XML 40 R24.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.19.1
Note 16 - Supplemental Oil and Gas Disclosures (Unaudited)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Notes to Financial Statements  
Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Industries Disclosures [Text Block]
16.
Supplemental Oil and Gas Disclosures (Unaudited)
    
The accompanying tables (in thousands) presents information concerning the Company’s oil and gas producing activities “Disclosures about Oil and Gas Producing Activities.”  Capitalized costs relating to oil and gas producing activities are as follows as of
December 31:
 
   
Years Ended December 31,
 
   
2017
   
2018
 
Proved oil and gas properties
  $
923,237
    $
1,091,905
 
Unproved properties
   
-
     
-
 
Total
   
923,237
     
1,091,905
 
Accumulated depreciation, depletion, amortization and impairment
   
(706,537
)    
(748,773
)
Net capitalized costs
  $
216,700
    $
343,132
 
 
Cost incurred in oil and gas property acquisition and development activities were as follows for the years ended
December 31 (
in thousands):
 
   
2016
   
2017
   
2018
 
Development costs
  $
18,262
    $
94,478
    $
131,271
 
Exploration costs
   
12,529
     
8,509
     
-
 
Property acquisition costs
   
-
     
31,409
     
41,465
 
    $
30,791
    $
134,396
    $
172,736
 
 
Results of operations from oil and gas producing activities were as follows for the years ended
December 31:
 
                         
     
2016
     
2017
     
2018
 
Revenues
  $
56,493
    $
86,189
    $
149,030
 
Production costs
   
(23,659
)    
(22,425
)    
(36,323
)
Depreciation, depletion and amortization
   
(22,803
)    
(25,676
)    
(42,237
)
Proved property impairment
   
(67,626
)    
-
     
-
 
Results of operations from oil and gas producing activities (excluding corporate overhead and interest costs)
  $
(57,595
)   $
38,088
    $
72,488
 
                         
Depletion rate per barrel of oil equivalent
  $
10.08
    $
9.52
    $
11.80
 
 
Estimated Quantities of Proved Oil and Gas Reserves
 
Reserve estimates are inherently imprecise and estimates of new discoveries are more imprecise than those of producing oil and gas properties.  Accordingly, the estimates are expected to change as future information becomes available.  The estimates have been predominately prepared by independent petroleum reserve engineers. Proved oil and gas reserves are the estimated quantities of oil and gas that geological and engineering data demonstrate with reasonable certainty to be recoverable in future years from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions. Proved developed oil and gas reserves are those expected to be recovered through existing wells with existing equipment and operating methods. All of the Company’s proved reserves are located in the continental United States.
 
Proved reserves were estimated in accordance with guidelines established by the SEC and the FASB, which require that reserve estimates be prepared under existing economic and operating conditions with
no
provision for price and cost escalations except by contractual arrangements; therefore, the unweighted average prior
12
-month
first
-day-of-the-month commodity prices and year-end costs were used in estimating reserve volumes and future net cash flows for the periods presented.
 
The following set forth changes in estimated net proved reserves for the years ended 
December 
31,
2016,
 
2017
 and 
2018.
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oil
 
   
Oil
   
NGL
   
Gas
   
Equivalents
 
   
(MBbl)
   
(MBbl)
   
(MMcf)
   
(Mboe)
 
Change in Proved Reserves
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Balance at December 31, 2015
   
24,131
     
6,556
     
75,027
     
43,190
 
Revisions of previous estimates
   
1,379
     
2,300
     
(1,537
)    
3,424
 
Extensions and discoveries
   
1,183
     
157
     
1,179
     
1,537
 
Sales of minerals in place
   
(1,112
)    
(6
)    
(680
)    
(1,232
)
Production
   
(1,372
)    
(363
)    
(3,160
)    
(2,262
)
Balance at December 31, 2016
   
24,209
     
8,644
     
70,829
     
44,657
 
Revisions of previous estimates
   
259
     
1,269
     
19,311
     
4,747
 
Extensions and discoveries
   
14,533
     
2,813
     
14,534
     
19,768
 
Purchases of minerals in place
   
8
     
14
     
1,001
     
189
 
Sales of minerals in place
   
(364
)    
(289
)    
(3,958
)    
(1,312
)
Production
   
(1,574
)    
(476
)    
(3,889
)    
(2,698
)
Balance at December 31, 2017
   
37,071
     
11,975
     
97,828
     
65,351
 
Revisions of previous estimates
   
(4,206
)    
(1,927
)    
(2,618
)    
(6,570
)
Extensions and discoveries
   
11,270
     
1,797
     
11,475
     
14,979
 
Purchases of minerals in place
   
688
     
-
     
1,137
     
877
 
Sales of minerals in place
   
(278
)    
(1,303
)    
(13,491
)    
(3,829
)
Production
   
(2,308
)    
(508
)    
(4,587
)    
(3,580
)
Balance at December 31, 2018
   
42,237
     
10,034
     
89,744
     
67,228
 
 
The following is a summary of the changes to the Company’s proved reserves that occurred during
2018:
 
