XML 41 R19.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.6
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Use of Estimates
Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Significant estimates include oil and gas reserves used for depletion and impairment considerations and the cost of future asset retirement obligations.   Due to inherent uncertainties, including the future prices of oil and gas, these estimates could change in the near term and such changes could be material.
Properties and Equipment
Properties and Equipment

Land, buildings, improvements, machinery and equipment are carried at cost.  Depreciation of buildings, improvements, machinery and equipment is provided principally by the straight-line method over estimated useful lives ranging from 3 to 45 years.
 
Oil and Gas Properties
Oil and Gas Properties

The Company follows the full cost method in accounting for its oil and gas properties.  Under the full cost method, all costs associated with the acquisition, exploration and development of oil and gas properties are capitalized and accumulated in a country-wide cost center.  This includes any internal costs that are directly related to development and exploration activities, but does not include any costs related to production, general corporate overhead or similar activities.  Proceeds received from property disposals are credited against accumulated cost except when the sale represents a significant disposal of reserves, in which case a gain or loss is recognized.  The sum of net capitalized costs and estimated future development and dismantlement costs for each cost center is depleted on the equivalent unit-of-production method, based on proved oil and gas reserves.  Excluded from amounts subject to depletion are costs associated with unproved properties.

Full Cost Pool - Full cost pool capitalized costs are amortized over the life of production of proven properties.  Capitalized costs at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 which were not included in the amortized cost pool were $11.0 million and $20.0 million, respectively.  These costs consist of exploratory wells in progress, seismic costs that are being analyzed for potential drilling locations as well as land costs related to unevaluated properties.  No capitalized costs related to unevaluated properties are included in the amortization base at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011.  It is anticipated that these costs will be added to the full cost amortization pool in the next two years as properties are proved, drilled or abandoned.

Ceiling Test Analysis - Under the full cost method, net capitalized costs are limited to the lower of unamortized cost reduced by the related net deferred tax liability and asset retirement obligations or the cost center ceiling.  The cost center ceiling is defined as the sum of (i) estimated future net revenue, discounted at 10% per annum, from proved reserves, based on unescalated average prices per barrel of oil and per MMbtu of natural gas at the first day of each month in the 12-month period prior to the end of the reporting period and costs, adjusted for contract provisions and financial derivatives that hedge our oil and gas revenue and asset retirement obligations, (ii) the cost of properties not being amortized, and (iii) the lower of cost or market value of unproved properties included in the cost being amortized, reduced by (iv) the income tax effects related to differences between the book and tax basis of the crude oil and natural gas properties. If the net book value reduced by the related net deferred income tax liability and asset retirement obligations exceeds the cost center ceiling limitation, a non-cash impairment charge is required in the period in which the impairment occurs.

We perform a quarterly ceiling test for each of our oil and gas cost centers.  There was only one such cost center in 2012.  The reserves used in the ceiling test and the ceiling test itself incorporate assumptions regarding pricing and discount rates over which management has no influence in the determination of present value.  In arriving at the ceiling test for the quarter ended September 30, 2012, we used $94.97 per barrel for oil and $2.826 per MMbtu for natural gas (and adjusted for property specific gravity, quality, local markets and distance from markets) to compute the future cash flows of our producing properties.  The discount factor used was 10%.

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, the Company recorded proved property impairments of $0 and $523,000, respectively, related to its oil and gas assets, primarily due to a decline in natural gas prices. There were no proved property impairments recorded during the first nine months of 2011.  Management will continue to review our unproved properties based on market conditions and other changes and if appropriate, unproved property amounts may be reclassified to the amortized base of properties within the full cost pool.

