v2.3.0.15
Derivative Financial Instruments
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Derivative Financial Instruments 
Derivative Financial Instruments

4. Derivative Financial Instruments

 

Objectives and Strategies

 

Devon periodically enters into derivative financial instruments to manage its exposure to market risks, such as changes in commodity prices, interest rates and currency exchange rates. Devon does not hold or issue derivative financial instruments for speculative trading purposes and has elected not to designate any of its derivative instruments for hedge accounting treatment.

 

Devon's commodity derivative financial instruments include financial price swaps, basis swaps, costless price collars and call options. Under the terms of the price swaps, Devon receives a fixed price for its production and pays a variable market price to the contract counterparty. For the basis swaps, Devon receives a fixed differential between two regional gas index prices and pays a variable differential on the same two index prices to the contract counterparty. The price collars set a floor and ceiling price for the hedged production. If the applicable monthly price indices are outside of the ranges set by the floor and ceiling prices in the various collars, Devon will cash-settle the difference with the counterparty to the collars. Under the terms of the call options, Devon sold to counterparties the right to purchase production at a predetermined price.

 

Devon's interest rate swaps include contracts in which Devon receives a fixed rate and pays a variable rate on a total notional amount.

 

Devon's foreign currency contracts include forward contracts that hedge certain monetary assets denominated in Canadian dollars.

 

Credit Risk

 

Through its derivative financial instruments, Devon exposes itself to credit risk, which arises from the failure of the counterparty to perform under the terms of the derivative contract. To mitigate this risk, the hedging instruments are placed with a number of counterparties whom Devon believes are minimal credit risks. It is Devon's policy to enter into derivative contracts only with investment grade rated counterparties deemed by management to be competent and competitive market makers. Additionally, Devon's derivative contracts generally require cash collateral to be posted if either its or the counterparty's credit rating falls below investment grade. The mark-to-market exposure threshold, above which collateral must be posted, decreases as the debt rating falls further below investment grade. Such thresholds generally range from zero to $55 million for the majority of Devon's contracts. As of September 30, 2011, the credit ratings of all Devon's counterparties were investment grade.

 


 

Commodity Derivatives

 

As of September 30, 2011, Devon had the following open oil derivative positions. Devon's oil derivatives settle against the average of the prompt month NYMEX West Texas Intermediate futures price.

Production Period

 

Price Swaps

 

Price Collars

 

Call Options Sold

 

 

Period

 

Volume

(Bbls/d)

Weighted

Average Price

($/Bbl)

 

Volume

(Bbls/d)

Weighted

Average Floor Price

($/Bbl)

Weighted

Average Ceiling Price

($/Bbl)

 

Volume

(Bbls/d)

Weighted

Average Price

($/Bbl)

Q4 2011

45,000

$75.00

$108.89

19,500

$95.00

Q1-Q4 2012...

22,000

$107.17

54,000

$85.74

$126.42

19,500

$95.00

Q1-Q4 2013...

7,000

$90.00

$125.12

 

As of September 30, 2011, Devon had the following open natural gas derivative positions. Devon's natural gas derivative swaps, collars and call options settle against the Inside FERC first of the month Henry Hub index.

 

Production Period

 

Price Swaps

 

Price Collars

 

Call Options Sold

 

 

Period

 

Volume

(MMBtu/d)

Weighted

Average Price

($/MMBtu)

 

Volume

(MMBtu/d)

Weighted

Average Floor Price

($/MMBtu)

Weighted

Average Ceiling Price

($/MMBtu)

 

Volume

(MMBtu/d)

Weighted

Average Price

($/MMBtu)

Q4 2011

712,500

$5.51

287,935

4.66

5.07

Q1-Q4 2012...

325,000

$5.09

490,000

4.75

5.57

487,500

$6.00

 

Basis Swaps

 

 

 

Production Period

 

 

 

Index

 

 

Volume

(MMBtu/d)

Weighted Average

Differential to Henry Hub

($/MMBtu)

Q4 2011

Panhandle Eastern Pipeline

150,000

$(0.33)

 

As of September 30, 2011, Devon had the following open NGL derivative positions:

 

Basis Swaps

 

 

Production Period

 

 

Pay

 

Volume

(Bbls/d)

Weighted Average

Differential to WTI

($/Bbl)

Q4 2011

Natural Gasoline

332

$(9.75)

Q1-Q4 2012

Natural Gasoline

500

$(10.10)

Q1-Q4 2013

Natural Gasoline

500

$(6.80)

 

Interest Rate Derivatives

 

As of September 30, 2011, Devon had the following open interest rate derivative positions:

 

Fixed-to-Floating Swaps

 

Notional

Fixed Rate

Received

Variable

Rate Paid

 

Expiration

(In millions)

 

 

 

$           100

1.90%

Federal funds rate

August 3, 2012

              500

3.90%

Federal funds rate

July 18, 2013

              250

3.85%

Federal funds rate

July 22, 2013

$           850

3.65%

 

 


 

Foreign Currency Derivative

 

As of September 30, 2011, Devon had the following open foreign currency derivative position:

 

 

 

Forward Contract

 

Currency

Contract Type

CAD

Notional

Fixed Rate

Received

 

Expiration

 

 

(In millions)

(CAD-USD)

 

Canadian Dollar

Sell

$           305

0.9615

December 30, 2011

 

Financial Statement Presentation

 

The following table presents the derivative fair values included in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

 

 

Balance Sheet Caption

September 30, 2011

December 31, 2010

 

 

(In millions)

Asset derivatives:

 

 

 

  Commodity derivatives

Other current assets

$                      672

$                      248

  Commodity derivatives

Other long-term assets

                        188

                             1

  Interest rate derivatives

Other current assets

                           29

                        100

  Interest rate derivatives

Other long-term assets

                           27

                          40

    Total asset derivatives

$                      916

$                      389

Liability derivatives:

 

 

 

  Commodity derivatives

Other current liabilities

$                        38

$                        50

  Commodity derivatives

Other long-term liabilities

                           20

                        142

    Total liability derivatives

$                        58

$                      192

 

The following table presents the cash settlements and unrealized gains and losses on fair value changes included in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations associated with these derivative financial instruments. Cash settlements and unrealized gains and losses on fair value changes associated with Devon's commodity derivatives are presented in the "Oil, gas and NGL derivatives" caption in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. Cash settlements and unrealized gains and losses on fair value changes associated with Devon's interest rate and foreign currency derivatives are presented in the "Interest-rate and other financial instruments" caption in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30,

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 

2011

2010

2011

2010

 

(In millions)

Cash settlements:

 

 

 

 

    Commodity derivatives

$               96

$             232

$             241

$             580

    Interest rate derivatives

                  52

                  17

                  73

                  37

    Foreign currency derivatives

                  22

                

                  22

                

    Total cash settlements

               170

               249

               336

               617

 

 

 

 

 

Unrealized gains (losses):

 

 

 

 

    Commodity derivatives

               642

                (23)

               745

               294

    Interest rate derivatives

                (55)

                (72)

                (84)

              (158)

    Total unrealized gains (losses)

               587

                (95)

               661

               136

Net gain (loss) recognized on statement of operations

$             757

$             154

$             997

$             753