SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND ACCOUNTING POLICIES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND ACCOUNTING POLICIES

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND ACCOUNTING POLICIES

BATTALION OIL CORPORATION

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

Battalion Oil Corporation (Battalion or the Company) is the successor reporting company to Halcón Resources Corporation (Halcón). On January 21, 2020, Battalion filed a Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the Delaware Secretary of State to effect a change of the Company’s corporate name from Halcón Resources Corporation to Battalion Oil Corporation.

Battalion is an independent energy company focused on the acquisition, production, exploration and development of onshore liquids-rich oil and natural gas assets in the United States. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of all majority-owned, controlled subsidiaries. The Company operates in one segment which focuses on oil and natural gas acquisition, production, exploration and development. Allocation of capital is made across the Company’s entire portfolio without regard to operating area. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The Company has evaluated events and transactions through the date of issuance of this report in conjunction with the preparation of these consolidated financial statements.

Risk and Uncertainties

The Company is continuously monitoring the current and potential impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on its business, including how it has and may continue to impact its operations, financial results, liquidity, contractors, customers, employees and vendors, and taking appropriate actions in response, including implementing various measures to ensure the continued operation of its business in a safe and secure manner. In 2020, COVID-19 and governmental actions to contain the pandemic contributed to an economic downturn, reduced demand for oil and natural gas and, together with a price war involving the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)/Saudi Arabia and Russia, depressed oil and natural gas prices to historically low levels. Although OPEC and Russia subsequently agreed to reduce production, downward pressure on prices continued for several months, particularly given concerns over the impacts of the economic downturn on demand. As a consequence, beginning in March 2020, the Company realized lower revenue as a result of commodity price declines, resulting in the Company temporarily shutting in producing wells in May and June 2020, which further contributed to lower revenues that year. Additionally in 2020, as discussed further in Note 5, “Oil and Natural Gas Properties,” the Company incurred ceiling test impairments, which were primarily driven by a decline in the average pricing required to be used in the valuation of the Company’s reserves for ceiling test purposes.

During 2021, widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines in the United States and elsewhere combined with accommodative governmental monetary and fiscal policies and other factors, led to a rebound in demand for oil and natural gas and increases in oil and natural gas prices. Further, at present, OPEC and Russia have been coordinating production increases to maintain supply and demand balance, stabilize prices and avoid market disruptions. However, there remains the potential for such cooperation to fail and for demand for oil and natural gas to be adversely impacted by the economic effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including as a consequence of the circulation of more infectious “variants” of the disease, vaccine hesitancy, waning vaccine effectiveness or other factors. As a consequence, the Company is unable to predict whether oil and natural gas prices will remain at current levels or will be adversely impacted by the same sorts of factors that negatively impacted prices during 2020. Furthermore, the health of the Company’s employees, contractors and vendors, and its ability to meet staffing needs in its operations and critical functions remain concerns and cannot be predicted, nor can the impact on the Company’s customers, vendors and contractors. Any material effect on these parties could adversely impact the Company. These and other factors could affect the Company’s operations, earnings and cash flows and could cause its results to not be comparable to those of the same period in previous years. The results presented in this Form 10-K are not necessarily indicative of future operating results. For further information regarding the actual and potential impacts of COVID-19 on the Company, see “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires the Company’s management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, if any, at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the respective reporting periods. Estimates and assumptions that, in the opinion of management of the Company, are significant include oil and natural gas revenue accruals, capital and operating expense accruals, oil and natural gas reserves, depletion relating to oil and natural gas properties, asset retirement obligations, and fair value estimates. The Company bases its estimates and judgments on historical experience and on various other assumptions and information believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Estimates and assumptions about future events and their effects cannot be predicted with certainty and, accordingly, these estimates may change as new events occur, as more experience is acquired, as additional information is obtained and as the Company’s operating environment changes. Actual results may differ from the estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

The Company considers all highly liquid short-term investments with a maturity of three months or less at the time of purchase to be cash equivalents. These investments are carried at cost, which approximates fair value. Amounts in the consolidated balance sheets included in “Cash and cash equivalents” and “Restricted cash” reconcile to the Company’s consolidated statements of cash flows as follows:

	December 31, 2021		December 31, 2020
Cash and cash equivalents	$	46,864	$	4,295
Restricted cash		1,495		—
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	$	48,359	$	4,295

Restricted cash consists primarily of funds to collateralize letters of credit outstanding.

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

The Company’s accounts receivable are primarily receivables from joint interest owners and oil and natural gas purchasers. Accounts receivable are recorded at the amount due, less an allowance for doubtful accounts, when applicable. The Company establishes provisions for losses on accounts receivable if it determines that collection of all or part of the outstanding balance is doubtful. The Company regularly reviews collectability and establishes or adjusts the allowance for doubtful accounts as necessary using the specific identification method. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020 allowances for doubtful accounts were approximately $0.2 million for both periods.

