Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 9 Months Ended |
Sep. 30, 2013 |
Accounting Policies [Abstract] | ' |
Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block] | ' |
2. Summary of significant accounting policies |
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Fair Value Measurements |
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The Company has adopted and follows ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, for measurement and disclosures about fair value of its financial instruments. ASC 820 establishes a framework for measuring fair value in GAAP, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. To increase consistency and comparability in fair value measurements and related disclosures, ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three (3) broad levels. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs. The three (3) levels of fair value hierarchy defined by ASC 820 are: |
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Level 1 — Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date. |
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Level 2 — Inputs (other than quoted market prices included in Level 1) are either directly or indirectly observable for the asset or liability through correlation with market data at the measurement date and for the duration of the instrument’s anticipated life. |
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Level 3 — Inputs reflect management’s best estimate of what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date. Consideration is given to the risk inherent in the valuation technique and the risk inherent in the inputs to the model. Valuation of instruments includes unobservable inputs to the valuation methodology that are significant to the measurement of fair value of assets or liabilities. |
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As defined by ASC 820, the fair value of a financial instrument is the amount at which the instrument could be exchanged in a current transaction between willing parties, other than in a forced or liquidation sale, which was further clarified as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (“an exit price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The carrying amounts of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities, such as cash and cash equivalents, oil and natural gas sales receivable, and accounts payable and accrued liabilities, approximate their fair values because of the short maturity of these instruments. |
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Cash and Cash Equivalents |
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The Company considers all highly-liquid debt instruments with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. |
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The Company maintains its cash balances in financial institutions which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). The interest bearing cash accounts maintain FDIC coverage of up to $250,000 per institution. Non-interest bearing accounts are fully covered subject to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Act”). The provision of the Act expired on December 31, 2012 reducing coverage for interest and non-interest bearing accounts to a combined $250,000 per institution. As of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, the Company did not have any amounts in excess of its FDIC coverage. |
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Accounts Receivable, Net |
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Accounts receivable, net is comprised of billings for services as the operator on certain wells, that TransCoastal has no working interest in, and accrued natural gas and crude oil sales. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ and extends credit to virtually all of its customers. Credit losses to date have not been significant and have been within management’s expectations. In the event of complete non-performance by the Company’s customers, the maximum exposure to the Company is the outstanding accounts receivable, net balance at the date of non-performance. The amounts billed to third parties for services as the operator have rights of offset against revenues generated from the sale of oil and gas commodities. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, the Company had no bad debt expense. |
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Derivative Activities |
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The Company utilized oil and natural gas derivative contracts to mitigate it’s exposure to commodity price risk associated with its future oil and natural gas production. These derivative contracts have historically consisted of options, in the form of price floors or collars. The Company’s derivative financial instruments are recorded on the consolidated balance sheets as either an asset or a liability measured at fair value. The Company does not apply hedge accounting to its oil and natural gas derivative contracts and accordingly the changes in the fair value of these instruments are recognized in the consolidated statements of operations in the period of change. |
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The Company’s derivative instruments are issued to manage the price risk attributable to our expected natural gas and oil production. While there is risk that the financial benefit of rising natural gas and oil prices may not be captured, Company management believes the benefits of stable and predictable cash flow are more important. Among these benefits are more efficient utilization of existing personnel and planning for future staff additions, the flexibility to enter into long-term projects requiring substantial committed capital, smoother and more efficient execution of our ongoing development drilling and production enhancement programs, more consistent returns on invested capital and better access to bank and other capital markets. Every unsettled derivative instrument is recorded on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as either an asset or a liability measured at its fair value. Changes in a derivative’s fair value are recognized in earnings unless specific hedge accounting criteria are met. Cash flows from natural gas and oil derivative contract settlements are reflected in operating activities in the accompanying consolidated statements of cash flows. |
