The guidance defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (exit price). The transaction is based on a hypothetical transaction in the principal or most advantageous market considered from the perspective of the market participant that holds the asset or owes the liability.
The Company utilizes market data or assumptions that market participants who are independent, knowledgeable and willing and able to transact would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk and the risks inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. These inputs can be readily observable, market corroborated or generally unobservable. The Company attempts to utilize valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The Company is able to classify fair value balances based on the observability of those inputs. The guidance establishes a formal fair value hierarchy based on the inputs used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 inputs, which consist of unadjusted quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets. Level 2 inputs consist of quoted prices for similar instruments. Level 3 valuations are derived from inputs that are significant and unobservable; hence, these valuations have the lowest priority.
Asset Retirement Obligation:
The asset retirement obligation primarily represents the estimated present value of the amount the Company will incur to plug, abandon and remediate producing properties at the end of their productive lives, in accordance with applicable state laws. The Company determined its asset retirement obligation by calculating the present value of estimated cash flows related to the liability. The asset retirement obligation is recorded as a liability at its estimated present value at its inception, with an offsetting increase to producing properties. Periodic accretion of discount of the estimated liability is recorded as an expense in the statement of operations.
 
Income Taxes:
The Company follows the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to the differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the tax rate in effect for the year in which those temporary differences are expected to turn around. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in the year of the enacted rate change. A valuation allowance is established to reduce deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not that the related tax benefits will not be realized. As of December 31,
 201
9, and
 2018, we had no valuation allowance.
The Company is required to make judgments, including estimating reserves for potential adverse outcomes regarding tax positions that the Company has taken. The Company accounts for uncertainty in income taxes using a recognition and measurement threshold for tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The effective tax rate and the tax basis of assets and liabilities reflect management’s estimates of the ultimate outcome of various tax uncertainties.
General and Administrative Expenses:
General and administrative expenses represent cost and expenses associated with the operation of the Company.
Earnings Per Common Share:
Basic earnings per share are computed by dividing earnings available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share reflect per share amounts that would have resulted if dilutive potential common stock had been converted to common stock in gain periods.
Statements of Cash Flows:
For purposes of the consolidated statements of cash flows, the Company considers short-term, highly liquid investments with original maturities of less than ninety days to be cash equivalents.
Concentration of Credit Risk:
The Company maintains significant banking relationships with financial institutions in the State of Texas. The Company limits its risk by periodically evaluating the relative credit standing of these financial institutions. The Company’s oil and gas production purchasers consist primarily of independent marketers and major gas pipeline companies.
Hedging:
The Company periodically enters into oil and gas financial instruments to manage its exposure to oil and gas price volatility. The oil and gas reference prices upon which the price hedging instruments are based reflect various market indices that have a high degree of historical correlation with actual prices received by the Company.
The financial instruments are accounted for in accordance with applicable accounting standards for derivative instruments and hedging activities. Such standards require that applicable derivative instruments be measured at fair market value and recognized as assets or liabilities in the balance sheet. The accounting for changes in the fair value of a derivative depends on the intended use of the derivative and the resulting designation is generally established at the inception of a derivative. For derivatives designated as cash flow hedges and meeting applicable effectiveness guidelines, changes in fair value, to the extent effective, are recognized in other comprehensive income until the hedged item is recognized in earnings. Hedge effectiveness is measured at least quarterly based on the relative changes in fair value between the derivative contract and the hedged item over time. Any change in fair value of a derivative resulting from ineffectiveness or an excluded component of the gain/loss is recognized immediately in the statement of operations.
Recently Issued Accounting Standards:
On January 1, 2018, PrimeEnergy adopted ASU
2014-09,
“Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASC 606),” using the modified retrospective method. The Company elected to evaluate all contracts at the date of initial application. While there was no impact to the opening balance of retained earnings as a result of the adoption, certain items previously netted in revenue are now recognized as lease operating expense in the Company’s statement of consolidated operations. The amounts are immaterial to the financial statements, and prior comparative periods have not been restated and continue to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for those periods. Adoption of the new standard
does
not have a material impact on the Company’s net earnings.
 
The Company applies the provisions of ASC 606 for revenue recognition to contracts with customers. Sales of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs) are included in revenue when production is sold to a customer in fulfillment of performance obligations under the terms of agreed contracts. Performance obligations primarily comprise delivery of oil, gas, or NGLs at a delivery point, as negotiated within each contract. Each barrel of oil, million Btu (MMBtu) of natural gas, or other unit of measure is separately identifiable and represents a distinct performance obligation to which the transaction price is allocated. Performance obligations are satisfied at a point in time once control of the product has been transferred to the customer. The Company considers a variety of facts and circumstances in assessing the point of control transfer, including but not limited to: whether the purchaser can direct the use of the hydrocarbons, the transfer of significant risks and rewards, the Company’s right to payment, and transfer of legal title. In each case, the term between delivery and when payments are due is not significant.