Oil and Natural Gas Properties

The Company uses the full cost method of accounting for its investment in oil and natural gas properties as prescribed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Accordingly, all costs incurred in the acquisition, exploration and development of proved and unproved oil and natural gas properties, including the costs of abandoned properties, treating equipment and gathering support facilities, dry holes, geophysical costs, and annual lease rentals are capitalized. All general and administrative corporate costs unrelated to drilling activities are expensed as incurred. Sales or other dispositions of oil and natural gas properties are accounted for as adjustments to capitalized costs, with no gain or loss recorded unless the ratio of cost to estimated proved reserves would significantly change. Depletion of evaluated oil and natural gas properties is computed on the units of production method based on estimated proved reserves. The net capitalized costs of evaluated oil and natural gas properties are subject to a full cost ceiling

limitation in which the costs are not allowed to exceed their related estimated future net revenues discounted at 10%, net of tax considerations.

Costs associated with unevaluated properties are excluded from the full cost pool until the Company has made a determination as to the existence of proved reserves. The Company reviews its unevaluated properties at the end of each quarter to determine whether the costs incurred should be transferred to the full cost pool and thereby subject to amortization. Investments in unevaluated oil and natural gas properties and exploration and development projects for which depletion expense is not currently recognized, and for which exploration or development activities are in progress, qualify for interest capitalization. The Company determines capitalized interest, when applicable, by multiplying the Company’s weighted-average borrowing cost on debt by the average amount of qualifying costs incurred that were excluded from the full cost pool; however, the amount of capitalized interest cannot exceed the amount of gross interest expense incurred in any given period. The Company’s accounting policy on the capitalization of interest establishes thresholds for the determination of a development project for the purpose of interest capitalization.

Other Operating Property and Equipment

Other operating property and equipment are recorded at cost. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives: buildings, twenty years; automobiles and computers, three years; computer software, fixtures, furniture and equipment, five years; trailers, seven years; heavy equipment, eight to ten years and leasehold improvements, lease term. Land and artwork are not depreciated. Upon disposition, the cost and accumulated depreciation are removed and any gains or losses are reflected in current operations. Maintenance and repair costs are charged to operating expense as incurred. Material expenditures which increase the life or productive capacity of an asset are capitalized and depreciated over the estimated remaining useful life of the asset.

The Company reviews its other operating property and equipment for impairment in accordance with ASC 360, Property, Plant, and Equipment (ASC 360). ASC 360 requires the Company to evaluate other operating property and equipment for impairment as events occur or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value below the carrying amount. If the carrying amount is not recoverable from its undiscounted cash flows, then the Company would recognize an impairment loss for the difference between the carrying amount and the current fair value. Further, the Company evaluates the remaining useful lives of its other operating property and equipment at each reporting period to determine whether events and circumstances warrant a revision to the remaining depreciation periods.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

The Company’s primary concentrations of credit risk are the risks of uncollectible accounts receivable and of nonperformance by counterparties under the Company’s derivative contracts. Each reporting period, the Company assesses the recoverability of material receivables using historical data, current market conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions to determine expected collectability of its material receivables.

The Company’s accounts receivable are primarily receivables from joint interest owners and oil and natural gas purchasers. The purchasers of the Company’s oil and natural gas production consist primarily of independent marketers, major oil and natural gas companies and gas pipeline companies. Historically, the Company has not experienced any significant losses from uncollectible accounts from its oil and natural gas purchasers. In 2021, three individual purchasers of the Company’s production, Western Refining, Inc., Sunoco Inc. and Salt Creek Midstream, LLC, each accounted for more than 10% of total sales, collectively representing 73% of its total sales for the year. In 2020, two individual purchasers of the Company’s production, Western Refining Inc. and Sunoco Inc., each accounted for more than 10% of total sales, collectively representing 57% of its total sales for the year.

The Company operates a substantial portion of its oil and natural gas properties. As the operator of a property, the Company makes full payments for costs associated with the property and seeks reimbursement from the other working interest owners in the property for their share of those costs. The Company’s joint interest partners consist primarily of independent oil and natural gas producers. Joint operating agreements govern the operations of an oil or natural gas well and, in most instances, provide for offsetting of amounts payable or receivable between the Company and its joint interest owners. If the oil and natural gas exploration and production industry in general was adversely affected, the ability of the Company’s joint interest partners to reimburse the Company could be adversely affected.

The Company’s exposure to credit risk under its derivative contracts is varied among major financial institutions with investment grade credit ratings, where it has master netting agreements which provide for offsetting of amounts payable or receivable between the Company and the counterparty. To manage counterparty risk associated with derivative contracts, the Company selects and monitors counterparties based on an assessment of their financial strength and/or credit ratings. At December 31, 2021, the Company’s derivative counterparties include two major financial institutions, both of which are secured lenders under the Term Loan Agreement.

