UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-Q

 

(Mark One)

 

[X]Quarterly report pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the Quarterly Period Ended September 30, 2018

For the Quarterly Period Ended September 30, 2019
[  ]Transition report pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
 For the transition period from to

 

Commission File Number 000-6814000-06814

 

 

 

U.S. ENERGY CORP.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

U.S. ENERGY CORP.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

Wyoming 83-0205516
(State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization) Identification No.)

 

950 S Cherry St, Unit 1515, Denver, CO675 Bering, Suite 100, Houston TX 8024677057
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (303) 993-3200

 

Not Applicable950 S. Cherry St., Suite 1515, Denver CO 80246

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each classTrading symbol(s)Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, par value $0.01USEGNASDAQ Capital Market

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. YES [X] NO [  ]

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). YES [X] NO [  ]

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer [  ]Accelerated filer [  ]Non-accelerated filer [  ]Smaller reporting company [X]
Emerging growth company [  ]   

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. [  ]

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

YES [  ] NO [X]

 

The registrant had 13,456,45913,405,838 shares of its $0.01common stock, par value common stock$0.01, outstanding as of November 1, 2018.12, 2019.

 

 

 

   
 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

  Page
Part I.FINANCIAL INFORMATION 
   
Item 1.Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements 
 Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited)3
 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (unaudited)4
 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity (unaudited)5
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited)56
 Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements67
Item 2.Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Result of Operations1725
Item 3.Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk2535
Item 4.Controls and Procedures2535
   
Part II.OTHER INFORMATION 
   
Item 1.Legal Proceedings2637
Item 1A.Risk Factors2637
Item 2.Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds2637
Item 3.Defaults Upon Senior Securities2637
Item 4.Mine Safety Disclosures2637
Item 5.Other Information2637
Item 6.Exhibits2638
   
Signatures2740

-2-

Part I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Item 1. Financial Statements

 

U.S. ENERGY CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIESSUBSIDIARY

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

(Inin thousands, except share and per share amounts)

 

  

September 30, 2018

  

December 31, 2017

 
  (unaudited)  (restated) 
ASSETS        
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents $2,993  $3,277 
Oil and gas sales receivable  927   687 
Discontinued operations - assets of mining segment  -   114 
Assets available for sale  -   653 
Marketable securities  956   876 
Transaction deposit  374   250 
Other current assets  154   61 
         
Total current assets  5,404   5,918 
         
Oil and gas properties under full cost method:        
Unevaluated properties  4,753   4,664 
Evaluated properties  86,432   86,313 
Less accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization  (83,707)  (83,362)
         
Net oil and gas properties  7,478   7,615 
         
Other assets:        
Property and equipment, net  2,280   1,717 
Other assets  80   66 
         
Total other assets  2,360   1,783 
         
Total assets $15,242  $15,316 
         
LIABILITIES, PREFERRED STOCK AND SHAREHOLDERS’EQUITY        
Current liabilities:        
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities:        
Oil and gas payables  390   707 
Related party payable  -   50 
Accrued compensation and benefits  401   64 
Commodity derivative contracts  37   161 
Credit Facility  937   600 
         
Total current liabilities  1,765   1,582 
         
Noncurrent liabilities:        
         
Asset retirement obligations  932   913 
Credit Facility  -   937 
Warrant liability  722   1,200 
Other liabilities  26   22 
Total noncurrent liabilities  1,680   3,072 
         
Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)        

Preferred stock:

        
Authorized 100,000 shares, 50,000 shares of Series A Convertible (par value $0.01) issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017; liquidation preference of $2,769 and $2,527 as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.  2,000   2,000 
Shareholders’ equity:        
Common stock, $0.01 par value; unlimited shares authorized; 13,405,838 and 11,820,057 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively  134   118 
Additional paid-in capital  136,701   134,632 
Accumulated deficit  (127,038)  (126,088)
         
Total shareholders’ equity  9,797   8,662 
         
Total liabilities, preferred stock and shareholders’ equity  15,242   15,316 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements

-3-

U.S. ENERGY CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND

COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)

  Three Months Ended  Nine Months Ended 
  September 30:  September 30: 
  2018  2017  2018  2017 
             
Revenue:                
Oil $1,120  $1,311  $3,642  $4,141 
Natural gas and liquids  102   227   708   1,135 
                 
Total revenue  1,222   1,538   4,350   5,276 
                 
Operating expenses:                
Oil and gas operations:                
Lease operating expenses  357   743   1,431   2,316 
Production taxes  96   113   316   396 
Depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion  81   146   365   618 
General and administrative:                
Compensation and benefits, including director and contract employees  222   190   1,548   544 
Stock-based compensation  13   77   623   289 
Professional services  286   268   855   1,618 
Insurance, rent and other  100   64   328   301 
                 
Total operating expenses  1,155   1,601   5,466   6,082 
                 
Operating income (loss)  67   (63)  (1,116)  (806)
                 
Other income (expense):                
(Loss) gain on commodity derivative contracts  (14)  (166)  (225)  246 
Change in fair value of marketable securities  203   -   80   - 
Gain on sale of assets  -   -   -   1 
Rental and other (expense) income, net  (53)  53   (84)  (296)
Warrant fair value adjustment  288   (70)  478   450 
Interest expense  (24)  (136)  (83)  (382)
                 
Total other income (expense)  400   (319)  166   19 
                 
Net income (loss)  467   (382)  (950)  (787)
                 
Change in fair value of marketable equity securities  -   (158)  -   (482)
                 
Comprehensive income (loss) $467  $(540) $(950) $(1,269)
                 
Income (loss) applicable to common shareholders:                
Income (loss) $467  $(382) $(950) $(787)
Accrued dividends related to Series A Convertible Preferred Stock  (84)  (74)  (242)  (219)
                 
Income (loss) applicable to common shareholders $383  $(456) $(1,192) $(1,006)
                 
Earnings (loss) per share:                
Basic $0.03  $(0.08) $(0.09) $(0.17)
Diluted $0.03  $(0.08) $(0.09) $(0.17)
                 
Weighted average shares outstanding:                
Basic  13,234,709   5,834,568   12,697,206   5,834,568 
Diluted  13,255,109   5,834,568   12,697,206   5,834,568 
  September 30, 2019  

December 31, 2018

 
  (unaudited)     
ASSETS        
Current assets:        
Cash and equivalents $1,385  $2,340 
Oil and natural gas sales receivable  1,113   697 
Related party receivable  -   2 
Marketable equity securities  302   536 
Refundable deposit, net  50   - 
Other current assets  153   113 
         
Total current assets  3,003   3,688 
         
Oil and natural gas properties under full cost method:        
Unevaluated properties  3,757   3,728 
Evaluated properties  89,267   88,764 
Less accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization  (84,262)  (83,729)
         
Net oil and natural gas properties  8,762   8,763 
         
Other assets:        
Property and equipment, net  2,149   2,249 
Right-of-use asset  191   - 
Other assets  52   78 
         
Total other assets  2,392   2,327 
         
Total assets $14,157  $14,778 
         
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY        
Current liabilities:        
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $1,222  $670 
Insurance premium finance note payable  35   - 
Accrued compensation and benefits  28   63 
Current portion of credit facility  -   937 
Other current liabilities  56   - 
         
Total current liabilities  1,341   1,670 
         
Noncurrent liabilities:        
Asset retirement obligations  944   939 
Warrant liability  206   425 
Other liabilities  158   25 
Total noncurrent liabilities  1,308   1,389 
         
Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)        
Preferred stock: Authorized 100,000 shares, 50,000 shares of Series A Convertible (par value $0.01) issued and outstanding; liquidation preference of $3,130 and $2,856 as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively  2,000   2,000 
Shareholders’ equity:        
Common stock, $0.01 par value; unlimited shares authorized; 13,405,838 shares issued and outstanding  134   134 
Additional paid-in capital  136,749   136,714 
Accumulated deficit  (127,375)  (127,129)
         
Total shareholders’ equity  9,508   9,719 
         
Total liabilities, preferred stock and shareholders’ equity $14,157  $14,778 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

-4-

U.S. ENERGY CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIESSUBSIDIARY

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 AND 2017OPERATIONS

 

(In thousands)thousands, except share and per share amounts)

 

  2018  2017 
       
Cash flows from operating activities:        
Net loss $(950) $(787)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:        
Depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion  465   732 
Change in fair value of commodity derivative contracts  (124)  (29)
Stock-based compensation and services  623   289 
Warrant fair value adjustment  (478)  (450)
Change in fair value of marketable securities  (80)  - 
Other  14   (189)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:        
Decrease (increase) in:        
Oil and gas sales receivable  (240)  98 
Other assets  (4)  (35)
Transaction deposit  (124)  - 
Increase (decrease) in:        
Oil and gas payables and related party payable  (367)  (335)
Accrued compensation and benefits  337   20 
         
Net cash used in operating activities  (928)  (706)
         
Cash flows from investing activities:        
Purchase of property and equipment  (9)  - 
Proceeds from asset sale  -   23 
Capital expenditures  (209)  (21)
         
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities:  (218)  2 
         
Cash flows from financing activities:        
Payment on Credit Facility  (600)  - 
Repurchase of employee shares to satisfy tax withholding  (204)  - 
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net  1,666   - 
         
Net cash provided by financing activities  862   - 
         
Net decrease in cash and equivalents  (284)  (704)
         
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period  3,277   2,518 
         
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $2,993  $1,814 
         
Supplemental cash flow information:        
Cash paid for interest $105  $320 
  Three Months Ended  Nine Months Ended 
  September 30:  September 30: 
  2019  2018  2019  2018 
             
Revenue:                
Oil $1,571  $1,120  $4,746  $3,642 
Natural gas and liquids  62   102   320   708 
                 
Total revenue  1,633   1,222   5,066   4,350 
                 
Operating expenses:                
Oil and gas operations:                
Lease operating expenses  410   357   1,348   1,431 
Production taxes  107   96   323   316 
Depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion  180   81   550   365 
General and administrative:                
Compensation and benefits, including directors  166   222   620   1,548 
Stock-based compensation  9   13   35   623 
Professional fees, insurance and other  814   386   2,434   1,183 
Bad debt expense  -   -   28   - 
                 
Total operating expenses  1,686   1,155   5,338   5,466 
                 
Operating (loss) income  (53)  67   (272)  (1,116)
                 
Other income (expense):                
Losses on commodity derivative contracts  -   (14)  -   (225)
Change in fair value of marketable equity securities  (240)  203   (235)  80 
Warrant revaluation (loss) gain  (23)  288   219   478 
Rental property loss  (16)  (58)  (39)  (94)
Recovery of deposit written off  50   -   100   - 
Interest, net  1   (19)  (19)  (73)
                 
Total other (expense) income  (228)  400   26   166 
                 
Net (loss) income $(281) $467  $(246) $(950)
                 
Net income (loss) $(281) $467  $(246) $(950)
Accrued preferred stock dividends  (95)  (84)  (273)  (242)
Net (loss) income applicable to common shareholders $(376) $383  $(519) $(1,192)
Basic and diluted weighted shares outstanding  13,405,838   13,234,709   13,405,838   12,697,206 
Diluted weighted shares outstanding  13,405,838   13,255,109   13,405,838   12,697,206 
Basic (loss) earnings per share $(0.03) $0.03  $(0.04) $(0.09)
Diluted (loss) earnings per share $(0.03) $0.03  $(0.04) $(0.09)

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statementsstatements.

U.S. ENERGY CORP. AND SUBSIDIARY

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES

IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 AND 2018

(in thousands, except share amounts)

 

     Additional       
  Common Stock  Paid-in  Accumulated    
  Shares  Amount  Capital  Deficit  Total 
                
December 31, 2017 (restated)(1)  11,802,768  $118  $134,632  $(126,088) $8,662 
Issuance of shares in at-the-market transactions, net of fees  1,288,537   13   1,653   -   1,666 
Issuance of shares to employees, net of shares withheld for taxes  314,533   3   376   -   379 
Amortization of stock option awards  -   -   40   -   40 
Net loss  -   -   -   (950)  (950)
                     
September 30, 2018  13,405,838  $134  $136,701  $(127,038) $9,797 
                     
December 31, 2018  13,405,838  $134  $136,714  $(127,129) $9,719 
Amortization of stock option awards  -   -   35   -   35 
Net loss  -   -   -   (246)  (246)
                     
September 30, 2019  13,405,838  $134  $136,749  $(127,375) $9,508 

 -5-(1)Shareholders’ equity at December 31, 2017 has been restated to reflect the reclassification of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock to temporary equity. In addition, $903 thousand at December 31, 2017 related to the change in the fair value of marketable equity securities was reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss to accumulated deficit as a result of the adoption of Accounting Standards Update 2016-01.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

U.S. ENERGY CORP. AND SUBSIDIARY

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 AND 2018

(in thousands)

  2019  2018 
       
Cash flows from operating activities:        
Net loss $(246) $(950)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:        
Depreciation, depletion, accretion, and amortization  686   465 
Debt issuance cost amortization  7   10 
Change in fair value of commodity derivative contracts  -   (124)
Loss (gain) on marketable equity securities  235   (80)
Gain on warrant revaluation  (219)  (478)
Stock-based compensation  35   623 
Other  1   4 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:        
Decrease (increase) in:        
Oil and natural gas sales receivable  (415)  (240)
Transaction deposit  (50)  (124)
Other assets  187   (4)
Increase (decrease) in:        
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities  149   (367)
Accrued compensation and benefits  (35)  337 
Payments on operating lease liability  (38)  - 
         
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities  297   (928)
         
Cash flows from investing activities:        
Oil and natural gas capital expenditures  (142)  (209)
Purchase of property and equipment  -   (9)
Payment received on note receivable  20   - 
         
Net cash used in investing activities:  (122)  (218)
         
Cash flows from financing activities:        
Issuance of common stock, net of fees  -   1,666 
Payment on credit facility  (937)  (600)
Shares repurchased for employee tax withholding  -   (204)
Payments on insurance premium note  (193)  - 
         
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities  (1,130)  862 
         
Net decrease in cash and equivalents  (955)  (284)
         
Cash and equivalents, beginning of period  2,340   3,277 
         
Cash and equivalents, end of period $1,385  $2,993 
         
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information and non-cash activities:        
Cash payments for interest $26  $105 
Investing activities:        
Change in capital expenditure accruals  24   - 
Exchange of undeveloped lease acreage for oil and gas properties  379   - 
Adoption of lease standard  228   - 
Asset retirement obligations  (14)  - 
Financing activities:      - 
Financing of insurance premiums with note payable  228   - 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

U.S. ENERGY CORP. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. ORGANIZATION, OPERATIONS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

Organization and Operations

 

U.S. Energy Corp. (collectively with its subsidiarieswholly owned subsidiary, Energy One LLC, referred to as the “Company” or “U.S. Energy”)in these Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements) was incorporated in the State of Wyoming on January 26, 1966. The Company’s principal business activities are focused onin the acquisition, exploration and development of oil and natural gas properties in the United States.

 

Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) and have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) regarding interim financial reporting. Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements have been condensed or omitted in accordance with such rules and regulations. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated financial statements have been included.

 

For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and 10K/A for the year ended December 31, 2017.2018. Our financial condition as of September 30, 2018,2019, and operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 20182019, are not necessarily indicative of the financial condition and results of operations that may be expected for any future interim period or for the year ending December 31, 2018.2019.

Liquidity and Going Concern

As of September 30, 2019, the Company had cash of $1.4 million, a working capital surplus of $1.7 million and an accumulated deficit of $127.4 million. At November 12, 2019, the Company had a cash balance of $1.7 million and accounts payable of approximately $6.5 million. During 2019, the Company has instituted measures to preserve liquidity by reducing the use of third-party contractors, cutting corporate overhead and eliminating other general and administrative costs.

However, our liquidity is affected to a large degree by commodity prices, which have fluctuated significantly during recent years. Currently, the Company does not have any commodity derivative contracts in place to protect it in the event of a downturn in commodity prices. In addition, as described inNote 8-Commitments, Contingencies and Related-Party Transactions the costs associated with the ongoing litigation during 2019 have been a significant use of the Company’s existing cash. Continued excessive legal fees associated with litigation could impair the Company’s liquidity profile. These factors raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to fund operations for the next twelve months and continue as a going concern. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements do not include adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or amounts of liabilities that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

 

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 natural gas reserves that are used in the calculation of depreciation, depletion, amortization and impairment of the carrying value of both evaluated oil and natural gas properties as well asproperties; realizability of unevaluated properties; production and commodity price estimates used to record accrued oil and natural gas sales receivable;receivables; valuation of commodity derivativewarrant instruments; and the cost of future asset retirement obligations. The Company evaluates its estimates on an on-going basis and bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable. Due to inherent uncertainties, including the future prices of oil and natural gas, these estimates could change in the near term and such changes could be material.

Principles of Consolidation

 

The accompanying financial statements include the accounts of the CompanyU.S. Energy Corp. and its wholly-ownedwholly owned subsidiary Energy One LLC (“Energy One”). All inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation of the accompanying financial statements.

 

Correction of Immaterial Errors

The accompanying December 31, 2017, restated condensed consolidated balance sheet includes a correction related to the classificationAdopted and presentation of the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”). The Preferred Stock had been reported in stockholders’ equity from the date of issuance in February 2016. During the three months ended September 30, 2018, the Company determined that the Preferred Stock should not be included in stockholders’ equity, due to a redemption feature outside the control of the Company, whereby the holders may require redemption in the event of a change in control. The Company has corrected the presentation on the balance sheet to exclude the Preferred Stock from stockholders’ equity. The correction of the error reclassified $2.0 million from stockholders’ equity into temporary equity but had no effect on previously reported net income or earnings per share in any prior period.

