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Oil and Gas Producing Activities (Unaudited)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Oil and Gas Producing Activities (Unaudited) [Abstract]  
Oil and Gas Producing Activities (Unaudited)
(11) Oil and Gas Producing Activities (Unaudited)

The Company's oil and gas exploration and production activities are conducted in Texas and the south central region of the United States, primarily along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana.

Oil and Gas Producing Activities -

Total costs incurred in oil and gas exploration and development activities, all incurred within the United States, were as follows (in thousands):
 
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
 
2012
 
 
2011
 
 
2010
 
Property acquisition costs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unproved
 
$
1,965
 
 
$
3,591
 
 
$
2,295
 
Proved
 
 
-
 
 
 
-
 
 
 
-
 
Exploration costs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Expensed
 
 
1,151
 
 
 
9,166
 
 
 
3,233
 
Capitalized
 
 
-
 
 
 
-
 
 
 
-
 
Development costs
 
 
20,219
 
 
 
12,133
 
 
 
6,233
 
Total costs incurred
 
$
23,335
 
 
$
24,890
 
 
$
11,761
 

The aggregate capitalized costs relative to oil and gas producing activities are as follows (in thousands):

 
 
December 31,
 
 
2012
 
 
2011
 
Unproved oil and gas properties
 
$
8,349
 
 
$
7,291
 
Proved oil and gas properties
 
 
82,083
 
 
 
74,376
 
 
 
90,432
 
 
 
81,667
 
Accumulated depreciation, depletion
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
and amortization
 
 
(57,833
)
 
 
(55,061
)
Net capitalized cost
 
$
32,599
 
 
$
26,606
 

Estimated Oil and Natural Gas Reserves  -

The following information regarding estimates of the Company's proved oil and gas reserves, all located in Texas and the south central region of the United States, is based on reports prepared on behalf of the Company by its independent petroleum engineers. Because oil and gas reserve estimates are inherently imprecise and require extensive judgments of reservoir engineering data, they are generally less precise than estimates made in conjunction with financial disclosures. The revisions of previous estimates as reflected in the table below result from changes in commodity pricing assumptions and from more precise engineering calculations based upon additional production histories and price changes.

Proved developed and undeveloped reserves are presented as follows (in thousands):
 
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
 
2012
 
 
2011
 
 
2010
 
 
Natural
 
 
 
 
 
Natural
 
 
 
 
 
Natural
 
 
 
 
 
Gas
 
 
Oil
 
 
Gas
 
 
Oil
 
 
Gas
 
 
Oil
 
 
(Mcf's)
 
 
(Bbls.)
 
 
(Mcf's)
 
 
(Bbls.)
 
 
(Mcf's)
 
 
(Bbls.)
 
Total proved reserves-
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Beginning of year
 
 
9,661
 
 
 
292
 
 
 
7,794
 
 
 
267
 
 
 
7,248
 
 
 
242
 
Revisions of previous estimates
 
 
(507
)
 
 
29
 
 
 
(520
)
 
 
(24
)
 
 
(832
)
 
 
-
 
Oil and gas reserves sold
 
 
(104
)
 
 
(54
)
 
 
(2,148
)
 
 
(26
)
 
 
-
 
 
 
-
 
Extensions, discoveries and
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
other reserve additions
 
 
2,395
 
 
 
138
 
 
 
6,430
 
 
 
137
 
 
 
2,743
 
 
 
79
 
Production
 
 
(2,608
)
 
 
(98
)
 
 
(1,895
)
 
 
(62
)
 
 
(1,365
)
 
 
(54
)
End of year
 
 
8,837
 
 
 
307
 
 
 
9,661
 
 
 
292
 
 
 
7,794
 
 
 
267
 

The components of proved oil and gas reserves for the three years ended December 31, 2012 is presented below.  All reserves are in the United States (in thousands):

 
Years Ended December 31,
 
 
2012
 
 
2011
 
 
2010
 
 
Natural
 
 
 
 
 
Natural
 
 
 
 
 
Natural
 
 
 
 
 
Gas
 
 
Oil
 
 
Gas
 
 
Oil
 
 
Gas
 
 
Oil
 
 
(Mcf's)
 
 
(Bbls.)
 
 
(Mcf's)
 
 
(Bbls.)
 
 
(Mcf's)
 
 
(Bbls.)
 
Proved developed reserves
 
 
8,708
 
 
 
306
 
 
 
9,433
 
 
 
277
 
 
 
7,134
 
 
 
240
 
Proved undeveloped reserves
 
 
129
 
 
 
1
 
 
 
228
 
 
 
15
 
 
 
660
 
 
 
27
 
Total proved reserves
 
 
8,837
 
 
 
307
 
 
 
9,661
 
 
 
292
 
 
 
7,794
 
 
 
267
 

The Company has developed internal policies and controls for estimating and recording oil and gas reserve data.  The estimation and recording of proved reserves is required to be in compliance with SEC definitions and guidance.  The Company assigns responsibility for compliance in reserve bookings to the office of President of the Company's AREC subsidiary.  No portion of this individual's compensation is directly dependent on the quantity of reserves booked.  Reserve estimates are required to be made by qualified reserve estimators, as defined by Society of Petroleum Engineers' Standards.
 
The Company employs third party petroleum consultant, Ryder Scott Company, to prepare its oil and gas reserve data estimates as of December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010.  The firm of Ryder Scott is well recognized within the industry for more than 50 years.  As prescribed by the SEC, such proved reserves were estimated using 12-month average oil and gas prices, based on the first-day-of-the-month price for each month in the period, and year-end production and development costs for each of the years presented, all without escalation.

