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Debt
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Debt
4.Debt
Our long-term debt consisted of the following as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023:
March 31, 2024December 31, 2023
Carrying Amount
Fair Value(a)
Carrying Amount
Fair Value(a)
Credit Facility$— $— $— $— 
5.50% senior notes due 2026
500 496 500 496 
5.875% senior notes due 2029
500 496 500 489 
6.75% senior notes due 2029
950 958 950 958 
Premiums on senior notes80 — 83 — 
Debt issuance costs(5)— (5)— 
Total long-term debt, net$2,025 $1,950 $2,028 $1,943 
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(a)The carrying value of borrowings under our Credit Facility approximates fair value as the interest rates are based on prevailing market rates; therefore, they are a Level 1 fair value measurement. For all other debt, a market approach, based upon quotes from major financial institutions, which are Level 2 inputs, is used to measure the fair value.
Credit Facility. In December 2022, we entered into a senior secured reserve-based credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) with the lenders and issuing banks party thereto (the “Lenders”), and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”), providing for a reserve-based credit facility (the “Credit Facility”) with an initial borrowing base of $3.5 billion and aggregate commitments of $2.0 billion. The Credit Facility matures in December 2027. The Credit Facility provides for a $200 million sublimit available for the issuance of letters of credit and a $50 million sublimit available for swingline loans. As of March 31, 2024, we have approximately $2.0 billion available for borrowings under the Credit Facility.

Initially, the obligations under the Credit Facility are guaranteed by certain of Chesapeake’s subsidiaries (the “Guarantors”), and the Credit Facility is secured by substantially all of the assets owned by the Company and the Guarantors (subject to customary exceptions), including mortgages on not less than 85% of the total PV-9 of the borrowing base properties evaluated in the most recent reserve report (where PV-9 is the net present value, discounted at 9% per annum, of the estimated future net revenues). The borrowing base will be redetermined semi-annually in or around April and October of each year, with one interim “wildcard” redetermination available to each of the Company and the Administrative Agent, the latter at the direction of the Required Lenders (as defined in the Credit Agreement), between scheduled redeterminations. In April 2024, our borrowing base was reaffirmed, and the aggregate commitments related to our Credit Facility were increased by $500 million to $2.5 billion. Additionally, the sublimit available for the issuance of letters of credit was increased by $300 million to $500 million. The next scheduled redetermination will be in or around October 2024. The Credit Agreement contains restrictive covenants that limit Chesapeake and its subsidiaries’ ability to, among other things but subject to exceptions customary to reserve-based credit facilities: (i) incur additional indebtedness, (ii) make investments, (iii) enter into mergers; (iv) make or declare dividends; (v) repurchase or redeem certain indebtedness; (vi) enter into certain hedges; (vii) incur liens; (viii) sell assets; and (ix) engage in certain transactions with affiliates. The Credit Agreement requires Chesapeake to maintain compliance with the following financial ratios: (A) a current ratio, which is the ratio of Chesapeake’s and its restricted subsidiaries’ consolidated current assets (including unused commitments under the Credit Facility but excluding certain non-cash assets) to their consolidated current liabilities (excluding the current portion of long-term debt and certain non-cash liabilities), of not less than 1.00 to 1.00; (B) a net leverage ratio, which is the ratio of total indebtedness (less unrestricted cash up to a specified threshold) to Consolidated EBITDAX (as defined in the Credit Agreement) for the prior four fiscal quarters, of not greater than 3.50 to 1.00 and (C) a PV-9 coverage ratio of the net present value, discounted at 9% per annum, of the estimated future net revenues expected in the proved reserves to Chesapeake’s and its restricted subsidiaries’ total indebtedness of not less than 1.50 to 1.00.
Borrowings under the Credit Agreement may be alternate base rate loans or term SOFR loans, at our election. Interest is payable quarterly for alternate base rate loans and at the end of the applicable interest period for term SOFR loans. Term SOFR loans bear interest at term SOFR plus an applicable rate ranging from 175 to 275 basis points per annum, depending on the percentage of the commitments utilized, plus an additional 10 basis points per annum credit spread adjustment. Alternate base rate loans bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the greatest of: (i) the prime rate; (ii) the federal funds effective rate plus 50 basis points; and (iii) the adjusted term SOFR rate for a one-month interest period plus 100 basis points, plus an applicable margin ranging from 75 to 175 basis points per annum, depending on the percentage of the commitments utilized. Chesapeake also pays a commitment fee on unused commitment amounts under the Credit Facility ranging from 37.5 to 50 basis points per annum, depending on the percentage of the commitments utilized.

The Credit Facility is subject to customary events of default, remedies, and cure rights for credit facilities of this nature. The Company has no additional secured debt as of March 31, 2024.