UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

☒   ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2020

☐    TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from                      to                     

Commission File No. 001-13726

CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Oklahoma			73-1395733
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)			(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
6100 North Western Avenue,	Oklahoma City,	Oklahoma	73118
(Address of principal executive offices)			(Zip Code)
		(405)	848-8000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of Each Class	Trading Symbol	Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered
Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share	CHK	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Class A Warrants to purchase Common Stock	CHKEW	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Class B Warrants to purchase Common Stock	CHKEZ	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Class C Warrants to purchase Common Stock	CHKEL	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐     No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act. Yes ☐     No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒    No ☐ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒    No ☐ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company" and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large Accelerated Filer ☐  Accelerated Filer ☐  Non-accelerated Filer ☒ 

Smaller Reporting Company ☒  Emerging Growth Company ☐ 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐   No ☒ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Sections 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a court. Yes ☒ No ☐

The aggregate market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates on June 30, 2020, was approximately $48 million. As of February 25, 2021, there were 97,907,081 shares of our $0.01 par value common stock outstanding.

__________________________________________

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the proxy statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders are incorporated by reference in Part III.

	PART I	Page
Item 1.	Business	10
Item 1A.	Risk Factors	24
Item 1B.	Unresolved Staff Comments	37
Item 2.	Properties	37
Item 3.	Legal Proceedings	37
Item 4.	Mine Safety Disclosures	39
	PART II
Item 5.	Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities	40
Item 6.	Selected Financial Data	41
Item 7.	Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	42
	Liquidity and Capital Resources	45
	Results of Operations, for the Years Ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017	52
Item 7A.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	63
Item 8.	Financial Statements and Supplementary Data	64
Item 9.	Changes In and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure	139
Item 9A.	Controls and Procedures	139
Item 9B.	Other Information	140
	PART III
Item 10.	Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance	140
Item 11.	Executive Compensation	140
Item 12.	Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters	140
Item 13.	Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence	140
Item 14.	Principal Accountant Fees and Services	140
	PART IV
Item 15.	Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules	141
Item 16.	Form 10-K Summary	143
Signatures		144

3

Glossary of Oil and Gas Terms

The terms defined in this section are used throughout this report.

Bankruptcy Code. Means title 11 of the United States Code, 11 U.S.C. §§ 101–1532, as amended.

Bankruptcy Court. The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.

Bbl. One stock tank barrel, or 42 U.S. gallons liquid volume, used herein in reference to crude oil or other liquid hydrocarbons.

Bboe. One billion barrels of oil equivalent.

Bcf. One billion cubic feet of natural gas.

Bcfe. One billion cubic feet of natural gas equivalent.

Btu. British thermal unit, which is the heat required to raise the temperature of a one-pound mass of water from 58.5 to 59.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

Boe. Barrel of oil equivalent. Natural gas proved reserves and production are converted to boe at 14.73 psia and 60 degrees. Boe is based on six mcf of natural gas to one bbl of oil or one bbl of NGL. This ratio reflects an energy content equivalency and not a price or revenue equivalency. Despite holding this ratio constant at six mcf to one bbl, prices have historically often been higher or substantially higher for oil than natural gas on an energy equivalent basis, although there have been periods in which they have been lower or substantially lower.

Chapter 11 Cases. When used with reference to a particular Debtor, the case pending for that Debtor under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court and when used with reference to all the Debtors, the procedurally consolidated chapter 11 cases pending for the Debtors in the Bankruptcy Court.

Completion. The process of treating a drilled well followed by the installation of permanent equipment for the production of oil, natural gas or natural gas liquids, or in the case of a dry well, the reporting to the appropriate authority that the well has been abandoned.

Confirmation Order. The order confirming the Fifth Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of Chesapeake Energy Corporation and its Debtor Affiliates, [Docket No. 2915] entered by the Bankruptcy Court on January 16, 2021.

Debtors. The Company, together with all of its direct and indirect subsidiaries that have filed the Chapter 11 Cases.

Developed Acreage. The number of acres which are allocated or assignable to producing wells or wells capable of production.

Dry Well. A well found to be incapable of producing either oil or natural gas in sufficient quantities to justify completion as an oil or natural gas well.

Effective Date. The first date, February 9, 2021, upon which all conditions precedent to the effectiveness of the Plan have been satisfied or waived in accordance with the Plan and no stay of the Confirmation Order is in effect.

Exit Credit Facility. The reserve-based revolving credit facility available upon emergence from bankruptcy.

Exploratory Well. A well drilled to find a new field or to find a new reservoir in a field previously found to be productive of oil or natural gas in another reservoir.

Formation. A succession of sedimentary beds that were deposited under the same general geologic conditions.

GAAP. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States.

Gross Acres or Gross Wells. The total acres or wells, as the case may be, in which a working interest is owned.

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Mboe. One thousand barrels of oil equivalent.

Mcf. One thousand cubic feet.

Mmbbl. One million barrels of crude oil or other liquid hydrocarbons.

Mmboe. One million barrels of oil equivalent.

Mmbtu. One million btus.

Mmcf. One million cubic feet.

Natural Gas Liquids (NGL). Hydrocarbons in natural gas that are separated from the gas as liquids through the process of absorption, condensation, adsorption or other methods in gas processing or cycling plants. Natural gas liquids primarily include ethane, propane, butane, isobutene, pentane, hexane and natural gasoline.

Net Acres or Net Wells. The sum of the fractional working interests owned in gross acres or gross wells.

NYMEX. New York Mercantile Exchange.

Petition Date. June 28, 2020, the date on which the Debtors commenced the Chapter 11 Cases.

Plan. The Fifth Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of Chesapeake Energy Corporation and its Debtor Affiliates, attached as Exhibit A to the Confirmation Order.

Play. A term applied to a portion of the exploration and production cycle following the identification by geologists and geophysicists of areas with potential oil, natural gas and NGL reserves.

Present Value of Estimated Future Net Revenues or PV-10 (non-GAAP). When used with respect to oil, natural gas and NGL reserves, present value of estimated future net revenues, or PV-10, means the estimated future gross revenue to be generated from the production of proved reserves, net of estimated production and future development costs, using prices calculated as the average oil and natural gas price during the preceding 12-month period prior to the end of the current reporting period, (determined as the unweighted arithmetic average of prices on the first day of each month within the 12-month period) and costs in effect at the determination date (unless such costs are subject to change pursuant to contractual provisions), without giving effect to non-property related expenses such as general and administrative expenses, debt service and future income tax expense or to depreciation, depletion and amortization, discounted using an annual discount rate of 10%.

Price Differential. The difference in the price of oil, natural gas or NGL received at the sales point and the NYMEX price.

Productive Well. A well that is not a dry well. Productive wells include producing wells and wells that are mechanically capable of production.

Proved Developed Reserves. Proved reserves that can be expected to be recovered through existing wells with existing equipment and operating methods or in which the cost of the required equipment is relatively minor compared to the cost of a new well.

Proved Properties. Properties with proved reserves.

Proved Reserves. As used in this report, proved reserves has the meaning given to such term in Rule 4-10(a)(22) of Regulation S-X, which states in part proved oil and natural gas reserves are those quantities of oil and natural gas, which, by analysis of geoscience and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be economically producible – from a given date forward, from known reservoirs, and under existing economic conditions, operating methods, and government regulations – prior to the time at which contracts providing the right to operate expire, unless evidence indicates that renewal is reasonably certain, regardless of whether deterministic or probabilistic methods are used for the estimation.

5

Proved Undeveloped Reserves (PUDs). Proved reserves that are expected to be recovered from new wells on undrilled acreage, or from existing wells where a relatively major expenditure is required. Reserves on undrilled acreage are limited to those directly offsetting development spacing areas that are reasonably certain of production when drilled, unless evidence using reliable technology exists that establishes reasonable certainty of economic producibility at greater distances.

Realized and Unrealized Gains and Losses on Oil, Natural Gas and NGL Derivatives. Realized gains and losses include the following items:(i) settlements and accruals for settlements of non-designated derivatives related to current period notional production revenues, (ii) prior period settlements for option premiums and for early-terminated derivatives originally scheduled to settle against current period notional production revenues, and (iii) gains and losses related to de-designated cash flow hedges originally designated to settle against current period notional production revenues. Unrealized gains and losses include the change in fair value of open derivatives scheduled to settle against future period notional production revenues (including current period settlements for option premiums and early-terminated derivatives) offset by amounts reclassified as realized gains and losses during the period. Although we no longer designate our derivatives as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes, we believe these definitions are useful to management and investors in determining the effectiveness of our price risk management program.

Realized and Unrealized Gains and Losses on Interest Rate Derivatives. Realized gains and losses include interest rate derivative settlements related to current period interest and the effect of gains and losses on early-terminated trades. Settlements of early-terminated trades are reflected in realized gains and losses over the original life of the hedged item. Unrealized gains and losses include changes in the fair value of open interest rate derivatives offset by amounts reclassified to realized gains and losses during the period.

Reservoir. A porous and permeable underground formation containing a natural accumulation of producible oil and/or natural gas that is confined by impermeable rock or water barriers and is individual and separate from other reservoirs.

Restructuring. The financial restructuring of our debt and equity interests as of the date of the Plan, and certain other obligations pursuant to the Plan.

Royalty Interest. An interest in an oil and natural gas property entitling the owner to a share of oil, natural gas or NGL production free of costs of production.

Seismic. An exploration method of sending energy waves or sound waves into the earth and recording the wave reflections to indicate the type, size, shape and depth of subsurface rock formations.

Shale. Fine-grained sedimentary rock composed mostly of consolidated clay or mud. Shale is the most frequently occurring sedimentary rock.

SEC. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Standardized Measure. The discounted future net cash flows relating to proved reserves based on the means of the estimated future gross revenue to be generated from the production of proved reserves, net of estimated production and future development costs, using prices calculated as the average oil and natural gas price during the preceding 12-month period prior to the end of the current reporting period (determined as the unweighted arithmetic average of prices on the first day of each month within the 12-month period). The standardized measure differs from the PV-10 measure only because the former includes the effects of estimated future income tax expenses.

Undeveloped Acreage. Acreage on which wells have not been drilled or completed to a point that would permit the production of economic quantities of oil and natural gas regardless of whether the acreage contains proved reserves.

Unproved Properties. Properties with no proved reserves.

Volumetric Production Payment (“VPP”). As we use the term, a volumetric production payment represents a limited-term overriding royalty interest in oil and natural gas reserves that: (i) entitles the purchaser to receive scheduled production volumes over a period of time from specific lease interests; (ii) is free and clear of all associated future production costs and capital expenditures; (iii) is nonrecourse to the seller (i.e., the purchaser's

6

only recourse is to the reserves acquired); (iv) transfers title of the reserves to the purchaser; and (v) allows the seller to retain the remaining reserves, if any, after the scheduled production volumes have been delivered.

WildHorse. WildHorse Resource Development Corporation. Immediately following the completion of our acquisition of WildHorse (the “First Merger”), WildHorse merged with and into Brazos Valley Longhorn, L.L.C., a newly formed Delaware limited liability company and wholly owned subsidiary of Chesapeake, which, together with the First Merger, we refer to as the “WildHorse Merger.” For ease of reference, we use the term “WildHorse” to refer to WildHorse Resource Development Corporation prior to the acquisition and Brazos Valley Longhorn, L.L.C., “Brazos Valley Longhorn” or “BVL” after the acquisition, as applicable.

Working Interest. The operating interest which gives the owner the right to drill, produce and conduct operating activities on the property and a share of production.

7

Forward-Looking Statements

This report includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-looking statements include our current expectations or forecasts of future events, including matters relating to the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact thereof on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, the potential effects of the Restructuring on our operations, management, and employees, actions by, or disputes among or between, members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) and other foreign, oil-exporting countries, market factors, market prices, our ability to meet debt service requirements, our ongoing evaluation and implementation of strategic alternatives, cost-cutting measures, reductions in capital expenditures, refinancing transactions, capital exchange transactions, asset divestitures, reductions in capital expenditures, operational efficiencies and future impairments and the other items discussed in the Introduction to Item 7 of Part II of this report. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business, financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as "expect," “could,” “may,” "anticipate," "intend," "plan," “ability,” "believe," "seek," "see," "will," "would," “estimate,” “forecast,” "target," “guidance,” “outlook,” “opportunity” or “strategy.”

Although we believe the expectations and forecasts reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, they are inherently subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. No assurance can be given that such forward-looking statements will be correct or achieved or that the assumptions are accurate or will not change over time. Particular uncertainties that could cause our actual results to be materially different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements include:

•the ability to execute on our business strategy following emergence from bankruptcy;

•the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on our business, financial condition, employees, contractors, vendors and the global demand for oil and natural gas and U.S. and world financial markets;

•our ability to comply with the covenants under our Exit Credit Facility and other indebtedness;

•our ability to realize our anticipated annualized cash cost reductions;

•the volatility of oil, natural gas and NGL prices, which are affected by general economic and business conditions, as well as increased demand for (and availability of) alternative fuels and electric vehicles;

•uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of oil, natural gas and NGL reserves and projecting future rates of production and the amount and timing of development expenditures;

•our ability to replace reserves and sustain production;

•drilling and operating risks and resulting liabilities;

•our ability to generate profits or achieve targeted results in drilling and well operations;

•the limitations our level of indebtedness may have on our financial flexibility;

•our inability to access the capital markets on favorable terms;

•the availability of cash flows from operations and other funds to finance reserve replacement costs or satisfy our debt obligations;

8

•adverse developments or losses from pending or future litigation and regulatory proceedings, including royalty claims;

•legislative and regulatory initiatives, including as a result of the change in the U.S. presidential administration, addressing environmental concerns, including initiatives addressing the impact of global climate change or further regulating hydraulic fracturing, methane emissions, flaring or water disposal;

•terrorist activities and/or cyber-attacks adversely impacting our operations;

•effects of purchase price adjustments and indemnity obligations; and

•other factors that are described under Risk Factors in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (this “Form 10-K” or this “report”).

We caution you not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this report, which speak only as of the filing date, and we undertake no obligation to update this information. We urge you to carefully review and consider the disclosures in this report and our other filings with the SEC that attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect our business.

9

PART I

Item 1.    Business

Unless the context otherwise requires, references to “Chesapeake”, the “Company”, “us”, “we” and “our” in this report are to Chesapeake Energy Corporation together with its subsidiaries. Our principal executive offices are located at 6100 North Western Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118, and our main telephone number at that location is (405) 848-8000.

