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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies  
Organization and Nature of Operations

Organization and Nature of Operations

The Company is a leading provider of onshore seismic data acquisition and processing services. Founded in 1952, the Company acquires and processes 2-D, 3-D and multi-component seismic data for its clients, ranging from major oil and gas companies to independent oil and gas operators as well as providers of multi-client data libraries. The Company operates in the lower 48 states of the U.S. and in Canada.

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. In the opinion of the Company’s management, the consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, which are normal and recurring in nature, necessary for fair financial statement presentation. The preparation of these condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in these consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Certain prior period amounts in the condensed consolidated financial statements may have been reclassified to conform to the current period’s presentation.

These consolidated financial statements have been prepared using accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-K and applicable rules of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

Asset Purchase Agreement. On March 24, 2023, the Company entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with Wilks Brothers, LLC (“Wilks”) and Breckenridge Geophysical, LLC (“Breckenridge”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Wilks. Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Company completed the purchase of substantially all of the Breckenridge assets related to seismic data acquisition services other than its multi-client data library, in exchange for a combination of equity consideration and a convertible note (the “Transaction”). While the Transaction was structured as an asset purchase, the Company’s financial presentation reflects combined results of the two companies as if the combination occurred on January 14, 2022, the date Wilks became the majority shareholder of the Company. This is due to the fact that both the Company and Breckenridge were under Wilks’ control from January 14, 2022 forward. The presentation is required as a combination of entities under common control. As part of the Purchase Agreement, in addition to the 1,188,235 shares of our common stock issued to Wilks at closing, we entered into a convertible note to deliver approximately 5.8 million shares of common stock to Wilks after the Company receives shareholder approval of the proposal to issue the shares upon conversion of the convertible note in accordance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635 (the “Convertible Note”). The shareholders approved conversion of the Convertible Note during a special meeting held on September 13, 2023. Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Convertible Note in the amount of $9,880,000.50 was automatically converted into 5,811,765 newly-issued shares of the Company’s common stock following the requisite shareholder approval, and the Convertible Note was thereby extinguished.

The Purchase Agreement has been accounted for as a transfer of net assets between entities under common control in a manner similar to a pooling of interests. The Company’s historical consolidated financial statements have been retrospectively revised to reflect the effects on financial position, cash flows, and results of operations attributable to the activities of Breckenridge for all periods presented and are thus marked “(as adjusted)”. The effects of transactions in Breckenridge’s equity prior to the Transaction have been presented as a separate component of stockholders’ equity on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity to demonstrate the effects of those transactions on the Company’s historical consolidated financial statements.
Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Dawson Operating LLC, Dawson Seismic Services Holdings, Inc., Eagle Canada, Inc., Eagle Canada Seismic Services ULC and Exploration Surveys, Inc. Additionally, Breckenridge has been consolidated on the Company’s statements for the period from January 14, 2022 (the date on which Wilks gained control of Dawson) to December 31, 2022, and for the period from January 1, 2023 to March 24, 2023. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Cash Equivalents

Cash Equivalents

For purposes of the consolidated financial statements, the Company considers demand deposits, certificates of deposit, overnight investments, money market funds and all highly liquid debt instruments purchased with an initial maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.
Allowance for Current Expected Credit Loss

Allowance for Current Expected Credit Loss

The Company’s allowance for credit losses reflects its current estimate expected to be incurred over the life of the financial instrument and is determined based on a number of factors. Management determines the need for any allowance for credit losses on accounts receivable based on its review of past-due accounts, its past experience of historical write-offs, its current client base, when customer accounts exceed 90 days past due and specific customer account reviews. While the collectability of outstanding client invoices is continually assessed, the inherent volatility of the energy industry’s business cycle can cause swift and unpredictable changes in the financial stability of the Company’s clients. With the adoption of ASU No. 2016-13 in 2020, the Company made an accounting policy election to write off accrued interest amounts by reversing interest income. The Company's allowance for credit losses was $250,000 at December 31, 2023 and 2022.
Employee Retention Credit Receivable

Employee Retention Credit Receivable

Under the provisions of the CARES Act, the Company was eligible and, in April 2022, applied for a refundable employee retention credit subject to program conditions and requirements. The Company recognizes these credits as a gain when all uncertainties have been met and the amounts are realizable in accordance with similar gain contingencies. The Company recognized $3.0 million as a gain in other income and $69,000 as interest income in the Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the year ended December 31, 2022 and recognized $3.0 million as an employee retention credit receivable in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2022. Payments were received in January 2023.
Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment is capitalized at historical cost or the fair value of assets acquired in a business combination and is depreciated over the useful life of the asset. Management’s estimation of this useful life is based on circumstances that exist in the seismic industry and information available at the time of the purchase of the asset. As circumstances change and new information becomes available, these estimates could change.

Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method. When assets are retired or otherwise disposed of, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the consolidated balance sheet, and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in the results of operations for the period.

Impairment of Long-lived Assets

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment when triggering events occur suggesting deterioration in the assets’ recoverability or fair value. Recognition of an impairment charge is required if future expected undiscounted net cash flows are insufficient to recover the carrying value of the assets and the fair value of the assets is below the carrying value of the assets. Management’s forecast of future cash flows used to perform impairment analysis includes estimates of future revenues and expenses based on the Company’s anticipated future results, while considering anticipated future oil and natural gas prices which is fundamental in assessing demand for the Company’s services. If the carrying amounts of the assets exceed the estimated expected undiscounted future cash flows, the Company measures the amount of possible

impairment by comparing the carrying amount of the assets to the fair value. No impairment charges were recognized for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
Leases

Leases

The Company leases certain vehicles, seismic recording equipment, real property and office equipment under lease agreements. The Company evaluates each lease to determine its appropriate classification as an operating lease or a finance lease for financial reporting purposes. The Company is the lessee in a lease contract when we obtain the right to control the asset. The majority of our operating leases are non-cancelable operating leases for office, shop and warehouse space in Midland, Plano, Houston and Calgary, Alberta.

The assets and liabilities under finance leases are recorded at the lower of the present value of the minimum lease payments or the fair market value of the related assets. Assets under finance leases are amortized using the straight-line method over the initial lease term. Amortization of assets under finance leases is included in depreciation expense.

For operating leases, where readily determinable, the Company uses the implicit interest rate in determining the present value of future minimum lease payments. In the absence of an implicit rate, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the lease commencement date. The Company gives consideration to its outstanding debt, as well as publicly available data for instruments with similar characteristics when calculating its incremental borrowing rates. The ROU assets are amortized to operating lease cost over the lease terms on a straight-line basis and is included in operating expense. The Company does not recognize leases with an initial term of 12 months or less and does not separate lease and non-lease components.

Several of the Company’s leases include options to renew, with renewal terms that can extend from one to 10 years or more. The exercise of lease renewal options is primarily at the Company’s discretion. To measure operating lease recognition, the Company evaluates its lease agreements to determine if they have economic incentives for renewal or options to purchase. The Company deems leasehold improvements as one of the few economic incentives that would entice the Company to renew a lease and all of its leasehold improvements are currently fully amortized.
Intangibles

Intangibles

The Company has intangible assets consisting primarily of trademarks/tradenames (which are not amortized) resulting from a business combination. The Company tests for impairment on an annual basis during the fourth quarter, and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the reporting unit below its carrying amount. No impairment charges were recognized for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

Services are provided under cancelable service contracts which usually have an original expected duration of one year or less. These contracts are either turnkey or term agreements. Under both types of agreements, the Company recognizes revenues as the services are performed. Revenue is generally recognized based on receivers laid out and picked up compared to total receivers anticipated to be recorded on the survey using the total estimated revenue for the service contract. In the case of a cancelled service contract, the client is billed and revenue is recognized for any third party charges and square miles of data recorded up to the date of cancellation.

The Company receives reimbursements for certain out-of-pocket expenses under the terms of the service contracts. The amounts billed to clients are included at their gross amount in the total estimated revenue for the service contract.

Clients are billed as permitted by the service contract. Contract assets and contract liabilities are the result of timing differences between revenue recognition, billings and cash collections. If billing occurs prior to the revenue recognition or billing exceeds the revenue recognized, the amount is considered deferred revenue and a contract liability. Conversely, if the revenue recognition exceeds the billing, the excess is considered an unbilled receivable and a contract asset. As services are performed, those deferred revenue amounts are recognized as revenue.

In some instances, third-party permitting, surveying, drilling, helicopter, equipment rental and mobilization costs that directly relate to the contract are utilized to fulfill the contract obligations. These fulfillment costs are capitalized in other current assets and generally amortized based on the total square miles of data recorded compared to total square miles anticipated to be recorded on the survey using the total estimated fulfillment costs for the service contract.

