form10k.htm
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-K
S
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Annual
Report Pursuant To Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of
1934
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For
The Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2007
OR
£
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Transition
Report Pursuant To Section 13 Or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of
1934
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Commission
File Number: 000-51801
ROSETTA
RESOURCES INC.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware
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43-2083519
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(State
or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
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(I.R.S.
Employer Identification No.)
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717
Texas, Suite 2800, Houston, TX
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77002
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(Address
of principal executive offices)
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(Zip
Code)
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Registrant's
telephone number, including area code: (713)
335-4000
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Securities
Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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The
Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
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Common
Stock, $.001 Par Value
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(Nasdaq
Global Select Market)
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(Title
of Class)
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(Name
of Exchange on which registered)
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Securities
Registered Pursuant to Section 12 (g) of the Act:
None
Indicate
by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in
Rule 405 of the Exchange Act. Yes S
No £
Indicate
by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes £ No
S
Indicate
by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be
filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required
to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for
the past 90 days. Yes S No
£
Indicate
by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to item 405 of
Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best
of the registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K. S
Indicate
by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting
company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,”
“accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the
Exchange Act.
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Large accelerated
filer S
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Accelerated filer
£
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Non-Accelerated
filer £
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Smaller Reporting
Company £
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(Do
not check if smaller reporting company)
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Indicate
by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined by Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes £ No S
The
aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by
Non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 29, 2007 was approximately $1.1
billion based on the closing price of $21.54 per share on the Nasdaq Global
Select Market.
The
number of shares of the registrant’s Common Stock, $.001 par value per share
outstanding as of February 18, 2008 was 51,146,322.
Documents
Incorporated By Reference
Information
required by Part III will either be included in Rosetta Resources Inc.
definitive proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or
filed as an amendment to this Form 10-K no later than 120 days after the end of
the Company’s fiscal year, to the extent required by the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended.
Cautionary
Note
This
annual report contains forward-looking statements of our management regarding
factors that we believe may affect our performance in the future. Such
statements typically are identified by terms expressing our future expectations
or projections of revenues, earnings, earnings per share, cash flow, market
share, capital expenditures, effects of operating initiatives, gross profit
margin, debt levels, interest costs, tax benefits and other financial items. All
forward-looking statements, although made in good faith, are based on
assumptions about future events and are therefore inherently uncertain, and
actual results may differ materially from those expected or projected. Important
factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from expectations
or projections include those described under the heading “Forward-Looking
Statements” in Item 7. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date
of this report, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise such
statements to reflect new circumstances or unanticipated events as they
occur.
For a
glossary of oil and natural gas terms, see page 95.
Part
I
General
We are an
independent oil and gas company engaged in the acquisition, exploration,
development and production of oil and gas properties in North
America. Our operations are concentrated in the Sacramento Basin of
California, the Rocky Mountains, the Lobo and Perdido trends in South Texas, the
State Waters of Texas and the Gulf of Mexico. We are a Delaware
corporation based in Houston, Texas.
Rosetta
Resources Inc. (together with our consolidated subsidiaries, the “Company”) was
formed in June 2005 to acquire Calpine Natural Gas L.P., its partners and the
domestic oil and natural gas business formerly owned by Calpine Corporation and
its affiliates (“Calpine”). We (“Successor”) acquired Calpine Natural
Gas L.P. and its partners (“Predecessor”) and Rosetta Resources California, LLC,
Rosetta Resources Rockies, LLC, Rosetta Resources Offshore, LLC and Rosetta
Resources Texas LP and its partners, in July 2005 (hereinafter, the
“Acquisition”). We have subsequently acquired numerous other oil and
natural gas properties, and we are engaged in oil and natural gas exploration,
development, production and acquisition activities in the United
States. We operate in one business segment. See Note 15 to
our consolidated/combined financial statements. We have grown our
existing property base by developing and exploring our acreage; purchasing new
undeveloped leases; acquiring oil and gas producing properties and drilling
prospects from third parties.