Our Business

We are an independent exploration and production company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of properties to produce oil, natural gas and NGLs from underground reservoirs. We own a large and geographically diverse portfolio of onshore U.S. unconventional natural gas and liquids assets, including interests in approximately 7,400 oil and natural gas wells. Our natural gas resource plays are the Marcellus Shale in the northern Appalachian Basin in Pennsylvania and the Haynesville/Bossier Shales in northwestern Louisiana. Our liquids-rich resource plays are the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas and the stacked pay in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming.

On June 28, 2020, we and certain of our subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for relief under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court. The Bankruptcy Court confirmed the Plan in a bench ruling on January 13, 2021 and entered the Confirmation Order on January 16, 2021. The Debtors emerged from bankruptcy on February 9, 2021. Upon emergence, all existing equity was canceled and new common stock was issued to the previous holders of our FLLO Term Loan Facility, Second Lien Notes, senior unsecured notes and certain general unsecured creditors whose claims were impaired as a result of our bankruptcy, as well as to other parties as set forth in the Plan, including to other parties participating in a $600 million rights offering. To facilitate our discussion in this report, we refer to the post-emergence reorganized company as the “Successor” and the pre-emergence company as the “Predecessor.” See Note 2 of the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this report for further discussion of our bankruptcy and resulting reorganization.

Information About Us

We make available, free of charge on our website at chk.com, our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. From time to time, we also post announcements, updates, events, investor information and presentations on our website in addition to copies of all recent news releases. Documents and information on our website are not incorporated by reference herein.

The SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers, including Chesapeake, that file electronically with the SEC.

Business Strategy

Consistent Returns, Sustainable Future

Our strategy is to create shareholder value by generating cash flow from our oil and natural gas development and production activities. We focus on improving margins through operating efficiencies and financial discipline and further improving our Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) performance. To accomplish these goals, we intend to allocate our human resources and capital expenditures to projects we believe offer the highest cash return on capital invested, to deploy leading drilling and completion technology throughout our portfolio, and to take advantage of acquisition and divestiture opportunities to strengthen our portfolio. We also intend to continue to dedicate capital to projects that reduce the environmental impact of our oil and natural gas producing activities. We continue to seek opportunities to reduce cash costs (production, gathering, processing and transportation and general and administrative) per barrel of oil equivalent production through operational efficiencies, including but not limited to improving our production volumes from existing wells. We believe that we have emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a fundamentally stronger company, built to generate sustainable free cash flow with a strengthened balance sheet, geographically diverse asset base and continuously improving ESG performance.

Maintain low leverage and strong liquidity. Now that we have emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, we expect to target a net leverage ratio, which is measured as our net debt as a ratio of trailing 12-month EBITDAX, of less

10

than 1x. We believe that maintaining low net leverage is integral to our business strategy and will allow us to maintain lower fixed costs, improve our margins and maintain the flexibility of our capital program.

Returns-focused capital reinvestment strategy. Our business focus will be on optimizing the development of our large, geographically diverse resource base with a prioritization of generating high cash returns on capital invested. As a result, we will target a long-term disciplined capital reinvestment rate, which we define as annual capital expenditures as a percentage of trailing 12-month EBITDAX, of 60% to 70%. We believe this level of reinvestment will be adequate to support our target long-term annual maintenance capital expenditure level, excluding capitalized interest, of $700 million to $750 million. We expect our maintenance capital program to yield in excess of annual production of 400 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day and generate significant free cash flow at today’s prevailing commodity market prices.

Low-cost operator with expected top-quartile cash costs. We expect to continue to focus on our cost reduction initiatives, targeting a long-term annual free cash flow yield of 30% to 40% of annual EBITDAX. Since filing the Chapter 11 Cases in June 2020, we have successfully renegotiated or terminated certain of our midstream contracts and commitments, which resulted in significant reduction to our anticipated gathering, processing and transportation expenses, cumulatively achieving approximately $4 billion in expected lifetime contract savings (or $2 billion discounted to present value, assuming a 10% annual discount rate). For 2019, our total cash costs, inclusive of gathering, processing and transportation, operating, general and administrative and interest expenses were $2.8 billion. Now that we have emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, based on the termination or successful renegotiation of many of our gathering, processing and transportation contracts, as well as reductions in expected interest, operating and general and administrative expenses, we expect our annualized cash costs for 2021 to be reduced by approximately $1 billion relative to 2019.

Continue efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and operate in an environmentally responsible manner with a goal of net zero direct GHG emissions by 2035. We are committed to operating our business responsibly and protecting the environments in which we operate. We plan to eliminate routine flaring on all new wells completed in 2021 and beyond, and accomplish the same on all wells, enterprise-wide by 2025. We intend to reduce our methane loss rate to 0.09% and our GHG intensity to 5.5 by 2025, reductions of 47% and 33%, respectively, as compared to 2019.

Manage commodity price exposure and ensure stability through prudent hedging strategy. We employ a prudent hedging strategy, which is aligned with our capital expenditure program and is designed to manage our exposure to commodity price volatility, ensure the stability of our cash flows and mitigate our risks to realizing attractive cash returns on capital invested. As of February 25, 2021, and consistent with requirements of our DIP Credit Facility we have 19 mmbbls and 548 bcf of expected 2021, representing 77% and 74% of 2021 forecasted oil and natural gas production hedged at prices of $42.69/bbl and $2.67/mcf, respectively. Additionally, as of February 25, 2021, we have hedged 11 mmbbl and 273 bcf of expected 2022 oil and natural gas production at prices of $44.30/bbl and $2.53/mcf, respectively.

Operating Areas

We focus our acquisition, exploration, development and production efforts in the five geographic operating areas described below.

Marcellus - Northern Appalachian Basin in Pennsylvania.

Haynesville - Northwestern Louisiana (Gulf Coast).

Eagle Ford - South Texas.

Brazos Valley - Southeast Texas.

Powder River Basin - Stacked pay in Wyoming.

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Well Data

As of December 31, 2020, we held an interest in approximately 7,400 gross productive wells, including 5,900 properties in which we held a working interest and 1,500 properties in which we held an overriding or royalty interest. Of the 5,900 (3,700 net) properties in which we held a working interest, 2,500 (1,400 net) properties were classified as productive natural gas wells and 3,400 (2,300 net) properties were classified as productive oil wells. During 2020 excluding sold properties, we operated 5,200 gross wells and held a non-operating working interest in 700 gross wells. We also drilled or participated in 188 gross (128 net) wells as operator and participated in another 17 gross (nominal net) wells completed by other operators. We operate approximately 97% of our current daily production volumes.

Drilling Activity

The following table sets forth the wells we drilled or participated in during the periods indicated. In the table, "gross" refers to the total wells in which we had a working interest and "net" refers to gross wells multiplied by our working interest:

	2020				2019				2018
	Gross	%	Net	%	Gross	%	Net	%	Gross	%	Net	%
Development:
Productive	203	100	126	100	414	100	271	100	363	99	227	99
Dry	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	1	1	1
Total	203	100	126	100	414	100	271	100	365	100	228	100
Exploratory:
Productive	—	—	—	—	1	20	1	20	10	83	9	82
Dry	2	100	2	100	4	80	4	80	2	17	2	18
Total	2	100	2	100	5	100	5	100	12	100	11	100

The following table shows the wells we drilled or participated in by operating area:

	2020		2019		2018
	Gross Wells	Net Wells	Gross Wells	Net Wells	Gross Wells	Net Wells
Marcellus	79	33	44	22	52	23
Haynesville	21	19	22	16	30	21
Eagle Ford	55	36	150	85	162	98
Brazos Valley	31	29	83	79	—	—
Powder River Basin	12	9	75	57	41	34
Mid-Continent	5	—	40	12	52	32
Utica	—	—	—	—	40	31
Other	2	2	5	5	—	—
Total	205	128	419	276	377	239

As of December 31, 2020, we had 55 gross (32 net) wells in the process of being drilled or completed.

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Production Volumes, Sales Prices, Production Expenses and Gathering, Processing and Transportation Expenses

The following table sets forth information regarding our net production volumes, average sales price received for our production, average sales price of our production combined with our realized gains or losses on derivatives and production and gathering, processing and transportation expenses per boe for the periods indicated:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2020		2019		2018
Net Production:
Oil (mmbbl)	37		43		33
Natural gas (bcf)	685		728		832
NGL (mmbbl)	11		12		19
Oil equivalent (mmboe)	163		177		190
Average Sales Price of Production:
Oil ($ per bbl)	$	38.16	$	59.16	$	67.25
Natural gas ($ per mcf)	$	1.73	$	2.45	$	2.99
NGL ($ per bbl)	$	11.55	$	15.62	$	26.50
Oil equivalent ($ per boe)	$	16.84	$	25.57	$	27.27
Average Sales Price (including realized gains (losses) on derivatives):
Oil ($ per bbl)	$	56.74	$	60.00	$	57.42
Natural gas ($ per mcf)	$	1.97	$	2.60	$	3.00
NGL ($ per bbl)	$	11.55	$	15.62	$	25.84
Oil equivalent ($ per boe)	$	22.09	$	26.42	$	25.56
Expenses ($ per boe):
Oil, natural gas and NGL production	$	2.29	$	2.94	$	2.50
Oil, natural gas and NGL gathering, processing and transportation	$	6.64	$	6.13	$	7.35

13

Oil, Natural Gas and NGL Reserves

The tables below set forth information as of December 31, 2020, with respect to our estimated proved reserves, the associated estimated future net revenue, the present value of estimated future net revenue (“PV-10”) and the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows (“standardized measure”). None of the estimated future net revenue, PV-10 nor the standardized measure are intended to represent the current market value of the estimated oil, natural gas and NGL reserves we own. All of our estimated reserves are located within the United States.

	December 31, 2020
	Oil	Natural Gas	NGL	Total
	(mmbbl)	(bcf)	(mmbbl)	(mmboe)
Proved developed	158	3,196	51	742
Proved undeveloped	3	334	1	60
Total proved(a)	161	3,530	52	802

	Proved Developed		Proved Undeveloped		Total Proved
	($ in millions)
Estimated future net revenue(b)	$	4,519	$	202	$	4,721
Present value of estimated future net revenue (PV-10)(b)	$	2,976	$	111	$	3,087
Standardized measure(b)					$	3,086

___________________________________________

(a)    Marcellus, Eagle Ford, and Haynesville accounted for approximately 47%, 22%, and 18% respectively, of our estimated proved reserves by volume as of December 31, 2020.

(b)    Estimated future net revenue represents the estimated future revenue to be generated from the production of proved reserves, net of estimated production and future development costs, using pricing differentials and costs under existing economic conditions as of December 31, 2020, and assuming commodity prices as set forth below. For the purpose of determining prices used in our reserve reports, we used the unweighted arithmetic average of the prices on the first day of each month within the 12-month period ended December 31, 2020. The prices used in our PV-10 measure were $39.57 of oil and $1.98 of natural gas, before basis differential adjustments. These prices should not be interpreted as a prediction of future prices, nor do they reflect the value of our commodity derivative instruments in place as of December 31, 2020. The amounts shown do not give effect to non-property-related expenses, such as corporate general and administrative expenses and debt service, or to depreciation, depletion and amortization. The present value of estimated future net revenue typically differs from the standardized measure because the former does not include the effects of estimated future income tax expense of $1 million as of December 31, 2020.

Management uses PV-10, which is calculated without deducting estimated future income tax expenses, as a measure of the value of the Company's current proved reserves and to compare relative values among peer companies. We also understand that securities analysts and rating agencies use this measure in similar ways. While estimated future net revenue and the present value thereof are based on prices, costs and discount factors which may be consistent from company to company, the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows is dependent on the unique tax situation of each individual company. PV-10, a non-GAAP measure, should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows or any other measure of a company's financial or operating performance presented in accordance with GAAP.

A comparison of the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows to PV-10 is presented above. Neither PV-10 nor the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows purport to represent the fair value of our proved oil and gas reserves.

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As of December 31, 2020, our proved reserve estimates included 60 mmboe of reserves classified as proved undeveloped, compared to 726 mmboe as of December 31, 2019. Presented below is a summary of changes in our proved undeveloped reserves (PUDs) for 2020:

	Total
	(mmboe)
Proved undeveloped reserves, beginning of period	726
Extensions and discoveries	1
Revisions of previous estimates	(539)
Developed	(128)
Purchase of reserves-in-place	—
Proved undeveloped reserves, end of period	60

As of December 31, 2020, all PUDs were planned to be developed within five years of original recording. In 2020, we invested approximately $509 million to convert 128 mmboe of PUDs to proved developed reserves. During the first quarter of 2021, we estimate that we will invest approximately $126 million for PUD conversion. As a result of our entry into Chapter 11 bankruptcy and the limited duration of our DIP Credit Facility at December 31, 2020, we could not carry any PUD reserves past the maturity date of our DIP financing and we therefore recorded a downward revision of 539 mmboe of our previously reported PUD reserves. Given our liquidity and financial position post-emergence we expect to record more PUD reserves as of March 31, 2021.

The future net revenue attributable to our estimated PUDs was $202 million and the present value was $111 million as of December 31, 2020. These values were calculated assuming that we will expend approximately $126 million to develop these reserves during the first quarter of 2021.

Of our 742 mmboe of proved developed reserves as of December 31, 2020, approximately 6 mmboe, or 1%, were non-producing.

Our ownership interest used for calculating proved reserves and the associated estimated future net revenue assumes maximum participation by other parties to our farm-out and participation agreements.

Our estimated proved reserves and the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows of the proved reserves as of December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, along with the changes in quantities and standardized measure of the reserves for each of the three years then ended, are shown in Supplemental Disclosures About Oil, Natural Gas and NGL Producing Activities included in Item 8 of this report. No estimates of proved reserves comparable to those included herein have been included in reports to any federal agency other than the SEC.

There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of proved reserves and in projecting future rates of production and timing of development expenditures, including many factors beyond our control. The reserve data represents only estimates. Reserve engineering is a subjective process of estimating underground accumulations of oil and natural gas that cannot be measured exactly, and the accuracy of any reserve estimate is a function of the quality of available data and of engineering and geological interpretation and judgment. As a result, estimates made by different engineers often vary. Accordingly, reserve estimates often differ from the actual quantities of oil, natural gas and NGL that are ultimately recovered. Furthermore, the estimated future net revenue from proved reserves and the associated present value are based upon certain assumptions, including prices, future production levels and costs that may not prove correct. Future prices and costs may be materially higher or lower than the prices and costs as of the date of any estimate. See Supplemental Disclosures About Oil, Natural Gas and NGL Producing Activities included in Item 8 of this report for further discussion of our reserve quantities.