-6-

Recently AdoptedIssued Accounting Pronouncements

 

Revenue recognitionLeases.. In May 2014,February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued a comprehensive new revenue recognition standard that supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, and industry-specific guidance in Subtopic 932-605, Extractive Activities-Oil and Gas-Revenue Recognition. The core principle of the new guidance is that a company should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for transferring those goods or services. The new standard also requires significantly expanded disclosure regarding the qualitative and quantitative information of an entity’s nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The standard creates a five-step model that requires companies to exercise judgment when considering the terms of a contract and all relevant facts and circumstances. The standard allows for several transition methods: (a) a full retrospective adoption in which the standard is applied to all of the periods presented, or (b) a modified retrospective adoption in which the standard is applied only to the most current period presented in the financial statements, including additional disclosures of the standard’s application impact to individual financial statement line items. In March, April, May and December 2016, the FASB issued new guidance in Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, to address the following potential implementation issues of the new revenue standard: (a) to clarify the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations, (b) to clarify the identification of performance obligations and the licensing implementation guidance and (c) to address certain issues in the guidance on assessing collectability, presentation of sales taxes, noncash consideration, and completed contracts and contract modifications at transition. This standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. The Company follows the sales method of accounting for oil and natural gas production, which is generally consistent with the revenue recognition provision of the new standard. The Company has completed the process of evaluating the effect of the adoption and determined there were no changes required to our reported revenues as a result of the adoption. The majority of our revenue arrangements generally consist of a single performance obligation to transfer promised goods or services. Based on our evaluation process and review of our contracts with customers, the timing and amount of revenue recognized based on the standard is consistent with our revenue recognition policy under previous guidance. The Company adopted the new standard effective January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective approach, and has expanded its financial statement disclosures in order to comply with the standard. The Company implemented processes and controls to ensure new contracts are reviewed for the appropriate accounting treatment and to generate the disclosures required under the new standard in the first quarter of 2018. We have determined the adoption of the standard did not have a material impact on our results of operations, cash flows, or financial position.

Financial Instruments.In January 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-01 Financial Instruments, Overall (Subtopic 825-10),Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities(“ASU 2016-01”).The amendments in the ASU 2016-01 require equity investments, other than those accounted for under the equity method or result in consolidation of an investee, to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in income. The amendment is effective for public business entities with fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2017. The Company adopted this standard on January 1, 2018, with a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings at December 31, 2017 of $903 thousand. The adjustment to retained earnings related to fair value changes of marketable securities that had been accumulated previously in other comprehensive loss. Prospectively, unrealized gains and losses on marketable securities are recorded in earnings under the caption in other income, changes in fair value of marketable securities. Prior period gains and losses are recorded in other comprehensive loss; therefore, current year periods are not comparable to periods in the prior year.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Leases.In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU- No. 2016-02,Leases (Topic 842),followed by other related ASUs that targeted improvements and additional practical expedient options (collectively “ASU 2016-02”). The standard requires lessees to recognize theright-of-use assets and lease payment liabilities that arise from leases on the balance sheet. A lessee should recognize insheet for leases representing the statement of financial position a liability to make lease payments (the lease liability) and a right-of-use asset representing itsCompany’s right to use the underlying assetassets for the lease term. Each lease that is recognized in the balance sheet will be classified as either finance or operating, with such classification affecting the pattern and classification of expense recognition in the condensed consolidated statements of operations and presentation within the condensed consolidated statements of cash flow.

The new guidanceCompany evaluated the impacts of ASU 2016-02, which included an analysis of contracts for office leases. As a non-operator of oil and natural gas properties, the Company is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The amendments should be applied atnot subject to drilling rig agreements, well completion agreements, water handling agreements, or other contracts that include potential lease components. In addition, the beginningscope of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach with earlier application permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The updateASU 2016-02 does not apply to leases of mineral rights to explore forused in the exploration or use crudeof minerals, oil, natural gas or natural gas. The Company is currently evaluatingother similar non-regenerative resources. SeeNote 3-Leasesfor additional information regarding the Company’s adoption of this standard including policy elections and the impact ofto the new guidance on itscondensed consolidated financial statements however, based on its current operating leases and status as a non-operator, it is not expected to have a material impact on its condensed and consolidated balance sheet or statement of operations.at September 30, 2019.

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Financial instruments with characteristics of liabilities and equity. InOn July 13, 2017, the FASB has issued a two-part ASU No. 2017-11, I.Accounting for Certain Financials Instruments with Down Round Features and II. Replacement of the Indefinite Deferral for Mandatorily Redeemable Financial Instruments of Certain Nonpublic Entities and Certain Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest with a Scope Exception.Exception. The ASU is effective for public business entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company is currently evaluatingassessed the effectnew standard as it relates to warrants issued by the Company in December 2016, which contain a down round feature. The Company determined through an assessment of the warrants in relation toASC 815-40, Derivatives and Hedging-Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity, that adopting this guidancethere were other provisions in the warrant agreement that precluded equity classification, including an option of the holder to receive the calculated fair value of the warrant from the Company in cash in the event of a “Fundamental Transaction,” as defined in the warrant agreement. Therefore, the Company will have on itscontinue to classify the warrants as liabilities with changes in fair value recorded in other income in the condensed consolidated financial position, cash flows and resultsstatement of operations.operations in the period

of the change .

 

Fair value measurementValue Measurements.In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13,Disclosure Framework -ChangesFramework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value MeasurementMeasurements(“. The ASU 2018-13”). ASU 2018-13 modifiesamends the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements in Topic 820,Fair Value Measurement.Measurements. The amendments in this ASU 2018-13 isare effective for all entities for fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019, includingand interim periods within those years.fiscal years, beginning December 15, 2019. The Company plans to adopt this ASU as of January 1, 2020. The Company is evaluatingin the process of assessing the impact the new guidanceadoption of this ASU will have on its condensed and consolidated financial statements and relatedfair value disclosures.

 

2. REVENUE RECOGNITION

 

The Company adopted ASU No. 2014-09,Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)and the series of related accounting standard updates that followed, on January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective method of adoption. Adoption of the ASU did not require an adjustment to the opening balance of equity and did not change the Company’s amount and timing of revenues. The Company reports revenues utilizing information provided by the operator of the property following the same guidance. Adoption of this guidance applied to all contracts at the date of initial application and all contracts reflect the non-operated nature of the Company’s existing operations.

The Company’s revenues are primarily derived from its interests in the sale of oil and natural gas production. The Company recognizes revenue from its interestsinterest in the sales of oil and natural gas in the period that its performance obligations are satisfied. Performance obligations are satisfied when the customer obtains control of product (as disclosed below), when the Company has no further obligations to perform related to the sale, when the transaction price has been determined and when collectability is probable.production. The sales of oil and natural gas are made under contracts which thethat third-party operators of theoil and natural gas wells have negotiated with customers, which typically include variable consideration that is based on pricing tied to local indices and volumes delivered in the current month.customers. The Company receives payment from the sale of oil and natural gas production frombetween one to three months after delivery. At the end of each monthperiod when the performance obligation is satisfied, the variable consideration can be reasonably estimated and amounts due from customers are accrued in oil and natural gas sales receivable net in the consolidated balance sheets. Variances between the Company’s estimated revenue and actual payments are recorded in the month the payment is received,received; however, differences have been and are insignificant. Accordingly, the variable consideration is not constrained.

As a non-operator of its oil and natural gas properties, the Company records its share of the revenues and expenses based upon the information provided by the operators within the revenue statements.

The Company does not disclose the valuevalues of unsatisfied performance obligations under its contracts with customers as it applies the practical exemption in accordance with ASC 606 since the Company contracts are month to month and not in excess of one year.606. The exemption as described in ASC 606-10-50-14(a), applies to variable consideration that is recognized as control of the product is transferred to the customer. Since each unit of product represents a separate performance obligation, future volumes are wholly unsatisfied and disclosure of the transaction price allocated to the remaining performance obligations is not required.

 

The Company’s oil and natural gas production is typically sold at delivery points to various purchasers under contract terms that are common in our industry. The Company’sthe oil and natural gas produced is delivered by the well operators to various purchasers at agreed upon delivery points under a limited number of contract types that are also common in our industry. However, under these contracts, the natural gas may be sold to a single purchaser or may be sold to separate purchasers. Regardless of the contract type, the terms of these contracts compensate the well operators for the value of the oil and natural gas at specified prices, and then the well operators will remit payment to the Company for its share in the value of the oil and natural gas sold. There

Generally, the Company reports revenue as the gross amount received from the well operators before taking into account production taxes and transportation costs. Production taxes are reported separately and transportation costs are included in lease operating expense in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations. The revenues and costs in the condensed consolidated financial statements were no contract liabilities atreported gross for the date of adoption or for thethree and nine months ended September 30, 2018.2019, as the gross amounts were known.

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The following table presents our disaggregated revenue by major source and geographic area for the three and nine months ended September 30, 20182019 and 2017 (in thousands):2018.

 

 

Three Months Ended

September 30,

 

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

  Three Months Ended
September 30,
 Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 
 2018  2017  2018  2017  2019 2018 2019 2018 
          (in thousands) 
Revenue:                         
North Dakota                                
Oil $795  $1,091  $2,384  $3,350  $564  $795  $1,723  $2,384 
Natural gas and liquids  65   111   240   290   16   65   109   240 
Total  860   1,202   2,624   3,640  $580  $860  $1,832  $2,624 
                                
Texas                                
Oil  325   220   1,258   791  $1,007  $325  $3,023  $1,258 
Natural gas and liquids  39   99   168   366   46   39   211   168 
Total  364   319   1,426   1,157  $1,053  $364  $3,234  $1,426 
                                
Louisiana                                
Oil  -   -   -   -  $-  $-  $-  $- 
Natural gas and liquids(1)  (2)  17   300   479 
Natural gas and liquids  -   (2)  -   300 
Total  (2)  17   300   479  $-  $(2) $-  $300 
                                
Combined Total $1,222  $1,538  $4,350  $5,276  $1,633  $1,222  $5,066  $4,350 

 

(1)Negative production attributable to a combination of an over-accrual in June 2018, which was reversed in July 2018 and maintenance-related downtime on a specific well in Louisiana.

3. ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR SALELEASES

 

On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASC 842 using the modified retrospective approach. Results for the reporting periods beginning January 1, 2019 are presented in accordance with ASC 842, while prior period amounts are reported in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 840-Leases. On January 1, 2019, the Company recorded a $228 thousand right-of-use asset and a $252 thousand lease liability representing the present value of minimum payment obligations associated with our Denver office operating lease, which has non-cancellable terms in excess of one year. We do not have any financing leases. The Company has elected the following practical expedients available under ASC 842 (i) excluding from the condensed consolidated balance sheet leases with terms that are less than one year, (ii) for agreements that contain both lease and non-lease components, combining these components together and accounting for them as a single lease, (iii) the package of practical expedients, which allows the Company to avoid reassessing contracts that commenced prior to adoption that were properly evaluated under legacy GAAP, and (iv) the policy election that eliminates the need for adjusting prior period comparable financial statements prepared under legacy lease accounting guidance. As such, there was no required cumulative effect adjustment to accumulated deficit at January 1, 2019.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2018,2019, the Company reclassified $0.7 milliondid not acquire any right-of-use assets or incur any lease liabilities. The Company’s right-of-use assets and lease liabilities are recognized at their discounted present value on the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2019, of assets reported$191 thousand and $214 thousand, respectively.

  

As of

September 30, 2019

 
   (in thousands) 
Right-of-use asset balance    
Operating leases $191 
Lease liability balance    
Short-term operating leases $56 
Long-term operating lease  158 
Total operating leases $214 

The Company recognizes lease expense on a straight line basis excluding short-term and variable lease payments which are recognized as availableincurred. Short-term lease costs represent payments for saleour Houston office lease, which has a lease term of one year.

  

Three Months Ended September 30, 2019

  

Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2019

 
  (in thousands) 
Operating lease cost $17  $51 
Short-term lease cost  3   11 
Total lease cost $20  $62 

The Company’s Denver office operating lease does not contain an implicit interest rate that can be readily determined. Therefore, the Company used the incremental borrowing rate of 8.75% as established under the Company’s prior credit facility as the discount rate.

As of

September 30, 2019

Weighted average lease term (years)3.3
Weighted average discount rate8.75%

The future minimum lease commitments as of September 30, 2019 are presented in the table below. Such commitments are reflected at December 31, 2017undiscounted values and are reconciled to the discounted present value on the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet as follows:

  

As of

September 30, 2019

 
   (in thousands) 
Remainder of 2019 $18 
2020  73 
2021  75 
2022  76 
2023  6 
Total lease payments $248 
Less: imputed interest  (34)
Total lease liability $214 

The Company owns a 14-acre tract in Riverton, Wyoming with a two-story, 30,400 square foot office building, which served as the Company’s corporate headquarters until the Company relocated its corporate headquarters in 2015. Currently, the building’s eight office suites are rented to non-affiliates and government agencies under operating leases with varying terms from month-to-month to twelve years. The building is included in property and equipment, net. These assets are comprised of land parcels owned by Energy One in Riverton, Wyoming.net on our condensed consolidated balance sheet. The Company has determined that the assets do not meet all the criteria for classification as available for sale because, although the Company has a plan for disposingnet capitalized cost of the assets, itbuilding subject to operating leases at September 30, 2019 is not actively marketing them and does not consider it probable that the assets will be sold within the next 12 months.as follows:

 

4. LIQUIDITY

  

As of

September 30, 2019

 
   (in thousands) 
Building subject to operating leases $4,012 
Less: accumulated depreciation  (3,220)
Building subject to operating leases, net $792 

 

AsThe future lease maturities of the Company’s operating leases as of September 30, 2018,2019 are presented in the table below. Such maturities are reflected at undiscounted values to be received on an annual basis.

  Amount 
   (in thousands) 
Remainder of 2019 $46 
2020  158 
2021  161 
2022  165 
2023  169 
2024  163 
Remaining through June 2029  695 
Total lease maturities $1,557 

The Company had cashrecognized the following operating lease income related to its Riverton, Wyoming office building for the three and cash equivalents of $3.0 million and working capital of $3.6 million. During the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company incurred a net loss of $1.0 million2019 and used $0.9 million of cash in operating activities.2018:

 

  Three Months Ended
September 30,
  Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 
  2019  2018  2019  2018 
  (in thousands) 
Operating lease income $54  $49  $150  $138 

Our strategy is to continue to (1) maintain adequate liquidity  and selectively participate in new drilling and completion activities, subject to economic and industry conditions, (2) pursue accretive acquisition opportunities, and(3) address the July 2019 maturity of our existing credit facility through either extending the maturity of the existing credit facility or entering into a new credit facility with a new lender.  We expect to fund any near-term capital requirements and working capital needs from existing cash on hand. Because production from existing oil and natural gas wells declines over time, further reductions of capital expenditures used to drill and complete new oil and natural gas wells would likely result in lower levels of oil and natural gas production in the future.

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5.4. COMMODITY PRICE RISK DERIVATIVES

 

The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary Energy One has enteredfrom time to time enters into commodity price derivative contracts (“economic hedges”) with BP Energy, a third-party hedge counterparty.. The derivative contracts are typically priced based on West Texas Intermediate (“WTI”) quoted prices for crude oil and Henry Hub quoted prices for natural gas. The Company is a guarantor ofU.S. Energy Corp. guarantees Energy One’s obligations under the economic hedges, which, are pari-passu to amounts borrowed under the Credit Facility and are secured by Energy One’s oil and gas properties.hedges. The objective of utilizing the economic hedges is to reduce the effect of price changes on a portion of the Company’s future oil production, achieve more predictable cash flows in an environment of volatile oil and natural gas prices and to manage the Company’s exposure to commodity price risk. The use of these derivative instruments limits the downside risk of adverse price movements. However, there is a risk that such use may limit the Company’s ability to benefit from favorable price movements. Energy One may, from time to time, add commodity priceincremental derivatives to hedge additional production, restructure existing derivative contracts or enter into new transactions to modify the terms of current contracts in order to realize the current value of its existing positions. The Company does not engage in speculative derivative activities or derivative trading activities, nor does it use derivatives with leveraged features. The Company had a net liability from commodity risk derivativesAs of $37 thousand at September 30, 2018 and $161 thousand at December 31, 2017. Presented below is a summary of outstanding crude oilduring the three and natural gas swaps as of September 30, 2018.

