Oil and Natural Gas Properties

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

OIL AND NATURAL GAS PROPERTIES

Divestitures

In the third quarter of 2020, the Partnership closed two separate divestitures of certain mineral and royalty properties in the Permian Basin for total proceeds, after final closing adjustments, of $150.6 million. One of these transactions, effective May 1, 2020, involved the sale of the Partnership's mineral and royalty interest in specific tracts in Midland County, Texas for net proceeds of approximately $54.5 million. The other transaction, effective July 1, 2020, involved the sale of an undivided interest across parts of the Partnership's Delaware Basin and Midland Basin positions for net proceeds of approximately $96.1 million. The total book value of the assets divested through these transactions was $126.6 million at the time of sale. The Partnership recognized a $24.0 million gain associated with the divestitures included in the (Gain) loss on sale of assets, net line item of the consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Acquisitions

Acquisitions of proved oil and natural gas properties and working interests are generally considered business combinations and are recorded at their estimated fair value as of the acquisition date. Acquisitions that consist of all or substantially all unproved oil and natural gas properties are generally considered asset acquisitions and are recorded at cost.

2020 Acquisitions

The Partnership had no acquisition activity during the year ended December 31, 2020.

2019 Acquisitions

During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Partnership closed on multiple acquisitions of mineral and royalty interests for total consideration of $44.0 million. Acquisitions that were considered business combinations were primarily located in the Permian Basin. These acquisitions were funded with borrowings under the Partnership's Credit Facility (as defined in Note 8 - Credit Facility) and funds from operating activities. Acquisition related costs of $0.1 million were expensed and included in the General and administrative expense line item of the consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2019. The following table summarizes these acquisitions:


	Assets Acquired								Consideration Paid
	Proved		Unproved		Net Working Capital		Total Fair Value		Cash

	(in thousands)
February	$	173	$	8,437	$	1	$	8,611	$	8,611
March	24		—		—		24		24
June	527		3,268		—		3,795		3,795
Total fair value	$	724	$	11,705	$	1	$	12,430	$	12,430

In addition, during 2019, the Partnership acquired mineral and royalty interests that were considered asset acquisitions from various sellers for an aggregate of $31.6 million. These acquisitions were primarily located in East Texas and the Permian Basin. The cash portion of the consideration paid for these acquisitions of $30.7 million was funded with borrowings under the Partnership's Credit Facility and funds from operating activities, and $0.9 million was funded through the issuance of common units of the Partnership based on the fair values of the common units issued on the acquisition dates.

2018 Acquisitions

During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Partnership closed on multiple acquisitions of mineral and royalty interests for total consideration of $149.9 million.

Acquisitions that were considered business combinations were primarily located in the Permian Basin. The cash portion of the consideration paid for these acquisitions was funded with borrowings under the Partnership's Credit Facility and funds from operating activities. Acquisition related costs of $0.2 million were expensed and included in the General and administrative expense line item of the consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2018. The following table summarizes these acquisitions:


	Assets Acquired								Consideration Paid
	Proved		Unproved		Net Working Capital		Total Fair Value		Cash		Fair Value of Common Units Issued

	(in thousands)
March	$	984	$	21,452	$	133	$	22,569	$	22,569	$	—
June	883		13,688		8		14,579		14,579		—
July	4,349		7,944		215		12,508		3,764		8,744
August	5,000		34,673		74		39,747		26,461		13,286
September	1,176		—		—		1,176		1,176		—
November	1,166		—		—		1,166		1,166		—
Total fair value	$	13,558	$	77,757	$	430	$	91,745	$	69,715	$	22,030

In addition, during 2018, the Partnership acquired mineral and royalty interests that were considered asset acquisitions from various sellers for an aggregate of $58.2 million. These acquisitions were primarily located in East Texas and the Permian Basin. The cash portion of the consideration paid for these acquisitions of $57.6 million was funded with borrowings under the Partnership's Credit Facility and funds from operating activities, and $0.6 million was funded through the issuance of common units of the Partnership based on the fair values of the common units issued on the acquisition dates.

During 2018, the Partnership acquired the remaining noncontrolling interest in certain subsidiaries for $1.7 million and merged the subsidiaries into its existing structure. This acquisition was funded with borrowings under the Partnership's Credit Facility and funds from operating activities.

Farmout Agreements

In 2017, the Partnership entered into two farmout arrangements designed to reduce its working interest capital expenditures and thereby significantly lower its capital spending other than for mineral and royalty interest acquisitions. Under these agreements, the Partnership conveyed its rights to participate in certain non-operated working interest opportunities to external capital providers while retaining value from these interests in the form of additional royalty income or retained economic interests.

Canaan Farmout

In February 2017, the Partnership entered into a farmout agreement with Canaan Resource Partners ("Canaan") which covers certain Haynesville and Bossier shale acreage in San Augustine County, Texas operated by XTO Energy Inc. ("XTO"), a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation. The Partnership has an approximate 50% working interest in the acreage and is the largest mineral owner. During the first three phases of the farmout agreement, Canaan commits on a phase-by-phase basis and funds 80% of the Partnership's drilling and completion costs and is assigned 80% of the Partnership's working interests in such wells (40% working interest on an 8/8ths basis) as the wells are drilled. After the third phase, Canaan can earn 40% of the Partnership’s working interest (20% working interest on an 8/8ths basis) in additional wells drilled in the area by continuing to fund 40% of the Partnership's costs for those wells on a well-by-well basis. The Partnership receives an ORRI before payout and an increased ORRI after payout on all wells drilled under the agreement.