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Reserves Estimation

Our Corporate Reserves Department prepared approximately 13% by volume, and approximately 11% by value, of our estimated proved reserves disclosed in this report. Those estimates were based upon the best available production, engineering and geologic data.

Our Director – Corporate Reserves, is the technical person primarily responsible for overseeing the preparation of our reserve estimates and for coordinating any reserves work conducted by a third-party engineering firm. Her qualifications include the following:

•Over 18 years of practical experience in the oil and gas industry, with over 15 years in reservoir engineering;

•Bachelor of Science degree in Geology and Environmental Sciences;

•Master’s Degree in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering;

•Executive MBA; and

•member in good standing of the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

We ensure that the key members of our Corporate Reserves Department have appropriate technical qualifications to oversee the preparation of reserves estimates. Each of our Corporate Reserves Engineers has significant engineering experience in reserve estimation. Our engineering technicians have a minimum of a four-year degree in mathematics, economics, finance or other technical/business/science field. We maintain a continuous education program for our engineers and technicians on new technologies and industry advancements as well as refresher training on basic skills and analytical techniques.

We maintain internal controls such as the following to ensure the reliability of reserves estimations:

•We follow comprehensive SEC-compliant internal policies to estimate and report proved reserves. Reserve estimates are made by experienced reservoir engineers or under their direct supervision. All material changes are reviewed and approved by Corporate Reserves Engineers.

•The Corporate Reserves Department reviews our proved reserves at the close of each quarter.

•Each quarter, Reservoir Managers, the Director – Corporate Reserves, the Vice Presidents of our business units, the Vice President of Corporate and Strategic Planning and the Executive Vice President – Exploration and Production review all significant reserves changes and all new proved undeveloped reserves additions.    

•The Corporate Reserves Department reports independently of our operations.

•The five-year PUD development plan is reviewed and approved annually by the Director – Corporate Reserves and the Vice President of Corporate and Strategic Planning.

We engaged LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd., a third-party engineering firm, to prepare approximately 87% by volume, and approximately 89% by value, of our estimated proved reserves as of December 31, 2020. A copy of the report issued by the engineering firm is filed with this report as Exhibit 99.1. The qualifications of the technical person at the firm primarily responsible for overseeing the preparation of our reserve estimates are set forth below.

•Over 40 years of practical experience in the estimation and evaluation of reserves;

•licensed professional engineer in the State of Texas; and

•Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Petroleum Engineering.

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Acreage

The following table sets forth our gross and net developed and undeveloped oil and natural gas leasehold and fee mineral acreage as of December 31, 2020. Gross acres are the total number of acres in which we own a working interest. Net acres refer to gross acres multiplied by our fractional working interest. Acreage numbers do not include our unexercised options to acquire additional acreage.

	Developed Leasehold		Undeveloped Leasehold		Fee Minerals		Total
	Gross Acres	Net Acres	Gross Acres	Net Acres	Gross Acres	Net Acres	Gross Acres	Net Acres
	(in thousands)
Marcellus	555	353	245	168	16	16	816	537
Haynesville	230	203	30	22	1	1	261	226
Eagle Ford	316	188	45	31	—	—	361	219
Brazos Valley	360	298	222	126	—	—	582	424
Powder River Basin	105	85	137	104	1	1	243	190
Other(a)	157	126	918	868	431	427	1,506	1,421
Total	1,723	1,253	1,597	1,319	449	445	3,769	3,017

___________________________________________

(a)     Includes 1.2 million net acres retained in the 2016 divestiture of our Devonian Shale assets, in which we retained all rights below the base of the Kope formation.

Most of our leases have a three- to five-year primary term, and we manage lease expirations to ensure that we do not experience unintended material expirations. Our leasehold management efforts include scheduling our drilling to establish production in paying quantities in order to hold leases by production, timely exercising our contractual rights to pay delay rentals to extend the terms of leases we value, planning noncore divestitures to high-grade our lease inventory and letting some leases expire that are no longer part of our development plans. The following table sets forth the expiration periods of gross and net undeveloped leasehold acres as of December 31, 2020:

	Acres Expiring
	Gross Acres	Net Acres
	(in thousands)
Years Ending December 31:
2021	60	52
2022	30	30
2023	12	11
After 2023	83	82
Held-by-production(a)	1,412	1,144
Total	1,597	1,319

___________________________________________

(a)     Held-by-production acres will remain in force as production continues on the subject leases.

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Marketing

The principal function of our marketing operations is to provide oil, natural gas and NGL marketing services, including commodity price structuring, securing and negotiating of gathering, hauling, processing and transportation services, contract administration and nomination services for us and other interest owners in Chesapeake-operated wells. The marketing operations also provide other services for our exploration and production activities, including services to enhance the value of oil and natural gas production by aggregating volumes sold to various intermediary markets, end markets and pipelines. This aggregation allows us to attract larger, more creditworthy customers that in turn assist in maximizing the prices received.

Generally, our oil production is sold under market-sensitive short-term or spot price contracts. Natural gas and NGL production are sold to purchasers under percentage-of-proceeds contracts, percentage-of-index contracts or spot price contracts. Under the terms of our percentage-of-proceeds contracts, we receive a percentage of the resale price received from the ultimate purchaser. Under our percentage-of-index contracts, the price we receive is tied to published indices.

We have entered into long-term gathering, processing, and transportation contracts with various parties that require us to deliver fixed, determinable quantities of production over specified periods of time. Certain of our contracts require us to make payments for any shortfalls in delivering or transporting minimum volumes under these commitments. See Note 6 of the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this report for further discussion of commitments.

Major Customers

Sales to Valero Energy Corporation constituted approximately 17%, 12% and 10% of total revenues (before the effects of hedging) for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. No other purchasers accounted for more than 10% of our total revenues in 2020, 2019 or 2018.

Competition

We compete with both major integrated and other independent oil and natural gas companies in all aspects of our business to explore, develop and operate our properties and market our production. Some of our competitors may have larger financial and other resources than us. Competitive conditions may be affected by future legislation and regulations as the United States develops new energy and climate-related policies. In addition, some of our competitors may have a competitive advantage when responding to factors that affect demand for oil and natural gas production, such as changing prices, domestic and foreign political conditions, weather conditions, the price and availability of alternative fuels, the proximity and capacity of natural gas pipelines and other transportation facilities and overall economic conditions. We also face indirect competition from alternative energy sources, including wind, solar and electric power. We believe that our technological expertise, combined with our exploration, land, drilling and production capabilities and the experience of our management team, enables us to compete effectively.

Public Policy and Government Regulation

All of our operations are conducted onshore in the United States. Our industry is subject to a wide range of regulations, laws, rules, taxes, fees and other policy implementation actions that have been pervasive and are under constant review for amendment or expansion. Numerous government agencies have issued extensive regulations that are binding on our industry, some of which carry substantial penalties for failure to comply. These laws and regulations increase the cost of doing business and consequently affect profitability. Additionally, currently unforeseen environmental incidents may occur or past non-compliance with environmental laws or regulations may be discovered. We actively monitor regulatory developments applicable to our industry in order to anticipate, design and implement required compliance activities and systems. The following are significant areas of government control and regulation affecting our operations.

Exploration and Production, Environmental, Health and Safety and Occupational Laws and Regulations

Our operations are subject to federal, tribal, state, and local laws and regulations. These laws and regulations relate to matters that include, but are not limited to, the following:

•reporting of workplace injuries and illnesses;

•industrial hygiene monitoring;

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•worker protection and workplace safety;

•approval or permits to drill and to conduct operations;

•provision of financial assurances (such as bonds) covering drilling and well operations;

•calculation and disbursement of royalty payments and production taxes;

•seismic operations/data;

•location, drilling, cementing and casing of wells;

•well design and construction of pad and equipment;

•construction and operations activities in sensitive areas, such as wetlands, coastal regions or areas that contain endangered or threatened species, their habitats, or sites of cultural significance;

•method of well completion and hydraulic fracturing;

•water withdrawal;

•well production and operations, including processing and gathering systems;

•emergency response, contingency plans and spill prevention plans;

•emissions and discharges permitting;

•climate change;

•use, transportation, storage and disposal of fluids and materials incidental to oil and gas operations;

•surface usage, maintenance, monitoring and the restoration of properties associated with well pads, pipelines, impoundments and access roads;

•plugging and abandoning of wells; and

•transportation of production.

Shortly after taking office in January 2021, President Biden issued a series of executive orders designed to address climate change and requiring agencies to review environmental actions taken by the Trump administration, as well as a memorandum to departments and agencies to refrain from proposing or issuing rules until a departmental or agency head appointed or designated by the Biden administration has reviewed and approved the rule. These executive orders may result in the development of additional regulations or changes to existing regulations. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations can lead to the imposition of remedial liabilities, administrative, civil or criminal fines or penalties or injunctions limiting our operations in affected areas. Moreover, multiple environmental laws provide for citizen suits which allow environmental organizations to act in the place of the government and sue operators for alleged violations of environmental law. We consider the costs of environmental protection and safety and health compliance fundamental, manageable parts of our business. We have been able to plan for and comply with environmental, safety and health laws and regulations without materially altering our operating strategy or incurring significant unreimbursed expenditures. However, based on regulatory trends and increasingly stringent laws, our capital expenditures and operating expenses related to the protection of the environment and safety and health compliance have increased over the years and may continue to increase. We cannot predict with any reasonable degree of certainty our future exposure concerning such matters.

Our operations also are subject to conservation regulations, including the regulation of the size of drilling and spacing units or proration units, the number of wells that may be drilled in a unit, the rate of production allowable from oil and gas wells, and the unitization or pooling of oil and gas properties. In the United States, some states allow the forced pooling or integration of tracts to facilitate exploration, while other states rely on voluntary pooling of lands and leases, which may make it more difficult to develop oil and gas properties. In addition, federal and state conservation laws generally limit the venting or flaring of natural gas, and state conservation laws impose certain requirements regarding the ratable purchase of production. These regulations limit the amounts of oil and gas we can produce from our wells and the number of wells or the locations at which we can drill. For further discussion, see Item 1A. Risk Factors - We are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which can change and could adversely impact our business.

Regulatory proposals in some states and local communities have been initiated to require or make more stringent the permitting and compliance requirements for hydraulic fracturing operations. Federal and state agencies

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have continued to assess the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing, which could spur further action toward federal, state and/or local legislation and regulation. Further restrictions of hydraulic fracturing could make it difficult or impossible to conduct our drilling and completion operations, and thereby reduce the amount of oil, natural gas and NGL that we are ultimately able to produce from our properties.

Certain of our U.S. natural gas and oil leases, primarily in our Powder River Basin operating area, are granted or approved by the federal government and administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of the Department of the Interior. Such leases require compliance with detailed federal regulations and orders that regulate, among other matters, drilling and operations on lands covered by these leases and calculation and disbursement of royalty payments to the federal government, tribes or tribal members. The federal government has been particularly active in recent years in evaluating and, in some cases, promulgating new rules and regulations regarding competitive lease bidding, venting and flaring, oil and gas measurement and royalty payment obligations for production from federal lands. In addition, on January 20, 2021, the Acting Secretary for the Department of the Interior signed an order effectively suspending new fossil fuel leasing and permitting on federal lands for 60 days. Then on January 27, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order indefinitely suspending new oil and natural gas leases on public lands or in offshore waters pending completion of a comprehensive review and reconsideration of federal oil and gas permitting and leasing practices. To the extent that the review results in the development of additional restrictions on drilling, limitations on the availability of leases, or restrictions on the ability to obtain required permits, it could have a material adverse impact on our operations.

Permitting activities on federal lands are also subject to frequent delays. Delays in obtaining permits or an inability to obtain new permits or permit renewals could inhibit our ability to execute our drilling and production plans. Failure to comply with applicable regulations or permit requirements could result in revocation of our permits, inability to obtain new permits and the imposition of fines and penalties.

For further discussion, see Item 1A. Risk Factors - Oil and natural gas drilling and producing operations can be hazardous and may expose us to liabilities.

Title to Properties

Our title to properties is subject to royalty, overriding royalty, carried, net profits, working and other similar interests and contractual arrangements customary in the oil and natural gas industry, to liens for current taxes not yet due and to other encumbrances. As is customary in the industry in the case of undeveloped properties, only cursory investigation of record title is made at the time of acquisition. Drilling title opinions are usually prepared before commencement of drilling operations. We believe we have satisfactory title to substantially all of our active properties in accordance with standards generally accepted in the oil and natural gas industry. Nevertheless, we are involved in title disputes from time to time that may result in litigation.

Operating Hazards and Insurance

The oil and natural gas business involves a variety of operating risks, including the risk of fire, explosions, blow-outs, pipe failure, abnormally pressured formations and environmental hazards such as oil spills, natural gas leaks, ruptures or discharges of toxic gases. If any of these should occur, we could incur legal defense costs and could suffer substantial losses due to injury or loss of life, severe damage to or destruction of property, natural resources and equipment, pollution or other environmental damage, clean-up responsibilities, regulatory investigation and penalties, and suspension of operations. Our horizontal and deep drilling activities involve greater risk of mechanical problems than vertical and shallow drilling operations.

We maintain a control of well insurance policy with a $50 million single well limit and a $100 million multiple wells limit that insures against certain sudden and accidental risks associated with drilling, completing and operating our wells. This insurance may not be adequate to cover all losses or exposure to liability. We also carry a $250 million comprehensive general liability umbrella insurance policy. In addition, we maintain a $50 million pollution liability insurance policy providing coverage for gradual pollution related risks and in excess of the general liability policy for sudden and accidental pollution risks. We provide workers' compensation insurance coverage to employees in all states in which we operate. While we believe these policies are customary in the industry, they do not provide complete coverage against all operating risks, and policy limits scale to our working interest percentage in certain situations. In addition, our insurance does not cover penalties or fines that may be assessed by a governmental authority. A loss not fully covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our financial

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position, results of operations and cash flows. Our insurance coverage may not be sufficient to cover every claim made against us or may not be commercially available for purchase in the future.

Facilities

We own an office complex in Oklahoma City and we own or lease various field offices in cities or towns in the areas where we conduct our operations.

Executive Officers

Robert D. Lawler, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Robert D. (“Doug”) Lawler, 54, has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since June 2013. Prior to joining Chesapeake, Mr. Lawler served in multiple engineering and leadership positions at Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. His positions at Anadarko included Senior Vice President, International and Deepwater Operations and member of Anadarko’s Executive Committee from July 2012 to May 2013; Vice President, International Operations from December 2011 to July 2012; Vice President, Operations for the Southern and Appalachia Region from March 2009 to July 2012; and Vice President, Corporate Planning from August 2008 to March 2009. Mr. Lawler began his career with Kerr-McGee Corporation in 1988 and joined Anadarko following its acquisition of Kerr-McGee in 2006.

