| Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The Company’s consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and include the accounts of Contango Oil & Gas Company and its subsidiaries, after elimination of all material intercompany balances and transactions. All wholly-owned subsidiaries are consolidated.
Liquidity and Going Concern
Over the past few months, the Company has been in discussions with its current lenders and other sources of capital regarding a possible refinancing and/or replacement of its existing revolving credit facility with the Royal Bank of Canada (the “Credit Facility”), which matures on October 1, 2019. The refinancing or replacement of the Credit Facility could be made in conjunction with an issuance of unsecured or non-priority secured debt or preferred or common equity, non-core property monetization, potential monetization of certain midstream and/or water handling facilities, etc. or a combination of the foregoing. These discussions have included a possible new, replacement or extended credit facility that would be expected to provide additional borrowing capacity for future capital expenditures. There is no assurance, however, that such discussions will result in a refinancing of the Credit Facility on acceptable terms, if at all, or provide any specific amount of additional liquidity for future capital expenditures. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. However, the accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue to operate as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The accompanying financial statements do not include adjustments that might result from the outcome of the uncertainty, including any adjustments to reflect the possible future effects of the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or amounts and classifications of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.
Other Investments
The Company has two seats on the board of directors of Exaro and has significant influence, but not control, over the company. As a result, the Company's 37% ownership in Exaro is accounted for using the equity method. Under the equity method, the Company's proportionate share of Exaro's net income increases the balance of its investment in Exaro, while a net loss or payment of dividends decreases its investment. In the consolidated statement of operations, the Company’s proportionate share of Exaro's net income or loss is reported as a single line-item in Gain (loss) from investment in affiliates (net of income taxes).
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. The most significant estimates include oil and gas revenues, income taxes, stock-based compensation, reserve estimates, impairment of natural gas and oil properties, valuation of derivatives and accrued liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Revenue Recognition
Adoption of ASC 606
As of January 1, 2018 the Company adopted Accounting Standards Codification Topic 606 – Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”), which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements and industry-specific guidance under Accounting Standards Codification Top 605 – Revenue Recognition (“ASC 605”). The Company adopted ASC 606 using the modified retrospective method which allows the Company to apply the new standard to all new contracts entered into after December 31, 2017 and all existing contracts for which all (or substantially all) of the revenue has not been recognized under legacy revenue guidance prior to December 31, 2017. The Company identified no material impact on its historical revenues upon initial application of ASC 606, and as such has not recognized any cumulative catch-up effect to the opening balance of the Company’s shareholders’ equity as of January 1, 2018. ASC 606 supersedes previous revenue recognition requirements in ASC 605 and includes a five-step revenue recognition model to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services.
Revenue from Contracts with Customers
Sales of oil, condensate, natural gas and natural gas liquids (“NGLs”) are recognized at the time control of the products are transferred to the customer. Based upon the Company’s current purchasers’ past experience and expertise in the market, collectability is probable, and there have not been payment issues with the Company’s purchasers over the past year or currently. Generally, the Company’s gas processing and purchase agreements indicate that the processors take control of the gas at the inlet of the plant and that control of residue gas is returned to the Company at the outlet of the plant. The midstream processing entity gathers and processes the natural gas and remits proceeds to the Company for the resulting sales of NGLs. The Company delivers oil and condensate to the purchaser at a contractually agreed-upon delivery point at which the purchaser takes custody, title and risk of loss of the product.
When sales volumes exceed the Company’s entitled share, a production imbalance occurs. If production imbalance exceeds the Company’s share of the remaining estimated proved natural gas reserves for a given property, the Company records a liability. Production imbalances have not had and currently do not have a material impact on the financial statements, and this did not change with the adoption of ASC 606.
Transaction Price Allocated to Remaining Performance Obligations
Generally, the Company’s contracts have an initial term of one year or longer but continue month to month unless written notification of termination in a specified time period is provided by either party to the contract. The Company has used the practical expedient in ASC 606 which states that the Company is not required to disclose that transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations if the variable consideration is allocated entirely to a wholly unsatisfied performance obligation. Future volumes are wholly unsatisfied, and disclosure of the transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligation is not required.