Pursuant
to the Acquisition, we entered into several operative contracts with Calpine,
including a purchase and sale agreement and all interrelated agreements,
concurrently executed on or about July 7, 2005 (collectively, the “Purchase
Agreement”) under which we have indemnification rights and obligations with
respect to Calpine. Currently, Calpine markets our oil and gas under a marketing
services agreement, whose original term ran through June 30, 2007. In
connection with the partial transfer and release agreement executed by Calpine
and the Company on August 3, 2007 (the “PTRA”), a new marketing agreement was
entered into whose term is from July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2009, subject to
earlier termination on certain events. We also sell a
significant portion of our gas to Calpine pursuant to certain gas purchase and
sales contracts, all of which were part of the Purchase Agreement. The PTRA and
gas purchase and sales contracts with Calpine are discussed further under Part
I. Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
Our
Strengths
We
believe our historical success is, and future performance will be, directly
related to the following combination of strengths:
High Quality,
Diversified Asset Base. We own a geographically diversified asset base
comprised of long-lived reserves along with shorter-lived, higher return
reserves. Approximately 96% of our reserves are natural gas and almost all of
our assets are located in the Sacramento Basin of California, the Rocky
Mountains, South Texas, the State Waters of Texas and the Gulf of Mexico. We
believe this geographic and production profile diversity will enhance the
stability of our cash flows while providing us with a large number of
development and exploration opportunities. We also believe our
current asset base provides a strong platform for additional
acquisitions.
Development and
Exploration Drilling Inventory. We have identified an inventory
of low to moderate risk opportunities providing us with multiple
years of drilling, and we expect to drill approximately 190 of these
locations during 2008. Approximately 20% of these locations are classified
as proved undeveloped. We also
believe we have access to a large and diversified portfolio of non-proved
resource inventory that will drive future growth. Our capital
expenditure budget is $290.1 million for 2008. We will manage our
exploratory risks and expenditures by selectively reducing our capital exposure
in certain high risk projects by partnering with others in our
industry.
Operational
Control. We operate approximately 88% of our estimated proved reserves,
which allows us to more effectively manage expenses and control the timing of
capital allocation of our development and exploration activities.
Experienced
Management Team, New Leadership. Our executive management team
has an average of 29 years of experience in the energy industry with specific
experience in the areas where our primary properties are located. In
November 2007, Randy L. Limbacher became our President and Chief Executive
Officer (“CEO”) replacing B. A. Berilgen who resigned in 2007. Mr.
Limbacher personally has 27 years of experience in the energy industry, most
recently serving as President, Exploration and Production - Americas
for ConocoPhillips.
Proven Technical
and Land Personnel with Access to Technological Resources. Our technical
staff includes 36 geologists, geophysicists, landmen, engineers and technicians
with an average of over 20 years of relevant technical experience. Our staff has
a proven record of analyzing complex structural and stratigraphic plays using
3-D geophysical expertise, producing and optimizing low pressure natural gas
reservoirs, detecting low contrast, low permeability pay opportunities,
drilling, completing and fracing of deep tight natural gas reservoirs, operating
in complex basins and managing coalbed methane operations. These core
competencies helped us to achieve a drilling success rate of 82% for the year
ended December 31, 2007 and has helped maximize recovery from our
reservoirs. Our definition of drilling success is a well that is producing or
capable of production, including natural gas wells awaiting pipeline connections
to commence deliveries and oil wells awaiting connection to production
facilities. Previously, our definition of a successful well was a
well that produced hydrocarbons at sufficient rates to allow us to recover, at a
minimum, our capital investment and operating costs. Under the
previous definition, our success rate would have been 72%.
Our
Strategy
Our
strategy is to increase stockholder value by managing our reserves, production,
cash flow and profitability using a balanced program of (1) developing and
extending inventory in existing core properties, (2) establishing new
resource based core areas, (3) exploitation and exploration activities, (4)
completing acquisitions and selective divestitures, (5) maintaining
technical expertise, (6) focusing on cost control and (7) maintaining financial
flexibility. We will seek to accomplish these goals while
working to protect stockholders interests by focusing on sustainability,
spending our various resources wisely, monitoring emerging trends, minimizing
liabilities through governmental compliance, respecting the dignity of human
life, and protecting the environment. The following are key elements
of our strategy:
Developing and
Extending Existing Core Properties. We have designated the Sacramento
Basin, the DJ Basin and South Texas as core areas and intend to build our asset
base in these areas through additional leasing and acquisitions where
applicable. We intend to further develop the upside potential of
these core properties by working over existing wells, drilling in-fill
locations, drilling step-out wells to expand known field outlines, recompleting
to logged behind pipe pays and lowering field line pressures through compression
for additional reserve recovery.
