7. OTHER CURRENT ASSETS	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Other Current Assets
OTHER CURRENT ASSETS	On September 11, 2013, the Company entered into a Shares Subscription Agreement (“SSA”) to acquire an approximate 51% ownership in Asia Sixth Energy Resources Limited (“Asia Sixth”), which held an approximate 60% ownership interest in Aral Petroleum Capital Limited Partnership (“Aral”), a Kazakhstan entity. In August 2014 the SSA was restructured (the “Aral Restructuring”), in connection with which the Company received a promissory note in the principal amount of $10.0 million from Asia Sixth (the “A6 Promissory Note”), which would be converted into a 10.0% interest in Caspian Energy, Inc. (“Caspian Energy”), an Ontario, Canada company listed on the NEX board of the TSX Venture Exchange, upon the consummation of the Aral Restructuring. The Company entered into an agreement with GGE to convey 50% of our interests in Asia Sixth in connection with an acquisition transaction in March 2014. The Aral Restructuring was consummated on May 20, 2015, upon which date the A6 Promissory Note was converted into 23,182,880 shares of common stock of Caspian Energy. In addition, on the date of conversion of the A6 Promissory Note, Mr. Frank Ingriselli, our Chairman and then Chief Executive Officer, was appointed as a non-executive director of Caspian Energy and currently serves as the Chairman of its Board of Directors. In connection with our GGE Acquisition, on February 23, 2015, we provided GGE a one-year option to acquire our interest in Caspian Energy for $100,000 payable upon exercise of the option recorded in prepaid expenses and other current assets. As a result, the carrying value of the 23,182,880 shares of common stock of Caspian Energy which were issued upon conversion of the A6 Promissory Note at December 31, 2015 was $100,000. The option provided to GGE was not exercised and expired on February 23, 2016, resulting in the Company retaining ownership of the 23,182,880 shares of Caspian Energy. In connection with the Company’s May 2016 debt restructuring as more fully described below, the Company entered into a new Call Option Agreement with GGE, dated May 12, 2016 (the “GGE Option Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company provided GGE an option to purchase the 23,182,880 common shares of Caspian Energy upon payment of $100,000 by GGE to the Company and is callable by GGE at any time. The option expires on May 12, 2019, which is the maturity date of the debt evidenced by that certain Note and Security Agreement, dated April 10, 2014, as amended on February 23, 2015, and May 12, 2016, issued by the Company to RJ Credit LLC (“RJC” and the “RJC Junior Note”), as described below. The $100,000 option is classified as part of other current assets as of December 31, 2016.

7. OTHER CURRENT ASSETS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

On September 11, 2013, the Company entered into a Shares Subscription Agreement (“SSA”) to acquire an approximate 51% ownership in Asia Sixth Energy Resources Limited (“Asia Sixth”), which held an approximate 60% ownership interest in Aral Petroleum Capital Limited Partnership (“Aral”), a Kazakhstan entity. In August 2014 the SSA was restructured (the “Aral Restructuring”), in connection with which the Company received a promissory note in the principal amount of $10.0 million from Asia Sixth (the “A6 Promissory Note”), which would be converted into a 10.0% interest in Caspian Energy, Inc. (“Caspian Energy”), an Ontario, Canada company listed on the NEX board of the TSX Venture Exchange, upon the consummation of the Aral Restructuring.

The Company entered into an agreement with GGE to convey 50% of our interests in Asia Sixth in connection with an acquisition transaction in March 2014.

The Aral Restructuring was consummated on May 20, 2015, upon which date the A6 Promissory Note was converted into 23,182,880 shares of common stock of Caspian Energy. In addition, on the date of conversion of the A6 Promissory Note, Mr. Frank Ingriselli, our Chairman and then Chief Executive Officer, was appointed as a non-executive director of Caspian Energy and currently serves as the Chairman of its Board of Directors.

In connection with our GGE Acquisition, on February 23, 2015, we provided GGE a one-year option to acquire our interest in Caspian Energy for $100,000 payable upon exercise of the option recorded in prepaid expenses and other current assets. As a result, the carrying value of the 23,182,880 shares of common stock of Caspian Energy which were issued upon conversion of the A6 Promissory Note at December 31, 2015 was $100,000. The option provided to GGE was not exercised and expired on February 23, 2016, resulting in the Company retaining ownership of the 23,182,880 shares of Caspian Energy.

In connection with the Company’s May 2016 debt restructuring as more fully described below, the Company entered into a new Call Option Agreement with GGE, dated May 12, 2016 (the “GGE Option Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company provided GGE an option to purchase the 23,182,880 common shares of Caspian Energy upon payment of $100,000 by GGE to the Company and is callable by GGE at any time. The option expires on May 12, 2019, which is the maturity date of the debt evidenced by that certain Note and Security Agreement, dated April 10, 2014, as amended on February 23, 2015, and May 12, 2016, issued by the Company to RJ Credit LLC (“RJC” and the “RJC Junior Note”), as described below. The $100,000 option is classified as part of other current assets as of December 31, 2016.