  Begin  End  Quantity (bbls/d)  Price 
                 
Crude oil price swaps  10/1/18   12/31/18   100  $68.50 

  Begin  End  Quantity (mcf/d)  Price 
                 
Natural gas price swaps  10/1/18   12/31/18   500  $3.01 

Derivatives are recorded at fair value in the consolidated balance sheets. Changes in fair value are included in the “(loss) gain on commodity derivative contracts” in the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. For the nine monthsnine-month periods ended September 30, 2018 and 2017,2019, the Company did not have any commodity price derivatives. The following table presents the Company’s realized and unrealized derivative gains from derivatives amounted to $124 thousand and $29 thousand, respectively. Derivative contract settlements are included inlosses for the (loss) gain on commodity derivative contracts in the condensed consolidated statement of operations. For the nine monthsthree and nine-month periods ended September 30, 20182019 and 2017, the Company’s realized (loss) gain from derivatives amounted to $(349) thousand and $217 thousand, respectively. All derivative positions are carried at their fair value and included in Commodity derivative contracts on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. The following table summarizes the fair value of our open commodity derivatives as of September 30, 2018, and December 31, 2017 (in thousands). Please see Note 14 for further disclosure.2018:

 

  September 30, 2018  December 31, 2017 
Fair Value of Oil and Natural Gas Derivatives (in thousands) Gross Amount  Amount Offset  As Presented  Gross Amount  Amount Offset  As Presented 
Fair value of oil and natural gas derivatives – Current Assets $4  $(4) $-  $168  $(168) $- 
                         
Fair value of oil and natural gas derivatives – Current Liabilities  (41)  4   (37)  (329)  168   (161)

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  Three Months Ended
September 30,
  Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 
  2019  2018  2019  2018 
  (in thousands) 
Net derivative gain (loss):                
Realized gains and (losses):                
Oil $-  $(9) $-  $(381)
Natural gas  -   8   -   32 
Total $-  $(1) $-  $(349)
                 
Unrealized gains and (losses):                
Oil $-  $(1) $-  $175 
Natural Gas  -   (12)  -   (51)
Total $-  $(13) $-  $124 

 

6.5. OIL AND NATURAL GAS PRODUCINGPRODUCTION ACTIVITIES

 

Divestitures

On October 3, 2017,In May 2019, the Company Energy Oneexchanged approximately 905 leasehold acres of the Georgetown formation and Statoil Oildeeper rights in Dimmit and Gas LP (“Statoil”) entered into a purchase and sale agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company assigned, sold, and conveyedZavala counties for working interests in certain non-operated assetswells that were drilled by CML Exploration in the Williston Basin, North Dakota in consideration for the eliminationfirst half of $4.0 million in outstanding liabilities to Statoil and payment by Statoil to the Company of $2.0 million in cash. U.S. Energy has historically accounted for the eliminated liabilities on the Company’s balance sheet under “Payable to major operator” and “Contingent ownership interests.”2019. The Purchase Agreement was unanimously approved by the board of directors of the Company and closed on October 5, 2017, with an effective date of Augustthe exchange was March 1, 2017.2019.

 

Ceiling Test and Impairment

 

The reserves used in the Company’s full cost ceiling test incorporate assumptions regarding pricing and discount rates over which management has no influence in the determination of present value. In the calculation of the ceiling test as of September 30, 2018,2019, the Company used a price of $59.78$61.45 per barrel offor oil and $2.83$3.02 per MMbtu offor natural gas (in each case(as further adjusted for transportation,property, specific gravity, quality, local markets and basis differentials applicable to our properties on a weighted average basis)distance from markets) to compute the future cash flows of the Company’s producing properties. These prices compare to $47.01 per barrel of oil and $2.98 per MMbtu of natural gas used in the calculation of the ceiling test as of December 31, 2017. The discount factor used was 10%.

 

ForThere was no impairment for the three and nine monthsnine-month periods ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 of the Company’s oil and 2017,natural gas properties. Impairment charges in previous years are generally the Company recorded no impairment charges.

result of declines in the price of oil and natural gas, additional capitalized well costs and changes in production.

7.6. DEBT

 

On December 27, 2017, the Company received shareholder approval for theentered into an exchange agreement (“Exchange Agreement”) by and among the Company,U.S. Energy Corp., Energy One and APEG Energy II, L.P., (“APEG”APEG II”), an entity controlled by Angelus Private Equity Group, LLC pursuant to which, on the terms and subject to the conditions of the Exchange Agreement, APEG II exchanged $4.5 million of outstanding borrowings under the Company’s Credit Facility,credit facility for 5,819,270 newly-issued shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share, with an exchange price of $0.767, representingwhich represented a 1.3% premium over the 30-day volume weighted average price of the Company’s common stock on September 20, 2017 (the “Exchange Shares”). Accrued, unpaid interest on the Credit Facilitycredit facility held by APEG II was paid in cash at the closing of the transaction. As of September 30, 2018,2019, APEG holdsII held approximately 43% of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock of U.S. Energy.common stock.

 

Energy One, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, has a Credit Facility (the “Credit Facility”) with APEG which matures in July 2019. As of September 30, 2019, there were no outstanding borrowings under the credit facility. At December 31, 2018, outstanding borrowings under the Credit Facility amounted tocredit facility were $937 thousand. The credit facility was repaid in full on March 1, 2019, and the credit facility matured on July 30, 2019. Borrowings under the Credit Facility arecredit facility were secured by Energy One’s oil and natural gas producing properties. Interest expense on the credit facility for the three months ended September 30, 2018 was $24 thousand, including amortization of debt issuance costs of $3 thousand. Interest expense on the credit facility for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 was $20 thousand and $83 thousand, respectively, including amortization of debt issuance costs of $7 thousand and $10 thousand, respectively. The weighted average interest rate on the Credit Facility is currently fixed atcredit facility was 8.75%. for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2019 and for both the three and nine-month period ended September 30, 2018.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Credit Facility,credit facility, Energy One iswas required to comply with customary affirmative covenants and with certain negative covenants. The principal negative financial covenants dodid not permit (as(i) the following terms are defined in the Fifth Amendment to the Credit Agreement) (i) Proved Developed Producing Coverage Ratio to be less than 1.2 to 1; and (ii) the current ratio to be less than 1.0 to 1.0. Additionally, the Credit Facility prohibitscredit facility prohibited or limitslimited Energy One’s ability to incur additional debt, pay cash dividends and other restricted payments, sell assets, enter into transactions with affiliates, and to merge or consolidate with another company. The Company isU.S. Energy Corp. was a guarantor of Energy One’s obligations under the Credit Facility. As of September 30, 2018, the Company wascredit facility. U.S. Energy Corp. and Energy One are currently involved in compliancelitigation with all Credit Facility covenants.

8. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIESAPEG II and its general partner, APEG Energy II, GP (together with APEG II, “APEG”). SeeNote 8-Commitments, Contingencies and Related-Party Transactions.

 

Commitments7. WRITE-OFF OF DEPOSIT

 

Lessee Operating Leases.In AugustDecember 2017, the Company entered into a letter of intent with Clean Energy Technology Association, Inc. (“CETA”) to purchase an option to acquire 50 shares of CETA, or lease agreement for office spacecertain oil and natural gas properties inside an area of mutual interest. The Company made a $250 thousand option payment, which was refundable in Denver, Colorado. The original termthe event that the Company and CETA were unable to complete the transaction by August 1, 2018. In February 2018, the Company paid an additional $124 thousand to CETA. In September 2019, the Company issued CETA a demand letter requesting return of the leaseamounts deposited. As of November 12, 2019 the Company has received two payments from CETA totaling $100 thousand. While the Company is 65 months; extending until January 2023. At September 30, 2018, the future minimum rental commitmentspursuing collection of the lease were $319 thousand. The following table presentsdeposit, the future minimum rental commitmentsCompany has established an allowance for the remaining amount due from CETA of $274 thousand at September 30, 2018, by year (in thousands):

Year Amount 
2018 $18 
2019  72 
2020  73 
2021  74 
2022  76 
2023  6 

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2019 due to the uncertainty of collection. SeeNote 8-Commitments, Contingencies and Related-Party Transactions.

 

From8. COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES AND RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Litigation

APEG II and its general partner, APEG Energy II, GP (together with APEG II, “APEG”), are involved in litigation with the Company and its former Chief Executive Officer, David Veltri, as described below. APEG II holds approximately 43% of the Company’s outstanding common stock and was its secured lender prior to the maturity on July 30, 2019 of a credit facility the Company had with APEG II. The costs associated with the ongoing litigation have been a significant use of the Company’s existing cash. While the Company has historically funded all litigation costs out of operating cash flow, continued excessive legal fees associated with litigation could impair the Company’s liquidity profile and ability to fund significant drilling obligations.

APEG II Litigation

On February 14, 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors received a letter from APEG II, the largest shareholder of the Company and, at that time, the Company’s secured lender under the credit facility, urging the Company to work with APEG II and other shareholders to establish a seven-person, independent board of directors, establish a corporate business plan and reduce the Company’s corporate general and administrative expenses.

On February 25, 2019, APEG II provided an access termination notice to the Company’s bank under its collateral documents, and the bank confirmed to the Company that access to its collateral accounts was terminated. On February 26, 2019, APEG II provided account disposition instructions to the Company’s subsidiary’s bank instructing the bank to deliver to APEG II all of the funds held in the collateral accounts, which totaled $1,794,294. The funds were wired by the bank to APEG II on March 1, 2019.

On March 1, 2019, David Veltri, our former Chief Executive Officer and President, filed a lawsuit against APEG II in the Company’s name (the “Texas Litigation”) by filing an Original Petition and Application for Temporary Restraining Order, Temporary Injunction, Permanent Injunction, and Appointment of Receiver, Case No. 2019-15528 (the “Action”), in the District Court of Harris County Texas, 190th Judicial District (the “State Court”), naming APEG II and its general partner as defendants. The State Court granted the motion for a temporary restraining order (“TRO”) and ordered APEG to return immediately the $1,794,294 in cash previously wired to APEG II.

On March 4, 2019, APEG II filed a Notice of Removal and an Emergency Motion to Stay or Modify State Court Temporary Restraining Order in the United States District Court for the Sothern District of Texas, Houston Division, Case No. 4:19-cv-00754 (the “Texas Federal Court”), in order to remove the Texas Litigation from the State Court to the Federal District Court and to stay or modify the TRO. Following a hearing on March 4, 2019, the Texas Federal Court vacated the TRO. On March 7, 2019, at the continued hearing on emergency motions, the Court ordered APEG II to return our funds, less the outstanding balance due to APEG II under the credit facility of $936,620, and the Company received back $857,674.

On February 25, 2019, the Board held a meeting at which it voted to terminate for cause Mr. Veltri from his position as Chief Executive Officer and President as a result of using Company funds in excess of, and inconsistent with, certain authority granted by the Board and other reasons. Mr. Veltri, along with John Hoffman, a member of the Board, called into question whether or not such action was properly taken at the Board meeting. On March 8, 2019, the Company’s Audit Committee, as an official committee of the Board, represented by independent counsel retained by the Audit Committee, intervened by filing in the Texas Litigation an Emergency Motion of the Official Audit Committee of the Board of U.S. Energy Requesting Company Protections Necessary for Releasing Funds Pending Internal Investigation (the “AC Motion”). The AC Motion requested that the Texas Federal Court order that all of the Company’s funds, financial, and monetary matters be placed under the control of the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and that control of these functions be removed from the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, who the Audit Committee believed had been properly terminated by the Board on February 25, 2019.

On March 12, 2019, the Texas Federal Court granted the AC Motion and issued an additional Management Order, ordering that any disbursement made by the Company must be approved in writing by the Audit Committee in advance. Additionally, the Management Order stated that the Company’s Chief Financial Officer must be appointed as the sole signatory on all of the Company’s bank accounts.

Litigation with Former Chief Executive Officer

In connection with the above described litigation with APEG II, APEG II then initiated a second lawsuit on March 18, 2019 as a shareholder derivative action in Colorado against Mr. Veltri, the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board, and President, as a result of his refusal to recognize the Board’s decision to terminate him for cause (the “Colorado Litigation”). The Company was named as a nominal defendant in the Colorado Litigation, Civil Action No. 1:19-cv-00801 before the United States District Court for the District of Colorado (the “Colorado Federal Court”), filed on March 18, 2019.

The APEG II complaint in the Colorado Litigation alleged that Mr. Veltri’s employment was terminated by the Board of Directors and sought an injunction and temporary restraining order against Mr. Veltri to prevent him from continuing to act as Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman, which he claimed he was entitled to continue doing. Mr. Veltri currently remains a member of the Board of Directors of the Company.

Meanwhile, APEG II asserted claims against the Company directly in the Texas Litigation, while in roughly the same period, counsel for Mr. Veltri withdrew from the Texas Litigation, leaving the Company without counsel with respect to the claims asserted in the Company’s name and the APEG II claims asserted against the Company in the Texas Litigation. The Texas Federal Court ordered the Audit Committee to identify counsel to represent or act in the name of the Company in the Texas Litigation on or by April 30, 2019. On that date, the Audit Committee took over the control of the defense of the Company, prosecution of its claims against APEG II, and filed third-party claims on behalf of the Company against Mr. Veltri and John Hoffman, asserting that Mr. Veltri was responsible for any damages that APEG II claims, including attorneys’ fees, and that Mr. Veltri and Mr. Hoffman should be removed from the Board of Directors in accordance with the laws of the State of Wyoming. On May 22, 2019, the Company and APEG II entered into a settlement agreement with Mr. Hoffman pursuant to which Mr. Hoffman agreed to resign from the Board of Directors and committees thereof, and the Company agreed to pay up to $50,000 of Mr. Hoffman’s legal fees incurred with respect to the Texas Litigation. Further, the Company released Mr. Hoffman from any claims related to the Texas Litigation, APEG II released the Company from any claims that may have been caused by Mr. Hoffman, and Mr. Hoffman released the Company and two of the Company’s current directors from any and all claims Mr. Hoffman may have.

In the Colorado Litigation, the Colorado Federal Court entered an order on May 16, 2019 (the “Order”) granting interim preliminary injunctive relief to APEG II against Mr. Veltri, holding that Mr. Veltri, without authorization, continued to hold himself out to be and continued to act as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Pursuant to the Order, Mr. Veltri was preliminarily enjoined from acting as, or holding himself out to be, the Company’s President and/or Chief Executive Officer. Ryan Smith, the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, was appointed temporary Custodian of the Company with the charge to act as the Company’s interim Chief Executive Officer.

On May 30, 2019, and following briefing by the parties to the Colorado Litigation, the Colorado Federal Court issued a subsequent order (the “Second Order”) appointing C. Randel Lewis as Custodian of the Company pursuant to the Wyoming Business Corporation Act and to take over for Mr. Smith in acting as the Company’s interim Chief Executive Officer and to serve on the Board of Directors as Chairman. As noted in the Second Order, two of the Company’s Board members had moved in the Board meeting on February 25, 2019 to terminate Mr. Veltri as President and Chief Executive Officer for cause by a vote of two to one. However, there was a dispute among the Board members as to whether the Board meeting was properly called and whether Mr. Veltri should have been allowed to vote on his own termination. The outcome of the vote on Mr. Veltri’s termination was in dispute as Mr. Veltri contended that he should have voted on his termination, and had he voted, Mr. Veltri would have voted against his own termination, thus creating a board deadlock preventing his termination. Specifically, Mr. Veltri contended the Board, which consisted of four members at that time, remained deadlocked on the issue, which prompted APEG II to file the above-mentioned suit against Mr. Veltri to have him removed as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. The Second Order noted that the primary purpose of having Mr. Lewis serve as Custodian was to resolve the aforementioned Board deadlock. Pursuant to the Second Order, Mr. Lewis, as Custodian, was ordered to act in place of the Board to appoint one independent director to replace Mr. Hoffman. On June 13, 2019, Mr. Lewis appointed Catherine J. Boggs to serve as an independent director until the next annual meeting of the Company’s shareholders. Following such annual meeting, the Board of Directors is to vote on a new Chief Executive Officer to replace Mr. Lewis in that role, and Mr. Lewis will be discharged from serving as the Company’s Custodian, interim Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board. Unless otherwise ruled by the Colorado Federal Court, the tenure of the replacement Chief Executive Officer may last only so long as it takes the Colorado Federal Court to resolve the disputes in the Colorado Litigation.

Following the issuance of the Second Order, the Audit Committee of the Company, which had been continuing its investigation into Mr. Veltri’s actions while he served as President and Chief Executive Officer, engaged an independent accounting firm to conduct a forensic accounting of the Company’s books and records in an effort to determine whether certain of Mr. Veltri’s actions regarding his use of Company funds was appropriate and authorized. See “Audit Committee Investigation” below. Following the completion of such investigation, the Audit Committee met on June 21, 2019 and voted unanimously to recommend to the Board to reaffirm its termination of Mr. Veltri for cause by ratifying its prior actions at the Board meeting on February 25, 2019. The Board, which following the issuance of the Second Order was reconstituted with all five members as required by the Company’s bylaws and the Second Order, met on August 5, 2019 and received a report from the Audit Committee. Following such report, the Board approved and ratified the termination of Mr. Veltri as President and Chief Executive Officer for cause.

On September 18, 2019, APEG II filed a motion for voluntary dismissal with the Colorado Federal Court seeking to dismiss the Colorado Litigation, to discharge Randel Lewis as Custodian and interim Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company, and reimbursement of its expenses and attorneys’ fees that it incurred in connection with the Colorado Litigation. In its motion for dismissal, APEG II stated that its claims (i) to request a declaratory judgment that Mr. Veltri was validly terminated as Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company by the Board of Directors on February 25, 2019 and (ii) to request an injunction enjoining Mr. Veltri from acting as the Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company have both been addressed and are now moot. On October 16, 2019, Mr. Veltri filed a response to the motion for dismissal. In his response, Mr. Veltri argued that APEG II’s motion for dismissal should be denied by the Colorado Federal Court because (i) the Company should continue to operate under the guidance of the independent Custodian pending the outcome of a trial on the merits of the action, (ii) until the Custodian provides the Company with all of the relief set forth in the Second Order, the claims in the Colorado Litigation are not moot and the action should not be dismissed, (iii) the other Company shareholders’ interests will otherwise be negatively impacted if the Custodian is prematurely dismissed as the Company would be left without a Chief Executive Officer to run the Company’s business, the Board of Directors would again become a four-member Board of Directors subject to deadlock, and there would be no one to ensure the annual meeting of shareholders occurs, and (iv) APEG II should not be entitled to any attorneys’ fees. On October 29, 2019, APEG II filed a reply in support of its motion for dismissal, in which APEG II reasserted its position that its claims have been rendered moot as a result of actions taken by the Company in response to APEG’s claims. APEG modified its request that the Custodian be discharged immediately and agreed to delay its request to discharge the Custodian until the Company’s shareholders elect a director to replace the Custodian and the Board selects a Chief Executive Officer to replace the Custodian as interim Chief Executive Order. As of November 12, 2019, the Colorado Federal Court had not yet ruled on APEG II’s motion for dismissal.

