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Summary of Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

Note 1 – Summary of Accounting Policies

 

Basis of Presentation

 

Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Our operations are considered to fall within a single industry segment, which are the acquisition, development, exploitation and production of crude oil properties in the United States.  Our consolidated financial statements include our wholly owned subsidiaries and our majority owned subsidiary Rantoul Partners (through December 31, 2012). On December 31, 2012 the Rantoul Partners subsidiary was liquidated. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation.  Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year financial statements to conform to the current year presentation.  

 

Nature of Business

 

We are an independent energy company engaged in the business of producing and selling crude oil. This crude oil is obtained primarily by the acquisition and subsequent exploration and development of mineral leases.  Development and exploration may include drilling new exploratory or development wells on these leases. These operations are conducted primarily in Eastern Kansas and South Texas.

 

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

 

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Significant estimates included in the consolidated financial statements are: (1) oil revenues and reserves; (2) depreciation, depletion and amortization; (3) valuation allowances associated with income taxes (4) accrued assets and liabilities; (5) stock-based compensation; (6) asset retirement obligations and (7) valuation of derivative instruments.  Although management believes these estimates are reasonable, changes in facts and circumstances or discovery of new information may result in revised estimates.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

Trade Accounts Receivable

 

Trade accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear any interest.  We regularly review receivables to insure that the amounts will be collected and establish or adjust an allowance for uncollectible amounts as necessary using the specific identification method.  Account balances are charged off against the allowance after all means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. There were no reserves for uncollectible amounts in the periods presented.

 

Share-Based Payments

 

The value we assign to the options and warrants that we issue is based on the fair market value as calculated by the Black-Scholes pricing model. To perform a calculation of the value of our options and warrants, we determine an estimate of the volatility of our stock.  We need to estimate volatility because there has not been enough trading of our stock to determine an appropriate measure of volatility. We believe our estimate of volatility is reasonable, and we review the assumptions used to determine this whenever we issue a new equity instruments.

 

Income Taxes

 

Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized when items of income and expense are recognized in the financial statements in different periods than when recognized in the applicable tax return. Deferred tax assets arise when expenses are recognized in the financial statements before the tax returns or when income items are recognized in the tax return prior to the financial statements. Deferred tax assets also arise when operating losses or tax credits are available to offset tax payments due in future years. Deferred tax liabilities arise when income items are recognized in the financial statements before the tax returns or when expenses are recognized in the tax return prior to the financial statements. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the date when the change in the tax rate was enacted.

 

We routinely assess the reliability of our deferred tax assets.  If we conclude that it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized under accounting standards, the tax asset is reduced by a valuation allowance.  In addition we routinely assess uncertain tax positions, and accrue for tax positions that are not more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities.

 

Uncertain Tax Positions  

  

We follow guidance in Topic 740 of the Codification for its accounting for uncertain tax positions. Topic 740 prescribes guidance for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. To recognize a tax position, we determine whether it is more-likely-than-not that the tax position will be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation, based solely on the technical merits of the position. A tax position that meets the more-likely-than-not threshold is measured to determine the amount of benefit to be recognized in the financial statements. The amount of tax benefit recognized with respect to any tax position is measured as the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50 percent likely of being realized upon settlement.

 

We have no liability for unrecognized tax benefits recorded as of December 31, 2012 and 2011. Accordingly, there is no amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate and there is no amount of interest or penalties currently recognized in the statement of operations or statement of financial position as of December 31, 2012. In addition, we do not believe that there are any positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits will significantly increase or decrease within the next twelve months. We recognize related interest and penalties as a component of income tax expense.

 

Tax years open for audit by federal tax authorities as of December 31, 2012 are the years ended December 31, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. Tax years ending prior to 2009 are open for audit to the extent that net operating losses generated in those years are being carried forward or utilized in an open year.

 

Fair Value Measurements

 

Accounting guidance establishes a single authoritative definition of fair value based upon the assumptions market participants would use when pricing an asset or liability and creates a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the information used to develop those assumptions.  Additional disclosures are required, including disclosures of fair value measurements by level within the fair value hierarchy.  We incorporate a credit risk assumption into the measurement of certain assets and liabilities

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents

 

We consider all highly liquid investment instruments purchased with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents for purposes of the consolidated statements of cash flows and other statements. We maintain cash on deposit, which, at times, exceed federally insured limits. We have not experienced any losses on such accounts and believe we are not exposed to any significant credit risk on cash and equivalents.

