CAUTIONARY NOTE CONCERNING FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT FUTURE RESULTS
This prospectus, including the information we incorporate by reference, includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, including, without limitation, statements regarding our future financial position, business strategy, budgets, projected revenues, projected costs and plans, objectives of management for future operations, and the anticipated impact of the Shell Enterprise LLC (“Shell”) transaction on the company’s business and future financial and operating results are forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus include our expected production growth and outlook on the business environment generally, our expected capital budget and capital expenditures, and discussions concerning future dividends. You can often identify our forward-looking statements by the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “budget,” “continue,” “could,” “effort,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “goal,” “guidance,” “may,” “objective,” “outlook,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “projection,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions.
We based the forward-looking statements on our current expectations, estimates and projections about ourselves and the industries in which we operate in general. We caution you these statements are not guarantees of future performance as they involve assumptions that, while made in good faith, may prove to be incorrect, and involve risks and uncertainties we cannot predict. In addition, we based many of these forward-looking statements on assumptions about future events that may prove to be inaccurate. Accordingly, our actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what we have expressed or forecast in the forward-looking statements. See the risks identified under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in this prospectus. Any differences could result from a variety of factors and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the following:
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The impact of public health crises, including pandemics (such as COVID-19) and epidemics and any related company or government policies or actions.
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Global and regional changes in the demand, supply, prices, differentials or other market conditions affecting oil and gas, including changes resulting from a public health crisis or from the imposition or lifting of crude oil production quotas or other actions that might be imposed by OPEC and other producing countries and the resulting company or third-party actions in response to such changes.
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Fluctuations in crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) and natural gas liquids (“NGLs”) prices, including a prolonged decline in these prices relative to historical or future expected levels.
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The impact of significant declines in prices for crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, LNG and NGLs, which may result in recognition of impairment charges on our long-lived assets, leaseholds and nonconsolidated equity investments.
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The potential for insufficient liquidity or other factors, such as those described herein, that could impact our ability to repurchase shares and declare and pay dividends, whether fixed or variable.
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Potential failures or delays in achieving expected reserve or production levels from existing and future oil and gas developments, including due to operating hazards, drilling risks and the inherent uncertainties in predicting reserves and reservoir performance.
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Reductions in reserves replacement rates, whether as a result of the significant declines in commodity prices or otherwise.
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Unsuccessful exploratory drilling activities or the inability to obtain access to exploratory acreage.
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Unexpected changes in costs or technical requirements for constructing, modifying or operating exploration and production (“E&P”) facilities.
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Legislative and regulatory initiatives addressing environmental concerns, including initiatives addressing the impact of global climate change or further regulating hydraulic fracturing, methane emissions, flaring or water disposal.
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Lack of, or disruptions in, adequate and reliable transportation for our crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, LNG and NGLs.