Establishing New
Resource Based Core Areas. We intend to extend our presence
into new core areas within North America that are characterized by significant
presence of resource potential that can be exploited utilizing our technological
expertise.
Exploitation and Exploration
Activities. We intend to generate growth in existing and new
core areas in which we have technological and operational advantages by
identifying exploitation and exploration opportunities that contain the
potential to establish repeatable drilling programs.
Completing
Acquisitions and Selective Divestitures. We continually review
opportunities to optimize our portfolio to create stockholder
value. We actively evaluate possible acquisitions of producing
properties, undeveloped acreage and drilling prospects in our existing core
areas, as well as areas where we believe we can establish new core areas by
implementing an “acquire and exploit” strategy. We will focus on
opportunities where we believe our reservoir management and operational
expertise will enhance the value and performance of the acquired properties
through development and exploration based on repeatable drilling
programs. Periodically, we also evaluate possible divestitures of
properties that we believe have limited future potential or that do not fit our
risk profile.
Maintaining
Technological Expertise. We intend to maintain and further develop the
technological expertise that helped us achieve a drilling success rate of 82%
for the year ended December 31, 2007 and helped us maximize field
recoveries. We will use advanced geological and geophysical technologies,
detailed petrophysical analyses, state-of-the-art reservoir engineering and
sophisticated completion and stimulation techniques to grow our reserves and
production.
Focusing on Cost
Control. We will manage all elements of our cost structure including
drilling and operating costs as well as overhead costs. We will strive to
minimize our drilling and operating costs by concentrating our assets within
existing and new sustainable resource based core areas.
Maintaining
Financial Flexibility. We may optimize unused borrowing capacity under
our revolving line of credit by refinancing our bank debt in the capital markets
if conditions are favorable. As of December 31, 2007, we had $179.0 million
available for borrowing under our revolving line of credit, with $170.0 million
drawn under our revolving line of credit. Additionally, we expect internally
generated cash flow to provide additional financial flexibility, allowing us to
pursue our business strategy. We intend to continue to actively manage our
exposure to commodity price risk in the marketing of our oil and natural gas
production. As part of this strategy and in connection with our credit
facilities, we entered into natural gas fixed-price swaps for a significant
portion of our expected production through 2009. We also entered into a series
of interest rate swap agreements to hedge the change in variable interest rates
associated with our debt under our credit facility through June
2009. We may enter into other agreements, including fixed price,
forward price, physical purchase and sales, futures, financial swaps, option and
put option contracts.
Calpine
Bankruptcy
On
December 20, 2005, Calpine and certain of its subsidiaries filed for protection
under federal bankruptcy laws in the United States Bankruptcy Court of the
Southern District of New York (the “Bankruptcy Court”).
On June
29, 2006, Calpine filed a motion pursuant to Bankruptcy Code Section 365 in
connection with its bankruptcy proceedings and received an order from the
Bankruptcy Court approving Calpine’s precautionary assumption of certain oil and
gas leases which Calpine had previously sold or agreed to sell to us in the
Acquisition, to the extent that the leases both constituted “unexpired leases of
non-residential real property” and were not fully transferred to us at the time
of Calpine’s filing for bankruptcy, in order to prevent Section 365’s “deemed
rejection” of such leases. Calpine’s motion did not request that the
Bankruptcy Court determine whether these properties belong to us or to Calpine.
Generally, oil and gas leases are regarded as real property and not leases of
real property despite their being called leases. If the Bankruptcy Court were to
later conclude that the oil and natural gas leases are “unexpired leases of
non-residential real property,” and that we had no interest in them, we may be
asked to take further action or pay further consideration to complete the
assignments of these interests or alternatively, Calpine might seek to retain
the leases. In light of Calpine’s obligations under the Purchase Agreement and
rights afforded purchasers of real property, we would oppose any such request or
effort.