Canaan has participated in a total of 37 wells under the farmout agreement through December 31, 2020, covering two election phases. In 2019, XTO suspended its development activities in the area due to low natural gas prices. Canaan has the right to elect to continue its participation in a third phase covering up to 20 future wells drilled under the farmout agreement should XTO resume drilling activity.

Pivotal Farmout

In November 2017, the Partnership entered into a farmout agreement (the "First Pivotal Farmout") with Pivotal Petroleum Partners (“Pivotal”), a portfolio company of Tailwater Capital, LLC. The farmout agreement covers substantially all of the Partnership's remaining working interests in wells operated by XTO Energy and BPX Energy in the Shelby Trough area of East Texas targeting the Haynesville and Bossier shale acreage (after giving effect to the Canaan Farmout), until November 2025. Pivotal is obligated to fund the development of up to 80 wells, in designated well groups, across several development areas and then has options to continue funding the Partnership's working interest across those areas for the duration of the farmout agreement. Once Pivotal achieves a specified payout for a designated well group, the Partnership will obtain a majority of the original working interest in such well group. As of December 31, 2020, a total of 68 wells have been spud in the contract area subject to the First Pivotal Farmout. The Partnership's development agreement with BPX Energy terminated in 2019 with respect to the majority of the Partnership's acreage covered by the agreement. As such, Pivotal retains minimal rights or obligations related to the farmout for that area that remains subject to the First Pivotal Farmout.

In the second quarter of 2020, the Partnership entered into a development agreement with Aethon Energy ("Aethon") to develop certain portions of the area forfeited by BPX Energy in Angelina County, Texas. The agreement provides for minimum well commitments by Aethon in exchange for reduced royalty rates and exclusive access to our mineral and leasehold acreage in the contract area. The agreement calls for a minimum of four wells to be drilled in the initial program year, which began in the third quarter of 2020, increasing to a minimum of 15 wells per year beginning with the third program year. In November 2020, the Partnership entered into a new farmout agreement (the “Second Pivotal Farmout”) with Pivotal. The Second Pivotal Farmout supersedes and replaces the First Pivotal Farmout with respect to the area covered by the Aethon development agreement. The Second Pivotal Farmout covers the Partnership's share of working interest under active development by Aethon in Angelina, County Texas and continues until April 2028, unless earlier terminated in accordance with the terms of the agreement. Pivotal will earn 100% of the Partnership's working interest (ranging from approximately 12.5% to 25% on an 8/8ths basis) in wells drilled and operated by Aethon in accordance with the development agreement. Pivotal is obligated to fund the development of all wells drilled by Aethon in the initial program year and thereafter, Pivotal has certain rights and options to continue funding the Partnership's working interests for the duration of the Second Pivotal Farmout. Once Pivotal achieves a specified payout for a designated well group, the Partnership will obtain a majority of the original working interest in such well group. As of December 31, 2020, a total of 2 wells have been spud in the contract area subject to the Second Pivotal Farmout.

From the inception of the farmout agreements through December 31, 2020, the Partnership has received $90.2 million and $119.2 million from Canaan and Pivotal, respectively, under the agreements. When such reimbursements are received prior to assigning the wells to Canaan and Pivotal, the Partnership records the amounts as increases to Oil and natural gas properties and Other long-term liabilities. When working interests in farmout wells are assigned to Canaan and Pivotal, the Partnership's Oil and natural gas properties and Other long-term liabilities are reduced by the reimbursed capital costs. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, $0.1 million and $1.7 million, respectively, were included in the Other long-term liabilities line item of the consolidated balance sheets for reimbursements received associated with farmed-out working interests not yet assigned to Canaan and Pivotal.

XTO Completions Agreement

In June 2020, the Partnership entered into a new incentive agreement with XTO with respect to certain drilled but uncompleted wells ("DUCs") in the Shelby Trough. The agreement allows for royalty relief on 13 existing DUCs if XTO completes and turns the wells to sales by March 31, 2021. As of January 18, 2021, XTO has turned all 13 DUCs to sales.

Impairment of Oil and Natural Gas Properties

Proved and unproved oil and natural gas properties are reviewed for impairment when events and circumstances indicate a possible decline in the recoverability of the carrying value of those properties. When assessing producing properties for impairment, the Partnership compared the expected undiscounted projected future cash flows of the producing properties to the carrying amount of the producing properties to determine recoverability. When the carrying amount exceeds its estimated undiscounted future cash flows, the carrying amount is written down to its fair value, which is measured as the present value of the projected future cash flows of such properties.

There was a collapse in oil prices during the first quarter of 2020 due to geopolitical events that increased supply at the same time demand weakened due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Partnership determined these events and circumstances indicated a possible decline in the recoverability of the carrying value of certain proved properties and recoverability testing determined that certain depletable units consisting of mature oil producing properties were impaired. The

Partnership recognized impairment of oil and natural gas properties of $51.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. No impairment of oil and natural gas properties was recognized during 2019. See Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements for further discussion.