Domenic J. Dell'Osso, Jr., Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Domenic J. (“Nick”) Dell'Osso, Jr., 44, has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since November 2010. Mr. Dell'Osso served as our Vice President – Finance and Chief Financial Officer of our wholly owned midstream subsidiary, Chesapeake Midstream Development, L.P., from August 2008 to November 2010. Before joining Chesapeake, Mr. Dell’Osso was an energy investment banker with Jefferies & Co. from 2006 to 2008 and Banc of America Securities from 2004 to 2006.

Frank J. Patterson, Executive Vice President – Exploration and Production

Frank J. Patterson, 62, has served as Executive Vice President - Exploration and Production since August 2016. Previously, he served as Executive Vice President – Exploration and Northern Division since April 2016 and as Executive Vice President – Exploration, Technology & Land since May 2015. Before joining Chesapeake, Mr. Patterson served in various roles at Anadarko from 2006 to 2015, most recently as Senior Vice President – International Exploration. Prior to that he was Vice President – Deepwater Exploration at Kerr-McGee and Manager – Geology at Sun E&P/Oryx Energy.

James R. Webb, Executive Vice President – General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

James R. Webb, 53, has served as Executive Vice President – General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since January 2014. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President – Legal and General Counsel since October 2012 and as Corporate Secretary since August 2013. Mr. Webb first joined Chesapeake in May 2012 on a contract basis as Chief Legal Counsel. Prior to joining Chesapeake, Mr. Webb was an attorney with the law firm of McAfee & Taft from 1995 to October 2012.

William M. Buergler, Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer

William Buergler, 48, has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer since August 2017. Previously, he served as Vice President - Tax since July 2014. Before joining Chesapeake, he worked for Ernst & Young LLP, where he served as a Partner since 2009.

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Human Capital

One Team. One Chesapeake.

Our “One CHK” culture and company core values promote an inclusive, diverse and productive workplace. Working as One CHK defines Chesapeake’s culture. It is a culture that engages the power of our people, working cooperatively to put Chesapeake first and perform our best for the company. We had approximately 1,300 employees as of February 25, 2021.

Our Culture, Our Core Values

At Chesapeake, our employees are driven to create value every day in a safe and responsible manner. Our core values are the foundation of our culture and the driving force behind our goal to achieve ESG excellence. Serving as the lens through which we evaluate every business decision, our commitment to these values, in both words and actions builds a stronger, healthier Chesapeake, benefiting all our stakeholders. Our core values are:

•Integrity and Trust

•Respect

•Transparency and Open Communication

•Commercial Focus

•Change Leadership

Celebrating Inclusion and Diversity

We are committed to inclusion and diversity. We proactively embrace our diversity of people, thoughts and talents, and combine these strengths to pursue results and meaningful change for our company, employees and stakeholders, and we provide education and training for our employees on topics related to inclusion and diversity.

In 2019, Chesapeake joined a coalition of companies pledging to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Through the Chief Executive Officer Action for Diversity & Inclusion™, Chief Executive Officer Doug Lawler committed himself and Chesapeake to cultivate a workplace in which diverse perspectives and experiences are welcomed and respected and where employees feel encouraged to discuss diversity and inclusion. As the first E&P Chief Executive Officer to sign the pledge, Mr. Lawler joins more than 550 signatories who are sharing best practices and learning opportunities to initiate real change within their organizations. On February 9, 2021, we formed a board committee dedicated to ESG oversight, including our inclusion and diversity efforts. Two of our seven directors are considered diverse, including one female and one “underrepresented minority” (as defined in Nasdaq’s newly proposed listing rule).

Stewards of Our Environment

Chesapeake is committed to protecting our country’s natural resources and reducing our environmental footprint. We have strict standards for environmental stewardship and a culture of environmental excellence among our employees and business partners. We recognize that ownership and accountability are key to helping ensure our work sites are safe and protective of the environment.

Our path to leading a responsible energy future begins with our goal to achieve net-zero direct greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. To meet this challenge, we have set meaningful initial steps including:

•Eliminating routine flaring from all new wells completed from 2021 forward, and enterprise-wide by 2025

•Reducing our methane intensity to 0.09% by 2025

•Reducing our GHG intensity to 5.5 by 2025

Safety First Every Day

Safety is more than a company metric, it is a value that drives our commitment to responsible operations. We set and deliver on strict safety standards, prioritizing safety for everyone every day. Our safety culture is modeled first by Mr. Lawler, with guidance and leadership from our Health, Safety, Environmental and Regulatory (HSER) team. Maintaining a safe work environment and promoting safe behaviors is a commitment that each of our

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employees own together. We hold each other accountable to keeping our sites, our co-workers and our contractors safe.

One program that reinforces this philosophy of personal responsibility is Stop Work Authority. Through Stop Work Authority, every employee and contractor has the right and responsibility to stop work if conditions are unsafe or could cause harm to the environment. Creating an incident-free work environment starts with setting clear expectations among employees, contractors and suppliers regarding our safety standards, and working to equip these individuals with the skills necessary to promote safety in their areas of work. The foundation of our safety training efforts is our Stay Accident Free Every Day (S.A.F.E.) program, which encourages all workers on our locations to take personal responsibility for their safety and the safety of those around them. This behavior-based program addresses the activities that can often lead to safety incidents and encourages actions that create safe work sites and a safe corporate campus.

Ethical Business Conduct

Chesapeake works hard to maintain the confidence of our stakeholders. We earn this trust by acting in an ethical manner to protect our people, the environment and the communities where we operate. This starts by driving accountability through all levels of the company and having systems in place to uphold our high standards for conduct. Strong governance practices begin at the top providing our organization with clear guidelines to define standards for ethical behavior at every level. Each Chesapeake director or employee, regardless of position, must abide by Chesapeake’s Code of Business Conduct (the "Code"), which is structured around our core values. Each year all employees must sign a Code certification confirming they have reviewed the Code and related policies, understand the high standards expected of them and will report actual or potential ethics concerns or Code violations.

Employee Wellness and Benefits

Supporting the individual well-being of our employees is foundational to our safety culture and success as a company. We champion healthy lifestyles and offer health resources. Across the company, employees are offered preventive programs and are encouraged to complete an annual screening for common health-related issues. We support our employees’ and their families’ health by offering full medical, dental, vision, prescription drug insurance for employees and their families, life insurance, short- and long-term disability coverage, and health savings and dependent care flexible spending accounts. We offer parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child, an adoption assistance program, alternate work schedules, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, flexible work hours, tuition reimbursement and access to a child development center and fitness center at market rates. Additionally, Chesapeake provides employees and their families access to a confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which connects employees with trained counselors and other support professionals.

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ITEM 1A.     Risk Factors

There are numerous factors that affect our business and operating results, many of which are beyond our control. The following is a description of factors that we consider to be material and that might cause our future results to differ materially from those currently expected. The risks described below are not the only risks facing our company. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business operations. If any of these risks actually occur, our business, financial position, operating results, cash flows, reserves and/or our ability to pay our debts and other liabilities could suffer, the trading price and liquidity of our securities could decline and you may lose all or part of your investment in our securities.

Risks Related to our Emergence from Bankruptcy

We recently emerged from bankruptcy, which may adversely affect our business and relationships.

It is possible that our having filed for bankruptcy and our recent emergence from bankruptcy may adversely affect our business and relationships with customers, vendors, contractors or employees. Due to uncertainties, many risks exist, including the following:

•key vendors or other contract counterparties may terminate their relationships with us or require additional financial assurances or enhanced performance from us;

•our ability to renew existing contracts and compete for new business may be adversely affected;

•our ability to attract, motivate and/or retain key executives may be adversely affected; and

•competitors may take business away from us, and our ability to attract and retain customers may be negatively impacted.

The occurrence of one or more of these events could have a material and adverse effect on our operations, financial condition and reputation. We cannot assure you that having been subject to bankruptcy protection will not adversely affect our operations in the future.

Our actual financial results after emergence from bankruptcy may not be comparable to our historical financial information as a result of the implementation of the Plan and the transactions contemplated thereby.

In connection with the disclosure statement we filed with the Bankruptcy Court, and the hearing to consider confirmation of the Plan, we prepared projected financial information to demonstrate to the Bankruptcy Court the feasibility of the Plan and our ability to continue operations upon our emergence from bankruptcy. Those projections were prepared solely for the purpose of bankruptcy proceedings and have not been, and will not be, updated on an ongoing basis and should not be relied upon by investors. At the time they were prepared, the projections reflected numerous assumptions concerning our anticipated future performance with respect to prevailing and anticipated market and economic conditions that were and remain beyond our control and that may not materialize. Projections are inherently subject to substantial and numerous uncertainties and to a wide variety of significant business, economic and competitive risks and the assumptions underlying the projections and/or valuation estimates may prove to be wrong in material respects. Actual results may vary significantly from those contemplated by the projections. As a result, investors should not rely on these projections.

Upon emergence from bankruptcy, the composition of our board of directors changed significantly.

The composition of our board of directors changed significantly upon emergence from bankruptcy. Our new board is comprised of the following members appointed by our new stockholders. Robert D. Lawler, Michael Wichterich, Timothy S. Duncan, Benjamin C. Duster, IV, Sarah Emerson, Matthew M. Gallagher and Brian Steck. While we expect to engage in an orderly transition process as we integrate newly appointed board members, our new board of directors may change views on strategic initiatives and a range of issues that will determine the future of the Company. As a result, the future strategy and plans of the Company may differ materially from those of the past.

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Risks Related to Operating Our Business

Oil, natural gas and NGL prices fluctuate widely, and lower prices for an extended period of time are likely to have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our revenues, operating results, profitability, liquidity, leverage ratio and ability to grow and invest in capital expenditures depend primarily upon the prices we receive for the oil, natural gas and NGL we sell. We incur substantial expenditures to replace reserves, sustain production and fund our business plans. Low oil, natural gas and NGL prices can negatively affect the amount of cash available for capital expenditures, debt service and debt repayment and our ability to borrow money or raise additional capital and, as a result, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and reserves. In addition, periods of low oil and natural gas prices may result in a reduction of the carrying value of our oil and natural gas properties due to recognizing impairments in proved and unproved properties.

Wide fluctuations in oil, natural gas and NGL prices may result from factors that are beyond our control, including:

•domestic and worldwide supplies of oil, natural gas and NGL, including U.S. inventories of oil and natural gas reserves;

•weather conditions;

•changes in the level of consumer and industrial demand, including impacts from global or national health epidemics and concerns, such as the recent coronavirus;

•the price and availability of alternative fuels;

•technological advances affecting energy consumption;

•the effectiveness of worldwide conservation measures;

•the availability, proximity and capacity of pipelines, other transportation facilities and processing facilities;

•the level and effect of trading in commodity futures markets, including by commodity price speculators and others;

•U.S. exports of oil, natural gas, liquefied natural gas and NGL;

•the price and level of foreign imports;

•the nature and extent of domestic and foreign governmental regulations and taxes;

•the ability of the members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and others to agree to and maintain oil price and production controls;

•increased use of competing energy products, including alternative energy sources;

•political instability or armed conflict in oil and natural gas producing regions;

•acts of terrorism; and

•domestic and global economic conditions.

These factors and the volatility of the energy markets make it extremely difficult to predict future oil, natural gas and NGL price movements. In addition, a prolonged extension of lower prices could reduce the quantities of reserves that we may economically produce.

The ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and related economic turmoil have affected and could continue to adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

The global spread of COVID-19 created significant volatility, uncertainty, and economic disruption during 2020. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has reached more than 200 countries and has continued to be a rapidly evolving economic and public health situation. The pandemic has adversely impacted the entire global economy, and there is considerable uncertainty regarding how long the pandemic and related market conditions will persist and the extent and duration of governmental and other measures implemented to try to slow the spread of the virus, such as quarantines, shelter-in-place orders and business and government shutdowns. In certain cases, states that had begun taking steps to reopen their economies experienced a subsequent surge in cases of COVID-19, causing these states to cease such reopening measures in some cases and reinstitute restrictions in others. We have taken

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certain precautionary measures intended to help minimize the risk to our employees, our business and the communities in which we operate, and we are actively assessing and planning for various operational contingencies in the event one or more of our operational employees experiences any symptoms consistent with COVID-19. However, we cannot guarantee that any actions taken by us will be effective in preventing future disruptions to our business. Moreover, future operations could be negatively affected if a significant number of our employees are quarantined as a result of exposure to the virus.

In addition, actions by our customers and derivative contract counterparties in response to COVID-19 and its economic impacts may also have an adverse impact on our business. We continue to regularly monitor the credit worthiness of such customers and derivative contract counterparties. Although we have not received notices from our customers or counterparties regarding non-performance issues or delays resulting from the pandemic, we may have to temporarily shut down or further reduce production, which could result in significant downtime and have significant adverse consequences for our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

Furthermore, the impact of the pandemic, including a resulting reduction in demand for oil and natural gas, coupled with the sharp decline in commodity prices following the announcement of price reductions and production increases in March 2020 by members of OPEC+ has led to significant global economic contraction generally and in our industry in particular. While an agreement to cut production has since been announced by OPEC+ and its allies, the supply and demand imbalance created by such price reductions and production increases, coupled with the impact of COVID-19, has continued to result in a significant downturn in the oil and gas industry. Although OPEC+ agreed in April 2020 to cut oil production and has extended such production cuts through March 2021, crude oil prices have remained depressed as a result of the oversupply of oil, an increasingly utilized global storage network and the decrease in crude oil demand due to COVID-19. Oil and natural gas prices are expected to continue to be volatile as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and as changes in oil and natural gas inventories, industry demand and national and economic performance are reported, and we cannot predict when prices will improve and stabilize. Due to numerous uncertainties, we cannot at this time predict the full impact that COVID-19 or the significant disruption and volatility currently being experienced in the oil and natural gas markets will have on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The ultimate impact of COVID-19 will depend on future developments that cannot be anticipated, including, among others, the ultimate severity of the virus, the consequences of governmental and other measures designed to mitigate the spread of the virus, the development and availability of treatments and vaccines and the extent to which these treatments and vaccines may remain effective as potential new strains of the virus emerge, the duration of the pandemic, any further actions taken by members of OPEC+, actions taken by governmental authorities, customers, suppliers and other third parties, workforce availability, and the timing and extent of any return to normal economic and operating conditions.

