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Commitments and Contingencies | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2016
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | Note 6 - Commitments and Contingencies Commitments There were no material changes in commitments during the first nine months of 2016, except as discussed below. Please refer to Note 6 - Commitments and Contingencies in the Company’s 2015 Form 10-K for additional discussion. During the second quarter of 2016, the Company entered into a water disposal agreement in the Company’s operated Eagle Ford shale program. Under the agreement, the Company is committed to deliver 25.4 MMBbl of water for treatment through 2026. In the event that the Company does not deliver any volumes under this agreement, the Company’s aggregate undiscounted deficiency payments would be approximately $23.0 million. This commitment will become effective upon the constructed pipeline becoming operational, which is expected to be in the fourth quarter of 2016. During 2016, the Company renegotiated the terms of certain drilling rig contracts to provide flexibility concerning the timing of activity and payment. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, the Company incurred $1.1 million and $8.7 million, respectively, of expenses related to the early termination of drilling rig contracts or fees incurred for rigs placed on standby, which are recorded in the other operating expenses line item in the accompanying statements of operations. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, the Company incurred drilling rig termination and standby fees of $2.2 million and $8.1 million, respectively. As of September 30, 2016, the Company had drilling rig commitments totaling $20.0 million through 2018. Early termination of these contracts as of September 30, 2016, would result in termination penalties of $15.1 million, which would be in lieu of paying the remaining $20.0 million commitment. Additionally, the Company entered into drilling rig agreements to begin operating two rigs in the Midland Basin in the fourth quarter of 2016, neither of which has a material long-term commitment. During the first quarter of 2016, the Company entered into amendments to certain oil gathering and gas gathering agreements related to its outside-operated Eagle Ford shale assets, neither of which previously had a minimum volume commitment, in order to obtain more favorable rates and terms. Under these amended agreements, as of September 30, 2016, the Company is committed to deliver 290 Bcf of natural gas and 38 MMBbl of oil through 2034. In the event that the Company delivers no product under these amended agreements, the Company’s aggregate undiscounted deficiency payments would be approximately $333.2 million at September 30, 2016. However, because the Company owns a partial ownership interest in the gathering systems used to provide the services under these agreements, the Company is entitled to receive its share of operating income generated by the systems, and thus would expect to receive approximately $235.2 million if the $333.2 million shortfall payment was required. The Company’s outside-operated Eagle Ford shale assets, subject to this commitment and other material throughput commitments, are held for sale as of September 30, 2016. During the first quarter of 2016, the Company entered into an amendment to a gas gathering agreement related to its operated Eagle Ford shale assets, which reduced the Company’s volume commitment amount as of December 31, 2015, by 829 Bcf, and reduced the aggregate undiscounted deficiency payments, in the event no product is delivered, by $118.2 million through 2021. As of September 30, 2016, the Company had total gas, oil, and NGL gathering, processing, and transportation throughput commitments with various third parties that require delivery of a minimum amount of 1,556 Bcf of natural gas, 69 MMBbl of crude oil, and 13 MMBbl of natural gas liquids through 2034. If the Company delivers no product, the aggregate undiscounted deficiency payments total approximately $1.0 billion through 2034, prior to considering the $235.2 million of operating income the Company would expect to receive if certain payments were required as discussed above. As of the filing date of this report, the Company does not expect to incur any material shortfalls with regard to its gas, oil, and NGL gathering, processing, and transportation throughput and water disposal commitments. Contingencies The Company is subject to litigation and claims arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company accrues for such items when a liability is both probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. In the opinion of management, the expected results of any pending litigation and claims will not have a material effect on the results of operations, the financial position, or the cash flows of the Company. The Company is subject to routine severance, royalty, and joint interest audits from regulatory authorities, non-operators and others, as the case may be, and records accruals for estimated exposure when a claim is deemed probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Additionally, the Company is subject to various possible contingencies that arise from third party interpretations of the Company’s contracts or otherwise affecting the oil and natural gas industry. Such contingencies include differing interpretations as to the prices at which oil and natural gas sales may be made, the prices that royalty owners are paid for production from their leases, allowable costs under joint interest arrangements, and other matters. As of September 30, 2016, the Company had $2.7 million accrued for estimated exposure related to potential claims for payment of royalties on certain Federal oil and gas leases. Although the Company believes that it has properly estimated its potential exposure with respect to these claims based on various contracts, laws and regulations, administrative rulings, and interpretations thereof, adjustments could be required as new interpretations and regulations arise.

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