The process of estimating oil and gas reserves is complex and requires significant judgment.  Uncertainties are inherent in estimating quantities of proved reserves, including many factors beyond the estimator's control.  Reserve engineering is a subjective process of estimating subsurface accumulations of oil and gas that cannot be measured in an exact manner, and the accuracy of any reserve estimate is a function of the quality of available data and the interpretation thereof.  As a result, assessments by different engineers often vary, sometimes significantly.  In addition, physical factors such as the results of drilling, testing and production subsequent to the date of an estimate, as well as economic factors such as changes in product prices, may justify revision of such estimates.  Accordingly, oil and gas quantities ultimately recovered will vary from reserve estimates.

Standardized Measure of Discounted Future Net Cash Flows from Oil and Gas Operations and Changes Therein  -

The standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows was determined based on the economic conditions in effect at the end of the years presented, except in those instances where fixed and determinable gas price escalations are included in contracts.  The disclosures below do not purport to present the fair market value of the Company's oil and gas reserves.  An estimate of the fair market value would also take into account, among other things, the recovery of reserves in excess of proved reserves, anticipated future changes in prices and costs, a discount factor more representative of the time value of money and risks inherent in reserve estimates.  The standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows is presented as follows (in thousands):

 
Years Ended December 31,
 
 
2012
 
 
2011
 
 
2010
 
Future gross revenues
 
$
59,793
 
 
$
73,626
 
 
$
61,311
 
Future costs -
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lease operating expenses
 
 
(16,357
)
 
 
(19,788
)
 
 
(17,288
)
Development costs
 
 
(299
)
 
 
(2,198
)
 
 
(1,596
)
Future net cash flows before income taxes
 
 
43,137
 
 
 
51,640
 
 
 
42,427
 
Discount at 10% per annum
 
 
(17,976
)
 
 
(19,439
)
 
 
(16,777
)
Discounted future net cash flows
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
before income taxes
 
 
25,161
 
 
 
32,201
 
 
 
25,650
 
Future income taxes, net of discount at
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10% per annum
 
 
(8,806
)
 
 
(11,270
)
 
 
(8,978
)
Standardized measure of discounted
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
future net cash flows
 
$
16,355
 
 
$
20,931
 
 
$
16,672
 

The reserve estimates provided at December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 are based on aggregate prices of $93.85, $95.85 and $76.14 per barrel for crude oil and $3.51, $4.69 and $5.26 per mcf for natural gas, respectively.  Such prices were based on the unweighted arithmetic average of the prices in effect on the first day of the month for each month of the respective twelve month periods as required by SEC regulations.  The price reported in the reserve disclosure for natural gas for 2012 includes the value of associated natural gas liquids.  The effect of income taxes and discounting on the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows is presented as follows (in thousands):

 
Years ended December 31,
 
 
2012
 
 
2011
 
 
2010
 
Future net cash flows before income taxes
 
$
43,137
 
 
$
51,640
 
 
$
42,427
 
Future income taxes
 
 
(15,098
)
 
 
(18,074
)
 
 
(14,849
)
Future net cash flows
 
 
28,039
 
 
 
33,566
 
 
 
27,578
 
Discount at 10% per annum
 
 
(11,684
)
 
 
(12,635
)
 
 
(10,906
)
Standardized measure of discounted
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
future net cash flows
 
$
16,355
 
 
$
20,931
 
 
$
16,672
 

The principal sources of changes in the standardized measure of discounted future net flows are as follows (in thousands):

 
Years Ended December 31,
 
 
2012
 
 
2011
 
 
2010
 
Beginning of year
 
$
20,931
 
 
$
16,672
 
 
$
9,305
 
Sale of oil and gas reserves
 
 
(3,802
)
 
 
(7,429
)
 
 
-
 
Net change in prices and production costs
 
 
(5,313
)
 
 
791
 
 
 
9,435
 
New field discoveries and extensions, net of future
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
production costs
 
 
9,513
 
 
 
18,769
 
 
 
9,068
 
Sales of oil and gas produced, net of production costs
 
 
(8,953
)
 
 
(7,723
)
 
 
(7,084
)
Net change due to revisions in quantity estimates
 
 
(940
)
 
 
(1,739
)
 
 
(1,369
)
Accretion of discount
 
 
1,944
 
 
 
1,678
 
 
 
1,072
 
Production rate changes and other
 
 
511
 
 
 
2,204
 
 
 
213
 
Net change in income taxes
 
 
2,464
 
 
 
(2,292
)
 
 
(3,968
)
End of year
 
$
16,355
 
 
$
20,931
 
 
$
16,672
 

Results of Operations for Oil and Gas Producing Activities -

The results of oil and gas producing activities, excluding corporate overhead and interest costs, are as follows (in thousands):

 
Years Ended December 31,
 
 
2012
 
 
2011
 
 
2010
 
Revenues
 
$
15,954
 
 
$
14,060
 
 
$
11,021
 
Costs and expenses -
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Production
 
 
(7,091
)
 
 
(6,337
)
 
 
(3,937
)
Producing property impairment
 
 
(4,699
)
 
 
(7,105
)
 
 
(946
)
Exploration
 
 
(1,151
)
 
 
(9,166
)
 
 
(3,233
)
    Oil and natural gas property sale gain
2,203
2,923
-
Depreciation, depletion and amortization
 
 
(8,817
)
 
 
(8,246
)
 
 
(4,662
)
Operating income (loss) before income taxes
 
 
(3,601
)
 
 
(13,871
)
 
 
(1,757
)
Income tax (expense) benefit
 
 
1,060
 
 
 
4,854
 
 
 
615
 
Operating income (loss)
 
$
(2,541
)
 
$
(9,017
)
 
$
(1,142
)