If commodity prices remain depressed or drilling efforts are unsuccessful, we may be required to record write downs of the carrying value of our oil and natural gas properties.

We have been required to write down the carrying value of certain of our oil and natural gas properties in the past and there is a risk that we will be required to take additional writedowns in the future. Writedowns may occur in the future when oil and natural gas prices are low, or if we have downward adjustments to our estimated proved reserves, increases in our estimates of operating or development costs, or due to the anticipated sale of properties.

The successful efforts method of accounting requires that we periodically review the carrying value of our oil and natural gas properties for possible impairment. Impairment is recognized for the excess of book value over fair value when the book value of a proven property is greater than the expected undiscounted future net cash flows from that property and on acreage when conditions indicate the carrying value is not recoverable. We may be required to write down the carrying value of a property based on oil and natural gas prices at the time of the impairment review, or as a result of continuing evaluation of drilling results, production data, economics, divestiture activity, and other factors. A writedown constitutes a non-cash charge to earnings and does not impact cash or cash flows from operating activities; however, it reflects our long-term ability to recover an investment, reduces our reported earnings and increases certain leverage ratios. See Impairment of Oil and Natural Gas Properties included in Item 7 of this report for further information.

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Significant capital expenditures are required to replace our reserves and conduct our business.

Our exploration, development and acquisition activities require substantial capital expenditures. We intend to fund our capital expenditures through cash flows from operations, and to the extent that is not sufficient, borrowings under our revolving credit facility. Our ability to generate operating cash flow is subject to a number of risks and variables, such as the level of production from existing wells, prices of oil, natural gas and NGL, our success in developing and producing new reserves and the other risk factors discussed herein. Our forecasted 2021 capital expenditures, inclusive of capitalized interest, are $670 - $740 million compared to our 2020 capital spending level of $920 million. Management continues to review operational plans for 2021 and beyond, which could result in changes to projected capital expenditures and projected revenues from sales of oil, natural gas and NGL. If we are unable to fund our capital expenditures as planned, we could experience a curtailment of our exploration and development activity, a loss of properties and a decline in our oil, natural gas and NGL reserves.

If we are not able to replace reserves, we may not be able to sustain production.

Our future success depends largely upon our ability to find, develop or acquire additional oil and natural gas reserves that are economically recoverable. Unless we replace the reserves we produce through successful development, exploration or acquisition activities, our proved reserves and production will decline over time. Thus, our future oil and natural gas reserves and production, and therefore our cash flow and income, are highly dependent on our success in efficiently developing our current reserves and economically finding or acquiring additional recoverable reserves.

The actual quantities of and future net revenues from our proved reserves may be less than our estimates.

The estimates of our proved reserves and the estimated future net revenues from our proved reserves included in this report are based upon various assumptions, including assumptions required by the SEC relating to oil, natural gas and NGL prices, drilling and operating expenses, capital expenditures, taxes and availability of funds. The process of estimating oil, natural gas and NGL reserves is complex and involves significant decisions and assumptions associated with geological, geophysical, engineering and economic data for each well. Therefore, these estimates are subject to future revisions.

Actual future production, oil, natural gas and NGL prices, revenues, taxes, development expenditures, operating expenses and quantities of recoverable oil, natural gas and NGL reserves most likely will vary from these estimates. Such variations may be significant and could materially affect the estimated quantities and present value of our proved reserves. In addition, we may adjust estimates of proved reserves to reflect production history, results of exploration and development drilling, prevailing oil and natural gas prices and other factors, many of which are beyond our control.

As of December 31, 2020, approximately 7% of our estimated proved reserves (by volume) were undeveloped. As a result of our entry into Chapter 11 bankruptcy and the limited duration of our DIP Credit Facility at December 31, 2020, these reserve estimates reflect our plans for capital expenditures to convert PUDs into proved developed reserves, including approximately $126 million, that can be funded within the maturity of our then-current financing. You should be aware that the estimated development costs may not equal our actual costs, development may not occur as scheduled and results may not be as estimated. If we choose not to develop our PUDs, or if we are not otherwise able to successfully develop them, we will be required to remove them from our reported proved reserves. In addition, under the SEC's reserve reporting rules, because PUDs generally may be booked only if they relate to wells scheduled to be drilled within five years of the date of booking, we may be required to remove any PUDs that are not developed within this five-year time frame.

You should not assume that the present values included in this report represent the current market value of our estimated reserves. In accordance with SEC requirements, the estimates of our present values are based on prices and costs as of the date of the estimates. The price on the date of estimate is calculated as the average oil and natural gas price during the 12 months ending in the current reporting period, determined as the unweighted arithmetic average of prices on the first day of each month within the 12-month period. The December 31, 2020 present value is based on a $39.57 per bbl of oil price and a $1.98 per mcf of natural gas price, before considering basis differential adjustments. Actual future prices and costs may be materially higher or lower than the prices and costs as of the date of an estimate.

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The timing of both the production and the expenses from the development and production of oil and natural gas properties will affect both the timing of future net cash flows from our proved reserves and their present value. Any changes in demand for oil and natural gas, governmental regulations or taxation will also affect the future net cash flows from our production. In addition, the 10% discount factor that is required by the SEC to be used in calculating discounted future net cash flows for reporting purposes is not necessarily the most appropriate discount factor. Interest rates in effect from time to time and the risks associated with our business or the oil and gas industry in general will affect the appropriateness of the 10% discount factor.

Our development and exploratory drilling efforts and our well operations may not be profitable or achieve our targeted returns.

We have a substantial inventory of undeveloped properties. Development and exploratory drilling and production activities are subject to many risks, including the risk that commercially productive reservoirs will not be discovered. We have acquired undeveloped properties that we believe will enhance our growth potential and increase our earnings over time. However, we cannot assure you that all prospects will be economically viable or that we will not abandon our initial investments. Additionally, there can be no assurance that undeveloped properties acquired by us will be profitably developed, that new wells drilled by us in prospects that we pursue will be productive, or that we will recover all or any portion of our investment in such undeveloped properties or wells.

Drilling for oil and natural gas may involve unprofitable efforts, not only from dry wells but also from wells that are productive but do not produce sufficient commercial quantities to cover the drilling, operating and other costs. The cost of drilling, completing and operating a well is often uncertain, and many factors can adversely affect the economics of a well or property. Drilling and completion operations may be curtailed, delayed or canceled as a result of unexpected drilling conditions, title problems, equipment failures or accidents, shortages of midstream transportation, equipment or personnel, environmental issues, state or local bans or moratoriums on hydraulic fracturing and produced water disposal, federal restrictions on oil and gas leasing and permitting, and a decline in commodity prices, among others. The profitability of wells, particularly in certain of the areas in which we operate, will be reduced or eliminated if commodity prices decline. In addition, wells that are profitable may not meet our internal return targets, which are dependent upon the current and future market prices for oil, natural gas and NGL, costs associated with producing oil, natural gas and NGL and our ability to add reserves at an acceptable cost.

We rely to a significant extent on seismic data and other technologies in evaluating undeveloped properties and in conducting our exploration activities. The seismic data and other technologies we use do not allow us to know conclusively, prior to acquisition of undeveloped properties, or drilling a well, whether oil or natural gas is present or may be produced economically. If we incur significant expense in acquiring or developing properties that do not produce as expected or at profitable levels, it could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Certain of our undeveloped properties are subject to leases that will expire over the next several years unless production is established on units containing the acreage or the leases are renewed.

Leases on oil and natural gas properties typically have a term of three to five years, after which they expire unless, prior to expiration, a well is drilled and production of hydrocarbons in paying quantities is established. If our leases on our undeveloped properties expire and we are unable to renew the leases, we will lose our right to develop the related properties. Although we seek to actively manage our undeveloped properties, our drilling plans for these areas are subject to change based upon various factors, including drilling results, oil and natural gas prices, the availability and cost of capital, drilling and production costs, availability of drilling services and equipment, gathering system and pipeline transportation constraints and regulatory approvals. Low commodity prices may cause us to delay our drilling plans and, as a result, lose our right to develop the related properties.

Our commodity price risk management activities may limit the benefit we would receive from increases in commodity prices, may require us to provide collateral for derivative liabilities and involve risk that our counterparties may be unable to satisfy their obligations to us.

To manage our exposure to price volatility, we enter into oil, natural gas and NGL price derivative contracts. Our oil, natural gas and NGL derivative arrangements may limit the benefit we would receive from increases in commodity prices. The fair value of our oil, natural gas and NGL derivative instruments can fluctuate significantly between periods. Our decision to mitigate cash flow volatility through derivative arrangements, if any, is based in part on our view of current and future market conditions and our desire to stabilize cash flows necessary for the

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development of our proved reserves. We may choose not to enter into derivatives if we believe the pricing environment for certain time periods is unfavorable. Additionally, we may choose to liquidate existing derivative positions prior to the expiration of their contractual maturities to monetize gain positions for the purpose of funding our capital program.

Most of our oil, natural gas and NGL derivative contracts are with counterparties under bilateral hedging arrangements. Under a majority of our arrangements, the collateral provided for our obligations is secured by the same hydrocarbon interests that secure our senior secured revolving credit facility. Our counterparties’ obligations under the arrangements must be secured by cash or letters of credit to the extent that any mark-to-market amounts owed to us exceed defined thresholds. Collateral requirements are dependent to a large extent on oil and natural gas prices.

Oil, natural gas and NGL derivative transactions expose us to the risk that our counterparties, which are generally financial institutions, may be unable to satisfy their obligations to us. During periods of declining commodity prices, the value of our commodity derivative asset positions increase, which increases our counterparty exposure. Although the counterparties to our hedging arrangements are required to secure their obligations to us under certain scenarios, if any of our counterparties were to default on its obligations to us under the derivative contracts or seek bankruptcy protection, it could have an adverse effect on our ability to fund our planned activities and could result in a larger percentage of our future cash flows being exposed to commodity price changes.

Oil and natural gas operations are uncertain and involve substantial costs and risks.

Our operating activities are subject to numerous costs and risks, including the risk that we will not encounter commercially productive oil or gas reservoirs. Drilling for oil, natural gas and NGLs can be unprofitable, not only from dry holes, but from productive wells that do not return a profit because of insufficient revenue from production or high costs. Substantial costs are required to locate, acquire and develop oil and gas properties, and we are often uncertain as to the amount and timing of those costs. Our cost of drilling, completing, equipping and operating wells is often uncertain before drilling commences. Declines in commodity prices and overruns in budgeted expenditures are common risks that can make a particular project uneconomic or less economic than forecasted. While both exploratory and developmental drilling activities involve these risks, exploratory drilling involves greater risks of dry holes or failure to find commercial quantities of hydrocarbons. In addition, our oil and gas properties can become damaged, our operations may be curtailed, delayed or canceled and the costs of such operations may increase as a result of a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:

•unexpected drilling conditions, pressure conditions or irregularities in reservoir formations;

•equipment failures or accidents;

•fires, explosions, blowouts, cratering or loss of well control;

•the mishandling or underground migration of fluids and chemicals;

•adverse weather conditions and natural disasters, such as tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes and extreme temperatures;    

•issues with title or in receiving governmental permits or approvals;

•restricted takeaway capacity for our production, including due to inadequate midstream infrastructure or constrained downstream markets;

•environmental hazards or liabilities;

•restrictions in access to, or disposal of, water used or produced in drilling and completion operations;

•shortages or delays in the availability of services or delivery of equipment; and

•unexpected or unforeseen changes in regulatory policy, and political or public opinion.

The occurrence of one or more of these factors could result in a partial or total loss of our investment in a particular property, as well as significant liabilities. While we may maintain insurance against some, but not all, of the risks described above, our insurance may not be adequate to cover casualty losses or liabilities, and our insurance does not cover penalties or fines that may be assessed by a governmental authority. For certain risks, such as political risk, business interruption, war, terrorism and piracy, we have limited or no insurance coverage.

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Also, in the future we may not be able to obtain insurance at premium levels that justify its purchase. The occurrence of a significant event against which we are not fully insured may expose us to liabilities.

Moreover, certain of these events could result in environmental pollution and impact to third parties, including persons living in proximity to our operations, our employees and employees of our contractors, leading to possible injuries, death or significant damage to property and natural resources.

Conservation measures and technological advances could reduce demand for natural gas and oil.

Fuel conservation measures, alternative fuel requirements, increasing consumer demand for alternatives to natural gas and oil, technological advances in fuel economy and energy generation devices could reduce demand for natural gas and oil. The impact of the changing demand for natural gas and oil could adversely impact our earnings, cash flows and financial position.

Our ability to produce oil, natural gas and NGL economically and in commercial quantities could be impaired if we are unable to acquire adequate supplies of water for our operations or are unable to dispose of or recycle the water we use economically and in an environmentally safe manner.

Development activities, particularly hydraulic fracturing, require the use and disposal of significant quantities of water. In certain areas, there may be insufficient local aquifer capacity to provide a source of water for drilling activities. Water must be obtained from other sources and transported to the drilling site. Our inability to secure sufficient amounts of water, or to dispose of or recycle the water used in our operations, could adversely impact our operations in certain areas. The imposition of environmental initiatives and regulations could further restrict our ability to conduct certain operations such as hydraulic fracturing or disposal of waste, including, but not limited to, produced water, drilling fluids and other materials associated with the exploration, development or production of oil and natural gas.

The oil and gas exploration and production industry is very competitive, and some of our competitors have greater financial and other resources than we do.

We face competition in every aspect of our business, including, but not limited to, buying and selling reserves and leases, obtaining goods and services needed to operate our business and marketing oil, natural gas or NGL. Competitors include multinational oil companies, independent production companies and individual producers and operators. Some of our competitors have greater financial and other resources than we do. As a result, these competitors may be able to address these competitive factors more effectively or weather industry downturns more easily than we can. We also face indirect competition from alternative energy sources, including wind, solar and electric power.

Our performance depends largely on the talents and efforts of highly skilled individuals and on our ability to attract new employees and to retain and motivate our existing employees. Competition in our industry for qualified employees is intense. If we are unsuccessful in attracting and retaining skilled employees and managerial talent, our ability to compete effectively may be diminished. We also compete for the equipment required to explore, develop and operate properties. Typically, during times of rising commodity prices, drilling and operating costs will also increase. During these periods, there is often a shortage of drilling rigs and other oilfield equipment and services, which could adversely affect our ability to execute our development plans on a timely basis and within budget.

Risks related to potential acquisitions or dispositions may adversely affect our business.