Contract Balances
The Company receives purchaser statements from the majority of its customers but there are a few contracts where the Company prepares the invoice. Payment is unconditional upon receipt of the statement or invoice. Accordingly, the Company’s product sales contracts do not give rise to contract assets or liabilities under ASC 606. The majority of the Company’s contract pricing provisions are tied to a market index, with certain adjustments based on, among other factors, whether a well delivers to a gathering or transmission line, quality of the oil or natural gas, and supply and demand conditions. The price of these commodities fluctuates to remain competitive with supply.
Prior Period Performance Obligations
The Company records revenue in the month production is delivered to the purchaser. Settlement statements may not be received for 30 to 90 days after the date production is delivered, and therefore the Company is required to estimate the amount of production delivered to the purchaser and the price that will be received for the sale of the product. Differences between the Company’s estimates and the actual amounts received for product sales are generally recorded in the following month that payment is received. Any differences between the Company’s revenue estimates and actual revenue received historically have not been significant. The Company has internal controls in place for its revenue estimation accrual process.
Impact of Adoption of ASC 606
The Company has reviewed all of its natural gas, NGLs, residue gas, condensate and crude oil sales contracts to assess the impact of the provisions of ASC 606. Based upon the Company’s review, there were no required changes to the recording of residue gas or condensate and crude oil contracts. Certain NGL and natural gas contracts would require insignificant changes to the recording of transportation, gathering and processing fees as net to revenue or as an expense. The Company concluded that these minor changes were not material to its operating results on a quantitative or qualitative basis. Therefore, there was no impact to its results of operations for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018. The Company has modified procedures to its existing internal controls relating to revenue by reviewing for any significant increase in sales level, primarily on gas processing or gas purchasing contracts, on a quarterly basis to monitor the significance of gross revenue versus net revenue and expenses under ASC 606. As under previous revenue guidance, the Company will continue to review all new or modified revenue contracts on a quarterly basis for proper treatment.
Cash Equivalents
Cash equivalents are considered to be highly liquid investment grade debt investments having an original maturity of 90 days or less. As of December 31, 2018 , the Company had no cash and cash equivalents, as cash balances at the end of each day are transferred to reduce outstanding debt under the Company’s revolving Credit Facility to minimize debt service costs. Under the Company’s cash management system, checks issued but not yet presented to banks by the payee frequently result in book overdraft balances for accounting purposes and are classified in accounts payable in the consolidated balance sheets. At December 31, 2018, accounts payable included $4.8 million in outstanding checks that had not been presented for payment. At December 31, 2017, accounts payable included $2.3 million in outstanding checks that had not been presented for payment.
Accounts Receivable
The Company sells natural gas and crude oil to a limited number of customers. In addition, the Company participates with other parties in the operation of natural gas and crude oil wells. Substantially all of the Company’s accounts receivables are due from either purchasers of natural gas and crude oil or participants in natural gas and crude oil wells for which the Company serves as the operator. Generally, operators of natural gas and crude oil properties have the right to offset future revenues against unpaid charges related to operated wells.
The allowance for doubtful accounts is an estimate of the losses in the Company’s accounts receivable. The Company periodically reviews the accounts receivable from customers for any collectability issues. An allowance for doubtful accounts is established based on reviews of individual customer accounts, recent loss experience, current economic conditions and other pertinent factors. Amounts deemed uncollectible are charged to the allowance.
Accounts receivable allowance for bad debt was $1.0 and $0.8 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively . At December 31, 2018 and 2017, the carrying value of the Company’s accounts receivable approximated fair value.