Revisions to prior estimates
:
 
 There was a decrease of
45
MBoe of net reserves attributable to changes in projections for the Company’s producing wells based on actual performance during
2018.
  The Company also converted
thirteen
proved undeveloped Three Fork
2
nd
bench locations in McKenzie County, North Dakota, to probable undeveloped reserves during
2018,
accounting for
6,525
MBoe of net reserves. These locations are
no
longer included in the Company’s
five
-year development plan.
 
Extensions, discoveries and other additions
:
 
The Company added
nineteen
new proved undeveloped  operated locations accounting for
8,130
 MBoe of net reserves along with
two
proved undeveloped non-operated locations accounting for
838
MBoe of net reserves. These locations are direct offsets to either successful Abraxas producing wells or producing wells operated by others. The Company also converted
two
probable undeveloped locations to producing reserves accounting for
1,523
MBoe of net reserves. The Company also converted
five
probable undeveloped locations to proved undeveloped reserves accounting for
2,670
MBoe of net reserves. In the Bakken/Three Forks system in McKenzie County, North Dakota, during
2018
the Company added
three
new proved undeveloped locations attributable to unit line well configurations accounting for
1,692
MBoe of net reserves. The Company also added 
six
new non-operated proved non-producing locations accounting for
126
MBoe of net reserves. 
  
Purchases:
 
In the
Wolfcamp/3
rd
Bone Spring system in Ward, County, Texas, during
2018
the Company acquired
four
new producing wells accounting for
877
MBoe of net producing reserves.
 
Sales:
 
The Company sold substantially all its holdings in the Ira Area accounting for
203
MBoe of net proved reserves. The Company also sold
one
producing and
two
 proved undeveloped Delaware locations in Ward County, Texas, accounting for
3,558
MBoe of net reserves. Other miscellaneous asset sales during the year accounted for
68
MBoe of net reserves.
 
Production:
 
The Company produced
3,580
MBoe of net reserves during
2018.
 
 
 
The following is a summary of the changes to the Company’s proved reserves that occurred during
2017:
 
Revisions to prior estimates
:
 
There was an increase of
621
MBoe of net reserves attributable to changes in projections for the Company’s producing wells based on actual performance during
2017.
Most of this increase was attributable to the Company’s Wolfcamp producing wells in Ward County, Texas. There was also an increase of
1,951
net MBoe attributable to increases in projections for the Company’s Wolfcamp PUDs in Ward County. These increases were based on the over-performance of the Company’s existing Wolfcamp producing wells as mentioned above. There was also an increase in this category of
2,698
MBoe attributable to increased economic life calculations at the higher commodity pricing experienced during
2017.
There were also
seven
miscellaneous cases in this category that were removed from the report due to the fact that the Company
no
longer intends to develop them within the
five
-year allowance. These cases accounted for
523
MBoe of net reserves.
 
Extensions, discoveries and other additions
:
 
The Company added
three
new Wolfcamp producing wells in Ward, County, Texas accounting for
1,229
MBoe of net producing reserves. The Company also converted
three
probable undeveloped Wolfcamp A locations in Ward County, TX, to proved producing reserves during
2017
accounting for
2,028
MBoe of net reserves. The Company also added
27
proved undeveloped Wolfcamp A locations,
four
Third Bone Spring locations, and
two
Wolfcamp B locations in Ward County, Texas, accounting for
11,928
MBoe of net reserves. These locations are direct offsets to either successful Abraxas producing wells or producing wells operated by others. The Company also converted
ten
probable undeveloped Wolfcamp A locations in Ward County, Texas, to proved undeveloped reserves during
2017
accounting for
4,343
MBoe of net reserves. The Company also developed a new Eagle Ford well in Atascosa County, Texas, accounting for
240
MBoe of net reserves. 
 
Purchases
:
 
The company purchased wells and acquired additional interest in existing wells which added
189
MBoe of net reserves.
 
Sales:
 
The Company sold substantially all of its holdings in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming during
2017.
These sales accounted for the decrease of
1,312
MBoe of net proved reserves.
 
Production
:
 
The Company produced
2,698
MBoe of net reserves during
2017.
 
