VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES	8.VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES Cavalier Minerals On November 10, 2014, our subsidiary, Alliance Minerals, and Bluegrass Minerals Management, LLC ("Bluegrass Minerals") entered into a limited liability company agreement (the "Cavalier Agreement") to create Cavalier Minerals JV, LLC ("Cavalier Minerals"), which was formed to indirectly acquire oil & gas mineral interests through its ownership in AllDale I & II. Alliance Minerals owns a 96% member interest in Cavalier Minerals, and Bluegrass Minerals owns a 4% member interest in Cavalier Minerals and a profits interest which entitles it to receive distributions equal to 25% of all distributions (including in liquidation) after all members have recovered their investment. All members have recovered their investment and Bluegrass Minerals began receiving its profits interest distributions in late 2022. We hold the managing member interest in Cavalier Minerals. We have concluded that Cavalier Minerals is a variable interest entity ("VIE") which we consolidate as the primary beneficiary because we are the managing member and a substantial equity owner in Cavalier Minerals. Bluegrass Minerals' equity ownership of Cavalier Minerals is accounted for as noncontrolling ownership interest in our condensed consolidated balance sheets. In addition, earnings attributable to Bluegrass Minerals are recognized as noncontrolling interest in our condensed consolidated statements of income. AllDale III In February 2017, Alliance Minerals committed to directly invest $30.0 million in AllDale Minerals III, LP ("AllDale III") which was created for similar investment purposes as AllDale I & II. Alliance Minerals completed funding of this commitment in 2018. Alliance Minerals' limited partner interest in AllDale III is 13.9%. The AllDale III Partnership Agreement includes a 25% profits interest for the general partner, subject to a return hurdle equal to the greater of 125% of cumulative capital contributions and a 10% internal rate of return, and following an 80/20 "catch-up" provision for the general partner. Since AllDale III is structured as a limited partnership with the limited partners (1) not having the ability to remove the general partner and (2) not participating significantly in the operational decisions, we concluded that AllDale III is a VIE. We are not the primary beneficiary of AllDale III as we do not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact AllDale III's economic performance. We account for our ownership interest in the income or loss of AllDale III as an equity method investment. We record equity income or loss based on AllDale III's distribution structure. See Note 9 – Equity Investments for more information. Francis On April 5, 2022, we invested $20 million in Francis Renewable Energy, LLC ("Francis"), in the form of a convertible note. Our convertible note matured on April 1, 2023 and was converted into a preferred equity interest in Francis. Prior to conversion, we had determined the note more closely represented equity as opposed to debt. Therefore, we accounted for the convertible note as an equity contribution even though we did not participate in Francis' earnings or losses and were not eligible to receive distributions during the term of the note. Subsequent to the conversion on April 1, 2023, we participate in earnings and losses and are eligible to receive distributions. As of September 30, 2023, we held approximately 17.0% of Francis' equity. We have concluded that Francis is a VIE as the management structure is similar to a limited partnership with the non-managing members (i) not having the ability to remove the managing member and (ii) not participating significantly in the operational decisions. We are not the primary beneficiary of Francis as we do not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact Francis's economic performance. We account for our ownership interest in the income or loss of Francis as an equity method investment. Following the conversion of our note to preferred equity, we record equity income or loss based on Francis' distribution structure. See Note 9 – Equity Investments for more information. NGP ET IV On June 2, 2022, we committed to purchase $25.0 million of limited partner interests in NGP Energy Transition, L.P. ("NGP ET IV"), a private equity fund sponsored by NGP and focused on investments that are part of the global transition toward a lower carbon economy. This commitment represents a 3.6% interest in NGP ET IV. As of September 30, 2023, we have funded $6.3 million of this commitment. We have concluded that NGP ET IV is a VIE as it is structured as a limited partnership with limited partners (i) not having the ability to remove the general partner and (ii) not participating significantly in the operational decisions. We are not the primary beneficiary of NGP ET IV as we do not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact NGP ET IV's economic performance. We account for our ownership interest in the income or loss of NGP ET IV as an equity method investment. See Note 9 – Equity Investments for more information.

VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

8.VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

Cavalier Minerals

On November 10, 2014, our subsidiary, Alliance Minerals, and Bluegrass Minerals Management, LLC ("Bluegrass Minerals") entered into a limited liability company agreement (the "Cavalier Agreement") to create Cavalier Minerals JV, LLC ("Cavalier Minerals"), which was formed to indirectly acquire oil & gas mineral interests through its ownership in AllDale I & II. Alliance Minerals owns a 96% member interest in Cavalier Minerals, and Bluegrass Minerals owns a 4% member interest in Cavalier Minerals and a profits interest which entitles it to receive distributions equal to 25% of all distributions (including in liquidation) after all members have recovered their investment. All members have recovered their investment and Bluegrass Minerals began receiving its profits interest distributions in late 2022. We hold the managing member interest in Cavalier Minerals.

We have concluded that Cavalier Minerals is a variable interest entity ("VIE") which we consolidate as the primary beneficiary because we are the managing member and a substantial equity owner in Cavalier Minerals. Bluegrass Minerals' equity ownership of Cavalier Minerals is accounted for as noncontrolling ownership interest in our condensed consolidated balance sheets. In addition, earnings attributable to Bluegrass Minerals are recognized as noncontrolling interest in our condensed consolidated statements of income.

AllDale III

In February 2017, Alliance Minerals committed to directly invest $30.0 million in AllDale Minerals III, LP ("AllDale III") which was created for similar investment purposes as AllDale I & II. Alliance Minerals completed funding of this commitment in 2018. Alliance Minerals' limited partner interest in AllDale III is 13.9%.

The AllDale III Partnership Agreement includes a 25% profits interest for the general partner, subject to a return hurdle equal to the greater of 125% of cumulative capital contributions and a 10% internal rate of return, and following an 80/20 "catch-up" provision for the general partner.

Since AllDale III is structured as a limited partnership with the limited partners (1) not having the ability to remove the general partner and (2) not participating significantly in the operational decisions, we concluded that AllDale III is a VIE. We are not the primary beneficiary of AllDale III as we do not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact AllDale III's economic performance. We account for our ownership interest in the income or loss of AllDale III as an equity method investment. We record equity income or loss based on AllDale III's distribution structure. See Note 9 – Equity Investments for more information.

Francis

On April 5, 2022, we invested $20 million in Francis Renewable Energy, LLC ("Francis"), in the form of a convertible note. Our convertible note matured on April 1, 2023 and was converted into a preferred equity interest in Francis. Prior to conversion, we had determined the note more closely represented equity as opposed to debt. Therefore, we accounted for the convertible note as an equity contribution even though we did not participate in Francis' earnings or losses and were not eligible to receive distributions during the term of the note. Subsequent to the conversion on April 1, 2023, we participate in earnings and losses and are eligible to receive distributions. As of September 30, 2023, we held approximately 17.0% of Francis' equity.

We have concluded that Francis is a VIE as the management structure is similar to a limited partnership with the non-managing members (i) not having the ability to remove the managing member and (ii) not participating significantly in the operational decisions. We are not the primary beneficiary of Francis as we do not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact Francis's economic performance. We account for our ownership interest in the income or loss of Francis as an equity method investment. Following the conversion of our note to preferred equity, we record equity income or loss based on Francis' distribution structure. See Note 9 – Equity Investments for more information.

NGP ET IV

On June 2, 2022, we committed to purchase $25.0 million of limited partner interests in NGP Energy Transition, L.P. ("NGP ET IV"), a private equity fund sponsored by NGP and focused on investments that are part of the global transition toward a lower carbon economy. This commitment represents a 3.6% interest in NGP ET IV. As of September 30, 2023, we have funded $6.3 million of this commitment.

We have concluded that NGP ET IV is a VIE as it is structured as a limited partnership with limited partners (i) not having the ability to remove the general partner and (ii) not participating significantly in the operational decisions. We are not the primary beneficiary of NGP ET IV as we do not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact NGP ET IV's economic performance. We account for our ownership interest in the income or loss of NGP ET IV as an equity method investment. See Note 9 – Equity Investments for more information.