Oil and Gas Properties - Successful Efforts
The Company follows the successful efforts method of accounting for its natural gas and oil activities. Under the successful efforts method, lease acquisition costs and all development costs are capitalized. Exploratory drilling costs are capitalized until the results are determined. If proved reserves are not discovered, the exploratory drilling costs are expensed. Other exploratory costs, such as seismic costs and other geological and geophysical expenses, are expensed as incurred. Depreciation, depletion and amortization is calculated on a field by field basis using the unit of production method, with lease acquisition costs amortized over total proved reserves and other capitalized costs amortized over proved developed reserves.
Depreciation, depletion and amortization ("DD&A") of capitalized drilling and development costs of producing natural gas and crude oil properties, including related support equipment and facilities net of salvage value, are computed using the unit of production method on a field basis based on total estimated proved developed natural gas and crude oil reserves. Amortization of producing leaseholds is based on the unit of production method using total estimated proved reserves. Upon sale or retirement of properties, the cost and related accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization are eliminated from the accounts and the resulting gain or loss, if any, is recognized. Unit of production rates are revised whenever there is an indication of a need, but at least annually. Revisions are accounted for prospectively as changes in accounting estimates.
Other property and equipment are depreciated using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives which range between three and 13 years.
Impairment of Oil and Gas Properties
Pursuant to GAAP, when circumstances indicate that proved properties may be impaired, the Company compares expected undiscounted future cash flows on a field by field basis to the unamortized capitalized cost of the asset. If the estimated future undiscounted cash flows, based on the Company’s estimate of future reserves, natural gas and oil prices, operating costs and production levels from oil and natural gas reserves, are lower than the unamortized capitalized cost, then the capitalized cost is reduced to its fair value. The factors used to determine fair value include, but are not limited to, estimates of proved, probable and possible reserves, future commodity prices, the timing of future production and capital expenditures and a discount rate commensurate with the risk reflective of the lives remaining for the respective oil and gas properties. Additionally, the Company may use appropriate market data to determine fair value. For the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company recorded an impairment expense of approximately $101.9 million related to proved properties. Included in proved property impairment expense for the current year was $61.7 million related to the impairment of the carrying costs of its offshore Gulf of Mexico properties made during the quarter ended September 30, 2018. This impairment was primarily a result of revised proved reserve estimates based on new bottom hole pressure data gathered during the planned installation of a second stage of compression in the Company’s Eugene Island 11 field. In 2018, the Company also recognized onshore proved property impairment expense of $40.2 million, of which $24.9 million was related to certain of its non-core properties in South and Southeast Texas that were reduced to their fair value as a result of planned sales during the quarters ended September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2018, and $15.3 million of impairment was due to price related reserve revisions primarily on the Company’s Wyoming and certain South Texas assets. See Note 4 – “Acquisitions and Dispositions” for further information regarding the property dispositions. For the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company recorded an impairment expense of approximately $0.3 million related to its proved properties.
Unproved properties are reviewed quarterly to determine if there has been an impairment of the carrying value, with any such impairment charged to expense in the period. During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company recognized impairment expense of approximately $1.3 million related to unproved properties due to expiring leases. During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company recognized impairment expense of approximately $1.5 million for the partial impairment of two unused offshore platforms that were sold during the year.
Asset Retirement Obligations
Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations (ASC 410) requires that the fair value of an asset retirement cost, and corresponding liability, should be recorded as part of the cost of the related long-lived asset and subsequently allocated to expense using a systematic and rational method. The Company records an asset retirement obligation (“ARO”) to reflect the Company's legal obligation related to future plugging and abandonment of its oil and natural gas wells, platforms and associated pipelines and equipment. The Company estimates the expected cash flows associated with the obligation and discounts the amounts using a credit-adjusted, risk-free interest rate. At least annually, the Company reassesses the obligation to determine whether a change in the estimated obligation is necessary. The Company evaluates whether there are indicators that suggest the estimated cash flows underlying the obligation have materially changed. Should these indicators suggest the estimated obligation may have materially changed on an interim basis (quarterly), the Company will accordingly update its assessment. Additional retirement obligations increase the liability associated with new oil and natural gas wells, platforms, and associated pipelines and equipment as these obligations are incurred. The liability is accreted to its present value each period and the capitalized cost is depleted over the useful life of the related asset. The accretion expense is included in depreciation, depletion and amortization expense.