Both the Texas Litigation and the Colorado Litigation remain pending.

Audit Committee Investigation

Following the termination of the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board on February 25, 2019, the Company’s independent auditors, Plante & Moran PLLC, informed the Audit Committee that the auditors had found at least one instance of irregularities in the submission and payment of expense reports with respect to the former Chief Executive Officer. The Company’s Audit Committee engaged independent legal counsel, which engaged an independent accounting firm to conduct a forensic accounting investigation of the Company’s expense reporting system in relation to issues raised by the Company’s independent auditors regarding potential financial improprieties related to expense reports, including examining expense reports and third-party expenditures made by or through the former Chief Executive Officer or his staff. The investigation was expanded into a forensic investigation of the integrity of the Company’s computer-based record keeping after Mr. Veltri and Mr. Hoffman managed to reset the security codes to give them complete control of the Company’s books and records temporarily and exclude our other officers and directors from accessing those records during that period, which further raised concerns with respect to material weaknesses in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The scope of the forensic accounting and investigation covered the period from January 1, 2017 through March 31, 2019. The Company’s Audit Committee has taken certain steps in response to the forensic accounting investigation. SeePart I, Item 4. Controls and Procedures—Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting—Management’s Remediation Plan.

The forensic accounting investigation was completed on June 13, 2019 and resulted in the finding of a number of irregularities and reimbursements for personal expenses or expenses that were unrelated to furthering the Company’s business. An expense report was submitted in October 2018 that included $1,537 for the registration of a vehicle owned by an affiliated entity of Mr. Hoffman, as well as insurance premiums for the vehicle totaling $813. Mr. Hoffman repaid the Company in full for such amounts in connection with his resignation and settlement agreement with the Company in May 2019. It is possible that these payments by the Company on behalf of Mr. Hoffman could be deemed to be in violation of Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. However, the Company has not made a determination as of the date hereof if such payments resulted in a violation of that provision.   If, however, it is determined these payments violated the prohibitions of Section 402, the Company could be subject to investigation and/or litigation that could involve significant time and costs and may not be resolved favorably. The Company is unable to predict the extent of its ultimate liability with respect to these payments. The costs and other effects of any future litigation, government investigations, legal and administrative cases and proceedings, settlements, judgments and investigations, claims and changes in this matter could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and operating results.

In addition, the investigation found that the former Chief Executive Officer, David Veltri, had expense reports that consistently lacked detailed receipts and descriptions of the business purpose of each expense. The expense reimbursements did not go through a review process or require Board approval or approval from any other employee, as the Company did not have in place any expense report policy or other process for pre-approving expenses prior to incurring such expense. Mr. Veltri was the sole signatory on the Company’s bank accounts and effectively had sole authority to approve his own expense reports when he provided reimbursement checks to himself and controlled all funds of the Company.

The forensic accounting investigation and the Company’s internal investigation also identified numerous expense items on Mr. Veltri’s expense reports that appeared to be personal in nature, or lacked adequate documentation showing that such expense was for legitimate business purposes. These expense items totaled at least $81,014, of which $32,194 was incurred during the year ended December 31, 2017, $34,203 was incurred during the year ended December 31, 2018 and $14,617 was incurred during 2019 prior to Mr. Veltri’s termination. The Company has reclassified the entire $81,014 reimbursed to Mr. Veltri as additional compensation and taxable income. In addition, the Company has accrued payroll taxes payable on the additional compensation, however, the Company has not accrued penalties and interest that may be assessed because the amount of such penalties and interest cannot be reasonably determined.

The report also indicated that Mr. Veltri used the Company’s vendors for his own personal benefit. Mr. Veltri bypassed the Company’s accounts payable process by paying third-party vendors personally through expense reports and then approved his own expense reports, which limited the visibility of the payments and review by the Company’s accounting personnel. Mr. Veltri personally obtained reimbursements for several charges incurred by a consultant hired by the Company, which consultant potentially had a conflict of interest with the Company. The reimbursements totaled $2,710, and such reimbursements were highly unusual since the consultant included its expenses directly on its own invoices. The independent accounting firm conducting the forensic accounting investigation called into question other payments made to the consultant because of the vagueness of the work descriptions and project details provided by the consultant, and the independent accounting firm questioned Mr. Veltri’s judgment and the legitimacy of the services provided by the consultant for which the Company paid a total of $38,774. The forensic investigation revealed that Mr. Veltri may have made personal loans to the owners of the consulting firm, which indicates that a conflict of interest existed between Mr. Veltri’s personal interests and the Company’s best interests.

Mr. Veltri also incurred $47,156 in third-party professional fees in connection with a potential transaction with a company controlled by a former Board member, which transaction and related expenses in evaluating the potential transaction were not approved by the Board. The professional fees when incurred were treated as unevaluated prospect cost and included in unproved oil and gas properties. At December 31, 2018, the total amount of the fees was impaired and transferred to the full cost pool.

Mr. Veltri also entered into an agreement to acquire some oil and natural gas properties for which the Board authorized $250,000, which amount was fully refundable, subject to the funds being held in escrow pending the closing of the acquisition. Mr. Veltri wired the funds directly into the seller’s account, rather than escrowing such funds, and also paid the seller an additional amount of $124,328, which amount was not authorized by the Board, as well as $40,578 for professional services. The transaction never closed. The Company is currently seeking a refund of such funds from the seller, who as of November 12, 2019 has made two partial payments totaling $100,000. While the Company is pursuing collection of the deposit, the Company has established an allowance for the remaining $274,328 due from the seller due to the uncertainty of collection of the deposit. SeeNote 7-Write-off of Deposit.

Additionally, from time to time, the Company is party to certain legal actions and claims arising in the ordinary course of business. While the outcome of these events cannot be predicted with certainty, management does not expect these matters to have a materially adverse effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

 

9. PREFERRED STOCK

 

The Company’s articles of incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 100,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value. Shares of preferred stock may be issued with such dividend, liquidation, voting and conversion features as may be determined by the Board of Directors without shareholder approval. The Company is authorized to issue 50,000 shares of Series P preferred stock in connection with a shareholder rights plan that expired in 2011.2011, and no shares of Series P preferred stock are outstanding.

 

On February 12, 2016, the Company issued 50,000 shares of newly designated Series A Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) to Mt. Emmons Mining Company (“MEM”), a subsidiary of Freeport McMoRan.McMoRan, pursuant to that certain Series A Convertible Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Series A Purchase Agreement”). The Series A Preferred Stock was issued in connection with the disposition of the Company’s mining segment, whereby MEM acquired the property and replaced the Company as permittee and operator of a water treatment plant (the “Acquisition Agreement”). The Series A Preferred Stock was issued at $40 per share for an aggregate $2$2.0 million. The Series A Preferred Stock liquidation preference, initially $2$2.0 million, increases by quarterly dividends of 12.25% per annum (the “Adjusted Liquidation Preference”). At the option of the holder, each share of Series A Preferred Stock may initially be converted into 13.33 shares of the Company’s $0.01 par value Common Stockcommon stock (the “Conversion Rate”) for an aggregate of 666,667 shares. The Conversion Rate is subject to anti-dilution adjustments for stock splits, stock dividends and certain reorganization events and to price-based anti-dilution protections. At September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stockcommon stock issuable upon conversion isof the Series A Preferred Stock was 793,349 shares, which is the maximum number of shares of common stock issuable upon conversion.

The Series A Preferred Stock is senior to other classes or series of shares of the Company with respect to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation. No dividend or distribution will be declared or paid on junior stock, including the Company’s common stock, (1) unless approved by the holders of Series A Preferred Stock and (2) unless and until a like dividend has been declared and paid on the Series A Preferred Stock on an as-converted basis. The Series A Preferred Stock does not vote with the Company’s Common Stockcommon stock on an as-converted basis on matters put before the Company’s shareholders. However, the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock have the right to approve specified matters as set forth in the certificate of designationsdesignation and have the right to require the Company to repurchase the Series A Preferred Stock in connection with a change of control. Concurrent with entry into the Acquisition Agreement and the Series A Purchase Agreement, the Company and MEM entered into an Investor Rights Agreement, which provides MEM rights to certain information and Board observer rights. MEM has agreed that it, along with its affiliates, will not acquire more than 16.86% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock.common stock. In addition, MEM has the right to demand registration of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Stock under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.amended, of the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock.

 

10. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

At-the-Market Offering

 

OnIn January 5, 2018, wethe Company entered into a common stock sales agreement with a financial institution pursuant to which we maythe Company could offer and sell, through the sales agent, common stock representing an aggregate offering price of up to $2.5 million through an at-the-market continuous offering program. During the threenine months ended September 30, 2018, we issued 357,680 shares of common stock at an average price of $1.52 per share for total proceeds of approximately $0.5 million. Since the beginning of the program in January 2018 through September 30, 2018, we haveCompany issued 1,288,537 shares of common stock at an average price of $1.41 for total net proceeds afterbefore offering expenses of approximately $1.8 million, leaving $0.7 million available$1,817 thousand. Offering expenses, including broker fees and legal costs related to be issued under the at-the-market offering program.totaled $151 thousand. In January 2019, the Company terminated the at-the-market offering.

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Warrants

 

OnIn December 21, 2016, the Company completed a registered direct offering of 1,000,000 shares of common stock at a net gross price of $1.50 per share. Concurrently, the investors received warrants to purchase 1,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company at an exercise price of $2.05 per share, subject to adjustment, for a period of five years from closing. The total net proceeds received by the Company were approximately $1.32 million. The fair value of the warrants upon issuance was $1.24 million, with the remaining $80 thousand being attributed to common stock. The warrants containhave been classified as liabilities due to features in the warrant agreement that give the warrant holder an option to require the Company to redeem the warrant at a dilutive issuance and other liability provisions which causecalculated fair value in the event of a “Fundamental Transaction,” as defined in the warrant agreement. The fair value of the warrants to be accounted for as a liability. Such warrant instruments are initially recorded as a liabilitywas $206 thousand and are accounted for$425 thousand at fair value with changes in fair value reported in earnings. As of September 30, 2018,2019 and December 31, 2017,2018, respectively

Pursuant to the Company had a warrant liability of $722 thousand and $1.2 million, respectively. As a result of common stock issuances made during the nine months ended September 30, 2018,agreement, the warrant exercise price was reduced from $2.05 to $1.13 per share pursuant toas a result of common stock issuances made during the original warrant agreement.three-month period ended March 31, 2018.

 

StockStock Options

 

From time to time, the Company grantsmay grant stock options under its incentive plan covering shares of common stock to directors, executive officers, employees and contractors of the Company under its Amended and Restated 2012 Equity and Performance Incentive Plan (the “2012 Plan”).Company. Stock options, when exercised, are settled through the payment of the exercise price in exchange for new shares of stock underlying the option. These awards typically expire ten years from the grant date.

 

For both the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, and 2017, nototal stock-based compensation expense related to stock options were granted, exercised, forfeited and 69,225 options expired.was $39 thousand. As of September 30, 2018,2019, there was $58$6 thousand of unrecognized expense related to unvested stock options, that were previously granted, which will be recognized as stock-based compensation expense through November 2019. For the nine months ended September 30, 2019, no stock options were granted, exercised or expired. As the result of an employee termination during the period, 5,000 unvested stock options were forfeited. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, no stock options were granted, exercised or forfeited, however, 69,225 stock options expired during the period. Presented below is information about stock options outstanding and exercisable as of September 30, 20182019 and December 31, 2017:2018:

 

 September 30, 2018  December 31, 2017  September 30, 2019  December 31, 2018 
 Shares  Price(1)  Shares  Price(1)  Shares  Price(1)  Shares  Price(1) 
                  
Stock options outstanding  320,462  $6.52   389,687  $8.05   315,462  $6.61   320,462  $6.52 
                                
Stock options exercisable  210,462  $9.32   274,132  $10.79   265,462  $7.63   265,462  $7.63 

 

 (1)Represents the weighted average price.

The following table summarizes information for stock options outstanding and for stock options exercisable at September 30, 2018:2019:

 

Options Outstanding  Options Exercisable 
  Exercise Price      Weighted 
Number  Range    Remaining  Number  Average 

of

Shares

  Low  High  Weighted Average  

Contractual

Term (years)

  

of

Shares

  Exercise Price 
                    
 56,786  $9.00  $9.00  $9.00   6.3   56,786  $9.00 
 49,504   12.48   12.48   12.48   4.8   49,504   12.48 
 29,171   13.92   17.10   14.74   3.7   29,171   14.74 
 15,001   22.62   30.24   24.03   4.8   15,001   24.03 
 60,000   0.72   0.72   0.72   8.9   60,000   0.72 
 110,000   1.16   1.16   1.16   9.1   -   - 
                           
 320,462  $0.72  $30.24  $6.52   7.2   210,462  $9.32 

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Common Stock Grants

Options Outstanding  Options Exercisable 
   Exercise Price          

Number of
Shares

  Low  High  Weighted Average  

Remaining

Contractual Term (years)

  

Number of
Shares

  

Weighted Average

Exercise
Price

 
                    
 165,000  $0.72  $1.16  $1.00   8.0   115,000  $0.93 
 106,290   9.00   12.48   10.62   4.6   106,290   10.62 
 29,171   13.92   17.10   14.74   2.7   29,171   14.74 
 15,001   22.62   30.24   24.03   3.8   15,001   24.03 
 315,462  $0.72  $30.24  $6.61   6.2   265,462  $7.63 

 

In May 2018, the Company grantedrecognized stock-based compensation expense of $583 thousand related to 485,168 unrestricted shares of common stock granted to Company employees and accordingly recorded $596 thousand of stock-based compensation expense. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, total stock-based compensation expense related to stock grants was $623  thousand and $289  thousand, respectively.employees. As of September 30, 2018,2019, there was no unrecognized expense related to common stock grants.

 

11. ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS

The Company has asset retirement obligations (“ARO”) associated with the future plugging and abandonment of proved properties. Initially, the fair value of a liability for an ARO is recorded in the period in which the ARO is incurred with a corresponding increase in the carrying amount of the related asset. The liability is accreted to its present value each period and the capitalized cost is depleted over the life of the related asset. If the liability is settled for an amount other than the recorded amount, an adjustment to the full-cost pool is recognized. The Company had no assets that are restricted for the purpose of settling AROs.

In the fair value calculation for the ARO there are numerous assumptions and judgments including the ultimate retirement cost, inflation factors, credit-adjusted risk-free discount rates, timing of retirement and changes in legal, regulatory, environmental and political environments. To the extent future revisions to assumptions and judgments impact the present value of the existing ARO, a corresponding adjustment is made to the oil and natural gas property balance. During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, there was an adjustment to the credit adjusted risk free rate used to discount the ARO for a well completed in December 2018. The adjustment decreased the ARO liability and the amount capitalized by $14 thousand.

The following is a reconciliation of the changes in the Company’s liabilities for asset retirement obligations during the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and the year ended December 31, 2018:

  Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2019
  

Year

Ended
December 31, 2018

 
  (in thousands) 
Balance, beginning of year $939  $913 
Accretion  17   25 
Sold/Plugged      (18)
New drilled wells  2   19 
Change in discount rate  (14)  - 
Liabilities incurred      - 
Balance, end of period $944  $939 

12. INCOME TAXES

 

The Company has estimated the applicable effective tax rate expected for the full fiscal year. The Company’s effective tax rate used to estimate income taxes on a current year-to-date basis is 0% for both the nine months ended September 30, 2018,2019 and 2017, is 0% and 0%, respectively.2018.

 

OnIn December 27, 2017, asthe Company paid down debt through the issuance of common stock. This issuance represented a 49.3% ownership change in the Company. SeeNote 6-Debt. This change in ownership, combined with other equity events, triggered loss limitations under Internal Revenue Code (“I.R.C.”) Section 382. As a result, the Company wrote-off $29.8 million of a stock issuance (see Note 7) the gross deferred tax assets are subject to limitations under I.R.C. Section 382. The Company still maintains ain 2017, and an additional $2.4 million in gross deferred tax asset position that is subject toassets in 2018. Since the Company maintains a valuation allowance.allowance against these tax assets there is no impact to the condensed consolidated statements of operations in either the nine-month period ended September 30, 2019 or 2018.

 

Deferred tax assets (“DTAs”) are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities and for operating losses and tax credit carry forwards. We review our DTAs and valuation allowance on a quarterly basis. As part of our review, we consider positive and negative evidence, including cumulative results in recent years. Consistent with the position at December 31, 2017,2018, the Company maintains a full valuation allowance recorded against all DTAs. The Company therefore had no recorded DTAs as of September 30, 2018.2019. We anticipate that we will continue to record a valuation allowance against our DTAs in all jurisdictions of the Company until such time as we are able to determine that it is “more-likely-than-not” that those DTAs will be realized.

 

The Company recognizes, measures, and discloses uncertain tax positions whereby tax positions must meet a “more-likely-than-not” threshold to be recognized. During the three and nine-month periodsnine months ended September 30, 20182019 and 2017,2018, no adjustments were recognized for uncertain tax positions.

 

The Company does not expect to pay any federal or state income taxes for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

12.13. EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE

 

Basic net earnings (loss) per common share is computedcalculated by dividing net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the respective period. Diluted net earnings (loss) per common share is calculated by dividing adjusted net earnings (loss) by the diluted weighted average number of common shares outstanding, for the period. Diluted earnings (loss) per share is similarly computed, except that the denominatorwhich includes the effect of potentially dilutive securities. Potentially dilutive securities for this calculation consist of stock options and warrants, which are measured using the treasury stock method of stock options, convertible preferred stock and warrants, if including such potential shares of common stock is dilutive.

