Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Description of Operations

SM Energy Company, together with its consolidated subsidiaries (“SM Energy” or the “Company”), is an independent energy company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of crude oil and condensate, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (also respectively referred to as “oil,” “gas,” and “NGLs” throughout this report) in onshore North America.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial information, the instructions to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and Regulation S-X. These financial statements do not include all information and notes required by GAAP for annual financial statements. However, except as disclosed herein, there has been no material change in the information disclosed in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 (the “2018 Form 10-K”). In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of interim financial information, have been included. Operating results for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of expected results for the full year. In connection with the preparation of the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, the Company evaluated events subsequent to the balance sheet date of June 30, 2019, and through the filing of this report.

Significant Accounting Policies

The significant accounting policies followed by the Company are set forth in Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in the 2018 Form 10-K and are supplemented by the notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included in this report. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the 2018 Form 10-K.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), followed by other related ASUs that provided targeted improvements and additional practical expedient options (collectively “ASU 2016-02” or “Topic 842”). The Company adopted ASU 2016-02 on January 1, 2019, using the modified retrospective method. The Company elected as part of its adoption to also use the optional transition methodology whereby lease accounting for previously reported periods continues to be reported in accordance with historical accounting guidance for leases in effect for those prior periods. Policy elections and practical expedients the Company has implemented in connection with the adoption of ASU 2016-02 include (a) excluding from the balance sheet leases with terms that are less than one year, (b) for agreements that contain both lease and non-lease components, combining these components together and accounting for them as a single lease, (c) the package of practical expedients, which among other requirements, allows the Company to avoid reassessing contracts that commenced prior to adoption that were properly evaluated under legacy GAAP, and (d) excluding land easements that existed or expired before adoption of ASU 2016-02. The scope of ASU 2016-02 does not apply to leases used in the exploration or use of minerals, oil, natural gas, or other similar non-regenerative resources.

Upon adoption on January 1, 2019, the Company recognized approximately $50.0 million in right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and related lease liabilities for its operating leases. There was no cumulative effect to retained earnings upon the adoption of this guidance. Please refer to Note 12 - Leases for additional discussion.

Other than as disclosed in the 2018 Form 10-K, there are no ASUs that would have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related disclosures that have been issued but not yet adopted by the Company as of June 30, 2019, and through the filing of this report.