The following is a summary of the changes to the Company’s proved reserves that occurred during
2016:
 
Revisions to prior estimates
:
 
An increase of
5,005
MBoe of reserves was attributable to the Company’s Bakken and Three Forks proved undeveloped locations in McKenzie County, North Dakota, due to continuing improvement in its producing well production results. Well results improved as a result of the application of optimized completion methods. Similarly, reserves for the Company’s Bakken and Three Forks producing wells increased by
1,360
MBoe of net producing reserves due to improved performance. Projections for the Hedgehog State
16
-
2H
producing well and its
two
related proved undeveloped locations in the Porcupine Field, Campbell County, Wyoming, decreased by
670
MBoe of net reserves due to the under-performance of the Hedgehog State
16
-
2H.
There was also a reduction in this category of
2,271
MBoe attributable to shortened economic life calculations at the lower commodity pricing.
 
Extensions, discoveries and other additions
:
 
The Company added the Caprito
99
302H
as a new Wolfcamp producing well in Ward County, Texas, accounting for
449
MBoe of net producing reserves. It also added
five
new proved undeveloped Wolfcamp locations offsetting this new producer accounting for
805
MBoe of net undeveloped reserves. The Company also developed a new Austin Chalk producer in Atascosa County, Texas, which accounted for
265
MBoe of net producing reserves. Further, the Company added
eight
new proved undeveloped Bakken/Three Forks locations on non-operated units in McKenzie County, North Dakota, accounting for
18
MBoe of net undeveloped reserves. These locations were added in response to operator well proposals.
 
Sales
:
 
The Company sold all its holdings in the Portilla Field in San Patricio County, Texas, and in the Brooks Draw Field in Converse County, Wyoming, during
2016.
These sales accounted for
1,232
MBoe of net proved reserves.
 
Production
:
 
The Company produced
2,262
MBoe of net reserves during
2016.
 
The following table presents the Company's estimate of its net proved developed and undeveloped oil and gas reserves as of
December 31, 2016,
2017
and
2018:
 
   
Total
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oil
 
   
OIl
   
NGL
   
Gas
   
Equilavents
 
   
(MBbl)
   
(MBbl)
   
(MMcf)
   
(Mboe)
 
Proved Developed Reserves:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2016
   
7,818
     
2,568
     
27,792
     
15,018
 
December 31, 2017
   
10,820
     
3,794
     
39,974
     
21,720
 
December 31, 2018
   
13,586
     
3,804
     
43,271
     
24,602
 
                                 
Proved Undeveloped Reserves:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2016
   
16,391
     
6,076
     
43,037
     
29,639
 
December 31, 2017
   
25,808
     
8,181
     
57,854
     
43,631
 
December 31, 2018
   
28,651
     
6,230
     
46,473
     
42,626
 
 
Standardized Measure of Discounted Future Net Cash Flows Relating to Proved Oil and Gas Reserves
 
The Company’s proved oil and gas reserves have been estimated by the Company with the assistance of an independent petroleum engineering firm, DeGolyer & MacNaughton, as of
December 31, 2016,
and
2017
 and LaRoche Petroleum Consultants as of
December 31, 
2018,
assisted by the engineering and operations departments of the Company.
 
The following information has been prepared in accordance with SEC rules and accounting standards based on the
12
-month
first
-day-of-the-month unweighted average prices in accordance with provisions of the FASB’s Accounting Standards Update
No.
 
2010
-
03,
“Extractive Activities—Oil and Gas (Topic
932
).” Future cash inflows were reduced by estimated future production and development costs based on year-end costs to determine pre-tax cash inflows. Future net cash flows have
not
been adjusted for commodity derivative contracts outstanding at the end of each year. Future income taxes were computed by applying the statutory tax rate to the excess of pre-tax cash inflows over the tax basis and net operating losses associated with the properties.  Since prices used in the calculation are average prices for
2016,
2017,
and
2018,
the standardized measure could vary significantly from year to year based on the market conditions that occurred during a given year.
 
The technical personnel responsible for preparing the reserve estimates at LaRoche Petroleum Consultants meet the requirements regarding qualifications, independence, objectivity, and confidentiality set forth in the Standards Pertaining to the Estimating and Auditing of Oil and Gas Reserves Information promulgated by the Society of Petroleum Engineers. LaRoche Petroleum Consultants is an independent firm of petroleum engineers, geologists, geophysicists, and petrophysicists; they do
not
own an interest in our properties and are
not
employed on a contingent fee basis.    All reports by LaRoche Petroleum Consultants were developed utilizing studies performed by LaRoche Petroleum Consultants and assisted by the Engineering and Operations departments of Abraxas. Reserves are estimated by independent petroleum engineers.  The report of LaRoche Petroleum Consultants dated
February 12 
2019,
contains further discussions of the reserve estimates and evaluations prepared by LaRoche Petroleum Consultants as well as the qualifications of LaRoche Petroleum Consultants’s technical personnel responsible for overseeing such estimates and evaluations is attached as Exhibit
99.1
to this report.
 