From time to time, we evaluate acquisitions and dispositions of assets, businesses and other investments. These transactions may not result in the anticipated benefits or efficiencies. In addition, acquisitions may be financed by borrowings, requiring us to incur more debt, or by the issuance of our common stock. Any such acquisition or disposition involves risks and we cannot assure you that:

•any acquisition would be successfully integrated into our operations and internal controls;

•the due diligence conducted prior to an acquisition would uncover situations that could result in financial or legal exposure, such as title defects and potential environmental and other liabilities;

•post-closing purchase price adjustments will be realized in our favor;

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•our assumptions about, among other things, reserves, estimated production, revenues, capital expenditures, operating, operating expenses and costs would be accurate;

•any investment, acquisition, disposition or integration would not divert management resources from the operation of our business; and

•any investment, acquisition, or disposition or integration would not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or reserves.

If any of these risks materialize, the benefits of such acquisition or disposition may not be fully realized, if at all, and our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and reserves could be negatively impacted.

Negative public perception regarding us or our industry could have an adverse effect on our operations.

Negative public perception regarding us or our industry resulting from, among other things, concerns raised by advocacy groups about hydraulic fracturing, waste disposal, oil spills, seismic activity, climate change, explosions of natural gas transmission lines and the development and operation of pipelines and other midstream facilities may lead to increased regulatory scrutiny, which may, in turn, lead to new state and federal safety and environmental laws, regulations, guidelines and enforcement interpretations. Additionally, environmental groups, landowners, local groups and other advocates may oppose our operations through organized protests, attempts to block or sabotage our operations or those of our midstream transportation providers, intervene in regulatory or administrative proceedings involving our assets or those of our midstream transportation providers, or file lawsuits or other actions designed to prevent, disrupt or delay the development or operation of our assets and business or those of our midstream transportation providers. These actions may cause operational delays or restrictions, increased operating costs, additional regulatory burdens and increased risk of litigation. Moreover, governmental authorities exercise considerable discretion in the timing and scope of permit issuance and the public may engage in the permitting process, including through intervention in the courts. Negative public perception could cause the permits we require to conduct our operations to be withheld, delayed or burdened by requirements that restrict our ability to profitably conduct our business. The change in presidential administrations and change in control of Congress may also result in increased restrictions on oil and gas production activities, which could materially adversely affect our industry and our financial condition and results of operations.

Recently, activists concerned about the potential effects of climate change have directed their attention towards sources of funding for fossil-fuel energy companies, which has resulted in certain financial institutions, funds and other sources of capital restricting or eliminating their investment in energy-related activities. Ultimately, this could make it more difficult to secure funding for exploration and production activities. Members of the investment community have also begun to screen companies such as ours for sustainability performance, including practices related to GHGs and climate change, before investing in our common units. Any efforts to improve our sustainability practices in response to these pressures may increase our costs, and we may be forced to implement technologies that are not economically viable in order to improve our sustainability performance and to meet the specific requirements to perform services for certain customers.

Our operations may be adversely affected by pipeline, trucking and gathering system capacity constraints and may be subject to interruptions that could adversely affect our cash flow.

In certain resource plays, the capacity of gathering and transportation systems is insufficient to accommodate potential production from existing and new wells. We rely heavily on third parties to meet our oil, natural gas and NGL gathering needs. Capital constraints could limit the construction of new pipelines and gathering systems and the providing or expansion of trucking services by third parties. Until this new capacity is available, we may experience delays in producing and selling our oil, natural gas and NGL. In such event, we might have to shut in our wells awaiting a pipeline connection or capacity or sell oil, natural gas or NGL production at significantly lower prices than those quoted on NYMEX or than we currently project, which would adversely affect our results of operations.

A portion of our oil, natural gas and NGL production in any region may be interrupted, or shut in, from time to time for numerous reasons, including weather conditions, accidents, loss of pipeline or gathering system access, field labor issues or strikes, or we might voluntarily curtail production in response to market conditions. If a substantial amount of our production is interrupted at the same time, it could materially adversely affect our cash flow.

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Cyber-attacks targeting systems and infrastructure used by the oil and gas industry and related regulations may adversely impact our operations and, if we are unable to obtain and maintain adequate protection for our data, our business may be harmed.

Our business has become increasingly dependent on digital technologies to conduct certain exploration, development and production activities. We depend on digital technology to estimate quantities of oil, natural gas and NGL reserves, process and record financial and operating data, analyze seismic and drilling information, and communicate with our customers, employees and third-party partners. We have been the subject of cyber-attacks on our internal systems and through those of third parties in the past. Unauthorized access to our seismic data, reserves information, customer or employee data or other proprietary or commercially sensitive information could lead to data corruption, communication interruption, or other disruptions in our exploration or production operations or planned business transactions, any of which could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations. If our information technology systems cease to function properly or our cybersecurity is breached, we could suffer disruptions to our normal operations, which may include drilling, completion, production and corporate functions. A cyber-attack involving our information systems and related infrastructure, or that of our business associates, could result in supply chain disruptions that delay or prevent the transportation and marketing of our production, non-compliance leading to regulatory fines or penalties, loss or disclosure of, or damage to, our or any of our customer’s or supplier’s data or confidential information that could harm our business by damaging our reputation, subjecting us to potential financial or legal liability, and requiring us to incur significant costs, including costs to repair or restore our systems and data or to take other remedial steps.

Further, our increased reliance on remote access to our information systems as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic increases our exposure to potential cybersecurity breaches. As cyber-attacks continue to evolve, we may be required to expend significant additional resources to continue to modify or enhance our protective measures or to investigate and remediate any vulnerabilities to cyber-attacks. In addition, new laws and regulations governing data privacy and the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information pose increasingly complex compliance challenges and potentially elevate costs as we collect and store personal data related to royalty owners. Any failure to comply with these laws and regulations could result in significant penalties and legal liability. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) was signed into law on June 28, 2018 and largely took effect on January 1, 2020. The CCPA, among other things, contains new disclosure obligations for businesses that collect personal information about California residents and enhanced consumer protections for those individuals, and provides for statutory fines for data security breaches or other CCPA violations. Meanwhile, over fifteen other states have considered privacy laws like the CCPA.

An interruption in operations at our headquarters could adversely affect our business.

Our headquarters are located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, an area that experiences severe weather events, including tornadoes and earthquakes. Our information systems and administrative and management processes are primarily provided to our various drilling projects and producing wells throughout the United States from this location, which could be disrupted if a catastrophic event, such as a tornado, power outage or act of terror, destroyed or severely damaged our headquarters. Any such catastrophic event could harm our ability to conduct normal operations and could adversely affect our business.

Financial Risks Related to our Business

We have significant capital needs, and our ability to access the capital and credit markets to raise capital on favorable terms is limited by industry conditions.

Disruptions in the capital and credit markets, in particular with respect to the energy sector, could limit our ability to access these markets or may significantly increase our cost to borrow. Low commodity prices have caused and may continue to cause lenders to increase the interest rates under upstream operators’ credit facilities, enact tighter lending standards, refuse to refinance existing debt around maturity on favorable terms or at all and may reduce or cease to provide funding to borrowers. Additionally, certain financial institutions have announced their intention to cease investment banking and corporate lending activities in the North American oil and gas sector. For example, on December 1, 2020, the Bank of Montreal announced its intention to wind down its investments in non-Canadian energy businesses and to cease all investment banking and corporate lending in the sector. If we are unable to access the capital and credit markets on favorable terms, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity and our ability to repay or refinance our

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debt. Additionally, challenges in the economy have led and could further lead to reductions in the demand for oil and gas, or further reductions in the prices of oil and gas, or both, which could have a negative impact on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Restrictive covenants in certain of our debt agreements could limit our growth and our ability to finance our operations, fund our capital needs, respond to changing conditions and engage in other business activities that may be in our best interests.

Our debt agreements impose operating and financial restrictions on us. These restrictions limit our ability and that of our restricted subsidiaries to, among other things:

•incur additional indebtedness;

•make investments or loans;

•create liens;

•consummate mergers and similar fundamental changes;

•make restricted payments;

•make investments in unrestricted subsidiaries;

•enter into transactions with affiliates; and

•use the proceeds of asset sales.

We may be prevented from taking advantage of business opportunities that arise because of the limitations imposed on us by the restrictive covenants under certain of our debt agreements. The restrictions contained in the covenants could:

•limit our ability to plan for, or react to, market conditions, to meet capital needs or otherwise to restrict our activities or business plan; and

•adversely affect our ability to finance our operations, enter into acquisitions or divestitures to engage in other business activities that would be in our interest.

Changes in the method of determining the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), or the replacement of LIBOR with an alternative reference rate, may adversely affect interest expense related to outstanding debt.

Amounts drawn under certain of our debt instruments may bear interest at rates based on LIBOR. On July 27, 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom announced that it would phase out LIBOR as a benchmark by the end of 2021. It is unclear whether new methods of calculating LIBOR will be established such that it continues to exist after 2021. The Credit Agreement adopts the hardwire approach for LIBOR replacement which provides that Term SOFR (or Daily Simple SOFR, to the extent Term SOFR is unavailable) will be used in the event of LIBOR cessation or upon an election to early opt-in, if SOFR becomes available. As SOFR is not currently available, the Credit Agreement also provides that in the event that SOFR is not available at the time of LIBOR cessation, the borrower and agent must agree on a successor rate subject to negative consent rights of the lenders. While the Credit Agreement provides a framework for a transition to an alternative rate, some uncertainty remains due to the current unavailability of SOFR and the inherent open-endedness of the amendment mechanism in the absence of SOFR. We are currently evaluating the impact of the potential replacement of the LIBOR interest rate. In addition, the overall financial markets may be disrupted as a result of the phase-out or replacement of LIBOR. Uncertainty as to the nature of such potential phase-out and alternative reference rates or disruption in the financial market could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Legal and Regulatory Risks

We are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which can change and could adversely impact our business.

Our operations are subject to extensive federal, state, local and other laws, rules and regulations, including with respect to environmental matters, worker health and safety, wildlife conservation, the gathering and transportation of oil, gas and NGLs, conservation policies, reporting obligations, royalty payments, unclaimed

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property and the imposition of taxes, and tribal laws for a minor portion of our acreage. Such regulations include requirements for permits to drill and to conduct other operations and for provision of financial assurances (such as bonds) covering drilling, completion and well operations. If permits are not issued, or if unfavorable restrictions or conditions are imposed on our drilling or completion activities, we may not be able to conduct our operations as planned. For example, on January 20, 2021, the Acting Secretary for the Department of the Interior signed an order effectively suspending new fossil fuel leasing and permitting on federal lands for 60 days. Then on January 27, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order indefinitely suspending new oil and natural gas leases on public lands or in offshore waters pending completion of a comprehensive review and reconsideration of federal oil and gas permitting and leasing practices. To the extent that the review results in the development of additional restrictions on drilling, limitations on the availability of leases, or restrictions on the ability to obtain required permits, it could have a material adverse impact on our operations. In addition, we may be required to make large, sometimes unexpected, expenditures to comply with applicable governmental laws, rules, regulations, permits or orders.

In addition, changes in public policy have affected, and in the future could further affect, our operations. Regulatory developments could, among other things, restrict production levels, impose price controls, change environmental protection requirements and increase taxes, royalties and other amounts payable to the government. Our operating and compliance costs could increase further if existing laws and regulations are revised, reinterpreted, or if new laws and regulations become applicable to our operations. We do not expect that any of these laws and regulations will affect our operations materially differently than they would affect other companies with similar operations, size and financial strength. Although we are unable to predict changes to existing laws and regulations, such changes could significantly impact our profitability, financial condition and liquidity. This is particularly true of changes related to pipeline safety, hydraulic fracturing and climate change, as discussed below.

Pipeline Safety. The pipeline assets in which we own interests are subject to stringent and complex regulations related to pipeline safety and integrity management. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has established a series of rules that require pipeline operators to develop and implement integrity management programs for gas, NGL and condensate transmission pipelines as well as for certain low stress pipelines and gathering lines transporting hazardous liquids, such as oil, that, in the event of a failure, could affect “high consequence areas.” Recent PHMSA rules have also extended certain requirements for integrity assessments and leak detections beyond high consequence areas. Further, legislation funding PHMSA through 2023 requires the agency to engage in additional rulemaking to amend the integrity management program, emergency response plan, operation and maintenance manual, and pressure control recordkeeping requirements for gas distribution operators; to create new leak detection and repair program obligations; and to set new minimum federal safety standards for onshore gas gathering lines. At this time, we cannot predict the cost of these requirements or other potential new or amended regulations, but they could be significant. Moreover, violations of pipeline safety regulations can result in the imposition of significant penalties.

Hydraulic Fracturing. Several states have adopted or are considering adopting regulations that could impose more stringent permitting, public disclosure and/or well construction requirements on hydraulic fracturing operations. We cannot predict whether additional federal, state or local laws or regulations applicable to hydraulic fracturing will be enacted in the future and, if so, what actions any such laws or regulations would require or prohibit. If additional levels of regulation or permitting requirements were imposed on hydraulic fracturing operations, our business and operations could be subject to delays, increased operating and compliance costs and potential bans. Additional regulation could also lead to greater opposition to hydraulic fracturing, including litigation.

Climate Change. Continuing political and social attention to the issue of climate change has resulted in legislative, regulatory and other initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide and methane. Policy makers at both the U.S. federal and state levels have introduced legislation and proposed new regulations designed to quantify and limit the emission of greenhouse gases through inventories, limitations and/or taxes on greenhouse gas emissions. EPA and the BLM have issued regulations for the control of methane emissions, which also include leak detection and repair requirements, for the oil and gas industry; however, in September 2018, BLM published a final rule to repeal certain requirements of these regulations. Similarly, in September 2019, EPA published a rule proposing to reconsider certain aspects of its regulations for the control of methane emissions. Nevertheless, several states in which we operate have imposed limitations designed to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas exploration and production activities. Legislative and state initiatives to date have generally focused on the development of renewable energy standards and/or cap-and-trade and/or carbon tax

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programs. Renewable energy standards (also referred to as renewable portfolio standards) require electric utilities to provide a specified minimum percentage of electricity from eligible renewable resources, with potential increases to the required percentage over time. The development of a federal renewable energy standard, or the development of additional or more stringent renewable energy standards at the state level could reduce the demand for oil and gas, thereby adversely impacting our earnings, cash flows and financial position. A cap-and-trade program generally would cap overall greenhouse gas emissions on an economy- wide basis and require major sources of greenhouse gas emissions or major fuel producers to acquire and surrender emission allowances. A federal cap and trade program or expanded use of cap and trade programs at the state level could impose direct costs on us through the purchase of allowances and could impose indirect costs by incentivizing consumers to shift away from fossil fuels. In addition, federal or state carbon taxes could directly increase our costs of operation and similarly incentivize consumers to shift away from fossil fuels.

