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Disclosures About Oil and Gas Producing Activities (unaudited)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Disclosures About Oil and Gas Producing Activities (unaudited)
10. Disclosures About Oil and Gas Producing Activities (unaudited)

Proved Reserves

All of our estimated oil and natural gas reserves are attributable to properties within the United States, primarily in the Permian Basin in West Texas. The estimates of proved reserves and related valuations for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, were prepared by DeGolyer and MacNaughton, independent petroleum engineers. Each year’s estimate of proved reserves and related valuations were also prepared in accordance with then-current rules and guidelines established by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

The following table summarizes the prices used in the reserve estimates for 2012, 2011 and 2010. Commodity prices used for the reserve estimates, adjusted for basis differentials, grade and quality, are as follows:

 

     2012      2011      2010  

Oil (per Bbl)

   $ 90.21       $ 89.65       $ 74.90   

Natural gas liquids (per Bbl)

   $ 37.88       $ 49.63       $ 39.25   

Gas (per Mcf)

   $ 2.62       $ 3.97       $ 4.13   

Oil, NGL and natural gas reserve estimates are subject to numerous uncertainties inherent in the estimation of quantities of proved reserves and in the projection of future rates of production and the timing of development expenditures. The accuracy of such estimates is a function of the quality of available data and of engineering and geological interpretation and judgment. Results of subsequent drilling, testing and production may cause either upward or downward revision of previous estimates. Further, the volumes considered to be commercially recoverable fluctuate with changes in prices and operating costs. The Company emphasizes that reserve estimates are inherently imprecise and that estimates of new discoveries are more imprecise than those of currently producing oil and natural gas properties. Accordingly, these estimates are expected to change as additional information becomes available in the future.

The following table provides a summary of the changes of the total proved reserves for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, as well as proved developed and proved undeveloped reserves at the beginning and end of each respective year.

 

Total Proved Reserves

   Oil
(MBbls)
    NGLs
(MBbls)
    Natural Gas
(MMcf)
    Total
(MBoe)
 

Balance — December 31, 2009

     4,338        4,094        168,334        36,488   

Extensions and discoveries

     984        1,395        8,365        3,773   

Purchases of minerals in place

     383        786        4,736        1,958   

Production

     (247     (261     (6,290     (1,556

Revisions to previous estimates

     (507     14,685        (24,756     10,052   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance — December 31, 2010

     4,951        20,699        150,389        50,715   

Extensions and discoveries

     11,847        7,010        40,146        25,548   

Purchases of minerals in place

     2,200        4,284        24,083        10,498   

Production

     (482     (798     (6,345     (2,338

Revisions to previous estimates

     (465     (2,072     (29,466     (7,448
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance — December 31, 2011

     18,051        29,123        178,807        76,975   

Extensions and discoveries

     21,993        8,639        49,372        38,861   

Production

     (969     (904     (6,089     (2,888

Revisions to previous estimates

     (1,823     (7,758     (47,330     (17,469
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance — December 31, 2012

     37,252        29,100        174,760        95,479   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Proved Developed Reserves:

        

January 1, 2010

     1,239        1,879        74,804        15,585   

December 31, 2010

     2,146        11,193        74,739        25,795   

January 1, 2011

     2,146        11,193        74,739        25,795   

December 31, 2011

     5,542        13,945        84,743        33,611   

January 1, 2012

     5,542        13,945        84,743        33,611   

December 31, 2012

     8,816        11,761        73,178        32,774   

Proved Undeveloped Reserves:

        

January 1, 2010

     3,099        2,215        93,530        20,903   

December 31, 2010

     2,805        9,506        75,650        24,920   

January 1, 2011

     2,805        9,506        75,650        24,920   

December 31, 2011

     12,509        15,178        94,064        43,365   

January 1, 2012

     12,509        15,178        94,064        43,365   

December 31, 2012

     28,436        17,339        101,582        62,705   

The following is a discussion of the material changes in our proved reserve quantities for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010:

Year Ended December 31, 2012

We produced 2.9 MMBoe during 2012, 99.4% of which is attributable to our assets in the Permian Basin. Extensions and discoveries of 38.9 MMBoe for 2012 were primarily attributable to ongoing development of Project Pangea in the Wolfcamp oil shale resource play in the Permian Basin. We recorded downward revisions of 17.5 MMBoe to the December 31, 2011, estimates of our proved reserves at year end 2012. Downward revisions of 17.5 MMBoe include 8.9 MMBoe of deeper, Canyon reserves in southeast Project Pangea that we reclassified to probable undeveloped. Due to our horizontal Wolfcamp development project, including pad drilling, postponement of these deeper Canyon locations beyond five years from initial booking is necessary in order to integrate their development with shallower Wolffork target zones. Revisions in 2012 also include [3.3] MMBoe of performance revisions related to vertical Canyon wells in Project Pangea, 2.9 MMBoe of revisions resulting from technical evaluations and 2.4 MMBoe of revisions resulting from lower natural gas and NGL prices in 2012.