Revenue is recognized based on the transfer of control or our customers’ ability to benefit from our services and products in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to receive in exchange for those services and products. The vast majority of our service and product contracts are short-term in nature. In recognizing revenue for our services and products, we determine the transaction price of purchase orders or contracts with our customers, which may consist of fixed and variable consideration. We also assess our customers’ ability and intention to pay, which is based on a variety of factors, including our historical payment experience with and the financial condition of our customers. Payment terms and conditions vary by contract type, although terms generally include a requirement of payment within 20 to 60 days. Other judgments involved in recognizing revenue include an assessment of progress towards completion of performance obligations for certain long-term contracts, which involve estimating total costs to determine our progress towards contract completion and calculating the corresponding amount of revenue to recognize.
PrimeEnergy records trade accounts receivable for its unconditional rights to consideration arising under sales contracts with customers. The carrying value of such receivables, net of the allowance for doubtful accounts, represents estimated net realizable value. The Company routinely assesses the collectability of all material trade and other receivables. The Company accrues a reserve on a receivable when, based on the judgment of management, it is probable that a receivable will not be collected and the amount of any reserve may be reasonably estimated. PrimeEnergy has concluded that the disaggregation of revenue by product appropriately depicts how the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows are affected by economic factors.
Practical Expedients and Exemptions
PrimeEnergy does not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations for contracts with an original expected length of one year or less or contracts for which variable consideration is allocated entirely to a wholly unsatisfied performance obligation.
PrimeEnergy will utilize the practical expedient to expense incremental costs of obtaining a contract if the expected amortization period is one year or less. Costs to obtain a contract with expected amortization periods of greater than one year will be recorded as an asset and will be recognized in accordance with ASC 340, “Other Assets and Deferred Costs.” Currently, the Company does not have contract assets related to incremental costs to obtain a contract.
In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued ASU
2016-02,
“Leases (Topic 842),” requiring lessees to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities for most leases classified as operating leases under previous GAAP. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. In January 2018, the FASB issued ASU
2018-01,
which permits an entity an optional election to not evaluate under
ASU 2016-02
those existing or expired land easements that were not previously accounted for as leases prior to the adoption of ASU
2016-02.
In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU
2018-11,
which adds a transition option permitting entities to apply the provisions of the new standard at its adoption date instead of the earliest comparative period presented in the consolidated financial statements. Under this transition option, comparative reporting would not be required, and the provisions of the standard would be applied prospectively to leases in effect at the date of adoption. The Company intends to elect both transitional practical expedients. As allowed under the standard, the Company also applied practical expedients to carry forward its historical assessments of whether existing agreements contain a lease, classification of existing lease agreements, and treatment of initial direct lease costs. The Company also elected to exclude short-term leases (those with terms of 12 months or less) from the balance sheet presentation and will account for
non-lease
and lease components as a single lease component for all asset classes.
The Company has adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2019. In the normal course of business, the Company enters into various lease agreements for office space and equipment related to its exploration and development activities that are currently accounted for as operating leases. The Company’s adoption and implementation of this ASU did not significantly impact its balance sheet. The impact to the Company’s consolidated statement of operations and consolidated statement of cash flows is not material.
On January 1, 2019, the company adopted ASU
2018-07
“Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting,” to simplify the accounting for share-based transactions by expanding the scope of Topic 718 from only being applicable to share-based payments to employees to also include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from nonemployees. As a result, the same guidance that provides for employee share-based payments, including most of the requirements related to classification and measurement, applies to nonemployee share-based payment arrangements. ASU
2018-07
was effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those annual periods.
The Company’s adoption did not have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements.
New Pronouncements Issued But Not Yet Adopted
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU
2018-13,
“Disclosure Framework: Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement,” which changes the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements by removing, adding, and modifying certain disclosures. ASU
2018-13
is effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The company plans to adopt this ASU and its related disclosures during the first quarter of 2020 and does not expect it to have a material impact on its financial statements.
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU
2018-15,
“Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That is a Service Contract.” This pronouncement clarifies the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs in cloud computing arrangements and aligns them with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain
internal-use
software. This pronouncement is effective for fiscal years, and for interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period for which financial statements have not been issued. The Company plans to adopt this ASU on its consolidated financial statements during the first quarter of 2020 and does not expect it to have a material impact.
In December 2019, The FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU)
2019-12
Income Taxes (Topic740) Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes as part of its initiative to reduce complexity in the accounting standards. The amendments in ASU
2019-12
remove certain exceptions related to the incremental approach for intraperiod tax allocations, the general methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. ASU 2019
-12
also clarifies and simplifies other aspects of accounting for income taxes. For public business entries, the amendment in this update are effective for fiscal years and interim periods with those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020.