OIL AND NATURAL GAS PROPERTIES

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

Oil and Natural Gas Properties [Abstract]

OIL AND NATURAL GAS PROPERTIES

OIL AND NATURAL GAS PROPERTIES

Acquisitions

    In the quarter ended December 31, 2021, Barnwell acquired working interests in oil and natural gas properties located in the Twining area of Alberta, Canada, for cash consideration of $317,000.

In January 2022, Barnwell acquired additional working interests in oil and natural gas properties located in the Twining area of Alberta, Canada for consideration of $1,246,000. The purchase price per the agreement was adjusted for customary purchase price adjustments to reflect the economic activity from the effective date to the closing date. The final determination of the customary adjustments to the purchase price has not yet been made, however, it is not expected to result in a material adjustment. Barnwell also assumed $1,500,000 in asset retirement obligations associated with the acquisition.

In April 2021, Barnwell acquired additional working interests in oil and natural gas properties located in the Twining area of Alberta, Canada for cash consideration of $348,000. The purchase price per the agreement was adjusted for customary purchase price adjustments to reflect the economic activity from the effective date to the closing date.

Dispositions

There were no significant oil and natural gas property dispositions during the year ended September 30, 2022. The $503,000 of proceeds from sale of oil and natural gas properties included in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the year ended September 30, 2022 primarily represents the refund of income taxes previously withheld from what otherwise would have been proceeds on prior year's oil and natural gas property sales.

In April 2021, Barnwell entered into a purchase and sale agreement with an independent third party and sold its interests in properties located in the Hillsdown area of Alberta, Canada. The sales price per the agreement was adjusted for customary purchase price adjustments to $132,000 in order to, among other things, reflect an economic effective date of October 1, 2020. $72,000 of the sales proceeds was withheld by the buyers for potential amounts due for Barnwell’s Canadian income taxes related to the sale. The proceeds were credited to the full cost pool, with no gain or loss recognized, as the sale did not result in a significant alteration of the relationship between capitalized costs and proved reserves.

In July 2021, Barnwell completed a purchase and sale agreement with an independent third party and sold its interests in certain natural gas and oil properties located in the Spirit River area of Alberta, Canada. The sales price per the agreement was adjusted for customary purchase price adjustments to $1,047,000 in order to, among other things, reflect an economic effective closing date of sale of July 8, 2021. Income taxes were withheld by the buyers from Barnwell's net proceeds for potential amounts due to the Canada Revenue Agency related to the sale, and the amount was subsequently refunded to Barnwell in fiscal 2022.

The difference in the relationship between capitalized costs and proved reserves of the Spirit River properties sold, as compared to the properties retained by Barnwell, was significant as there was a 93% difference in capitalized costs divided by proved reserves if the gain was recorded versus the gain being credited against the full-cost pool. Accordingly, Barnwell recorded a gain on the sale of Spirit River of $818,000 in the year ended September 30, 2021 in accordance with the guidance in Rule 4-10(c)(6)(i) of Regulation S-X of the rules and regulations of the SEC, which requires an allocation of capitalized costs to

the reserves sold and reserves retained on the basis of the relative fair values of the properties as there was a substantial economic difference between the properties sold and those retained. Also included in the gain calculation were asset retirement obligations of $77,000 assumed by the purchaser.

Impairment of Oil and Natural Gas Properties

    Under the full cost method of accounting, the Company performs quarterly oil and natural gas ceiling test calculations. There was no ceiling test impairment during the year ended September 30, 2022 and a $630,000 ceiling test impairment during the year ended September 30, 2021.

Changes in the mandated 12-month historical rolling average first-day-of-the-month prices for oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids prices, the value of reserve additions as compared to the amount of capital expenditures to obtain them, and changes in production rates and estimated levels of reserves, future development costs and the estimated market value of unproved properties, impact the determination of the maximum carrying value of oil and natural gas properties.