The following table presents a reconciliationthe conversion feature of the weighted-average diluted shares outstanding:

  

Three Months Ended

September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

 
  2018  2017  2018  2017 
             
Weighted average common shares outstanding-basic  13,234,709   5,834,568   12,697,206   5,834,568 
Dilutive effect of:                
Stock options  20,400   -   -   - 
Weighted average common shares outstanding-diluted  13,255,109   5,834,568   12,967,206   5,834,568 

We reportedSeries A Preferred Stock. When the Company recognizes a net lossesloss attributable to common shareholders, as was the case for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2019 and the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018, all potentially dilutive shares are anti-dilutive and 2017. As a result, ourare consequently excluded from the calculation of dilutive net loss per common share.

The following table sets forth the calculation of basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding were the same for those periods because the effect of the common share equivalents was anti-dilutive.net loss per share.

  Three Months Ended
September 30,
  Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 
  2019  2018  2019  2018 
  (in thousands except per share data) 
Net income (loss) $(281) $467  $(246) $(950)
Accrued dividend on Series A preferred stock  (95)  (84)  (273)  (242)
Loss applicable to common shareholders $(376) $383  $(519) $(1,192)
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding  13,406   13,235   13,406   12,697 
Dilutive effect of potentially dilutive securities  -   20   -   - 
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding  13,406   13,255   13,406   12,697 
                 
Basic net loss per share $(0.03) $0.03  $(0.04) $(0.09)
Diluted net loss per share $(0.03) $0.03  $(0.04) $(0.09)

 

The following table presents the weighted-average common share equivalents excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share due to their anti-dilutive effect:

 

  

Three Months Ended

September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

 
  2018  2017  2018  2017 
             
Weighted average common shares equivalents excluded from diluted earnings per share due to their anti-dilutive effect:                
Stock options  300,062   390,525   320,462   390,525 
Unvested shares of common stock  -   100,000   -   100,000 
Outstanding warrants  1,000,000   1,000,000   1,000,000   1,000,000 
Series A convertible preferred stock  793,349   792,037   793,349   767,823 
Total  2,093,411   2,282,562   2,113,811   2,258,348 

-14-

  Three Months Ended
September 30,
  Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 
  2019  2018  2019  2018 
  (in thousands) 
Stock options  318   300   320   320 
Outstanding warrants  1,000   1,000   1,000   1,000 
Series A convertible preferred stock  793   793   793   793 
Total  2,111   2,093   2,113   2,113 

 

13.14. SIGNIFICANT CONCENTRATIONS

 

The Company has exposure to credit risk in the event of nonpayment by the joint interest operators of the Company’s oil and natural gas properties. ForDuring the nine monthsnine-month periods ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, and 2017, approximately 80% and 73%, resprectively,the joint interest operators that accounted for 10% or more of the Company’s total oil and natural gas revenue for at least one of the periods presented are associated with properties that are operated by three operators.as follows:

 

Operator 2019  2018 
       
A  54%  17%
B  29%  50%
C  8%  13%

14.15. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

 

Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In determining fair value, the Company uses various methods including market, income and cost approaches. Based on these approaches, the Company often utilizes certain assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk and the risks inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. These inputs can be readily observable, market corroborated, or generally unobservable inputs. The Company utilizes valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. Based on the observability of the inputs used in the valuation techniques the Company is required to provide the following information according to the fair value hierarchy. The fair value hierarchy ranks the quality and reliability of the information used to determine fair values. Financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value will be classified and disclosed in one of the following sixthree categories:

 

Level 1 - Quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities traded in active exchange markets, such as the New York Stock Exchange or the Toronto Stock Exchange.

 

Level 2 - Observable inputs other than Level 1 including quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in less active markets, or other observable inputs that can be corroborated by observable market data. Level 2 also includes derivative contracts whose value is determined using a pricing model with observable market inputs or can be derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data.

 

Level 3 - Unobservable inputs supported by little or no market activity for financial instruments whose value is determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies, or similar techniques, as well as instruments for which the determination of fair value requires significant management judgment or estimation; also includes observable inputs for nonbinding single dealer quotes not corroborated by observable market data.

 

The Company has processes and controls in place to attempt to ensure that fair value is reasonably estimated. The Company performs due diligence procedures over third-party pricing service providers in order to support their use in the valuation process. Where market information is not available to support internal valuations, independent reviews of the valuations are performed and any material exposures are evaluated through a management review process.

 

While the Company believes its valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments could result in a different estimate of fair value at the reporting date. The Company has not changed its methodology of determining fair values. The following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for complex financial instruments measured at fair value:

 

Marketable Equity Securities Valuation Methodologies

The fair value of marketable securities is based on quoted market prices obtained from the Toronto Stock Exchange. Accordingly, the Company has classified these instruments as Level 1.

Derivative Assets and Liabilities

Derivative assets and liabilities, at fair value, are included on our consolidated balance sheets as current or non-current assets or liabilities based on the anticipated timing of cash settlements under the related contracts. Changes in the fair value of our commodity derivative contracts are recorded in other income (expense) on our consolidated statements of operations. We estimate the fair values of swap contracts based on the present value of the difference in exchange-quoted forward price curves and contractual settlement prices multiplied by notional quantities. Accordingly, the Company has classified these instruments as Level 2.

-15-

Warrant Valuation Methodologies

 

The warrants contain a dilutive issuance and other liability provisions whichthat cause the warrants to be accounted for as a liability. Such warrant instruments are initially recorded and valued as a levelLevel 3 liability and are accounted for at fair value with changes in fair value reported in earnings.

There were no changes in the methodology to value the warrants. The Company estimatedworked with a third-party valuation expert to estimate the value of the warrants issued in connection with the closing of its registered direct offering onat September 30, 2019 and December 21, 2016 to be $1,030,000, or $1.03 per warrant,31, 2018 using the Monte Carloa Lattice model, with the following assumptions: a term expiring June 21, 2022, exercise price of $2.05, stock price of $1.28, average volatility rate of 90%, and a risk-free interest rate of 2.01%. The Company re-measured the warrants as of September 30, 2018, using the same Monte Carlo model, using the following assumptions: a term expiring June 21, 2022, exercise price of $1.13, stock price of $1.02, average volatility rate of 90%, and a risk-free interest rate of 2.90%. The “ratchet” anti-dilution provision in the warrants may result in the downward adjustment of the exercise price of the warrants. If the Company issues common stock, options or common stock equivalents at a price less than the exercise price of the warrants, subject to certain customary exceptions, the exercise price of the warrants is reduced to that lower price, however in no event will the exercise price be reduced below $0.392 per share. As of September 30, 2018, the fair value of the warrants was $722 thousand, or $0.72 per warrant, and was recorded as a liability on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.

  September 30, 2019  

December 31, 2018

 
    
Number of warrants outstanding  1,000,000   1,000,000 
Expiration date  June 21, 2022   June 21, 2022 
Exercise price $1.13  $1.13 
Stock price $0.51  $0.67 
Dividend yield  0%  0%
Average volatility rate  85%  90%
Risk free interest rate  1.59%  2.47%

An increase in any of the variables would cause an increase in the fair value of the warrants. Likewise, a decrease in any variable would cause a decrease in the value of the warrants. At September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the fair value of the warrants was $206 thousand and $425 thousand, respectively.

Marketable Equity Securities Valuation Methodologies

The fair value of marketable equity securities is based on quoted market prices obtained from independent pricing services. The Company has investments in the marketable equity securities of Anfield Resources Inc. (“Anfield”) and Sutter Gold Mining Company (“Sutter”). Anfield is traded in an active market and has been classified as Level 1, while Sutter is traded in a less active market and accordingly has been classified as Level 2.

 

Other Financial Instruments

 

The carrying amount of cash and equivalents, oil and gas sales receivable, other current assets, accounts payable and liabilitiesaccrued expenses approximate fair value because of the short-term nature of those instruments. The recorded amounts for the credit facility discussed inNote 6—Debt, and which the Company repaid in full on March 1, 2019 and subsequently matured on July 30, 2019, approximates the fair market value due to the variable nature  of the interest rates, and the fact that market interest rates have remained substantially the same since the last amendment to the credit facility.

 

Recurring Fair Value Measurements

 

Recurring measurements of the fair value of assets and liabilities as of September 30, 20182019 and December 31, 20172018 are as follows:

 

  September 30, 2018  December 31, 2017 
  Level 1  Level 2  Level 3  Total  Level 1  Level 2  Level 3  Total 
                         
Marketable equity securities:                                
Sutter Gold Mining Company $5  $-  $-  $5  $8  $-  $-  $8 
Anfield Resources, Inc.  951   -   -   951   868   -   -   868 
Total $956  $-  $-  $956  $876  $-  $-  $876 
                                 
Commodity price risk derivatives $-  $37   -  $37   -  $161   -  $161 
Outstanding warrant liability  -   -   722   722  $-   -   1,200   1,200 
Total $-  $37  $722  $759      $161  $1,200  $1,361 
  September 30, 2019  December 31, 2018 
  Level 1  Level 2  Level 3  Total  Level 1  Level 2  Level 3  Total 
  (in thousands) 
Assets:                        
Marketable Equity Securities $302  $-  $-  $302  $533  $3  $-  $536 
                                 
Liabilities:                                
Warrants $-  $-  $206  $206  $-  $-  $425  $425 

 

The following table presents a reconciliation of changes in liabilitiesour Level 3 warrants measured at Level 3 fair value

  Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2019
  

Year Ended
December 31, 2018

 
  (in thousands) 
Fair value liabilities of Level 3 instruments- beginning of period $425  $1,200 
         
Net gain on warrant valuation  (219)  (775)
   -     
 Fair value liabilities of Level 3 instruments- end of period $206  $425 

16. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

APEG II was the secured lender under the Company’s credit facility and is involved in litigation with the Company, as described inNote 8Commitments, Contingencies and Related-Party Transactions. As described above, the costs associated with the ongoing litigation have been a significant use of the Company’s existing cash. While the Company has historically funded all litigation costs out of operating cash flow, continued excessive legal fees associated with litigation could impair the Company’s liquidity profile and ability to fund significant drilling obligations.

On December 19, 2018, the Company received a notification letter from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) indicating that for 30 consecutive business days the Company’s common stock did not maintain a minimum closing bid price of $1.00 per share as required by Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). Consistent with this rule, Nasdaq initially provided the Company with a compliance period of 180 days, or until June 17, 2019, to regain compliance with this rule. To regain compliance with this rule, the closing bid price of the common stock must meet or exceed $1.00 per share for at least ten consecutive business days during this 180-day period. On June 19, 2019, Nasdaq notified the Company that, although the Company had not regained compliance with the minimum $1.00 closing bid price per share requirement, Nasdaq has determined that the Company was eligible for an additional 180-day period, or until December 16, 2019, to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement. The second 180-day period relates exclusively to the $1.00 closing bid price deficiency, and the Company’s common stock may be delisted from Nasdaq during the 180-day period for failure to maintain compliance with any other Nasdaq listing requirements for which the Company is currently on notice or which occurs during the 180-day period.

On April 17, 2019, the Company received a recurring basisletter from Nasdaq notifying the Company that the Company also was not in compliance with the requirement of Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) for continued listing as a result of the Company’s failure to timely file its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. Pursuant to the notice, the Company was required to submit to Nasdaq a plan to regain compliance with Nasdaq’s requirements for continued listing within 60 calendar days of the date of the notice (by June 17, 2019). On May 21, 2019, the Company received another notice from Nasdaq notifying the Company that it was not in compliance with the requirement of Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) for continued listing on Nasdaq as a result of the delay in filing its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2019, and Nasdaq accelerated the date to submit the Company’s plan to meet Nasdaq’s continued listing requirements to May 23, 2019, which it complied with. On August 16, 2019, Nasdaq again notified the Company that it was not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) for continued listing due to the delay in filing the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2019. Previously, Nasdaq had granted the Company an exception until September 30, 2018 and16, 2019 to file its delinquent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Liabilities      
Warrants      
(Level 3) 2018  2017 
       
Fair value, beginning of period $1,200  $1,030 
         
Total net losses included in:        
Other comprehensive loss  -   - 
Fair value adjustments included in net loss:        
Net fair value adjustment  (478)  170 
Fair value, end of period $722  $1,200 

15. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS2018, which the Company complied with, and until October 14, 2019 to file its delinquent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2019. Pursuant to the August 16, 2019 notice, Nasdaq also granted the Company an exception to Rule 5250(c)(1) for its failure to file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2019 until October 14, 2019, subject to the Company updating its plan to regain compliance with Nasdaq’s filing requirements. On September 3, 2019, the Company submitted to Nasdaq an update to its plan to regain compliance with Nasdaq’s filing requirements for continued listing for the Nasdaq staff to review and consider. On October 15, 2019, the first business day after October 14, 2019, which was a federal holiday, the Company filed its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2019 and June 30, 2019. On October 16, 2019, Nasdaq provided notice to the Company that as a result of the filing of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K on September 16, 2019 and the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q on October 15, 2019, the Company was in compliance with Rule 5250(c)(1).

 

In October 2018,On May 9, 2019, the Company paid $0.9 millionreceived a letter from Nasdaq notifying it that it was not in compliance with the requirement of Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(c)(2) for its 30% working interest share incontinued listing on Nasdaq as a result of our audit committee being comprised of fewer than three independent directors. It is the drilling costsposition of the J. Beeler No. 1 well in Zavala County, Texas. The Company funded its portionaudit committee that it was comprised of three independent directors prior to May 9, 2019, and that any action taken to remove two of the well with existing cash on hand. The J. Beeler No. 1 wellmembers of the audit committee was spud on October 24, 2018 and is the second wellinvalid. Subsequent to be drilled withinMay 9, 2019, one of the Company’s South Texas acreage position covering Dimmitdirectors resigned from the Board and Zavala Counties.from the audit committee. On June 14, 2019, Nasdaq notified the Company that as a result of the appointment of Catherine Boggs to its Board of Directors and audit committee, Nasdaq determined that the Company was in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(c)(2).

 

 -16-24 
 

 

ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

Forward Looking Statements

 

This Form 10-Q and other publicly available documents, including the documents incorporated herein and therein by reference containcontains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements other than statements of historical factfacts included in and incorporated by reference into this Form 10-Q are forward-looking statements. When used in this Form 10-Q, the words “will”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “plan”, “believe”, “seek”, “estimate”, “goal”, “project”, “strategy”, “future”, “likely”, “may”, “should”, and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements in this Form 10-Q include statements regarding our expected future revenue, income, production, liquidity, cash flows, reclamation and other liabilities, expenses and capital projects, future capital expenditures current or future volatility in the credit markets and future credit markets, and future transactions. Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including those associated with our ability to find oil and natural gas reserves that are economically recoverable, the volatility of oil, NGLnatural gas liquids and natural gas prices, declines in the values of our properties that have resulted in and may in the future result in additional ceiling test write downs, our ability to replace reserves and sustain production, our estimate of the sufficiency of our existing capital sources, our ability to raise additional capital to fund cash requirements for our participation in oil and gas properties and for future acquisitions, the uncertainties involved in estimating quantities of proved oil and natural gas reserves, in prospect development and property acquisitions or dispositions and in projecting future rates of production or future reserves, the timing of development expenditures and drilling of wells, hurricanes and other natural disasters and the operating hazards attendant to the oil and gas and minerals businesses. In particular, careful consideration should be given to cautionary statements made in the “Risk Factors” section of our 20172018 Annual Report on Form 10-K and other quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. The Company undertakes no duty to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

 

General Overview

 

U.S. Energy Corp. (“U.S. Energy”, the “Company”, “we” or “us”), is a Wyoming corporation organized in 1966. We are an independent energy company focused on the lease acquisition and development of oil and natural gas producing properties in the continental United States. Our business isactivities are currently focused in South Texas and the Williston Basin in North Dakota. However, we do not intend to limit our focus to these geographic areas. We continue to focus on increasing production, reserves, revenues and cash flow from operations while managing our level of debt.

 

We currently explorehave historically explored for and produceproduced oil and natural gas through a non-operator business model; however, we may operate oil and gas properties for our own account and may expand our holdings or operations into other areas.model. As a non-operator, we rely on our operating partners to propose, permit, drill, complete and manageproduce oil and natural gas wells. Before a well is drilled, the operator is required to provideprovides all oil and natural gas interest owners in the designated well the opportunity to participate in the drilling and completion costs and revenues of the well on a pro-rata basis. After the well is completed, ourOur operating partners also produce, transport, market and account for all production. As discussed in Item 1. Organizationoil and Operations, our long-term strategic focus is to develop operational capabilities through the pursuit of opportunities to acquire operated properties and/or operatorship of existing properties.natural gas production.

 

Recent Developments

 

InAudit Committee Investigation

Following the termination of our former Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board on February 25, 2019, our independent auditors, Plante & Moran PLLC, informed the Audit Committee that the auditors had found irregularities in the submission and payment of expense reports with respect to our former Chief Executive Officer. Our Audit Committee engaged independent legal counsel, which subsequently engaged an independent accounting firm to conduct a forensic accounting investigation of our expense reporting system in relation to issues raised by our auditors regarding potential financial improprieties related to expense reports, including examining expense reports and third-party expenditures made by or through our former Chief Executive Officer or his staff. The investigation was expanded into a forensic investigation of the integrity of our computer-based record-keeping after Mr. Veltri and Mr. Hoffman managed to reset the security codes to give them complete control of our books and records temporarily and exclude the ability of our other employees, members of management, and other officers and directors to access those records during that period, which further raised concerns with respect to material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. The scope of the forensic accounting investigation covered the period from January 1, 2017 through March 31, 2019. Our Audit Committee has taken certain steps in response to the forensic accounting investigation. SeePart I, Item 4 Controls and Procedures—Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting—Management’s Remediation Plan.