Certain
of the properties we purchased from Calpine and paid Calpine for on July 7,
2005, require certain additional documentation, depending on the particular
facts and circumstances surrounding the particular properties involved, such
documentation to be delivered by Calpine to quiet title related to our ownership
of these properties. Certain of these properties are subject to ministerial
governmental action approving us as qualified assignee and operator, even though
in most cases there had been a conveyance by Calpine and release of mortgages
and liens by Calpine’s creditors. For certain other properties, the
documentation delivered by Calpine at closing was incomplete. While we remain
hopeful that Calpine will continue to work cooperatively with us to secure these
ministerial governmental approvals and accomplish the curative corrections for
all of these properties for which we paid Calpine all of which are covered, we
believe, by the further assurances provision of the Purchase Agreement; however,
the exact details of each property involved and how, when and if this will be
able to be secured or accomplished continue to remain uncertain pending
conclusion of the adversary proceeding Calpine filed against us on June 29,
2007.
Any
failure by Calpine to complete the corrective action necessary to remove title
deficiencies with respect to these various properties, including a decision of
the Bankruptcy Court not to require Calpine to deliver corrective documentation
or to require us to pay additional consideration, could result in a material
adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition or
cash flows if we are not able to receive any offsetting refund of the portion of
the purchase price attributable to those properties or if the amount of
additional consideration we are required to pay is material.
On August
1, 2006, we filed proofs of claim in the Calpine bankruptcy asserting claims
against a variety of Calpine debtors seeking recovery of $27.9 million in
liquidated amounts, as well as unliquidated damages in amounts that have not
presently been determined.
On June
29, 2007, Calpine filed an adversary proceeding against us in the Bankruptcy
Court (the “Lawsuit”) alleging that the Acquisition was a fraudulent conveyance
and seeking to recover either the difference between the amounts it received in
the transaction and the reasonably equivalent value of the business conveyed to
us or the return of the business we acquired. We have answered and filed
affirmative counterclaims against Calpine related to the Acquisition for (i)
breach of covenant of solvency, (ii) fraud and fraud in a real estate
transaction, (iii) breach of contract, (iv) conversion, (v) civil theft and (vi)
setoff. The parties have engaged in an active motion practice in relation to
these claims and counterclaims pertaining to the alleged fraudulent conveyance
and discovery continues.
On
September 11, 2007, the Bankruptcy Court approved the Partial Transfer and
Release Agreement ("PTRA") that was executed by Calpine and the
Company on August 3, 2007. Under the PTRA, Calpine resolved any title
issues in order to allow us to have clear legal title in all offshore
properties, certain properties for which the State of California was the lessor,
and certain other properties involved in the Acquisition, without prejudice to
Calpine’s claims and our counterclaims in the pending adversary
proceeding. The PTRA did not include all properties that may have
legal title issues, such as those properties that required non-governmental,
third-party consents or waivers of preferential rights in order to place legal
title of the assets in Rosetta’s name.
On
December 19, 2007, the Bankruptcy Court approved Calpine’s plan of
reorganization (“Plan of Reorganization”). Calpine declared January
31, 2008 as the “effective date” for consummation of its Plan of Reorganization
and it is the date on which Calpine and certain of its subsidiaries emerged from
bankruptcy.
We are
continuing to vigorously defend and affirmatively assert our claims in
connection with the meritless Lawsuit filed by Calpine.
See Item
3. Legal Proceedings for further information regarding the Calpine bankruptcy,
PTRA, and the Lawsuit.
Our
Operating Areas
We own
producing and non-producing oil and natural gas properties in the Sacramento
Basin of California, the Rocky Mountains, the Lobo and Perdido Trends in South
Texas, the State Waters of Texas, the Gulf of Mexico, and other properties
located in various geographical areas in the United States. In each area we are
pursuing geological objectives and projects that are consistent with our
technical expertise in order to provide the highest potential economic returns.
For the year ended December 31, 2007, we have drilled 195 gross and 169 net
wells, with a success rate of 82%. The following is a summary of our major
operating areas in which we discuss their various characteristics. With respect
to acreage information in this report, we have included acreage relating to
properties for which legal title was not given to us on the original date of
Acquisition because consents to transfer, which the parties believed at that
time were required, had not been obtained as of July 7, 2005 and to certain
properties for which we believe Calpine is obligated to provide further
assurances. See Item 3. Legal Proceedings for further information
regarding the Calpine bankruptcy.