Year Ended December 31, 2011

We produced 2.4 MMBoe during 2011, 99% of which is attributable to our assets in the Permian Basin. Extensions and discoveries of 25.5 MMBoe for 2011 include 24.2 MMBoe attributable to our Wolfcamp oil shale resource play in the Permian Basin. During 2011, we acquired approximately 10.5 MMBoe of proved reserves through the 38% Working Interest Acquisition. We recorded downward revisions of 7.5 MMBoe to the December 31, 2010, estimates of our proved reserves at year end 2011. Downward revisions of 7.5 MMBoe include 5.6 MMBoe of economic revisions in southeast Project Pangea in the Permian Basin and 2.2 MMBoe of proved undeveloped reserves in the East Texas Basin that, due to ongoing, low natural gas prices, we did not expect to develop by year-end 2013. Also included in the revisions were 0.3 MMBoe of positive revisions resulting from higher oil and NGL prices using the average 12-month price in 2011.

Year Ended December 31, 2010

Our drilling and development activities in Project Pangea in the Permian Basin resulted in our classification of reserves as proved, which accounts for the additional quantities listed under extensions and discoveries. For the year ended December 31, 2010, we recorded a 10.1 MMBoe positive revision to our previous estimate, resulting from 9.2 MMBoe attributable to planned processing upgrades in southeast Project Pangea and 1.1 MMBoe attributable to an increase in commodity prices, partially offset by 0.2 MMBoe of negative performance revisions. On April 1, 2011, we began realizing NGL revenues from the natural gas production in southeast Project Pangea under a gas purchase and processing contract with DCP Midstream, LP. The commodity prices used to estimate our proved reserves at December 31, 2010, increased to $4.38/MMBtu of gas, $39.25/Bbl of NGLs and $79.40/Bbl of oil from $3.87/MMBtu of natural gas, $27.20/Bbl of NGLs and $56.04/Bbl of oil at December 31, 2009. The negative revision of 0.1 MMBoe, primarily related to producing properties in our North Bald Prairie field in the East Texas Basin. Well performance data collected during 2010 for North Bald Prairie indicated that these assets underperformed our year-end 2010 decline estimates. Accordingly, we removed 0.9 Bcf (0.2 MMBoe) from proved reserves recorded for North Bald Prairie. We also removed 0.1 MMBoe in Project Pangea due to performance revisions.

Standardized Measure of Discounted Future Net Cash Flows Relating to Proved Reserves

The standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows is computed by applying the 12-month unweighted average of the first-day-of-the-month pricing for oil and natural gas (with consideration of price changes only to the extent provided by contractual arrangements) to the estimated future production of proved oil and natural gas reserves less estimated future expenditures (based on year-end costs) to be incurred in developing and producing the proved reserves, discounted using a rate of 10 percent per year to reflect the estimated timing of the future cash flows. Future income taxes are calculated by comparing undiscounted future cash flows to the tax basis of oil and natural gas properties plus available carryforwards and credits and applying the current tax rates to the difference.

Discounted future cash flow estimates like those shown below are not intended to represent estimates of the fair value of oil and natural gas properties. Estimates of fair value would also consider probable and possible reserves, anticipated future oil and natural gas prices, interest rates, changes in development and production costs and risks associated with future production. Because of these and other considerations, any estimate of fair value is necessarily subjective and imprecise.

 

The following table provides the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows at December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010:

 

     Years Ended December 31,  
     2012     2011     2010  

Future cash flows

   $ 4,920,231      $ 3,772,633      $ 1,804,477   

Future production costs

     (1,220,403     (1,012,044     (499,321

Future development costs

     (1,025,193     (625,994     (259,005

Future income tax expense

     (692,528     (583,961     (282,628
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Future net cash flows

     1,982,107        1,550,634        763,523   

10% annual discount for estimated timing of cash flows

     (1,487,887 )       (1,136,253     (559,291
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows

   $ 494,220      $ 414,381      $ 204,232   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Future cash flows as shown above were reported without consideration for the effects of commodity derivative transactions outstanding at each period end.

Changes in Standardized Measure of Discounted Future Net Cash Flows

The changes in the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows relating to proved oil and natural gas reserves are as follows (in thousands):

 

     Years Ended December 31,  
     2012     2011     2010  

Balance, beginning of period

   $ 414,381      $ 204,232      $ 79,991   

Net change in sales and transfer prices and in production (lifting) costs related to future production

     147,421        334,104        120,520   

Changes in estimated future development costs

     (486,435     (395,037     (65,718

Sales and transfers of oil and gas produced during the period

     (100,634     (89,253     (46,031

Net change due to extensions, discoveries and improved recovery

     467,822        291,501        30,240   

Net change due to purchase of minerals in place

            119,780        15,696   

Net change due to revisions in quantity estimates

     (210,296     (84,988     80,564   

Previously estimated development costs incurred during the period

     285,039        182,522        40,265   

Accretion of discount

     60,162        32,793        17,166   

Other

     (11,281     (38,107     4,171   

Net change in income taxes

     (71,959     (143,166     (72,632
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows

   $ 494,220      $ 414,381      $ 204,232