The forensic accounting investigation was completed on June 13, 2019 and resulted in the finding of a number of irregularities and reimbursements for personal expenses or expenses that were unrelated to furthering the Company’s business. An expense report was submitted in October 2018 that included $1,537 for the registration of a vehicle owned by an affiliated entity of Mr. Hoffman, as well as insurance premiums for the vehicle totaling $813. Mr. Hoffman repaid the Company in full for such amounts in connection with his resignation and settlement agreement with the Company in May 2019. It is possible that these payments by the Company on behalf of Mr. Hoffman could be deemed to be in violation of Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. However, we have not made a determination as of the date hereof if such payments resulted in a violation of that provision. If, however, it is determined these payments violated the prohibitions of Section 402, we could be subject to investigation and/or litigation that could involve significant time and costs and may not be resolved favorably. We are unable to predict the extent of our ultimate liability with respect to these payments. The costs and other effects of any future litigation, government investigations, legal and administrative cases and proceedings, settlements, judgments and investigations, claims and changes in this matter could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and operating results.

In addition, the investigation found that our former Chief Executive Officer, David Veltri, had expense reports that consistently lacked detailed receipts and descriptions of the business purpose of each expense. The expense reimbursements did not go through a review process or require Board approval or approval from any other employee, as we did not have in place any expense report policy or other process for pre-approving expenses prior to incurring such expense. Mr. Veltri was the sole signatory on our bank accounts and effectively had sole authority to approve his own expense reports when he provided reimbursement checks to himself and controlled all funds of the Company.

The forensic accounting investigation and our internal investigation also identified numerous expense items on Mr. Veltri’s expense reports that appeared to be personal in nature, or lacked adequate documentation showing that such expense was for legitimate business purposes. These expense items totaled at least $81,014, of which $32,194 was incurred during the year ended December 31, 2017, $34,203 was incurred during the year ended December 31, 2018 and $14,617 was incurred during 2019 prior to Mr. Veltri’s termination. We have reclassified the entire $81,014 reimbursed to Mr. Veltri as additional compensation and taxable income. In addition, we have accrued payroll taxes payable on the additional compensation, however we have not accrued penalties and interest that may be assessed because the amount of such penalties and interest cannot be reasonably determined.

The report also indicated that Mr. Veltri used the Company’s vendors for his own personal benefit. Mr. Veltri bypassed our accounts payable process by paying third-party vendors personally through expense reports and then approved his own expense reports, which limited the visibility of the payments and review by our accounting personnel. Mr. Veltri personally obtained reimbursements for several charges incurred by a consultant hired by the Company, which consultant potentially had a conflict of interest with the Company. The reimbursements totaled $2,710, and such reimbursements were highly unusual since the consultant included its expenses directly on its own invoices. The independent accounting firm conducting the forensic accounting investigation called into question other payments made to the consultant because of the vagueness of the work descriptions and project details provided by the consultant, and the independent accounting firm questioned Mr. Veltri’s judgment and the legitimacy of the services provided by the consultant for which the Company paid $0.9 milliona total of $38,774. The forensic investigation revealed that Mr. Veltri may have made personal loans to the owners of the consulting firm, which indicates that a conflict of interest existed between Mr. Veltri’s personal interests and the Company’s best interests. The fees paid to the consultant were initially recorded as unevaluated prospect costs. At December 31, 2018, as a result of the Board deciding not to pursue the prospect, the costs were impaired and transferred into the full cost pool.

Mr. Veltri also incurred $47,156 in third-party professional fees in connection with a potential transaction with a company controlled by a former Board member, which transaction and related expenses in evaluating the potential transaction were not approved by the Board. The professional fees, when incurred, were treated as unevaluated prospect cost and included in unproved oil and gas properties. At December 31, 2018, the total amount of the fees was impaired and transferred to the full cost pool.

Mr. Veltri also entered into an agreement to acquire some oil and natural gas properties for its 30% working interest sharewhich the Board authorized $250,000, which amount was fully refundable, subject to the funds being held in escrow pending the closing of the acquisition. Mr. Veltri wired the funds directly into the seller’s account, rather than escrowing such funds, and also paid the seller an additional amount of approximately $124,328, which amount was not authorized by the Board, as well as $40,578 for professional services. The transaction never closed. The Company is currently seeking a refund of such funds from the seller, who as of November 12, 2019 has made two partial payments totaling $100,000. While the Company is pursuing collection of the deposit, the Company has established an allowance for the remaining $274,328 due from the seller due to the uncertainty of collection of the deposit. SeeNote 7-Write-off of Deposit in the drilling costsNotes to the Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this report.

Nasdaq Continued Listing Requirements

On December 19, 2018, we received a notification letter from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) indicating that for 30 consecutive business days our common stock did not maintain a minimum closing bid price of $1.00 per share as required by Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). Consistent with this rule, Nasdaq initially provided us with a compliance period of 180 calendar days, or until June 17, 2019, to regain compliance with this rule. To regain compliance with this rule, the closing bid price of our common stock must meet or exceed $1.00 per share for at least ten consecutive business days during this 180 calendar day period. On June 19, 2019, Nasdaq notified us that, although we have not regained compliance with the minimum $1.00 closing bid price per share requirement, Nasdaq has determined that we were eligible for an additional 180 calendar day period, or until December 16, 2019, to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement. The second 180-day period relates exclusively to the $1.00 closing bid price deficiency, and we may be delisted during the 180-day period for failure to maintain compliance with any other Nasdaq listing requirements for which we are currently on notice or which occurs during the 180-day period.

On April 17, 2019, we received a letter from the Nasdaq notifying us that we were not in compliance with the requirement of Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) for continued listing as a result of our failure to timely file our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. Pursuant to the notice, we were required to submit to Nasdaq a plan to regain compliance with Nasdaq’s requirements for continued listing within 60 calendar days of the J. Beeler No. 1 well in Zavala County, Texas. The Company funded its portiondate of the wellnotice (by June 17, 2019). On May 21, 2019, we received another notice from Nasdaq notifying us that we were not in compliance with existing cashthe requirement of Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) for continued listing on hand. The J. Beeler No. 1 wellNasdaq as a result the delay in filing our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2019, and Nasdaq accelerated the date to submit our plan to meet Nasdaq’s continued listing requirements to May 23, 2019, which we complied with. Nasdaq granted us an exception to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) until September 16, 2019 to file our delinquent annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 and until October 14, 2019 to file our delinquent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2019 and June 30, 2019. On August 16, 2019, Nasdaq again notified us that we were not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) for continued listing due to the delay in filing our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2019. On September 3, 2019, we submitted to Nasdaq an update to our plan to regain compliance with Nasdaq’s filing requirements for continued listing for the Nasdaq staff to review and consider. On October 15, 2019, the first business day after October 14, 2019, which was spuda federal holiday, we filed our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2019 and June 30, 2019. On October 16, 2019, Nasdaq notified us that as a result of our filing the annual report on Form 10-K on September 16, 2019 and the quarterly reports on Form 10-Q on October 24, 2018 and15, 2019, we were in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1).

On May 9, 2019, we received a letter from Nasdaq notifying us that we were not in compliance with the requirement of Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(c)(2) for continued listing on Nasdaq as a result of our audit committee being comprised of fewer than three independent directors. It is the second wellposition of Audit Committee that it was comprised of three independent directors prior to be drilled withinMay 9, 2019, and that any action taken to remove two of the Company’s South Texas acreage position covering Dimmitmember of the audit committee was invalid. Subsequent to May 9, 2019, Mr. Hoffman resigned from the Board and Zavala Counties.from the audit committee. On June 14, 2019, Nasdaq notified us that as a result of the appointment of Catherine Boggs to our Board of Directors and audit committee, Nasdaq determined that we were in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(c)(2).

 

-17-

Legal Proceedings

APEG II, our largest shareholder holding approximately 43% of our outstanding common stock, and its general partner, APEG Energy II, GP (together with APEG II, “APEG”) are involved in litigation with us and our former Chief Executive Officer, David Veltri. For more detail regarding such litigation, please see the sectionsLitigation—APEG II Litigationand–Litigation with Former Chief Executive Officer inNote 8Commitments, Contingencies and Related-Party Transactionsin the Notes to the Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this report  .

Annual Meeting of Shareholders

On November 5, 2019, we filed our definitive proxy statement (the “Proxy Statement”) for our 2019 annual meeting of shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) with the SEC and also commenced mailing of the Proxy Statement. As noted in the Proxy Statement, the Annual Meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 10, 2019, at 8:00 a.m., Central Time, at our Houston offices located at 675 Bering, Suite 100, Houston, TX 77057. Our Board of Directors has nominated two Class Two directors, James W. Denny III and Patrick E. Duke, and two Class One directors, Randall D. Keys and D. Stephen Slack, for election at the Annual Meeting. The proposals upon which our shareholders will vote at the Annual Meeting, including more detailed information regarding the director nominees, are set forth in the Proxy Statement.

 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

 

The preparation of our condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity U.S. GAAPwith generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) requires us to make assumptions and estimates that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, as well as the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of our consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. A summary of our significant accounting policies is detailed inNotePart II, Item 7 – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operationsin Item 2 of our 20172018 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 28, 2018.September 16, 2019.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

 

Please refer to the section entitledRecentAdopted and Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements underNote 1 – Organization, Operations and Significant Accounting Policies in the Notes to the Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this report for additional information on recently issued accounting standards and our plans for adoption of those standards.

Results of Operations

 

Comparison of our Statements of Operations for the Three Months Ended September 30, 20182019 and 20172018

 

During the three months ended September 30, 2018,2019, we recorded a net incomeloss of $467$281 thousand as compared to a net lossincome of $382$467 thousand for the three months ended September 30, 2017.2018. In the following sections we discuss our revenue, operating expenses and non-operating income for the three months ended September 30, 20182019 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2017.2018.

 

Revenue.Presented below is a comparison of our oil and gas revenues,sales, production quantities and average sales prices for the three months ended September 30, 20182019 and 20172018 (dollars in thousands, except average sales prices):

 

      Change       Change 
 2018  2017  Amount  Percent  2019 2018 Amount Percent 
                  
Revenue:                                
Oil $1,120  $1,311  $(191)  -15% $1,571  $1,120  $451   40%
Gas  102   227   (125)  -55%  62   102   (40)  -39%
                                
Total $1,222  $1,538  $(316)  -21% $1,633  $1,222  $411   34%
                                
Production quantities:                                
Oil (Bbls)  16,194   30,000   (13,806)  -46%  28,266   16,194   12,072   75%
Gas (Mcfe)  29,623   75,820   (46,197)  -61%  37,978   29,623   8,355   28%
BOE  21,131   42,637   (21,506)  -50%  34,596   21,131   13,465   64%
                                
Average sales prices:                                
Oil (Bbls) $69.16  $43.69  $25.46   58% $55.58  $69.16  $(13.58)  -20%
Gas (Mcfe)  3.45  $2.99   0.46   15%  1.63   3.45   (1.82)  -53%
BOE  57.84  $36.06   21.77   60% $47.20  $57.84  $(10.64)  -18%

 

The decreaseincrease in our oil and gas revenue of $191$411 thousand for the three months ended September 30, 20182019 as compared to the three months ended September 30, 20172018 was primarily attributable to the October 2017 asset divestiture combined with normal production declines experienced from existing producing wells.  These factors offset a 58%an increase in oil production of 75% due to a significant increase in production from our South Texas operations where we have participated in the averagedrilling of three wells in the last year. As a result, our overall production quantities on a barrels of oil salesequivalent (“BOE”) basis increased by 64%. During the three-month period ended September 30, 2019 the price we received per BOE decreased 18%, which was comprised of a decrease in the price for our oil production of 20% and a decrease in the price for our natural gas production by 53%. For the three months ended September 30, 20182019, 82% of our production on a BOE basis was from oil as compared to the three months ended September 30, 2017. The decrease in our gas sales of $125 thousand for the three months ended September 30, 2018 as compared to the three months ended September 30, 2017 was primarily driven by maintenance-related downtime on a specific producing gas well located in Louisiana in which the Company holds a significant working interest combined with normal production declines experienced from existing producing wells. These factors offset a 15% increase77% in the average natural gas price received.comparable period of 2018.

-18-

 

For the three months ended September 30, 2018,2019, we produced 21,13134,596 BOE, or an average of 230376 BOE per day, as compared to 42,63721,131 BOE or 463230 BOE per day during the comparable period in 2017.2018. This reductionincrease was mainly attributable to the October 2017 asset divestiture, maintenance-related downtime onpreviously mentioned drilling activity from our South Texas operations for which we saw a specific gas producing well locatedsignificant increase in Louisiana, and normal production declines  from existing producing wells.beginning in December 2018.

 

28

Oil and Gas Production Costs. Presented below is a comparison of our oil and gas production costs for the three months ended September 30, 20182019 and 20172018 (dollars in thousands):

 

      Change       Change 
 2018  2017  Amount  Percent  2019  2018  Amount  Percent 
                  
Production taxes $96  $113  $(17)  -15% $107  $96  $11   12%
Lease operating expenses  357   743   (386)  -52%
Lease operating expense  410   357   53   15%
                                
Total $453  $856  $(403)  -47% $517  $453  $64   14%
Per Boe $21.44  $20.08  $1.36   7% $14.94  $21.44  $-6.50   -30%

 

For the three months ended September 30, 2018,2019, production taxes decreasedincreased by $17$11 thousand, or 12%, compared to the comparable period in 2017. This decrease2018 due to a 34% increase in revenues and a higher percentage of revenues in the current quarter being generated from our Texas operations where the production tax rate is lower relative to North Dakota. Production taxes and other expenses was primarily attributableon a per BOE basis were $3.09 in the current year quarter compared to $4.54 per BOE in the October 2017 asset divestiture combined with lower production volumes.prior year quarter. During the three months ended September 30, 2018,2019, lease operating expenses decreasedincreased by $386$53 thousand, or 15%, when compared to the three months ended September 30, 2017. The decrease was primarily attributable2018 due to the October 2017increased field activity across our asset divestiture. Total oil and gas production costs per BOE increased 7% forbase during the three months ended September 30, 20182019. On a per BOE basis, lease operating expenses were $11.85 in the current year quarter compared to $16.89 per BOE in the comparable periodprior year quarter. The decrease in 2017. This increaselease operating expenses on a BOE basis was primarily attributed to lower production due to maintenance-related downtime ona fixed cost component of our gas well in Louisiana.operating costs being spread over a larger production base.

 

Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization.Our depreciation, depletion and amortization.Our amortization (“DD&A&A”) rate for the three months ended September 30, 20182019 was $3.53$5.04 per BOE compared to $3.23$3.53 per BOE for the three months ended September 30, 2017.2018. Our DD&A rate can fluctuate as a result of changes in drilling and completion costs, impairments, divestitures, changes in the mix of our production, the underlying proved reserve volumes and estimated costs to drill and complete proved undeveloped reserves. The increase from comparable 2017 levels is primarily attributable to a decrease in reserves as a result of our October 2017 divestiture combined with an increase in oil prices throughout the three months ended September 30, 2018.

 

Impairment of oilOil and gasNatural Gas properties.During the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, and 2017, we recorded no impairment charges related tothe net capitalized cost of our oil and natural gas properties due to the net capitalized costs being belowdid not exceed the full cost ceiling limitation. Presented below are the weighted average prices (in each case adjusted for transportation, quality, and basis differentials applicable to our properties on a weighted average basis) used to prepare our reserve estimates and to calculate our full cost ceiling limitations for each of the last five calendar quarters:limitation; therefore, we did not record an impairment charge.

  Average Price(1) 
  Oil  Gas 
  (Bbl)  (MMbtu) 
       
Third quarter of 2017  43.89   2.92 
Fourth quarter of 2017  47.01   2.98 
First quarter of 2018  50.27   3.93 
Second quarter of 2018  53.86   2.83 
Third quarter of 2018  59.78   2.83 

(1)Represents the trailing 12-month average for benchmark oil and gas prices ending in the last month of the calendar quarter shown less Company differential.

Our quarterly reserve reports are prepared based on a trailing 12-month average for benchmark oil and gas prices.

-19-

 

General and Administrative Expenses.Presented below is a comparison of our general and administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, 20182019 and 20172018 (dollars in thousands):

 

      Change       Change 
 2018  2017  Amount  Percent  2019 2018 Amount Percent 
                  
Compensation and benefits, including directors $222  $190  $32   17% $166  $222  $(56)  -25
Stock-based compensation  13   77   (64)  -83% 9 13 (4) -31%
Professional fees  286   268   18   7%
Insurance, rent and other  100   64   36   56%
Professional fees, insurance and other  814  386  428 111%
                 
Total $621  $599  $22   4% $989 $621 $368 59%

 

General and administrative expenses were $621increased by $368 thousand forduring the three monthsthree-month period ended September 30, 20182019 as compared to $599 thousand during the samethree-month period of 2017.ended September 30, 2018. The increase was primarily attributable to a $36 thousand increase in insurance, rent and other, an $18 thousand increase in professional fees associatedas a result of the APEG II litigation. SeeLitigation—APEG II Litigationand–Litigation with evaluationFormer Chief Executive Officer inNote 8Commitments, Contingencies and Related-Party Transactionsin the Notes to the Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1 of prospective wells and anthis report. This increase of $32 thousand in compensation expense. These werewas partially offset by a $64 thousand decreasereduction in stock-based compensation expense.

and benefits as the result of a reduction in corporate headcount.

