LONG-TERM DEBT

The Company’s long-term debt consists of the following:



	March 31, 2017
	Long-term Debt		Debt Issuance Costs, Net			Long-term Debt, Net
8% Senior Notes	$	698,423,337	$	(8,972,661	)	$	689,450,676
Revolving Credit Facility⁽¹⁾	134,000,000		—			134,000,000
Total	$	832,423,337	$	(8,972,661	)	$	823,450,676



	December 31, 2016
	Long-term Debt		Debt Issuance Costs, Net			Long-term Debt, Net
8% Senior Notes	$	698,306,153	$	(9,681,028	)	$	688,625,125
Revolving Credit Facility⁽¹⁾	144,000,000		—			144,000,000
Total	$	842,306,153	$	(9,681,028	)	$	832,625,125

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⁽¹⁾	Debt issuance costs related to the Company’s revolving credit facility are recorded in “Other Noncurrent Assets, Net” on the condensed balance sheets

Revolving Credit Facility

In February 2012, the Company entered into an amended and restated credit agreement providing for a revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”), which replaced its previous revolving credit facility with a syndicated facility. The Revolving Credit Facility, which is secured by substantially all of the Company’s assets, provides for a commitment equal to the lesser of the facility amount or the borrowing base. At March 31, 2017, the facility amount was $750.0 million, the borrowing base was $350.0 million and there was a $134.0 million outstanding balance, leaving $216.0 million of borrowing capacity available under the facility. On May 4, 2017, the Company completed the semi-annual redetermination under the Revolving Credit Facility, with the borrowing base established at $325.0 million.

The Revolving Credit Facility matures on September 30, 2018 and provides for a borrowing base subject to redetermination semi-annually each April and October and for unscheduled event-driven redeterminations. Borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility can either be at the Alternate Base Rate (as defined in the credit agreement) plus a spread ranging from 1.0% to 2.0% or LIBOR borrowings at the Adjusted LIBOR Rate (as defined in the credit agreement) plus a spread ranging from 2.0% to 3.0%. The applicable spread at any time is dependent upon the amount of borrowings relative to the borrowing base at such time. The Company may elect, from time to time, to convert all or any part of its LIBOR loans to base rate loans or to convert all or any of the base rate loans to LIBOR loans. A commitment fee is paid on the undrawn balance based on an annual rate of either 0.375% or 0.50%. At March 31, 2017, the commitment fee was 0.375% and the interest rate margin was 2.25% on LIBOR loans and 1.25% on base rate loans. At March 31, 2017, the Company had a borrowing base of $350.0 million with $134.0 million of LIBOR loans issued under the Revolving Credit Facility at a weighted average interest rate of 3.24%.

The Revolving Credit Facility contains negative covenants that limit the Company’s ability, among other things, to pay any cash dividends, incur additional indebtedness, sell assets, enter into certain hedging contracts, change the nature of its business or operations, merge, consolidate, make investments, or maintain excess cash liquidity. In addition, the Company is required to maintain a current ratio (as defined in the credit agreement) of no less than 1.0 to 1.0, a ratio of secured debt to EBITDAX (as defined in the credit agreement) of no greater than 2.5 to 1.0 and a ratio of EBITDAX (as defined in the credit agreement) to interest expense (as defined in the credit agreement) of no less than 1.5 to 1.0. The Company was in compliance with the financial covenants of the Revolving Credit Facility at March 31, 2017. Effective May 4, 2017, the schedule of the minimum ratio of EBITDAX to interest expense the Company is required to maintain is as follows:



Measurement Period		Minimum ratio of EBITDAX to Interest Expense
12 months ended March 31, 2017		1.50 to 1.00
12 months ending June 30, 2017		1.50 to 1.00
12 months ending September 30, 2017		1.50 to 1.00
12 months ending December 31, 2017		1.50 to 1.00
12 months ending March 31, 2018		1.50 to 1.00
12 months ending June 30, 2018 and beyond		1.75 to 1.00

All of the Company’s obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility are secured by a first priority security interest in any and all assets of the Company.

8.000% Senior Notes Due 2020

On May 18, 2012, the Company issued at par value $300 million aggregate principal amount of 8.000% senior unsecured notes due June 1, 2020 (the “Original Notes”). On May 13, 2013, the Company issued at a price of 105.25% of par an additional $200 million aggregate principal amount of 8.000% senior unsecured notes due June 1, 2020 (the “2013 Follow-on Notes”). On May 18, 2015, the Company issued at a price of 95.000% of par an additional $200 million aggregate principal amount of 8.000% senior unsecured notes due June 1, 2020 (the “2015 Mirror Notes” and, together with the Original Notes and the 2013 Follow-on Notes, the “Notes”). Interest is payable on the Notes semi-annually in arrears on each of June 1 and December 1. The Company currently does not have any subsidiaries and, as a result, the Notes are not currently guaranteed. Any subsidiaries the Company forms in the future may be required to unconditionally guarantee, jointly and severally, payment obligation under the Notes on a senior unsecured basis. The issuance of the Original Notes resulted in net proceeds to the Company of approximately $291.2 million, the issuance of the 2013 Follow-on Notes resulted in net proceeds to the Company of approximately $200.1 million, and the issuance of the 2015 Mirror Notes resulted in net proceeds to the Company of approximately $184.9 million. Collectively, the net proceeds are in use to fund the Company’s exploration, development and acquisition program and for general corporate purposes (including repayment of borrowings that were outstanding under the Revolving Credit Facility at the time the Notes were issued).

On and after June 1, 2016, the Company may redeem some or all of the Notes at redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount) equal to 104% for the twelve-month period beginning on June 1, 2016, 102% for the twelve-month period beginning June 1, 2017 and 100% beginning on June 1, 2018, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date.

The Original Notes and the 2013 Follow-on Notes are governed by an Indenture, dated as of May 18, 2012, by and among the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association (the “Original Indenture”). The 2015 Mirror Notes are governed by an Indenture, dated as of May 18, 2015, by and among the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association (the “Mirror Indenture”). The terms and conditions of the Mirror Indenture conform, in all material respects, to the terms and conditions set forth in the Original Indenture. As such, the Mirror Indenture, together with the Original Indenture, are referred to herein as the “Indenture.”

The Indenture restricts the Company’s ability to: (i) incur additional debt or enter into sale and leaseback transactions; (ii) pay distributions on, redeem or, repurchase equity interests; (iii) make certain investments; (iv) incur liens; (v) enter into transactions with affiliates; (vi) merge or consolidate with another company; and (vii) transfer and sell assets. These covenants are subject to a number of exceptions and qualifications. If at any time when the Notes are rated investment grade by both Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services and no Default (as defined in the Indenture) has occurred and is continuing, many of such covenants will terminate and the Company and its subsidiaries (if any) will cease to be subject to such covenants.

The Indenture contains customary events of default, including:


•	default in any payment of interest on any Note when due, continued for 30 days;


•	default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, on any Note when due;


•	failure by the Company to comply with its other obligations under the Indenture, in certain cases subject to notice and grace periods;


•	payment defaults and accelerations with respect to other indebtedness of the Company and certain of its subsidiaries, if any, in the aggregate principal amount of $25.0 million or more;


•	certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the Company or a significant subsidiary or group of restricted subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a significant subsidiary;


•	failure by the Company or any significant subsidiary or group of restricted subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a significant subsidiary to pay certain final judgments aggregating in excess of $25.0 million within 60 days; and


•	any guarantee of the Notes by a guarantor ceases to be in full force and effect, is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding or is denied or disaffirmed by its maker.