Estimates of proved reserves at
December 31, 2016,
2017
 and
2018
 were based on studies performed by our independent petroleum engineers assisted by the Engineering and Operations departments of Abraxas.  The Engineering department is directly responsible for Abraxas’ reserve evaluation process.  The Vice President of Engineering is the manager of this department and is the primary technical person responsible for this process.  The Vice President of Engineering holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering and has
40
years of experience in reserve evaluations. The Vice President of Engineering is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas.  The operations department of Abraxas assisted in the process.
 
The projections should
not
be viewed as realistic estimates of future cash flows, nor should the “standardized measure” be interpreted to represent the fair market value of the Company’s proved oil and gas reserves.  An estimate of fair market value would also take into account, among other factors, the recovery of reserves
not
classified as proved, anticipated future changes in prices and costs, and a discount factor more representative of the time value of money and the risks inherent in reserve estimates.
 
Future net cash inflows after income taxes were discounted using a
10%
annual discount rate to arrive at the Standardized Measure. The table below sets forth the Standardized Measure of our proved oil and gas reserves for the
three
years ended
December 31, 2016,
2017
and
2018
(in thousands):
 
   
Years Ended December 31,
 
   
2016
   
2017
   
2018
 
Future cash inflows
  $
999,716
    $
2,035,619
    $
2,876,976
 
Future production costs
   
(357,917
)    
(609,921
)    
(849,063
)
Future development costs
   
(267,836
)    
(461,619
)    
(547,163
)
Future income tax expense (1)
   
-
     
(83,915
)    
(181,224
)
Future net cash flows
   
373,963
     
880,164
     
1,299,526
 
Discount
  $
(213,363
)   $
(474,423
)   $
(647,642
)
Standardized Measure of discounted future net cash relating to proved reserves
  $
160,600
    $
405,741
    $
651,884
 
 
 
(
1
)
There was
no
provision for future income tax expense for the year ended
December 31, 2016 
due to net operating loss carryovers.
 
Changes in Standardized Measure of Discounted Future Net Cash Flows Relating to Proved Oil and Gas Reserves
 
The following is an analysis of the changes in the Standardized Measure for the periods indicated (in thousands):
 
   
Years Ended December 31,
 
   
2016
   
2017
   
2018
 
Standardized Measure, beginning of year
  $
197,251
    $
160,600
    $
405,741
 
Sales and transfers of oil and gas produced, net of production costs
   
(32,834
)    
(63,764
)    
(112,707
)
Net change in prices and development and production costs from prior year
   
(58,425
)    
159,661
     
268,942
 
Extensions, discoveries, and improved recovery, less related costs
   
5,531
     
129,277
     
153,544
 
Sales of minerals in place
   
(4,433
)    
(8,583
)    
(39,253
)
Purchases of minerals in place
   
-
     
1,238
     
8,990
 
Revisions of previous estimates
   
12,317
     
31,044
     
(67,345
)
Change in timing and other
   
21,468
     
1,908
     
30,811
 
Change in future income tax expense
   
-
     
(21,700
)    
(37,413
)
Accretion of discount
   
19,725
     
16,060
     
40,574
 
Standardized Measure, end of year
  $
160,600
    $
405,741
    $
651,884
 
 
The standardized measure is based on the following oil and gas prices over the life of the properties as of the following dates:
 
   
Years Ended December 31,
 
   
2016
   
2017
   
2018
 
Oil (per Bbl) (1)
  $
42.74
    $
51.34
    $
65.56
 
Gas (per MMbtu) (2)
  $
2.50
    $
2.99
    $
3.05
 
Oil (per Bbl) (3)
  $
35.54
    $
46.83
    $
56.95
 
Gas (per MMbtu) (4)
  $
1.41
    $
1.79
    $
1.76
 
NGL's (per Bbl) (5)
  $
5.17
    $
13.19
    $
19.95
 
_____________________
 
(
1
)
The quoted oil price for the year ended
December 31
of each year,
2016,
2017
 and
2018
 is the
12
-month unweighted average
first
-day-of-the-month West Texas Intermediate spot price for each month of
2016,
2017
 and
2018.
 
(
2
)
The quoted gas price for the year ended
December 31, 2016,
2017
 and
2018
 is the
12
-month unweighted average
first
-day-of-the-month Henry Hub spot price for each month of
2016,
2017
 and
2018.
 
(
3
)
The oil price is the realized price at the wellhead as of
December 31
of each year after the appropriate differentials have been applied.
 
(
4
)
The gas price is the realized price at the wellhead as of
December 31
of each year after the appropriate differentials have been applied.
 
(
5
)
The NGL price is the realized price as of
December 31
of each year after the appropriate differentials have been applied.