The estimated liability is based on historical experience in plugging and abandoning wells. The estimated remaining lives of the wells is based on reserve life estimates and federal and state regulatory requirements. The liability is discounted using an assumed credit-adjusted risk-free rate.
Revisions to the liability could occur due to changes in estimates of plugging and abandonment costs, changes in the risk-free rate, changes in the remaining lives of the wells or if federal or state regulators enact new plugging and abandonment requirements. At the time of abandonment, the Company recognizes a gain or loss on abandonment to the extent that actual costs do not equal the estimated costs. This gain or loss on abandonment is included in impairment and abandonment of oil and gas properties expense. See Note 11 - "Asset Retirement Obligation" for additional information.
Income Taxes
The Company follows the liability method of accounting for income taxes under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences of (i) temporary differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the financial statements and (ii) operating loss and tax credit carryforwards for tax purposes. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, based upon management’s estimates, it is more likely than not that a portion of the deferred tax assets will not be realized in a future period. The Company reviews its tax positions quarterly for tax uncertainties. The Company did not have significant uncertain tax positions as of December 31, 2018 . Except as described below with respect to Section 382 Ownership Change, the amount of unrecognized tax benefits did not materially change from December 31, 2017 . The amount of unrecognized tax benefits may change in the next twelve months; however, the Company does not expect the change to have a significant impact on its financial position or results of operations. The Company includes interest and penalties in interest income and general and administrative expenses, respectively, in its statement of operations.
The Company files income tax returns in the United States and various state jurisdictions. The Company’s federal tax returns for 1999 – 2017 , and state tax returns for 2011 – 2017 , remain open for examination by the taxing authorities in the respective jurisdictions where those returns were filed.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Substantially all of the Company’s accounts receivable result from natural gas and oil sales or joint interest billings to a limited number of third parties in the natural gas and oil industry. This concentration of customers and joint interest owners may impact the Company’s overall credit risk in that these entities may be similarly affected by changes in economic and other conditions. See Note 3 - "Concentration of Credit Risk" for additional information.
Debt Issuance Costs
Debt issuance costs incurred are capitalized and subsequently amortized over the term of the related debt. During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company initially incurred $2.2 million of debt issuance costs relating to the Credit Facility entered into in conjunction with the merger with Crimson Exploration, Inc. The debt issuance costs were to be amortized over the original four year term of the credit line. In connection with the Credit Facility amendment in May 2016, the Company incurred an additional $1.0 million of debt issuance costs. As of December 31, 2018, the remaining balance of these debt issuance costs was $0.4 million, which will be amortized through October 1, 2019, with amortization expense included in the DD&A line item in the Company's income statement for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017.
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company applies the fair value based method to account for stock based compensation. Under this method, compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized over the requisite service period, which generally aligns with the award vesting period. The Company classifies the benefits of tax deductions in excess of the compensation cost recognized for the options (excess tax benefit) as financing cash flows. The fair value of each restricted stock award is estimated as of the date of grant. The fair value of the Performance Stock Units is estimated as of the date of grant using the Monte Carlo simulation pricing model.
Inventory
Inventory primarily consists of casing and tubing which will be used for drilling or completion of wells. Inventory is recorded at the lower of cost or market using specific identification method.
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
The Company accounts for its derivative activities under the provisions of ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging (ASC 815). ASC 815 establishes accounting and reporting requirements that every derivative instrument be recorded on the balance sheet as either an asset or liability measured at fair value. From time to time, the Company hedges a portion of its forecasted oil and natural gas production. Derivative contracts entered into by the Company have consisted of transactions in which the Company hedges the variability of cash flow related to a forecasted transaction using variable to fixed swaps and collars. The Company elected to not designate any of its derivative positions for hedge accounting. Accordingly, the net change in the mark-to-market valuation of these positions as well as all payments and receipts on settled derivative contracts are recognized in "Gain on derivatives, net" on the consolidated statements of operations for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017. Derivative instruments with settlement dates within one year are included in current assets or liabilities, whereas derivative instruments with settlement dates exceeding one year are included in non-current assets or liabilities. The Company calculates a net asset or liability for current and non-current derivative instruments for each counterparty based on the settlement dates within the respective contracts. See Note 6 - "Derivative Instruments" for additional information.