California-Sacramento
Basin
Historically,
the Sacramento Basin is one of California’s most prolific gas producing areas,
containing a majority of the state’s largest gas fields. It is
conveniently located near the Northern California natural gas markets and has a
very robust natural gas gathering and pipeline infrastructure. We are
one of the largest producers and leaseholders in the basin.
As of
December 31, 2007, we owned approximately 76,000 net acres in the Rio Vista
Field and Sacramento Basin areas. Our acreage in the basin holds
significant low-risk, low-cost upside potential, and numerous workover and
recompletion opportunities. Additional reserve potential exists in
gathering system optimization projects, fracture stimulation opportunities in
lower permeability, low contrast pays, and deeper gas bearing
sands.
For the
year ended December 31, 2007, our average net daily production from the Rio
Vista Field and surrounding fields in the Sacramento Basin was 44.0
MMcfe/d. In 2007, we drilled 27 gross wells of which 23 were
successful. We plan to participate in the drilling of 29 wells
in 2008.
Rio Vista Field. The Rio
Vista Gas Unit and a significant portion of the deep rights below the Rio Vista
Gas Unit, which together constitute the greater Rio Vista Field, is the largest
onshore natural gas field in California and one of the 15 largest natural gas
fields in the United States. The field has produced a cumulative 3.6 Tcfe of
natural gas reserves to date since its discovery in 1936. We currently produce
from or have behind-pipe reserves in over 14 different zones at depths ranging
from 2,000 feet to 11,000 feet in the field. The Rio Vista Field trap is a
faulted, downthrown rollover anticline, elongated to the northwest. The current
productive area is approximately ten miles long and nine miles wide. For the
year ended December 31, 2007, the average net daily production in the Rio
Vista Field was approximately 40.5 MMcfe/d. We drilled 23 wells in the Rio
Vista field in 2007; 20 of these were successful. Six wells
drilled in the southern portion of the field were successful in extending areas
in two reservoirs, the Lower Capay and the Martinez. This drilling
effort was supported by a 12 square mile 3-D seismic program that was shot over
the Bradford Island area of the field at the end of 2006. This area
of the field had never been covered by 3-D seismic data.
At
December 31, 2007, we had one deep rig actively drilling in the field. We
secured a second rig at the end of January 2008. We will be procuring
a deep rig during the year to drill a deep test under the City of Rio
Vista. We plan to participate in the drilling of 20 additional wells
in the Rio Vista field in 2008. There are two completion rigs currently working
on Rosetta wells in the Rio Vista area. We plan to utilize two to
three completion rigs throughout the year. In addition, we plan to
conduct between 30 and 40 workover, recompletion or reactivation operations on
field wells with these rigs during 2008.
Sacramento Valley
Extension. We believe our existing land position and financial
strength will give us the ability to continue expanding our Sacramento Basin
operations. The Sacramento Valley Extension Project is an extension of work and
study done in the redevelopment of the Rio Vista Field and non-operated drilling
in nearby reservoirs. Numerous plays are being evaluated, including Mokelumme
gorge traps and McCormick fault traps, deeper Winters traps, and Forbes
stratigraphic traps on the North side of the Sacramento Basin. Subtle low
contrast and low resistivity pays in the Emigh, Capay, Hamilton and Martinez
formations are being pursued for under-exploited and unrecognized potential. We
have approximately 550 square miles of 3-D seismic data and over 1,800 miles of
2-D seismic data in Rio Vista, the extension area, and the greater Sacramento
Valley. The area contains 16 prospective producing formations with historically
high production rates at shallow to moderate drill depths.
We
drilled four wells in the Sacramento Valley Extension area in 2007, three of
these were successful and one was pending completion at year
end. Average daily net production for the year ended December 31,
2007 was 3.5 MMcfe/d. We plan to participate in the drilling of
9 additional wells in the Sacramento Valley Extension area in 2008.