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Realized and unrealized gains and losses on derivatives are accounted for using the mark-to-market accounting method. We recognize all unrealized and realized gains and losses related to these contracts in each period in derivative gains or (losses) in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. |
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Oil and Gas Natural Gas Properties |
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The Company uses the full-cost method of accounting for its oil and natural gas producing activities as further defined under ASC 932, Extractive Activities -Oil and natural gas. Under these provisions, all costs incurred for both successful and unsuccessful exploration and development activities, including salaries, benefits and other internal costs directly identified with these activities, and oil and natural gas property acquisitions are capitalized. All costs related to production, general corporate overhead or similar activities are expensed as incurred. |
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Proved properties are amortized using the units of production method (“UOP”). The UOP calculation, in its simplest terms, multiplies the percentage of estimated proved reserves produced at year end by the cost of those reserves. |
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The amortization base in the UOP calculation includes the sum of proved property, net of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization (“DD&A”), estimated future development costs (future costs to access and develop reserves) and asset retirement costs that are not already included in oil and natural gas property, less related salvage value. |
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The cost of unproved properties and properties under development are excluded from the amortization calculation until it is determined whether or not proved reserves can be assigned to such properties or until development projects are placed in service. Geological and geophysical costs not associated with specific properties are recorded to proved properties. Unproved properties and properties under development are reviewed for impairment at least quarterly. In countries where proved reserves exist, exploratory drilling costs associated with dry holes are transferred to proved properties immediately upon determination that a well is dry and amortized accordingly. As of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, no unproved properties or properties under development were included in the oil and natural gas properties of the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements. |
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Proceeds from the sale or disposition of oil and natural gas properties are accounted for as a reduction to capitalized costs unless a significant portion (greater than 25 percent) of the Company’s reserve quantities in a particular country are sold, in which case a gain or loss is recognized in income. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 no gain or loss from the sale or disposition of oil and natural gas properties occurred. |
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Under the full-cost method of accounting, the net book value of oil and natural gas properties, less related deferred income taxes, may not exceed a calculated “ceiling.” The ceiling limitation is the estimated after-tax future net cash flows from proved oil and natural gas reserves, discounted at 10 percent per annum based on industry standards and adjusted for cash flow hedges. Estimated future net cash flows exclude future cash outflows associated with settling accrued asset retirement obligations. Any excess of the net book value of proved oil and gas properties, less related deferred income taxes, over the ceiling is charged to expense and reflected as additional DD&A in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 no impairment charge occurred. |
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During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 the Company determined approximately $14,000 and $41,000 of interest costs were incurred during the development period of our wells. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 the Company determined approximately $28,000 and $84,000 of interest costs were incurred during the development period of our wells. |
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Other Property and Equipment |
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Other property and equipment, which includes buildings, field equipment, vehicles, and office equipment, is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Vehicles and office equipment are generally depreciated over a useful life of five or six years, field equipment is generally depreciated over a useful life of ten years and buildings are generally depreciated over a useful life of twenty years. |
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Impairment of Long-Lived Assets |
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The Company assesses the impairment of long-lived assets when circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. The Company determines if impairment has occurred through adverse changes. When it is determined that the estimated future net cash flows of an asset will not be sufficient to recover its carrying amount, an impairment loss must be recorded to reduce the carrying amount to its estimated fair value. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, and 2012 no circumstances indicated an unrecoverable carrying value of the long-lived assets. |
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Goodwill |