In addition, activists concerned about the potential effects of climate change have directed their attention at sources of funding for fossil-fuel energy companies, which has resulted in an increasing number of financial institutions, funds and other sources of capital restricting or eliminating their investment in oil and natural gas activities. Ultimately, this would make it more difficult and expensive to secure funding for exploration and production activities. Members of the investment community have also begun to screen companies such as ours for sustainability performance, including practices related to greenhouse gases and climate change, before investing in our common stock. Any efforts to improve our sustainability practices in response to these pressures may increase our costs, and we may be forced to implement technologies that are not economically viable in order to improve our sustainability performance and to meet the specific requirements to perform services for certain customers.

These various legislative, regulatory and other activities addressing greenhouse gas emissions could adversely affect our business, including by imposing reporting obligations on, or limiting emissions of greenhouse gases from, our equipment and operations, which could require us to incur costs to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases associated with our operations. Limitations on greenhouse gas emissions could also adversely affect demand for oil and gas, which could lower the value of our reserves and have a material adverse effect on our profitability, financial condition and liquidity.

Environmental matters and related costs can be significant.

As an owner, lessee or operator of oil and gas properties, we are subject to various federal, state, tribal and local laws and regulations relating to discharge of materials into, and protection of, the environment. These laws and regulations may, among other things, impose liability on us for the cost of remediating pollution that results from our operations. Environmental laws may impose strict, joint and several liability, and failure to comply with environmental laws and regulations can result in the imposition of administrative, civil or criminal fines and penalties, as well as injunctions limiting operations in affected areas. Any future costs associated with these matters are uncertain and will be governed by several factors, including future changes to regulatory requirements. Changes in or additions to public policy regarding the protection of the environment could have a significant impact on our operations and profitability.

Increasing attention to environmental, social and governance matters may impact our business, financial results or stock price.

In recent years, increasing attention has been given to corporate activities related to ESG matters in public discourse and the investment community. A number of advocacy groups, both domestically and internationally, have campaigned for governmental and private action to promote change at public companies related to ESG matters, including through the investment and voting practices of investment advisers, public pension funds, universities and other members of the investing community. These activities include increasing attention and demands for action related to climate change and promoting the use of energy saving building materials. A failure to comply with investor or customer expectations and standards, which are evolving, or if we are perceived to not have responded appropriately to the growing concern for ESG issues, regardless of whether there is a legal requirement to do so, could also cause reputational harm to our business and could have a material adverse effect on us.

In addition, organizations that provide information to investors on corporate governance and related matters have developed ratings systems for evaluating companies on their approach to ESG matters. These ratings are used by some investors to inform their investment and voting decisions. Unfavorable ESG ratings may lead to

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increased negative investor sentiment toward us and our industry and to the diversion of investment to other industries, which could have a negative impact on our stock price and our access to and costs of capital.

The taxation of independent producers is subject to change, and changes in tax law could increase our cost of doing business.

We are subject to taxation by various governmental authorities at the federal, state and local levels in the jurisdictions in which we do business. New legislation could be enacted by any of these governmental authorities making it more costly for us to produce oil and natural gas by increasing our tax burden. The new presidential administration has called for changes to fiscal and tax policies which could lead to comprehensive tax reform. New federal legislation could be proposed that, if enacted, would impact federal income tax law applicable to the deduction of intangible drilling and development costs, percentage depletion and bonus depreciation. Other proposals changing federal income tax law could include a new corporate minimum tax based on book income, an increase to the corporate tax rate and the elimination of certain tax credits. If enacted, certain of these proposals could have a correlative impact on state income taxes. In addition, state and local authorities could enact new legislation that would increase various taxes such as sales, severance and ad valorem taxes as well as accelerate the collection of such taxes.

Trading in our new common stock, additional issuances of new common stock and certain other stock transactions could lead to a second, potentially more restrictive annual limitation on the utilization of our tax attributes such as net operating loss carryforwards, disallowed business interest carryforwards, tax credits and possibly other tax basis items. Increased restriction of these items reduces their ability to offset future taxable income, which may result in an increase to income tax liabilities.

Upon emergence from bankruptcy on February 9, 2021, the Company experienced an ownership change under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), as all of the common stock and preferred stock of the Predecessor, or the old loss corporation, was canceled and replaced with new common stock of the Successor, or the new loss corporation (the “First Ownership Change”). As such, an annual limitation will be computed based on the fair market value of the new equity immediately after emergence multiplied by the long-term tax-exempt rate in effect for the month of February 2021. This annual limitation will restrict the future utilization of our net operating loss (NOL) carryforwards, disallowed business interest carryforwards and tax credits that existed at the time of emergence.

Based on current estimates, we believe the Company was in a net unrealized built-in gain position at the time of the First Ownership Change. This is due in large part to currently existing rules allowing a taxpayer to compare its tax basis to the face value of pre-emergence debt. Should the Company’s final calculations confirm that it was, in fact, in a net unrealized built-in gain position at such time, the annual limitation will be increased by each year’s recognized built-in gains, if any, occurring within a five-year period following the First Ownership Change, but only to the extent of the net unrealized built-in gain which existed at the time of the First Ownership Change.

In the event a second ownership change occurs and the Company is in a net unrealized built-in loss position at the time of the second ownership change, then a new and potentially more restrictive annual limitation would apply. Upon a second ownership change, the Company would likely have significantly less debt and as such a determination of its net unrealized built-in gain or loss position will likely not utilize its debt level and will be based solely upon the comparison of its tax basis to the fair market value of its assets. Depending on the market conditions and the Company’s tax basis, a second ownership change may result in a net unrealized built-in loss. The annual limitation in such a case would also be applied to certain of the Company’s tax attributes other than just NOL carryforwards, disallowed business interest carryforwards and tax credits. For example, a portion of tax depreciation, depletion and amortization would also be subject to the annual limitation for a five-year period following the ownership change but only to the extent of the net unrealized built-in loss existing at the time of the second ownership change. Whether the new annual limitation would be more restrictive would depend on the value of our stock and the long-term tax-exempt rate in effect at the time of a second ownership change. If the new annual limitation is more restrictive it would apply to certain of the tax attributes existing at the time of the second ownership change including those remaining from the time of the First Ownership Change.

Further, should the Company be in a net unrealized built-in gain position at the time of a second ownership change, the proposed regulations issued on September 10, 2019, and on January 14, 2020, under Section 382(h) of the Code (the “Proposed Regulations”) would, if finalized in their present form, change the currently existing rules

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and limit the potential increases to the annual limitation amount for certain built-in gains existing at the time of an ownership change, (unless the transition relief provisions of the Proposed Regulations are applicable), thereby possibly reducing the ability to utilize tax attributes significantly.

Some states impose similar limitations on tax attribute utilization upon experiencing an ownership change.

General Risk Factors

A deterioration in general economic, business or industry conditions would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, liquidity and financial condition.

Historically, concerns about global economic growth have had a significant impact on global financial markets and commodity prices. If the economic climate in the United States or abroad deteriorates, worldwide demand for petroleum products could diminish, which could impact the price at which we can sell our production, affect the ability of our vendors, suppliers and customers to continue operations and materially adversely impact our results of operations, liquidity and financial condition.

Terrorist activities could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Terrorist attacks and the threat of terrorist attacks, whether domestic or foreign attacks, as well as military or other actions taken in response to these acts, could cause instability in the global financial and energy markets. Continued hostilities in the Middle East and the occurrence or threat of terrorist attacks in the United States or other countries could adversely affect the global economy in unpredictable ways, including the disruption of energy supplies and markets, increased volatility in commodity prices, or the possibility that the infrastructure on which we rely could be a direct target or an indirect casualty of an act of terrorism, and, in turn, could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

ITEM 1B.    Unresolved Staff Comments

Not applicable.

ITEM 2.    Properties

Information regarding our properties is included in Item 1. Business and in the Supplementary Information included in Item 8 of this report.

ITEM 3.     Legal Proceedings

Chapter 11 Proceedings

Commencement of the Chapter 11 Cases automatically stayed the proceedings and actions against us that are described below, in addition to actions seeking to collect pre-petition indebtedness or to exercise control over the property of the Company’s bankruptcy estates. The Plan in the Chapter 11 Cases, which became effective on February 9, 2021, provided for the treatment of claims against the Company’s bankruptcy estates, including pre-petition liabilities that had not been satisfied or addressed during the Chapter 11 Cases. See Note 2 of the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this report for additional information.

Litigation and Regulatory Proceedings

We were involved in a number of litigation and regulatory proceedings as of the Petition Date. Many of these proceedings were in early stages, and many of them sought damages and penalties, the amount of which is currently indeterminate. See Note 6 of the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this report for information regarding our estimation and provision for potential losses related to litigation and regulatory proceedings.

Business Operations. We are involved in various lawsuits and disputes incidental to our business operations, including commercial disputes, personal injury claims, royalty claims, property damage claims and contract actions. The majority of these prepetition legal proceedings, including the matters below, have been settled during the Chapter 11 Cases or will be resolved in connection with the claims reconciliation process before the Bankruptcy Court. Any allowed claim related to such prepetition litigation will be treated in accordance with the Plan.

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We and other natural gas producers have been named in various lawsuits alleging underpayment of royalties and other shares of the proceeds of production. The lawsuits against us allege, among other things, that we used below-market prices, made improper deductions, utilized improper measurement techniques, entered into arrangements with affiliates that resulted in underpayment of amounts owed in connection with the production and sale of natural gas and NGL, or similar theories. These lawsuits include cases filed by individual royalty owners and putative class actions, some of which seek to certify a statewide class. The lawsuits seek compensatory, consequential, treble, and punitive damages, restitution and disgorgement of profits, declaratory and injunctive relief regarding our payment practices, pre-and post-judgment interest, and attorney’s fees and costs. Royalty plaintiffs have varying provisions in their respective leases, oil and gas law varies from state to state, and royalty owners and producers differ in their interpretation of the legal effect of lease provisions governing royalty calculations. We have resolved a number of these claims through negotiated settlements of past and future royalty obligations and have prevailed in various other lawsuits. We are currently defending numerous lawsuits seeking damages with respect to underpayment of royalties or other shares of the proceeds of production in multiple states where we have operated, including those discussed below.

On December 9, 2015, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, by the Office of Attorney General, filed a lawsuit in the Bradford County Court of Common Pleas related to royalty underpayment and lease acquisition and accounting practices with respect to properties in Pennsylvania. The lawsuit, which primarily relates to the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale, alleges that we violated the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (UTPCPL) by making improper deductions and entering into arrangements with affiliates that resulted in underpayment of royalties. The lawsuit includes other UTPCPL claims and antitrust claims, including that a joint exploration agreement to which we are a party established unlawful market allocation for the acquisition of leases. The lawsuit seeks statutory restitution, civil penalties and costs, as well as a temporary injunction from exploration and drilling activities in Pennsylvania until restitution, penalties and costs have been paid, and a permanent injunction from further violations of the UTPCPL.

Putative statewide class actions in Pennsylvania and Ohio and purported class arbitrations in Pennsylvania have been filed on behalf of royalty owners asserting various claims for damages related to alleged underpayment of royalties as a result of the divestiture of substantially all of our midstream business and most of our gathering assets in 2012 and 2013. These cases include claims for violation of and conspiracy to violate the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and for an unlawful market allocation agreement for mineral rights, intentional interference with contractual relations, and violations of antitrust laws related to purported markets for gas mineral rights, operating rights and gas gathering sources. These lawsuits seek in aggregate compensatory, consequential, treble, and punitive damages, restitution and disgorgement of profits, declaratory and injunctive relief regarding our royalty payment practices, pre-and post-judgment interest, and attorney’s fees and costs. On December 20, 2017 and August 9, 2018, we reached tentative settlements to resolve all Pennsylvania civil royalty cases for a total at that time of approximately $36 million. Subsequent to our Bankruptcy Filing the parties reopened settlement discussions.

We believe losses are reasonably possible in certain of the pending royalty cases for which we have not accrued a loss contingency, but we are currently unable to estimate an amount or range of loss or the impact the actions could have on our future results of operations or cash flows. Uncertainties in pending royalty cases generally include the complex nature of the claims and defenses, the potential size of the class in class actions, the scope and types of the properties and agreements involved, and the applicable production years.

On July 24, 2018, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) filed a demand for arbitration with the American Arbitration Association regarding HOOPP’s purchase of our interest in Chaparral Energy, Inc. stock for $215 million on January 5, 2014. HOOPP claims that we engaged in material misrepresentations and fraud, and that we violated the Exchange Act and Oklahoma Uniform Securities Act. HOOPP seeks either rescission or $215 million in monetary damages, and in either case, interest, attorney’s fees, disgorgement and punitive damages. We intend to vigorously defend these claims.

On January 29, 2020, a well control incident occurred at one of our wellsites in Burleson County, Texas, causing the deaths of three of our contractors’ employees and injuring a fourth. In connection with this incident, eleven lawsuits have been brought against us and our contractors alleging negligence, gross negligence, and breach of contract, and seeking wrongful death damages, survival statute damages, exemplary damages, and interest. Ten of the suits have been filed in Dallas County, Texas. A joint motion to consolidate filed by all the parties in nine of the ten Dallas County lawsuits is currently pending before the Texas Multidistrict Litigation Panel. The

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eleventh suit is pending in Burleson County, Texas. The proceedings are in their early stages and are all stayed due to the pending bankruptcy. Our general and excess liability insurance policies provide coverage for third party bodily injury and wrongful death claims, and the contracts between us and our contractors with respect to the well contain customary cross-indemnification provisions.

Environmental Contingencies

The nature of the oil and gas business carries with it certain environmental risks for us and our subsidiaries. We have implemented various policies, programs, procedures, training and audits to reduce and mitigate such environmental risks. We conduct periodic reviews, on a company-wide basis, to assess changes in our environmental risk profile. Environmental reserves are established for environmental liabilities for which economic losses are probable and reasonably estimable. We manage our exposure to environmental liabilities in acquisitions by using an evaluation process that seeks to identify pre-existing contamination or compliance concerns and address the potential liability. Depending on the extent of an identified environmental concern, we may, among other things, exclude a property from the transaction, require the seller to remediate the property to our satisfaction in an acquisition or agree to assume liability for the remediation of the property.

