Oil and Natural Gas Reserves

9 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Oil and Natural Gas Reserves [Abstract]

Oil and Natural Gas Reserves

NOTE 7: Oil and Natural Gas Reserves

Management considers the estimation of the Company’s crude oil, natural gas and NGL reserves to be the most significant of its judgments and estimates. Changes in crude oil, natural gas and NGL reserve estimates affect the Company’s calculation of DD&A, provision for abandonment and assessment of the need for asset impairments. On an annual basis, with a semi-annual update, the Company’s Independent Consulting Petroleum Engineer, with assistance from Company staff, prepares estimates of crude oil, natural gas and NGL reserves based on available geological and seismic data, reservoir pressure data, core analysis reports, well logs, analogous reservoir performance history, production data and other available sources of engineering, geological and geophysical information. Between periods in which reserves would normally be calculated, the Company updates the reserve calculations utilizing prices current with the period. The estimated oil, natural gas and NGL reserves were computed using the 12-month average price calculated as the unweighted arithmetic average of the first-day-of-the-month oil, natural gas and NGL price for each month within the 12-month period prior to the balance sheet date, held flat over the life of the properties. Crude oil, natural gas and NGL prices are volatile and largely affected by worldwide production and consumption and are outside the control of management. However, projected future crude oil, natural gas and NGL pricing assumptions are used by management to prepare estimates of crude oil, natural gas and NGL reserves and future net cash flows used in asset impairment assessments and in formulating management’s overall operating decisions.