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Goodwill was generated as part of the CTO (CoreTerra Operating LLC) acquisition during the year ended December 31, 2011 and represents the excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair value of the net assets acquired in the acquisition. Goodwill is not amortized; rather, it is tested for impairment annually and when events or changes in circumstances indicate that fair value of a reporting unit with goodwill has been reduced below carrying value. To assess impairment, the Company has the option to qualitatively assess if it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than the book value. Absent a qualitative assessment, or, through the qualitative assessment, if the Company determines it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than the book value, a quantitative assessment is prepared to calculate the fair market value of the reporting unit. If it is determined that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than the book value, the recorded goodwill is impaired to its implied fair value with a charge to operating expenses. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, and 2012 no impairment charge occurred. |
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Asset Retirement Obligations |
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The Company follows the provisions of ASC 410-20, Asset Retirement Obligations. ASC 410-20 requires entities to record the fair value of obligations associated with the retirement of tangible long-lived assets in the period in which it is incurred. When the liability is initially recorded, the entity capitalizes a cost by increasing the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset. Over time, the liability is accreted to its present value each period, and the capitalized cost is depleted as part of the oil and natural gas property. Upon settlement of the liability, an entity either settles the obligation for its recorded amount or incurs a gain or loss upon settlement. The Company’s asset retirement obligations relate to the plugging, dismantlement, removal, site reclamation and similar activities of its oil and natural gas properties. |
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Asset retirement obligations are estimated at the present value of expected future net cash flows and are discounted using the Company’s credit adjusted risk free rate. The Company uses unobservable inputs in the estimation of asset retirement obligations that include, but are not limited to, costs of labor, costs of materials, profits on costs of labor and materials, the effect of inflation on estimated costs, and the discount rate. Accordingly, asset retirement obligations are considered a Level 3 measurement under ASC 820. Additionally, because of the subjectivity of assumptions and the relatively long lives of the Company’s wells, the costs to ultimately retire the Company’s wells may vary significantly from prior estimates. |
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Revenue Recognition and Natural Gas Imbalances |
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The Company utilizes the accrual method of accounting for natural gas and crude oil revenues, whereby revenues are recognized based on the Company’s net revenue interest in the wells. The Company will also enter into physical contract sale agreements through its normal operations. These contracts are not considered derivative contracts by the Company in accordance with the normal purchases and normal sales provision of ASC 815-10-15. |
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Gas imbalances are accounted for using the sales method. Under this method, revenues are recognized based on actual volumes of oil and gas sold to purchasers. However, the Company has no history of significant gas imbalances. |
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Drilling Revenue |
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The Company follows the provisions of ASC 605-45, Revenue Recognition – Principal Agent Considerations, which requires the Company to record drilling revenues at net given such services are on behalf of third party oil and natural gas property operators. The Company does not own a participating interest in the wells for which drilling revenues, net are recorded. During the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, the Company recognized net drilling revenues of approximately $0 and $2,716,000, respectively, which is included in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. During the three months ended September 30, 2012 the Company recognized $1,020,000 in drilling revenues. |
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Earnings Per Share |
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The Company complies with ASC Topic 260, Earnings Per Share. ASC 260 requires dual presentation of basic and diluted income per share for all periods presented. Basic income per share excludes dilution and is computed by dividing income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted income per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock or resulted in the issuance of common stock that then share in the income of the Company. The difference between the number of shares used to compute basic income per share and diluted income per share relates to additional shares to be issued upon the assumed exercise of convertible preferred shares. During the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2013 the dilutive shares from preferred units were approximately 487,500 for both periods respectively. Basic weighted average shares outstanding consisted of equivalent common shares of the Series F Preferred stock, and the common stock received in the recapitalization with Claimsnet. During any period there is a loss in income any adjustment that results in an increase in the outstanding number of shares would be considered antidilutive and therefore basic and fully diluted loss per share will be equivalent. |
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| | Three Months Ended | | | Nine Months Ended | |
September 30, | September 30, |
| | 2013 | | | 2012 | | | 2013 | | | 2012 | |
| | Unaudited | | | Unaudited | | | Unaudited | | | Unaudited | |
Basic shares of common stockholders from predecessor | | | 22,735,948 | | | | 22,634,091 | | | | 22,685,020 | | | | 22,634,091 | |
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Convertible preferred shares from predecessor | | | 487,500 | | | | - | | | | 487,500 | | | | - | |
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Fully diluted shares | | | 23,223,448 | | | | 22,634,091 | | | | 23,172,520 | | | | 22,634,091 | |
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