Wells in Progress - Wells in progress represent the costs associated with unproved wells that have not reached total depth or have not been completed as of period end.  They are classified as wells in progress and withheld from the depletion calculation.  The costs for these wells are then transferred to evaluated property when the wells reach total depth and are completed and the costs become subject to depletion and the ceiling test calculation in future periods.
Mineral Properties
Mineral Properties
 
We capitalize all costs incidental to the acquisition of mineral properties.  Mineral exploration costs are expensed as incurred.  When exploration work indicates that a mineral property can be economically developed as a result of establishing proved and probable reserves, costs for the development of the mineral property as well as capital purchases and capital construction are capitalized and amortized using units of production over the estimated recoverable proved and probable reserves. Costs and expenses related to general corporate overhead are expensed as incurred. All capitalized costs are charged to operations if we subsequently determine that the property is not economical due to permanent decreases in market prices of commodities, excessive production costs or depletion of the mineral resource. Mineral properties at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 reflect capitalized costs associated with our Mt. Emmons molybdenum property near Crested Butte, Colorado.
Derivative Instruments
Derivative Instruments

The Company uses derivative instruments, typically fixed-rate swaps and costless collars, to manage price risk underlying its oil and gas production.  All derivative instruments are recorded in the consolidated balance sheets at fair value. The Company offsets fair value amounts recognized for derivative instruments executed with the same counterparty. Although the Company does not designate any of its derivative instruments as a cash flow hedge, such derivative instruments provide an economic hedge of our exposure to commodity price risk associated with forecasted future oil and gas production. These contracts are accounted for using the mark-to-market accounting method and accordingly, the Company recognizes all unrealized and realized gains and losses related to these contracts currently in earnings and they are classified as gain (loss) on derivative instruments, net in our consolidated statements of operations. The Company may also use puts, calls and basis swaps in the future.

The Company's Board of Directors sets all risk management policies and reviews the status and results of derivative activities, including volumes, types of instruments and counterparties on a quarterly basis. These policies require that derivative instruments be executed only by the Chief Executive Officer or President. The master contracts with approved counterparties identify the Chief Executive Officer and President as the only Company representatives authorized to execute trades. See Note 6, Commodity Price Risk Management, for further discussion.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue Recognition

The Company records oil and natural gas revenue under the sales method of accounting. Under the sales method, we recognize revenues based on the amount of oil or natural gas sold to purchasers, which may differ from the amounts to which we are entitled based on our interest in the properties. Natural gas balancing obligations as of September 30, 2012 were not significant.

Revenues from real estate operations are reported on a gross revenue basis and are recorded at the time the service is provided.
 
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Recent Accounting Pronouncements

On January 1, 2012, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05 ("ASC No. 2011-05"), an update to ASC Topic 220 issued by the FASB that states that an entity that reports items of other comprehensive income has the option to present the components of comprehensive income in either one continuous financial statement, or two consecutive financial statements, including reclassification adjustments. Subsequent to the issuance of the authoritative guidance, the FASB issued additional authoritative accounting guidance ("ASC No. 2011-12") that effectively deferred the requirement to present the reclassification adjustments on the face of the financial statements, as well as the requirement to present the individual components of other comprehensive income for interim periods. The Company has elected to present a separate statement of comprehensive income, including the individual components, titled Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss, as part of Item 1 to this report.

In December 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-11, Balance Sheet: Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities ("ASU 2011-11"). The objective of ASU 2011-11 is to require an entity to provide enhanced disclosures that will enable users of its financial statements to evaluate the effect or potential effect of netting arrangements on an entity's financial position. ASU 2011-11 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013 and should be applied retrospectively. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In May 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-04, Fair Value Measurement: Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs ("ASU 2011-04"), which provides amendments to FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement.  The objective of ASU 2011-04 is to create common fair value measurement and disclosure requirements between GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS").  The amendments clarify existing fair value measurement and disclosure requirements and make changes to particular principles or requirements for measuring or disclosing information about fair value measurements.  These amendments are not expected to have a significant impact on companies applying GAAP.  ASU 2011-04 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011.  The adoption of this standard did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements other than additional disclosures.