Fair Value Measurements

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

NOTE 11: Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is defined as the amount that would be received from the sale of an asset or paid for the transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants, i.e., an exit price. To estimate an exit price, a three-level hierarchy is used. The fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs, which refer broadly to assumptions market participants would use in pricing an asset or a liability, into three levels. Level 1 inputs are unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities. Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. If the asset or liability has a specified (contractual) term, a Level 2 input must be observable for substantially the full term of the asset or liability. Level 2 inputs include the following: (i) quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; (ii) quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active; (iii) inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability; or (iv) inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the financial asset or liability.

The following table provides fair value measurement information for financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2020:

	Fair Value Measurement at March 31, 2020
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets		Significant Other Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs		Total Fair
	(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)		Value
Financial Assets (Liabilities):
Derivative Contracts - Swaps	$	-	$	3,114,037	$	-	$	3,114,037
Derivative Contracts - Collars	$	-	$	1,102,878	$	-	$	1,102,878

Level 2 – Market Approach - The fair values of the Company’s swaps and collars are based on a third-party pricing model, which utilizes inputs that are either readily available in the public market, such as natural gas curves and volatility curves, or can be corroborated from active markets. These values are based upon future prices, time to maturity and other factors. These values are then compared to the values given by our counterparties for reasonableness.

The following table presents impairments associated with certain assets that have been measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy:

	Quarter Ended March 31,
	2020				2019
	Fair Value		Impairment		Fair Value		Impairment

Producing Properties (a)	$	5,288,710	$	29,545,702	$	-	$	-

	Six Months Ended March 31,
	2020				2019
	Fair Value		Impairment		Fair Value		Impairment

Producing Properties (a)	$	5,288,710	$	29,545,702	$	-	$	-

(a) At the end of each quarter, the Company assessed the carrying value of its producing properties for impairment. This assessment utilized estimates of future cash flows. Significant judgments and assumptions in these assessments include estimates of future oil, NGL and natural gas prices using a forward NYMEX curve adjusted for projected inflation, locational basis differentials, drilling plans, expected capital costs and an applicable discount rate commensurate with risk of the underlying cash flow estimates. These assessments identified certain properties with carrying value in excess of their calculated fair values.

At March 31, 2020, and September 30, 2019, the carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, receivables, and payables are considered to be representative of their respective fair values due to the short-term maturities of those instruments. Financial instruments include long-term debt, which the valuation is classified as Level 2 as the carrying amount of the Company’s Credit Facility approximates fair value because the interest rates are reflective of market rates. The estimated current market interest rates are based primarily on interest rates currently being offered on borrowings of similar amounts and terms. In addition, no valuation input adjustments were considered necessary relating to nonperformance risk for the debt agreements.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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