Estimates for total revenue and total fulfillment cost on any service contract are based on certain qualitative and quantitative judgments supported by underlying facts. Management considers a variety of factors such as whether various components of the performance obligation will be performed internally or externally, cost of third party services, and facts and circumstances unique to the performance obligation in making these estimates.

Additionally, the Company’s policy includes (i) ignoring the financing component when estimating the transaction price for service contracts completed within one year, (ii) excluding sales tax collected from the customer when determining the transaction price, and (iii) expensing incremental costs to obtain a customer contract if the amortization period for those costs would otherwise be one year or less.
Segments

Segments

Historically, the chief operating decision maker made operating decisions and evaluated operating results of the Company on a consolidated basis. In December 2023, we appointed a new Chief Executive Officer who is our current chief operating decision maker. Currently, our chief operating decision maker reviews the discrete segment financial information on a geographic basis for the US operations and Canada Operations. The revenue for both of the Company’s segments is generated by the same services, which utilize the same type of equipment and personnel. The performance of our segments is evaluated primarily on Adjusted EBITDA. We define Adjusted EBITDA as our net income (loss), before (i) interest expense, net, (ii) income tax expense or benefit, (iii) depreciation, depletion and amortization and (iv) other unusual or non-recurring charges, such as severance expenses. As a result, our business has two reportable segments, US operations and Canada Operations. We have included disclosures about our two reportable segments for all periods presented herein. See Note 15 for additional disclosures related to our reportable segments.
Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company measures all stock-based compensation awards, which include stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units and common stock awards, using the fair value method and recognizes compensation expense, net of actual forfeitures, as operating or general and administrative expense, as appropriate, in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss on a straight-line basis over the vesting period of the related awards.
Foreign Currency Translation

Foreign Currency Translation

The U.S. Dollar is the reporting currency for all periods presented. The functional currency of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries is generally the local currency. Any transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency are remeasured with the resulting unrealized gain or loss recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss as other income (expense). All assets and liabilities in the functional currency are then translated into U.S. Dollars at the exchange rate on the consolidated balance sheet date. Income and expenses are translated using the exchange rate applicable to each transaction. Equity transactions are translated using historical exchange rates. Adjustments resulting from translation are recorded as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Realized foreign currency transaction gains (losses) are included in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss as other income (expense).
Income Taxes

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes by recognizing amounts of taxes payable or refundable for the current year, and by using an asset and liability approach in recognizing the amount of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in the Company’s consolidated financial statements or tax returns. Management determines deferred taxes by identifying the types and amounts of existing temporary differences, measuring the total deferred tax asset or liability using the applicable tax rate in effect for the year in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect of a change in tax rates of deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the year of an enacted rate change. The deferred tax asset is reduced by a valuation allowance if, based on available evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax asset will not be

realized. Management’s methodology for recording income taxes requires judgment regarding assumptions and the use of estimates, including determining the annual effective tax rate and the valuation of deferred tax assets, which can create variances between actual results and estimates and could have a material impact on the Company’s provision or benefit for income taxes. Due to recent operating losses and valuation allowances, the Company may recognize reduced or no tax benefits on future losses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss. The Company’s effective tax rates differ from the statutory federal rate of 21% for certain items such as state and local taxes, valuation allowances, non-deductible expenses and discrete items.

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

Preparation of the accompanying consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of certain assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The most sensitive estimates involve the Company’s estimates for total revenues and total fulfillment costs on service contracts. Because of the use of assumptions and estimates inherent in the reporting process, actual results could differ from those estimates.

Severance Expense

Severance Expense

In December 2023, we recorded severance expenses of $2.2 million in connection with the termination of the Company’s (i) President and Chief Executive Officer, (ii) Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer and (iii) Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President. This severance is included on the balance sheet within accrued liabilities in payroll costs and other taxes. This severance will be paid out in bi-weekly payments for (ii) and (iii) until February of 2025, and bi-weekly payments for (i) until December of 2025.
Risks and uncertainties

Risks and uncertainties

Our ability to be profitable in the future will depend on many factors beyond our control, but primarily on the level of demand for land-based seismic data acquisition services by oil and natural gas exploration and development companies. We incurred net losses of $12.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, and $18.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. As of December 31, 2023, we had $15.8 million in cash, and a positive working capital balance of $15 million. We believe that our cash flows from operations, and our current financial position are adequate to fund our continued operations.