Non-Operating Income (Expense). Presented below is a comparison of our non-operating income (expense) for the three months ended September 30, 20182019 and 20172018 (dollars in thousands):

 

        Change 
  2018  2017  Amount  Percent 
             
(Loss) gain on commodity derivative contracts $(14) $(166) $152   -91%
Rental and other expense, net  (53)  53   (106)  -2%
Warrant fair value adjustment  288   (70)  358   511%
Interest expense  (24)  (136)  112   -82%
Change in fair value of marketable securities  203   -   203   100%
Total other income (expense) $400  $(319) $719   -225%
        Change 
  2019  2018  Amount  Percent 
             
Loss on commodity derivative contracts  -   (14)  14   NA 
Unrealized (loss) gain on marketable equity securities  (240)  203   (443)  -218%
Warrant revaluation (loss) gain  (23)  288   (311)  -108%
Rental property loss  (16)  (58)  42   -72%
Recovery of deposit  50   -   50   NA 
Interest, net  1   (19)  20   -105%
                 
Total non-operating (expense) income $(228) $400  $(628)  -157%

 

During the three months endingended September 30, 2018, the Company2019, we had a loss on oil price derivatives of $14 thousand .no outstanding commodity derivative contracts. During the three months endingended September 30, 2017, the Company2018, we had a $1 thousand realized loss and a $13 thousand unrealized loss on oil derivative contracts outstanding of $166 thousand.commodity derivatives. Unrealized gains orand losses result from changes in the fair value of the unsettled derivative contractsderivatives as commodity futures prices increase or decrease. Unrealized gains and losses are also recognized in the month when derivative contracts are settled in cash through the recognition of a realized gain or loss.

 

During the three months ending September 30, 2018, the Company had an unrealized gain on marketable securities of $203 thousand. On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASU 2016-01 requiring unrealized gains and losses on marketable securities to be recognized on the consolidated statement of operations. For the three months ended September 30, 2017, unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities was recorded on the consolidated balance sheet as a component of equity under “Other comprehensive loss.”

During the three months ending September 30, 2018, the Company realized2019, we recognized a warrant revaluation gainloss of $288$23 thousand as compared to a lossgain of $70 thousand during the three months ending September 30, 2017. The increase was attributable to a decrease in the warrant liability primarily as a result of a decline in the per share market value of the Company’s common stock. Our warrant liability is accounted for using the mark-to-market accounting method whereby gains and losses from changes in the fair value of derivative instruments are recognized immediately into earnings. We will continue to revalue our outstanding warrants on a quarterly basis.

Interest expense decreased by $112$288 thousand during the three months ended September 30, 2018. The change in the valuation of the warrants is primarily attributable to a decline in the value of our common stock during the three months ended September 30, 2018 and a slight increase in the value of our common stock during the three months ended September 30, 2019.

Interest, net decreased by $20 thousand during the three months ended September 30, 2019 compared to the comparable period in 2017.2018. The decrease was attributable to the reduction in the principleprincipal balance of our credit facility. The averagefacility, which was repaid in full on March 1, 2019 and interest rateincome earned on cash and a note receivable. This decrease was 8.75% forpartially offset by an increase in interest related to insurance premium financing in 2019.

During the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017.2019, we recognized a gain of $50 thousand from the partial recovery of a deposit written off in 2018. SeeNote 7-Write-Off of Depositin the Notes to the Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this report.

-20-

 

Comparison of our Statements of Operations for the Nine Months Ended September 30, 20182019 and 20172018

 

During the nine months ended September 30, 2018,2019, we recorded a net loss of $950$246 thousand as compared to a net loss of $787$950 thousand for the nine months ended September 30, 2017.2018. In the following sections we discuss our revenue, operating expenses and non-operating income for the nine months ended September 30, 20182019 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2017.2018.

 

Revenue.Presented below is a comparison of our oil and gas revenues,sales, production quantities and average sales prices for the nine months ended September 30, 20182019 and 20172018 (dollars in thousands, except average sales prices):

 

        Change 
  2018  2017  Amount  Percent 
             
Revenue:                
Oil $3,642  $4,141  $(499)  -12%
Gas  708   1,135   (427)  -38%
                 
Total $4,350  $5,276  $(926)  -18%
                 
Production quantities:                
Oil (Bbls)  56,820   95,039   (38,219)  -40%
Gas (Mcfe)  179,330   335,102   (155,772)  -46%
BOE  94,605   150,890   (56,285)  -37%
                 
Average sales prices:                
Oil (Bbls) $64.10  $43.57  $20.53   47%
Gas (Mcfe) $3.95  $3.39  $0.56   17%
BOE $45.98  $34.97  $11.01   31%

        Change 
  2019  2018  Amount  Percent 
             
Revenue:                
Oil $4,746  $3,642  $1,104   30%
Gas  320   708   (388)  -55%
                 
Total $5,066  $4,350  $716   16%
                 
Production quantities:                
Oil (Bbls)  83,006   56,820   26,186   46%
Gas (Mcfe)  151,381   226,710   (75,329)  -32%
BOE  108,236   94,605   13,631   14%
                 
Average sales prices:                
Oil (Bbls) $57.18  $64.10  $(6.92)  -11%
Gas (Mcfe)  2.11   3.12   (1.01)  -32%
BOE $46.81  $45.98  $0.83   2%

The decreaseincrease in our oil and gas revenue of $499$716 thousand for the nine months ended September 30, 20182019 as compared to the nine months ended September 30, 20172018 was primarily attributableattributed to the October 2017 asset divestiture combined with normal production declines experienced from existing producing wells.  These factors offset a 47%an increase in oil production of 46% due to a significant increase in production from our South Texas operations where we have participated in the average oil salesdrilling of three wells in the last year. As a result, our overall production quantities on a per BOE basis increased 14%. In addition, prices on a BOE basis increased 2%. During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2019 the price we received per BOE increased despite the price received for our oil production decreasing by 11% and the price received for our gas production decreasing by 32% due to an oil-weighted shift in our production mix. For the nine months ended September 30, 20182019, 77% of our production on a BOE basis was from oil as compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2017. The decrease in our gas sales of $427 thousand for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 as compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was primarily driven by maintenance-related downtime on a specific producing gas well located in Louisiana in which the Company holds a significant working interest combined with normal production declines experienced from existing producing wells. These factors offset a 17% increase60% in the average natural gas price received.comparable period of 2018.

 

For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, we produced 94,6052019, our production on a BOE or an average ofbasis increased 14% at 396 BOE per day compared to 347 BOE per day as compared to 150,890 BOE or 553 BOE per day duringfor the comparable period of 2018. We produced 108,236 BOE during the first nine months of 2019 compared to 94,605 BOE for the same period in 2017.2018. This reductionincrease was mainly attributable to the October 2017 asset divestiture combined with normalpreviously mentioned drilling activity from our South Texas operations for which we saw a significant increase in oil production declines.beginning in December 2018.. The increase in our oil production was partially offset by a decrease in natural gas production, primarily due to our Louisiana natural gas well, which has been shut-in for the entire nine months ended September 30, 2019.

 

Oil and Gas Production Costs. Presented below is a comparison of our oil and gas production costs for the nine months ended September 30, 20182019 and 20172018 (dollars in thousands):

 

        Change 
  2018  2017  Amount  Percent 
             
Production taxes $316  $396  $(82)   -21%
Lease operating expenses  1,431   2,316   (883)   -38%
                 
Total $1,747  $2,712  $(965)   -36%
Per Boe $18.47  $17.97  $0.50   3%

-21-
        Change 
  2019  2018  Amount  Percent 
             
Production taxes $323  $316  $7   2%
Lease operating expense  1,348   1,431   (83)  -6%
                 
Total $1,671  $1,747  $(76)  -4%
Per BOE $15.44  $18.47  $(3.03)  -16%

 

For the nine months ended September 30, 2018,2019, production taxes decreased by $82increased $7 thousand when compared to the comparable period in 2017. This decrease2018 due to a 16% increase in revenues and a higher percentage of revenues in the current year period being generated from our Texas operations where the production tax rate is lower relative to North Dakota. Production taxes and other expenses was primarily attributablewere $2.98 per BOE in the current year period compared to $3.34 per BOE in the October 2017 asset divestiture  combined with lower production volumes.prior year period. During the nine months ended September 30, 2018,2019, lease operating expensesexpense decreased by $883$83 thousand, or 6%, when compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2017.2018 as the result of reduced field activity across our asset base. On a per BOE basis, lease operating expense was $12.46 in the current year period compared to $15.13 per BOE in the prior year period. The decrease in lease operating expenses on a BOE basis was primarily attributabledue to the October 2017 asset divestiture combined with lowera fixed cost component our operating costs being spread over a larger production volumes. Total oil and gas production costs per BOE increased 3% for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 to the comparable period in 2017. This increase was primarily attributed to increased workover activity on our properties.base.

 

Depreciation, depletionDepletion and amortization.Amortization.Our DD&A rate for the nine months ended September 30, 20182019 was $3.66$4.92 per BOE compared to $3.93$3.66 per BOE for the nine months ended September 30, 2017.2018. Our DD&A rate can fluctuate as a result of changes in drilling and completion costs, impairments, divestitures, changes in the mix of our production, the underlying proved reserve volumes and estimated costs to drill and complete proved undeveloped reserves. The primary factor that resulted in a reduction in our DD&A rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was the October 2017 asset divestiture and the corresponding reduction to the Company’s full cost pool.

 

Impairment of oilOil and gas properties.Natural Gas Properties.During the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, and 2017, we recorded no impairment charges related tothe net capitalized cost of our oil and natural gas properties due to the net capitalized costs being belowdid not exceed the full cost ceiling limitation.limitation; therefore, we did not record an impairment charge.

 

General and Administrative Expenses.Presented below is a comparison of our general and administrative expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 20182019 and 20172018 (dollars in thousands):

 

      Change       Change 
 2018  2017  Amount  Percent  2019 2018 Amount Percent 
                  
Compensation and benefits, including directors $1,548  $544  $1,004   185% $620  $1,548  $(928)  -60%
Stock-based compensation  623   289   334   116%  35   623   (588)  -94%
Professional fees  855   1,618   (763)  -47%
Insurance, rent and other  328   301   27   9%
Professional fees, insurance and other  2,434   1,183   1,251   106%
Bad debt expense  28   -   28   NA 
                                
Total $3,354  $2,752  $602   22% $3,117  $3,354  $(237)  -7%

General and administrative expenses were $3.4 milliondecreased by $237 thousand during the first nine months of 2018nine-month period ended September 30, 2019 as compared to $2.8 million during the first nine months of 2017.nine-month period ended September 30, 2018. The increasedecrease was primarily attributable to a $1.0 million increasereduction in employee compensation and benefits related expensesto the reduction in corporate overhead combined with the payment of a $334 thousand increasecash incentive bonus to officers and employees in 2018. We did not pay any cash bonuses during the nine months ended September 30, 2019. In addition, during the nine months ended September 30, 2018, we granted stock-based compensation expense.awards to officers and employees. No such stock-based award was given in 2019. The increasedecrease in general and administrative expenses was partially offset by a $763 thousand reductionan increase in professional fees primarily due toas a result of the APEG II litigation that has been resolved and the hiring of employees that have been historically employed on a contract basis.forensic accounting investigation. SeePart II, Item 1. Legal Proceedings-APEG II Litigation.

 

Non-Operating Income (Expense). Presented below is a comparison of our non-operating income (expense) for the nine months ended September 30, 20182019 and 20172018 (dollars in thousands):

 

        Change 
  2018  2017  Amount  Percent 
             
(Loss) gain on commodity derivative contracts $(225) $246  $(471)  -191%
Gain on sale of assets  -   1   (1)  NA 
Rental and other expense, net  (84)  (296)  212   72%
Warrant fair value adjustment  478   450   28   6%
Interest expense  (83)  (382)  299   78%
Change in fair value of marketable securities  80   -   80   NA 
Total other income (expense) $166  $19  $147   774%

-22-
        Change 
  2019  2018  Amount  Percent 
             
Loss on commodity derivative contracts  -   (225)  225   NA 
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable equity securities  (235)  80   (315)  -394%
Warrant revaluation gain  219   478   (260)  -54%
Rental property loss  (39)  (94)  56   -60%
Recovery of deposit written-off  100   -   100   NA 
Interest, net  (19)  (73)  54   -74%
                 
Total non-operating income (expense) $26  $166  $(140)  -84%

 

During the nine months endingended September 30, 2018, the Company2019, we had a loss on oil price derivatives of $225 thousand due to the increase inno outstanding commodity prices.derivative contracts. During the nine months endingended September 30, 2017, the Company2018, we had a $349 thousand realized loss and a $124 thousand unrealized gain on oil derivative contracts outstanding of $246 thousand.commodity derivatives. Unrealized gains orand losses result from changes in the fair value of the derivatives as commodity prices increase or decreasedecrease. Unrealized gains and are recognized in the month when derivative contracts are settled in cash through the recognition of a realized gain. Similarly, unrealized gainslosses are also recognized in the month when derivative contracts are settled in cash through the recognition of a realized gain or loss.

 

During the nine months endingended September 30, 2018, the Company had an unrealized gain on marketable securities of $80 thousand. On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASU 2016-01, which requires the recognition of unrealized gains and losses on marketable securities on the consolidated statement of operations. As of September 30, 2017, unrealized gains and losses on marketable securities were recorded on the consolidated balance sheet as a component of stockholders’ equity under “Other comprehensive loss.”

During the nine months ending September 30, 2018,2019, we realizedrecognized a warrant revaluation gain of $478$219 thousand as compared to a gain of $450 thousand during the nine months ending September 30, 2017. Our warrant liability is accounted for using the mark-to-market accounting method whereby gains and losses from changes in the fair value of derivative instruments are recognized immediately into earnings. We will continue to revalue our outstanding warrants on a quarterly basis.

Interest expense decreased by $299$478 thousand during the nine months ended September 30, 2018. The decrease was primarily attributable to a larger decline in the value of our common stock during the nine months ended September 30, 2018 as compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2019.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, we recognized a gain of $100 thousand from the partial recovery of a deposit written off in 2018. SeeNote 7-Write-Off of Depositin the Notes to the Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this report.

Interest, net decreased by $54 thousand during the nine months ended September 30, 2019 compared to the comparable period in 2017.2018. The decrease was attributable to the reduction in the principleprincipal balance of our credit facility. facility, which was repaid in full on March 1, 2019. This decrease was partially offset by an increase in interest expense related to insurance premium financing in 2019.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures- Adjusted EBITDAX

Adjusted EBITDAX represents income (loss) from continuing operations as further modified to eliminate depreciation, depletion accretion and amortization, stock-based compensation expense, unrealized gains and loss on marketable equity securities, gains and losses on warrant revaluation, income taxes, unrealized commodity price risk derivative gains and losses, interest expense net of interest income, and other items set forth in the table below. Adjusted EBITDAX excludes certain items that we believe affect the comparability of operating results and items that are generally one-time in nature or whose timing and/or amount cannot be reasonably estimated.

Adjusted EBITDAX is a non-GAAP measure that is presented because we believe it provides useful additional information to investors and analysts as a performance measure. In addition, adjusted EBITDAX is widely used by professional research analysts and others in the valuation, comparison, and investment recommendations of companies in the oil and natural gas exploration and production industry, and many investors use the published research of industry research analysts in making investment decisions. Adjusted EBITDAX should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net income (loss), income (loss) from operations, net cash provided by operating activities, or profitability or liquidity measures prepared under GAAP. Because adjusted EBITDAX excludes some, but not all items that affect net income (loss) and may vary among companies, the adjusted EBITDAX amounts presented may not be comparable to similar metrics of other companies.

The average interest rate was 8.75%following table provides reconciliations of income (loss) from continuing operations to adjusted EBITDAX for the nine months ended September 30, 20182019 and 7.68% for the nine months ended September 30, 2017.2018:

  2019  2018 
  (in thousands) 
Net loss from continuing operations (GAAP) $(246) $(950)
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization  550   365 
Unrealized loss (gain) on marketable equity securities  235   (80)
Gain on warrant revaluation  (219)  (478)
Unrealized gain on commodity price risk derivatives  -   (124)
Stock-based compensation expense  35   623 
Interest, net  19   73 
         
Adjusted EBITDAX (Non-GAAP) $374  $(571)

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

The following table sets forth certain measures of our liquidity as of September 30, 20182019 and December 31, 2017:2018:

 

 September 30, 2018  December 31, 2017  Change  September 30, 2019 December 31, 2018 Change 
   (restated)    (in thousands) 
Cash and equivalents $2,993  $3,277  $(284) $1,385  $2,340  $(955)
Working capital(1)  3,639   4,336   (697)  1,662   2,018   (356)
Total assets  15,242   15,316   (74)  14,157   14,778   (621)
Outstanding debt under Credit Facility  937   1,537   (600)
Borrowing base under Credit Facility  6,000   6,000   - 
Outstanding debt under credit facility  -   937   (937)
Borrowing base under credit facility  -   6,000   (6,000)
Total shareholders’ equity  9,797   8,662   1,135   9,508   9,719   (211)
                        
Select Ratios            
            
Select Ratios:            
Current ratio(2)  3.1 to 1.0   3.7 to 1.0       2.2 to 1    2.2 to 1.0     
Debt to equity ratio (restated)(3)  0.1 to 1.0   0.2 to 1.0     
Debt to equity ratio(3)  -    0.1 to 1.0     

 

 (1)Working capital deficit is computed by subtracting total current liabilities from total current assets.
 (2)The current ratio is computed by dividing total current assets by total current liabilities.
 (3)The debt to equity ratio is computed by dividing total debt by total shareholders’ equity. The ratio at December 31, 2017, has been restated for the reclassification of the Preferred Stock to temporary equity

As of September 30, 2019, we have a working capital surplus of $1,662 thousand compared to a working capital surplus of $2,018 thousand as of December 31, 2018, a decrease of $356 thousand. This decrease was primarily attributable to additional legal expenses incurred as a result of the ongoing litigation with APEG II.