We are named as a defendant in numerous lawsuits in Oklahoma alleging that we and other companies have engaged in activities that have caused earthquakes. These lawsuits seek compensation for injury to real and personal property, diminution of property value, economic losses due to business interruption, interference with the use and enjoyment of property, annoyance and inconvenience, personal injury and emotional distress.  In addition, they seek the reimbursement of insurance premiums and the award of punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, costs, expenses and interest. We are vigorously defending these claims. Any allowed claim related to such prepetition litigation will be treated in accordance with the Plan.

We are in discussions with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) regarding gas migration in the vicinity of certain of our wells in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania. We believe we are close to identifying agreed-upon steps to resolve PADEP’s concerns regarding the issue. In addition to these steps, resolution of the matter may result in monetary sanctions of more than $300,000.

Other Matters

Based on management’s current assessment, we are of the opinion that no pending or threatened lawsuit or dispute relating to our business operations is likely to have a material adverse effect on our future consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. The final resolution of such matters could exceed amounts accrued, however, and actual results could differ materially from management’s estimates.

ITEM 4.     Mine Safety Disclosures

The information concerning mine safety violations and other regulatory matters required by Section 1503(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and Item 104 of Regulation S-K (17CFR 229.104) is included in Exhibit 95.1 to this Form 10-K.

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PART II

ITEM 5.     Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Common Stock

Our common stock was previously listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the symbol “CHK.” As a result of our failure to satisfy the continued listing requirements of the NYSE, on June 29, 2020, our common stock ceased to trade on the NYSE. Since June 30, 2020, our common stock has been quoted on the OTC Pink Marketplace maintained by the OTC Markets Group, Inc. under the symbol “CHKAQ.” On July 20, 2020, the NYSE filed a Form 25 with the SEC to delist our common stock, senior notes and cumulative convertible preferred stock from the NYSE. The delisting was effective 10 days after the Form 25 was filed and our common stock, senior notes and cumulative convertible preferred stock were deregistered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act on October 18, 2020. Our common stock was canceled on February 9, 2021 as a result of our Chapter 11 proceedings.

On February 9, 2021, subsequent to our emergence from Bankruptcy, there were 97,906,968 outstanding shares of common stock of the Successor listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC under the symbol CHK. In addition, on February 9, 2021, we had 11,111,111 Class A Warrants, 12,345,679 Class B Warrants and 9,768,527 Class C Warrants outstanding that are exercisable for one share of common stock per warrant at the initial exercise prices of $27.63, $32.13 and $36.18 per share, respectively. The warrants are immediately exercisable and will expire on February 9, 2026.

Dividends

We ceased paying dividends on our common stock in the third quarter of 2015.

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

There were no repurchases or unregistered sales of our common stock during the quarter ended December 31, 2020.

Shareholders

As of February 25, 2021, there were approximately 122 holders of record of our common stock.

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ITEM 6.     Selected Financial Data

The following table sets forth selected consolidated financial data of Chesapeake as of and for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016. The table below should be read in conjunction with Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and our consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto, appearing in Items 7 and 8, respectively, of this report.

	Years Ended December 31,
	2020		2019		2018		2017		2016
	($ in millions, except per share data)
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
Total revenues	$	5,296	$	8,595	$	10,030	$	10,039	$	8,705
Net income (loss) available to common stockholders(a)	$	(9,756)	$	(416)	$	133	$	(631)	$	(4,018)
EARNINGS (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE:(b)
Basic	$	(998.26)	$	(49.97)	$	29.26	$	(139.32)	$	(1,051.83)
Diluted	$	(998.26)	$	(49.97)	$	29.26	$	(139.32)	$	(1,051.83)
CASH DIVIDEND DECLARED PER COMMON SHARE	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—
BALANCE SHEET DATA (AT END OF PERIOD):
Total assets	$	6,584	$	16,193	$	12,735	$	14,925	$	17,048
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	$	—	$	9,073	$	7,341	$	9,921	$	9,938
Total equity (deficit)	$	(5,341)	$	4,401	$	2,133	$	1,943	$	2,565

___________________________________________

(a)    Includes $8.535 billion, $11 million, $131 million, $814 million and $563 million of impairments of oil and gas properties and other fixed assets for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

(b)    Amounts have been retroactively adjusted to reflect a 1-for-200 (1:200) reverse stock split effective April 14, 2020. See Note 11 of the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this report for additional information.

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ITEM 7.     Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion and analysis presents management’s perspective of our business, financial condition and overall performance. This information is intended to provide investors with an understanding of our past performance, current financial condition and outlook for the future and should be read in conjunction with Item 8 of this report.

Introduction

We are an independent exploration and production company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of properties to produce oil, natural gas and NGLs from underground reservoirs. We own a large and geographically diverse portfolio of onshore U.S. unconventional natural gas and liquids assets, including interests in approximately 7,400 oil and natural gas wells. Our natural gas resource plays are the Marcellus Shale in the northern Appalachian Basin in Pennsylvania and the Haynesville/Bossier Shales in northwestern Louisiana. Our liquids-rich resource plays are the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas and the stacked pay in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming.

Recent Developments

Voluntary Reorganization Under Chapter 11

On June 28, 2020, the Debtors filed voluntary petitions for relief under the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court. On June 29, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order authorizing the joint administration of the Chapter 11 Cases under the caption In re Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Case No. 20-33233 (DRJ). Subsidiaries with noncontrolling interests, consolidated variable interest entities and certain de minimis subsidiaries (collectively, the “Non-Filing Entities”) were not part of the Chapter 11 Cases. The Debtors and the Non-Filing Entities continued to operate in the ordinary course of business during the Chapter 11 Cases.

During the Chapter 11 Cases, the Debtors operated as debtors-in-possession in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code. The Bankruptcy Court granted first day motions filed by us that were designed primarily to mitigate the impact of the Chapter 11 Cases on our operations, customers and employees. As a result, we were able to conduct normal business activities and pay all associated obligations for the period following the Bankruptcy filing and were authorized to pay owner royalties, employee wages and benefits, and certain vendors and suppliers in the ordinary course for goods and services provided. During the pendency of the Chapter 11 Cases, all transactions outside the ordinary course of business required the prior approval of the Bankruptcy Court.

For the duration of the Chapter 11 Cases, our operations and ability to develop and execute our business plan were subject to the risks and uncertainties associated with the Chapter 11 process as described in Item 1A. “Risk Factors.” As a result of these risks and uncertainties, the number of our shares of common stock and stockholders, assets, liabilities, officers and/or directors could be significantly different following the outcome of the Chapter 11 Cases, and the description of our operations, properties and capital plans included in this Form 10-Q may not accurately reflect our operations, properties and capital plans following the Chapter 11 Cases.

During the Chapter 11 Cases, we expected our financial results to continue to be volatile as Restructuring activities and expenses, contract terminations and rejections, and claims assessments significantly impact our consolidated financial statements. As a result, our historical financial performance is likely not indicative of our financial performance after the date of the Petition Date. In addition, we incurred significant professional fees and other costs in connection with preparation for the Chapter 11 Cases.

On October 13, 2020, we filed a notice with the Bankruptcy Court that we reached an agreement with Tapstone Energy, LLC (“Tapstone Energy”) as the “Stalking Horse” bidder to sell our Mid-Continent asset for $85 million in a Section 363 transaction under the Bankruptcy Code. An auction supervised by the Bankruptcy Court was held on November 10, 2020, in which other pre-qualified buyers submitted bids for the asset. We presented the results of the auction process to the Bankruptcy Court and the sale was approved on November 13, 2020. On December 11, 2020, we closed the transaction with Tapstone Energy for $130 million, subject to post-closing adjustments which resulted in the recognition of a gain of approximately $27 million.

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On November 22, 2020, we filed notice with the Bankruptcy Court that we had reached an agreement with The Williams Companies, Inc. (“Williams”) to transfer certain Haynesville assets, including interests in 144 producing wells and approximately 50,000 net acres, in exchange for improved midstream contract terms with respect to assets we retained. On December 15, 2020, the Court approved the transaction with Williams and the exchange resulted in the recognition of loss of approximately $128 million based on the difference between the carrying value of the assets and the fair value of the assets surrendered. The exchange was executed to obtain sufficient savings on midstream obligations as required by the Plan. Therefore, the loss was recorded to reorganization items, net in our consolidated statements of operations.

See Item 1. Business, Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Note 2 of the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this report for a discussion of our Chapter 11 proceedings.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Impact on Global Demand for Oil and Natural Gas

The global spread of COVID-19 created significant volatility, uncertainty, and economic disruption during 2020. The pandemic has reached more than 200 countries and territories and has resulted in widespread adverse impacts on the global economy and on our customers and other parties with whom we have business relations. There remains considerable uncertainty regarding how long the pandemic and related market conditions will persist. In certain cases, states that had begun taking steps to reopen their economies experienced a subsequent surge in cases of COVID-19, causing these states to cease such reopening measures in some cases and reinstitute restrictions in others. To date, we have experienced limited operational impacts as a result of COVID-19 or the related governmental restrictions.

As an essential business under the guidelines issued by each of the states in which we operate, we have been allowed to continue operations. As a result, in mid-March of 2020, we restricted access to all of our offices and for a period of time directed employees to work remotely to the extent possible. We began to re-open our offices in phases beginning in mid-May of 2020, and we have implemented special precautions to minimize the risk to our employees of exposure. These actions have allowed us to maintain the engagement and connectivity of our personnel. However, due to severe impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic on the global demand for oil and natural gas, financial results may not necessarily be indicative of operating results for the 2020 fiscal year or for any other future period. Moreover, future operations could be negatively affected if a significant number of our employees are quarantined as a result of exposure to the virus.

Our first priority in our response to this crisis has been the health and safety of our employees and those of our other business counterparties. We have implemented preventative measures and developed corporate and regional response plans to minimize unnecessary risk of exposure and prevent infection, while supporting our employees, contractors and vendors to the best of our ability. We have a business continuity team tasked with responding to health, safety and environmental matters and personnel issues, and we have activated this business continuity team to address the impacts of the pandemic on our business as they develop. We also have modified certain business practices (including those related to employee travel, employee work locations, and cancellation of physical participation in meetings, events and conferences) to protect the health and safety of our employees and contractors and the communities in which we operate by conforming to government restrictions and best practices encouraged by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and other governmental and regulatory authorities.

There is considerable uncertainty regarding how long the pandemic and related market conditions will persist and the extent and duration of governmental and other measures implemented to try to slow the spread of the virus, such as large-scale travel bans and restrictions, border closures, quarantines, shelter-in-place orders and business and government shutdowns. One of the largest impacts of the pandemic has been a significant reduction in global demand for oil and, to a lesser extent, natural gas. In addition, in the first half of 2020, oil prices declined significantly due to an increase in supply emanating from a disagreement on production cuts among members of OPEC+ and certain non-OPEC oil-producing countries. The resulting oversupply and the reduced demand in response to COVID-19 have together caused prices in the oil and gas market to remain depressed. Oil and natural gas prices are expected to continue to be volatile as a result of the near-term production instability and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and as changes in oil and natural gas inventories, industry demand and global and national economic performance are reported. The supply and demand imbalance has disrupted the oil and natural gas exploration and production industry and other industries that serve exploration and production companies. We

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expect to see continued volatility in oil and natural gas prices for the foreseeable future, and such volatility has adversely impacted and is expected to continue to adversely impact our business, cash flows, liquidity, financial condition and results of operations.

As of the date of this Form 10-K, our efforts to respond to the challenges presented by the conditions described above and minimize the impacts to our business have yielded positive results. We have moved quickly to implement strategies to reduce costs, increase operational efficiencies and lower our capital spending. In 2020, we reduced our workforce by 25%. In connection with this reduction, we recorded non-recurring charges of approximately $44 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, and we anticipate an estimated annualized savings of approximately $70 million. In February 2021, we reduced our workforce by an additional 15%. In addition, due to the significant drop in oil prices and midstream constraints in 2020, we shut in wells and delayed 38 turn-in-lines, which reduced our oil production by approximately 50%, 25% and 10% in May, June and July, respectively. In response to recent improvements in market conditions, we have returned most wells to production and intend to complete most of our drilled but uncompleted wells by the second quarter of 2021. We anticipate our capital expenditures for the remainder of the year will be focused primarily on our natural gas assets. We have not received any funding under the CARES Act or other federal programs to support our operations and do not anticipate that we will. We are continuing to address concerns to protect the health and safety of our employees and those of our customers and other business counterparties, and this includes changes to comply with health-related guidelines as they are modified and supplemented.

We cannot predict the full impact that COVID-19 or the current significant disruption and volatility in the oil and natural gas markets will have on our business, cash flows, liquidity, financial condition and results of operations. The ultimate impact of the pandemic will depend on future developments that cannot be anticipated, including, among others, the ultimate severity of the virus, the consequences of governmental and other measures designed to mitigate the spread of the virus, the development and availability of treatments and vaccines and the extent to which these treatments and vaccines may remain effective as potential new strains of the virus emerge, the duration of the pandemic, any actions taken by members of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) and other foreign, oil-exporting countries, actions taken by governmental authorities, customers and other thirds parties, workforce availability, and the timing and extent of any return to normal economic and operating conditions. For additional discussion regarding risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, see Item 1A “Risk Factors” in this report.

Cancellation of Rights Plan

On April 23, 2020, our Board of Directors declared a dividend of one Right payable on May 4, 2020 for each share of our common stock outstanding on May 4, 2020 to the shareholders of record on that date (the “Rights”). In connection with the distribution of the Rights, we entered into a Rights Agreement with Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent (the “Rights Agreement”). Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from us Preferred Shares.

The Rights Agreement was intended to protect value by preserving our ability to use our tax attributes to offset potential future income taxes for federal income tax purposes. Our ability to use our tax attributes would have been substantially limited if we had experienced an ownership change under Section 382 of the Code prior to emergence from bankruptcy on February 9, 2021. The Rights Agreement reduced the likelihood of an ownership change by deterring any person or group of affiliated or associated persons from acquiring beneficial ownership of 4.9% or more of the outstanding shares of our common stock.

In connection with the adoption of the Rights Agreement the Company filed a Certificate of Designations of Series B Preferred Stock with the Secretary of State of the State of Oklahoma setting forth the rights, powers, and preferences of the Series B Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights (the “Preferred Shares”). On the Plan Effective Date, the Company filed a Certificate of Elimination with the Secretary of State of the State of Oklahoma eliminating the Preferred Shares and returning them to authorized but undesignated shares of the Company’s preferred stock. The foregoing is a summary of the terms of the Certificate of Elimination. The summary does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Certificate of Elimination.

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Liquidity and Capital Resources

Liquidity Overview

Our primary sources of capital resources and liquidity have historically consisted of internally generated cash flows from operations, borrowings under certain credit agreements, dispositions of non-core assets and the capital markets