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PENDING AERA MERGER
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Business Combination and Asset Acquisition [Abstract]  
PENDING AERA MERGER PENDING AERA MERGER
On February 7, 2024, we entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger (Merger Agreement) to combine with Aera Energy, LLC (Aera) in an all-stock transaction (Aera Merger) with an effective date of January 1, 2024. Aera is a leading operator of mature fields in California, primarily in the San Joaquin and Ventura basins, with high oil-weighted production.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, we have agreed to issue 21,170,357 shares of common stock (subject to customary adjustments in the event of stock splits, dividend paid in stock and similar items) plus an additional number of shares determined by reference to the dividends declared by us having a record date between the effective date and closing as more fully described in the Merger Agreement. Upon closing, Aera's $950 million outstanding long-term debt will become due as a result of a change in control provision within their legacy debt agreement. We expect to repay a significant portion of this indebtedness with cash on hand and borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility. We intend to refinance the balance through one or more debt capital markets transactions and, only to the extent necessary, borrowings under a bridge loan facility provided by Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. (the Bank). Under the terms of our debt commitment letter with the Bank, it has committed, subject to satisfaction of customary conditions, to provide us with an unsecured 364-day bridge loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of $500 million (Bridge Loan Facility). Additionally, we have amended our Revolving Credit Facility as described in Note 4 Debt in connection with the pending Aera Merger. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, we incurred $8 million related to the bridge loan commitment and amending our Revolving Credit Facility which is reported in other current assets, net on our condensed consolidated balance sheet.

Closing of the Aera Merger is subject to certain conditions, including, among others, approval of the stock issuance by our stockholders, expiration of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (HSR Act), prior authorization by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under Section 203 of the Federal Power Act and other customary closing conditions. The required waiting period under the HSR Act expired on March 25, 2024.
Upon completion of the transaction, we currently expect our existing stockholders to own approximately 77% of the combined company and the existing Aera owners to own approximately 23% of the combined company, on a fully diluted basis.