 

Revenue Recognition

 

Oil revenues are recognized net of royalties when production is sold to a purchaser at a fixed or determinable price, when delivery has occurred and title has transferred, and if collection of the revenue is probable. Cash received relating to future revenues is deferred and recognized when all revenue recognition criteria are met.

 

Property and Equipment

 

Property and equipment are recorded at cost. Depreciation is on a straight-line method using the estimated lives of the assets. (3-15 years).  Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are charged to expense.

 

Debt issue costs

 

Debt issuance costs incurred are capitalized and subsequently amortized over the term of the related debt on the straight-line method of amortization over the estimated life of the debt.

 

Oil Properties

 

We follow the full-cost method of accounting under which all costs associated with property acquisition, exploration and development activities are capitalized. We also capitalize internal costs that can be directly identified with our acquisition, exploration and development activities and do not include any costs related to production, general corporate overhead or similar activities.

 

Under the full-cost method, capitalized costs are amortized on a composite unit-of-production method based on proved oil reserves. Depreciation, depletion and amortization expense is also based on the amount of estimated reserves. If we maintain the same level of production year over year, the depreciation, depletion and amortization expense may be significantly different if our estimate of remaining reserves changes significantly. Proceeds from the sale of properties are accounted for as reductions of capitalized costs unless such sales involve a significant change in the relationship between costs and the value of proved reserves or the underlying value of unproved properties, in which case a gain or loss is recognized. The costs of unproved properties are excluded from amortization until the properties are evaluated. We review all of our unevaluated properties quarterly to determine whether or not and to what extent proved reserves have been assigned to the properties, and otherwise if impairment has occurred. Unevaluated properties are assessed individually when individual costs are significant.

 

We review the carrying value of our oil properties under the full-cost accounting rules of the SEC on a quarterly basis. This quarterly review is referred to as a ceiling test. Under the ceiling test, capitalized costs, less accumulated amortization and related deferred income taxes, may not exceed an amount equal to the sum of the present value of estimated future net revenues (adjusted for cash flow hedges) less estimated future expenditures to be incurred in developing and producing the proved reserves, less any related income tax effects. In calculating future net revenues, current SEC regulations require us to utilize prices at the end of the appropriate quarterly period. Such prices are utilized except where different prices are fixed and determinable from applicable contracts for the remaining term of those contracts, including the effects of derivatives qualifying as cash flow hedges. Two primary factors impacting this test are reserve levels and current prices, and their associated impact on the present value of estimated future net revenues. Revisions to estimates of oil reserves and/or an increase or decrease in prices can have a material impact on the present value of estimated future net revenues. Any excess of the net book value, less deferred income taxes, is generally written off as an expense. Under SEC regulations, the excess above the ceiling is not expensed (or is reduced) if, subsequent to the end of the period, but prior to the release of the financial statements, oil prices increase sufficiently such that an excess above the ceiling would have been eliminated (or reduced) if the increased prices were used in the calculations.

 

The estimates of proved crude oil reserves utilized in the preparation of the financial statements are estimated in accordance with guidelines established by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC”) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board ( "FASB" ), which require that reserve estimates be prepared under existing economic and operating conditions using a 12-month average price with no provision for price and cost escalations in future years except by contractual arrangements. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates.

 

Long-Lived Assets

 

Impairment of long-lived assets is recorded when indicators of impairment are present and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than the assets' carrying value.  The carrying value of the assets is then reduced to their estimated fair value that is usually measured based on an estimate of future discounted cash flows.

 

Asset Retirement Obligations

 

The asset retirement obligation relates to the plug and abandonment costs when our wells are no longer useful. We determine the value of the liability by obtaining quotes for this service and estimate the increase we will face in the future. We then discount the future value based on an intrinsic interest rate that is appropriate for us. If costs rise more than what we have expected there could be additional charges in the future, however, we monitor the costs of the abandoned wells and we will adjust this liability if necessary.

 

Major Purchasers

 

For the years ended December 31, 2012, and 2011 we sold all of our produced oil to Coffeyville Resources, Plains Marketing, L.P., and Sunoco, Inc. on a month-to-month basis.

 

Marketable Securities Available for Sale 

 

The Company classifies its marketable equity securities as available-for-sale and they are carried at fair market value, with the unrealized gains and losses included in accumulated other comprehensive income and reported in stockholders’ equity. The difference between cost and market totals $552,589 for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011.

 

Reclassifications

 

Certain reclassifications have been made to prior periods to conform to current presentations.

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Applicable to the Company

 

The Company does not believe there are any recently issued, but not yet effective; accounting standards that would have a significant impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.