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Properties And Equipment
3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Property Plant And Equipment [Abstract]  
Properties And Equipment

NOTE 9: Properties and Equipment

Divestitures

On November 14, 2019, Panhandle closed on the sale of 530 net mineral acres in Eddy County, New Mexico, for $3.4 million. At the time of sale, the assets were mostly amortized and therefore had minimal net book value. Almost all of the value received was a gain on the sale of assets ($3.3 million) in the first quarter of 2020. The Company utilized a like-kind exchange under IRS Code 1031 to defer income tax on all of the gain by offsetting it with the STACK/SCOOP mineral acreage acquisition that was purchased during the quarter using qualified exchange accommodation agreements.

During the first quarter of 2019, the Company sold 206 net mineral acres and producing oil and natural gas properties located in Lea and Eddy Counties, New Mexico, to a private buyer for total net consideration of $9.1 million and recorded a gain on the sale of $9.1 million. The cash from the sale was used to reduce the Company’s outstanding bank debt.

Acquisitions

On December 18, 2019, Panhandle closed on the purchase of 700 net mineral acres in Kingfisher, Canadian and Garvin Counties, Oklahoma, for a purchase price of $9.3 million (after normal closing adjustments).

During the first quarter of 2019, the Company acquired 45 net mineral acres (which include producing oil and natural gas properties) in the STACK play in Blaine County, Oklahoma, with undeveloped locations identified in both the Woodford and Meramac Shales for $423,000.

Oil, NGL and Natural Gas Reserves

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

Impairment

All long-lived assets, principally oil and natural gas properties, are monitored for potential impairment when circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the asset may be greater than its estimated future net cash flows. The evaluations involve significant judgment since the results are based on estimated future events, such as: inflation rates; future drilling and completion costs; future sales prices for oil, NGL and natural gas; future production costs; estimates of future oil, NGL and natural gas reserves to be recovered and the timing thereof; the economic and regulatory climates and other factors. The need to test a property for impairment may result from significant declines in sales prices or unfavorable adjustments to oil, NGL and natural gas reserves. Between periods in which reserves would normally be calculated, the Company updates the reserve calculations to reflect any material changes since the prior report was issued and then utilizes updated projected future price decks current with the period. For both the three months ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the assessment resulted in no impairment provisions on producing properties. A further reduction in oil, NGL and natural gas prices or a decline in reserve volumes may lead to impairment in future periods that may be material to the Company. Specifically, we have fields with approximately $25 million net book value at risk of impairment if forward natural gas prices were to decrease $0.10 on average over the life of the reserves.