Subsidiary Guarantees
Contango Oil & Gas Company, as the parent company (the “Parent Company”), filed a registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC to register, among other securities, debt securities that the Parent Company may issue from time to time. Crimson Exploration Inc., Crimson Exploration Operating, Inc., Contango Energy Company, Contango Operators, Inc., Contango Mining Company, Conterra Company, Contaro Company, Contango Alta Investments, Inc., Contango Venture Capital Corporation, Contango Rocky Mountain Inc. and any other of the Company’s future subsidiaries specified in the prospectus supplement (each a “Subsidiary Guarantor”) are Co-Registrants with the Parent Company under the registration statement, and the registration statement also registered guarantees of debt securities by the Subsidiary Guarantors. The Subsidiary Guarantors are wholly-owned by the Parent Company, either directly or indirectly, and any guarantee by the Subsidiary Guarantors will be full and unconditional. The Parent Company has no assets or operations independent of the Subsidiary Guarantors, and there are no significant restrictions upon the ability of the Subsidiary Guarantors to distribute funds to the Parent Company. The Parent Company has one other wholly-owned subsidiary that is inactive. Finally, the Parent Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries do not have restricted assets that exceed 25% of net assets as of the most recent fiscal year end that may not be transferred to the Parent Company in the form of loans, advances or cash dividends by such subsidiary without the consent of a third party.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Leases: In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02: Leases (Topic 842) (ASU 2016-02). The main objective of ASU 2016-02 is to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. The main difference between previous GAAP treatment of leases and that proposed in ASU 2016-02 is the recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities by lessees for those leases classified as operating leases. ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and lease liability arising from such operating leases on the balance sheet.
ASU 2016-02 contains several optional practical expedients, one of which is referred to as the “package of three practical expedients”. The expedients must be taken together and allow entities to: (1) not reassess whether existing contracts contain leases, (2) carryforward the existing lease classification, and (3) not reassess initial direct costs associated with existing leases. The Company has elected to apply this practical expedient package to all of its leases. The Company has also chosen to implement the “short-term accounting policy election” which allows the Company to not include leases with an initial term of 12 months or less on the balance sheet.
For public entities, ASU 2016-02 is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years; early application is permitted. The Company adopted this standard on January 1, 2019, and the impact of adoption is immaterial.
Other: In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15: Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230), Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. The main objective of this update is to reduce the diversity in practice in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows under Topic 230, Statement of Cash Flows, and other Topics. This update addresses eight specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice. The eight cash flow updates relate to the following issues: 1) debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs; 2) settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with coupon interest rates that are insignificant in relation to the effective interest rate of the borrowing; 3) contingent consideration payments made after a business combination; 4) proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims; 5) proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies, including bank-owned life insurance policies; 6) distributions received from equity method investees; 7) beneficial interest in securitization transactions; and 8) separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance principle. The amendments in this update are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The provisions of this update are not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s presentation of cash flows.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01: Business Combinations (Topic 805) Clarifying the Definition of a Business (ASU 2018-01). The amendments in this update are intended to clarify the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. The definition of a business affects many areas of accounting including acquisitions, disposals, goodwill and consolidation. Public business entities should apply the amendments in this update to annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those periods. The amendments in this update should be applied prospectively on or after the effective date. No disclosures are required at transition. The provisions of this update are not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13 – Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820). The amendments in ASU 2018-13 modify the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements in Topic 820. The amendments in this update are effective for all entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. The provisions of this update are not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations. |