Our sole source of debt financing was a revolving credit facility with APEG II, which we repaid in full in March 2019, and the credit facility matured on July 30, 2019. The borrowing base was $6.0 million as of December 31, 2018. APEG II was the secured lender under the credit facility and is currently involved in litigation with us, as described inLitigation—APEG II Litigationand–Litigation with Former Chief Executive Officer inNote 8Commitments, Contingencies and Related-Party Transactionsin the Notes to the Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this report. As described above, the costs associated with the ongoing litigation have been a significant use of our existing cash. As of November 12, 2019, we have incurred $1,140 thousand in connection with such litigation. While we have historically funded all litigation costs out of operating cash flow, continued excessive legal fees associated with litigation could impair our liquidity profile and ability to fund significant drilling obligations.

 

As of September 30, 2018, we have working capital of $3.6 million compared to working capital of $4.3 million as of December 31, 2017, a decrease of $697 thousand.

Our sole source of debt financing is a revolving Credit Facility with APEG. The borrowing base has been held constant at $6.0 million as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017. Outstanding borrowings as of September 30, 2018 were $0.9 million with borrowing availability of $5.1 million as of September 30, 2018. As of September 30, 2018, and December 31, 2017, we were in compliance will all financial covenants associated with the Credit Facility.

On January 5, 2018, we entered into a common stock sales agreement with a financial institution pursuant to which we may offer and sell, through the sales agent, common stock representing an aggregate offering price of up to $2.5 million through an at-the-market continuous offering program. During the three months ended September 30, 2018, we issued an aggregate of 357,680 of common stock at an average price of $1.52 per share for total proceeds of approximately $0.5 million. As of September 30, 2018, we had issued 1,288,537 shares of common stock at an average price of $1.41 per share for total net proceeds after offering expenses of approximately $1.8 million.

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As of September 30, 2018,2019, we had cash and cash equivalents of $3.0 million,$1,385 thousand. As of November 12, 2019, we had cash and cash equivalents of $1,744 thousand and accounts payable of approximately $466 thousand. Continued ongoing litigation could negatively affect our ability to raise both debt and equity capital going forward and fund our operations. As of November 12, 2019, we expect to continue maintaining cash balances in this range. We expect potential investorshave incurred approximately $1,140 thousand for litigation and capital providers will find our singular industry focus, combined with our legacy portfolio of producing properties and low-cost overhead structure, to be a viable long-term strategy as the Company focuses on developing its existing asset base and executing on accretive transactions. However, there can be no assurance that we will be able to complete future transactions on acceptable terms or at all.forensic accounting investigation.

 

If we have unanticipated needs for financing in 2018 andduring the remainder of 2019, alternatives that we will consider if necessaryin addition to cash flow from ongoing operations would potentially include entering into a new reserve-based credit facility, selling all or joint venturing an interest in somea portion of our interests in our oil and natural gas assets, selling our real estate assets in Wyoming, selling our marketable equity securities, issuing shares of our common stock for cash or as consideration for acquisitions, and other alternatives, as we determine how to best fund our capital programs and meet our financial obligations. Our capital expenditure plan and our ability to obtain sufficient funding to make anticipated capital expenditures and satisfy our financial obligations are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in Risk Factors in our 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 28, 2018.

 

Cash Flows

 

The following table summarizes our cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 20182019 and 2017 (in thousands):2018:

 

 2018  2017  Change  2019  2018  Change 
        (in thousands) 
Net cash provided by (used in):                        
Operating activities $(928) $(706) $(222) $297  $(928) $1,225 
Investing activities  (218)  2   (220)  (122)  (218)  96 
Financing activities  862   -   862   (1,130)  862   (1,992)

 

Operating Activities. Cash used inprovided by operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 20182019 was $928$297 thousand as compared to cash used by operatedin operating activities of $706$928 thousand for the comparable period in 2017.2018. The increase ofin cash used inprovided by operating activities is primarily attributedattributable to a $926decrease of $704 thousand decrease in revenues as a result of production declines,the net loss,  which were partially offset by a reductionincludes changes in operatingnoncash expenses of $616$325 thousand and an increase in working capital changes of $196 thousand.

 

Investing Activities. Cash used in investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 20182019 was $218$122 thousand as compared to cash provided of $2$218 thousand for the comparable period in 2017.2018. The primary use of cash in our investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was funding2019 were oil and natural gas capital expenditures and evaluation of prospects.associated with drilling operations in South Texas.

 

Financing Activities. Cash generated byused in financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 20182019 was $862$1,130 thousand as compared to nilcash provided by financing activities of $862 thousand for the comparable period in 2017.2018. The increasedecrease was primarily attributable to the repayment of $937 thousand outstanding under our credit facility and the repayment of our insurance premium finance note in the amount of $193 thousand during the nine months ended September 30, 2019, whereas during the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was primarily attributable to $1.7 millionwe received $1,666 thousand in net proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock in our at-the-market offering program, which was offset by a $600 thousand debt reductionprincipal payment on the credit facility and $204 thousand expensepaid to repurchase employee shares to fulfill incomesatisfy employee tax requirements.withholding on stock-based compensation.

Off-balanceOff-Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

As part of our ongoing business, we have not participated in transactions that generate relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, such as entities often referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities (“SPEs”), which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purposes.

 

We evaluate our transactions to determine if any variable interest entities exist. If it is determined that we are the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity, that entity will be consolidated in our consolidated financial statements. We have not been involved in any unconsolidated SPE transactions during the periods covered by this report.

-24-

 

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

 

As a smaller reporting company, we are not required to provide the information under this Item.

 

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

 

EvaluationConclusion Regarding the Effectiveness of Disclosure Controls and ProceduresProcedures.

 

We are required to maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as defined by Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that are designed to ensure that required information is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the required timeframe, as specified in the rules of the SEC. Our disclosure controls and procedures are also designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed is accumulated and communicated to management, including our interim Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures.

Based on an evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act), as of the end of ourthe quarter ended September 30, 2018,2019, our interim Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer determined that our disclosure controls and procedures were not adequate dueeffective to a lack of segregation of duties causedensure that information required to be disclosed by limited accounting staffus in reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and resources which has impactedreported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms and is accumulated and communicated to our ability to prevent or detect material errors in the financial statementsmanagement, including the implementation of new accounting standards. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the Company’s annual orour interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Accordingly, based on this material weakness, our Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, concluded thatas appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures. In connection with the termination of our disclosure controlsformer Chief Executive Officer in February 2019 and proceduresthe dispute related thereto, we have been involved in ongoing litigation to resolve such disputes. SeeLitigation—APEG II Litigationand–Litigation with Former Chief Executive Officer inNote 8Commitments, Contingencies and Related-Party Transactionsin the Notes to the Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this report.As a result of such ongoing litigation and lack of clarity with respect to the governance of the Company and the ongoing Audit Committee investigation, we were not effectiveunable to timely file our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 as well as our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2019 and June 30, 2019.

As previously reported in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on September 16, 2019, in connection with our assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting at the end of our last fiscal year, management identified the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, September 30, 2018 as it relates to the timely implementation of the Company’s review of key controls.

The Company is addressing this weakness by increasing its accounting staff with professionals with experience in the industry and the requisite skill levels to address these weaknesses.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

During the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2018, there have been no changesfollowing material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018 and is in the process of remediation as of September 30, 2019.

We had the following material weaknesses:

We had inadequate segregation of duties as a result of limited accounting staff and resources, which impacted our ability to prevent or detect material errors in our consolidated financial statements.
Our accounting staff did not have sufficient technical abilities to prevent or detect material errors in our consolidated financial statements including the implementation of new accounting standards.
We did not maintain effective controls over our payment approval process to ensure that proper supporting documentation was received and reviewed prior to payments to third parties.
We did not have effective controls over our information technology to prevent unauthorized access and control of our email and file servers.
We did not effectively monitor expense reimbursements to ensure that only business expenses are reimbursed to employees on their expense reports.
We did not have a process in place to identify related parties.
We did not have a policy in place that requires Board approval prior to us expending material amounts of Company funds in connection with evaluating potential acquisitions or transactions with third parties and vendors.

For a summary of the actions we have taken following the identification of the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018 as noted above, seePart I, Item 2 Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Recent Developments—Audit Committee Investigationand the discussion below under the headingChanges in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting—Management’s Remediation Plan.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.

With the exception of the remediation efforts described below, there have been no changes to our system of internal control over financial reporting during the three months ended September 30, 2019 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal controlsystem of controls over financial reporting.

 

We have designed a remediation plan to strengthen our internal control over financial reporting and have taken, and will continue to take, remediation steps to address the material weaknesses described above. We will also continue to take meaningful steps to enhance our disclosure controls and procedures and our internal controls over financial reporting.

Management’s Remediation Plan

In response to the material weaknesses identified inConclusion Regarding the Effectiveness of Disclosure Controls and Proceduresdiscussed above, we have developed a plan (the “Remediation Plan”) with oversight from our Audit Committee to remediate the material weaknesses and have begun working on implementing the Remediation Plan. Our Remediation Plan implements certain changes to our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and Rule 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act), including, but not limited to, the following efforts:

 -25-Performing a full review of our system of internal control and evaluating the effectiveness of this system on an ongoing basis.
 Adding professionals to our accounting staff who have experience in implementing and maintaining an effective system of internal control.
Establishing effective segregation of duty controls, including segregation of duties to ensure the approval of disbursement transactions is performed by someone other than the person initiating the transaction.
Creating and enforcing a written expense reimbursement policy that applies to both employees and Board members that (i) defines allowable expenses, (ii) requires pre-approval of expenditures above $500 in situations where personal conflicts of interest may exist; (iii) prohibits the payment of vendors and reimbursement through expense reports; (iv) outlines the documentation requirements for reimbursements, including receipts for meals or events exceeding $50, listing all parties at such meal and the business purposes of each meal or event; (v) requires detailed folios and receipts for all hotel stays; (vi) requires passenger information for all flights and a description of the business purpose of such travel; (vii) defines the levels of approval, including the approval of the Chief Executive Officer’s expenses by the chairman of the Audit Committee and other officers’ expenses by the Chief Executive Officer; (viii) establishes that all expenses must be submitted within 60 days of incurring the expense or such expense will not be subject to reimbursement; (ix) defines that all employees travel by coach for flights lasting less than three hours and by business class for flights lasting longer than three hours; and (x) defines the type of rental car allowed while traveling.
 Establishing that all checks or wire transfers issued by the Company require the approval of both the Chief Financial Officer and the Controller.
Establishing a vendor approval process whereby any third-party vendors require approval by both the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer prior to engagement of such third-party vendors.
Requiring employees and Board members to certify in writing at least annually that all potential conflicts of interest have been disclosed.
Implementing a policy that prohibits employees from using Company vendors, including attorneys, accountants and consultants, for personal purposes without obtaining prior Board approval.
Implementing a policy that clearly defines the types of potential projects or transactions that require prior Board approval prior to evaluating such potential project or transaction and incurring material expenses in connection with such evaluation, including due diligence.

Our management believes the foregoing remedial efforts will effectively remediate the material weaknesses that we identified. As we continue to evaluate and work to improve our internal control over financial reporting, our management may determine to take additional measures to address control deficiencies or determine to modify the Remediation Plan. If not remediated, these control deficiencies could result in material misstatements to our consolidated financial statements in the future.

Additionally, as part of a continuing effort to improve our business processes, management is currently evaluating its existing internal controls and may update certain controls to accommodate any modifications to its business processes or accounting procedures.

 

PART II – OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

 

Not applicable.APEG II, our largest shareholder holding approximately 43% of our outstanding common stock, and its general partner, APEG Energy II, GP (together with APEG II, “APEG”) are involved in litigation with us and our former Chief Executive Officer, David Veltri. For more detail regarding such litigation, please see the sectionsLitigation—APEG II Litigationand–Litigation with Former Chief Executive Officer inNote 8Commitments, Contingencies and Related-Party Transactionsin the Notes to the Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this report.

 

Item 1A. Risk Factors.

 

As a smaller reporting company, we are not required to provide the information under this Item.

 

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.

 

None

 

Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 5. Other Information.

 

Not applicable.

Item 6. Exhibits

 

2.1** Mt. Emmons Mining Company Acquisition Agreement (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 2.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 12, 2016)
3.1** Restated Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3, [333-162607] filed October 21, 2009)
3.2** Amended and Restated Bylaws, dated as of April 27, 2017August 5, 2019 (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 10-Q8-K filed May 19, 2017)August 9, 2019)
3.3** Certificate of Designation for Series A Convertible Preferred Stock (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 12, 2016)
3.4** Articles of Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed June 21, 2016)
4.1** Common Stock Purchase Warrant (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Report on Form 8-K filed December 22, 2016)
4.2** Standstill Agreement, dated September 28, 2017, by and between U.S. Energy Corp. and APEG Energy II, L.P. (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed October 5, 2017)
10.1(a)10.1**USE 2001 Officers’ Stock Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.21 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed September 13, 2002)
10.2**†2001 Incentive Stock Option Plan (amended in 2003) (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed April 15, 2005)
10.3** BNP Paribas– Credit2008 Stock Option Plan for Independent Directors and Advisory Board Members (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 13, 2009)
10.4**†U.S. Energy Corp. Employee Stock Ownership Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s S-8 filed April 13, 2012)
10.5**†Amended and Restated 2012 Equity and Performance Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from Appendix A to the Company’s Proxy Statement on Form DEF14A filed April 28, 2015)
10.5.1**Form of Grant to the 2012 Equity and Performance Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.5.1 to the Form 10-K filed March 18, 2013)
10.6(a)** †Executive Employment Agreement – David Veltri (effective 10-23-15) (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.2 to the Form 10-Q filed August 15, 2016)
10.6(b)**†Executive Employment Agreement – Ryan Smith (effective 11-21-18) (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed August 2, 2010)November 27, 2018)
10.1(b)10.6(c)** †Agreement and Release by and among U.S. Energy Corp., Stephen Conrad, Thomas Bandy, Jerry Danni, James Fraser, and Leo Heath dated October 18, 2017 (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.8(h) to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 28, 2018)
10.6(d)**†Form of Option Agreement between U.S. Energy Corp. and its directors (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.8(i) to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 28, 2018)
10.6(e)** †Form of Incentive Option Agreement between U.S. Energy Corp. and its executive officers (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.8(j) to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 28, 2018)
10.6(f)** †Form of Indemnity Agreement between U.S. Energy Corp. and its directors and officers (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.8(k) to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 28, 2018)
10.7**Series A Convertible Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 12, 2016)
10.8**Investor Rights Agreement (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.2 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 12, 2016)

10.9** Wells Fargo Bank, National Association – Second AmendmentSecurities Purchase Agreement dated as of December 16, 2016 (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to Creditthe Company’s Report on Form 8-K filed December 22, 2016)
10.10**Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated October 3, 2017, by and among U.S. Energy Corp., Energy One LLC and Statoil Oil and Gas LP (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed July 25, 2013)
10.1(c)**Wells Fargo Bank, National Association – Third Amendment to Credit Agreement (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed July 16, 2015)
10.1(d)**Wells Fargo Bank, National Association – Fourth Amendment to Credit Agreement (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 10-Q filed August 15, 2016)
10.1(e)**APEG Energy II, L.P. – Fifth Amendment to Credit Agreement (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed July 3,October 10, 2017)
10.1(f)**BNP Paribas – Mortgage Agreement (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed August 2, 2010)
10.1(g)**Wells Fargo Bank, National Association – Guaranty (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed August 2, 2010)

-26-

10.2*Amended and Restated 2012 Equity and Performance Incentive Plan
10.3*10.11** Exchange Agreement, dated September 28, 2017, by and among U.S. Energy Corp., Energy One LLC, and APEG Energy II, L.P. (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed October 5, 2017)
10.4*10.12** Form of Common Stock Sales Agreement by and between U.S. Energy Corp. and Northland Securities Inc., dated January 5, 2018 (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 1.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed January 5, 2018)
10.5*10.13 Standard Office Lease, dated August 18, 2017, byFinal Release and betweenSettlement Agreement among U.S. Energy Corp. and 950 Cherry, LLC.Energy One, LLC, and APEG Energy II, LP, APEG Energy II GP, LLC and John Hoffman, dated May 22, 2019 (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on May 24, 2019)
14.1**Code of Ethics and Conduct (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 14.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed August 5, 2019)
31.1* Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes – Oxley Act of 2002
31.2* Certification of principal financial officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes – Oxley Act of 2002
32.1*♦ Certification under Rule 13a-14(b) of Chief Executive Officer
32.2*♦ Certification under Rule 13a-14(b) of Chief Financial Officer
101.INS XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH XBRL Schema Document
101.CAL XBRL Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF XBRL Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB XBRL Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE XBRL Presentation Linkbase Document

 

* Filed herewith.

** Previously Filed

† Exhibit constitutes a management contract or compensatory plan or agreement.

♦ In accordance with SEC Release 33-8238, Exhibits 32.1 and 32.2 are being furnished and not filed.

-27-

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

 U.S. ENERGY CORP. (Registrant)
   
Date: November 13, 2018By:/s/ David A. Veltri
DAVID A. VELTRI, Chief Executive Officer
U.S. ENERGY CORP. (Registrant)
Date: November 13, 201814, 2019By:/s/ Ryan L. Smith
  RYAN L. SMITH, Chief Financial Officer and principal accounting officer

 

 -28-U.S. ENERGY CORP. (Registrant)
 
Date: November 14, 2019By:/s/ C. Randel Lewis
 C. RANDEL LEWIS, Interim Chief Executive Officer and principal executive officer