Employee Retention Credit

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act) was enacted on March 27, 2020 and included, among other things, provisions relating to refundable payroll tax credits (the Employee Retention Credit or ERC). As provided for in the CARES Act and subsequent legislation which modified and extended the provisions included therein, the ERC allows for a refundable tax credit against certain employment taxes equal to 50% of the first $10,000 in qualified wages paid to each employee after March 12, 2020 and through December 31, 2020 and 70% of the first $10,000 in qualified wages paid to each employee, per calendar quarter, after December 31, 2020 through September 30, 2021. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company determined that the qualifications for the Employee Retention Credit were met and filed the corresponding applications for the applicable 2020 and 2021 periods. The Company recognized an approximate $0.7 million Employee Retention Credit during the year ended December 31, 2021, with approximately $0.5 million recorded to “General and administrative” and approximately $0.2 million recorded to “Lease operating” in the consolidated statements of operations.

Risk Management Activities

The Company follows ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging (ASC 815). From time to time, in accordance with the Company’s policy, it may hedge a portion of its forecasted oil and natural gas production. The Company recognized all derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets at fair value. The Company has elected to not designate any of its positions for hedge accounting. Accordingly, the Company records the net change in the mark-to-market valuation of these positions, as well as payments and receipts on settled contracts, in “Net gain (loss) on derivative contracts” on the consolidated statements of operations.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method wherein deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The Company classifies all deferred tax assets and liabilities, along with any related valuation allowance, as noncurrent on the consolidated balance sheets.

The Company follows ASC 740, Income Taxes (ASC 740). ASC 740 creates a single model to address accounting for the uncertainty in income tax positions and prescribes a minimum recognition threshold a tax position must meet before recognition in the consolidated financial statements.

The evaluation of a tax position in accordance with ASC 740 is a two-step process. The first step is a recognition process to determine whether it is more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. In evaluating whether a tax position has met the more likely than not recognition threshold, it is presumed that the position will be examined by the appropriate taxing authority with full knowledge of all relevant information. The second step is a measurement process whereby a tax position that meets the more likely than not recognition threshold is calculated to determine the amount of benefit/expense to recognize in the consolidated financial statements. The tax position is measured at the largest amount of benefit/expense that is more likely than not of being realized upon ultimate settlement.

The Company has no liability for unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2021 and 2020. Accordingly, there is no amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate and there is no amount of interest or penalties currently recognized in the consolidated statements of operations or consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2021 and 2020. In addition, the Company does not believe that there are any positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will significantly increase or decrease within the next twelve months.

The Company includes interest and penalties relating to uncertain tax positions within “Interest expense and other” on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. Refer to Note 12, “Income Taxes,” for more details.

Generally, the Company’s income tax years 2018 through 2021 remain open for federal purposes and are subject to examination by federal tax authorities. The Company’s income tax returns are also subject to audit by the tax authorities in Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio and certain other state taxing jurisdictions where the Company has, or previously had, operations. In certain jurisdictions the Company operates through more than one legal entity, each of which may have different open years subject to examination. The open years for state purposes can vary from the normal three year statue expiration period for federal purposes.

Tax audits may be ongoing at any point in time. Tax liabilities are recorded based on estimates of additional taxes which may be due upon the conclusion of these audits. Estimates of these tax liabilities are made based upon prior experience and are updated for changes in facts and circumstances. However, due to the uncertain and complex application of tax regulations, it is possible that the ultimate resolution of audits may result in liabilities which could be materially different from these estimates.

Asset Retirement Obligations

ASC 410, 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 asset retirement obligations to reflect the Company’s legal obligations related to future plugging and abandonment of its oil and natural gas wells, treating equipment and gathering support facilities. 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, treating equipment and gathering support facilities as these obligations are incurred.

401(k) Plan

The Company sponsors a 401(k) tax deferred savings plan, whereby the Company matches a portion of employees’ contributions in cash. Participation in the plan is voluntary and all employees of the Company who are 18 years of age are eligible to participate. The Company provided matching contributions of $0.8 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020. The Company matches employee contributions dollar-for-dollar on the first 10% of an employee’s pre-tax earnings, subject to individual IRS limitations.

Restructuring

During 2020, the Company incurred approximately $2.6 million in restructuring charges related to the consolidation into one corporate office and reductions in its workforce due to efforts to improve efficiencies and reduce future costs. In May 2020, in furtherance of the consolidation into one corporate office, the Company exercised a one-time early termination option under the lease agreement for the Company’s office space in Denver, Colorado. These costs were recorded in “Restructuring” on the consolidated statements of operations. Refer to Note 2, “Leases,” for further details.

Change in Estimate

In late March 2020, due to changes in market conditions and decreased commodity prices, the Company determined that previously accrued discretionary cash incentives related to 2019 would not be paid, causing a $1.6 million reduction to “General and administrative” on the condensed consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In March 2020, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848) (ASU 2020-04), in response to the risk of cessation of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR). This amendment provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying generally accepted accounting principles to contracts, hedging arrangements, and other transactions that reference LIBOR. ASU 2020-04 will be in effect through December 31, 2022. The Company is currently evaluating ASU 2020-04 and the impact it may have on its operating results, financial position and disclosures.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740) – Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (ASU 2019-12) as part of their simplification initiative. ASU 2019-12 simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions and by clarifying and amending existing guidance. ASU 2019-12 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020 with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2019-12 effective January 1, 2021. The adoption of ASU 2019-12 did not have a material impact on the Company’s operating results, financial position or disclosures.