Other
Activities. We are actively pursuing additional lease and
producing property acquisitions throughout the Sacramento Basin. In April 2007,
we acquired properties located in the Sacramento Basin from Output Exploration,
LLC and OPEX Energy, LLC at a total purchase price of $38.7 million (“OPEX
Properties”). The acquisition consisted of 18 producing wells, with
net daily production of 3.1 MMcfe/d, and 9.8 BCF of net reserves. We
also acquired 4,470 net acres, 112 square miles of 3D seismic and several
exploratory prospects in the transaction. The 2008 drilling activity
planned for the Sacramento Valley Extension includes five wells that are related
to the OPEX Properties, either through our added OPEX acreage or our adjoining
acreage, where the improved seismic gained in the OPEX acquisition has helped us
identify additional prospects.
Rocky
Mountains
At
December 31, 2007, we owned approximately 172,000 net acres in the Rocky
Mountains. Our production is concentrated in two basins, the DJ and
the San Juan Basins. Our average net daily production for the year
ended December 31, 2007 was 6.0 MMcfe/d. In 2007, we drilled 89 gross
wells of which 75 were successful.
DJ Basin, Colorado. As of
December 31, 2007, we had a majority working interest in approximately
109,451 net acres with 125 square miles of 3D seismic data. In 2007,
we drilled 70 locations, of which 55 were successful, and identified 49
additional drillable, 3-D seismic supported locations on these
lands. To date as of December 31, 2007, we have drilled 134 wells in
the developed area of which 114 were successful. For the year ended
December 31, 2007, our average net daily production from the DJ Basin was 5.2
MMcfe/d. We have identified over 100 potential drilling locations on our acreage
and plan to participate in the drilling of 60 additional wells in 2008 and
acquire approximately 29 square miles of additional 3-D seismic
data. Pipeline and gathering system construction is expanding in
the Republican River, Vernon, SW Wray and Sandy Bluff areas.
San Juan Basin, New Mexico.
The San Juan Basin is the second most prolific gas basin in North America,
according to published articles, with 34 Tcf of production through the end of
October 2004, 11.4 Tcf of which comes from the Fruitland Coal Bed Methane
(“CBM”). There is CBM production from depths of 1,600 feet surrounding our
leasehold. As of December 31, 2007, we had a 100% working interest position
in approximately 12,000 net acres. In 2007, we drilled 19 CBM wells and one
saltwater disposal well with all being successful. For the year ended
December 31, 2007, our average net daily production from the San Juan Basin was
0.6 MMcfe/d. We have identified 22 drillable locations on
our acreage and plan to participate in the drilling of 14 wells in
2008.
Lobo
Lobo Trend. We are
a significant producer in the South Texas, Lobo Trend, with approximately 78,000
net acres, 320 square miles of 3-D seismic and approximately 298 operated
producing wells. In 2007 and 2006, we added over 10,000 acres
adjacent to our acreage and acquired over 80 square miles of 3-D seismic data
adding additional drilling inventory. For the year ended December 31,
2007, our average net daily production from the Lobo Trend was 40.8
MMcfe/d. Our working interests range from 50% - 100% but most of our
acreage is 100% owned and operated. We have two drilling rigs under
contract which should drill 48 wells in 2008. In 2007, we drilled 42 gross wells
of which 33 were successful. We have identified over 100 potential drilling
locations on our acreage and plan to participate in the drilling of 48 wells in
2008.
Discovered
in 1973, the Lobo Trend of South Texas is a complex, highly faulted sand that
has produced over 7 Tcf of natural gas. The Lobo trend produces from tight sands
with low permeabilities and high pressures at depths from 7,500 to 10,000
feet.
Perdido
Perdido Sand Trend. We own a
50% non-operating working interest in approximately 9,000 net acres in the South
Texas, Perdido Sand Trend. The Perdido Sands are comprised of tight
natural gas sands and are in isolated fault blocks that are stratigraphically
trapped below the Upper Wilcox structures at approximately 8,000 to 9,500 feet.
The program of horizontal drilling with fracture stimulations has been very
successful in maximizing natural gas recovery. We plan to increase
our current acreage position of 9,000 net acres and seismic position of 100
square miles and to continue to coordinate with the operator to improve
horizontal drilling techniques to lower cost and increase
performance. For the year ended December 31, 2007, our average
net daily production was 9.5 MMcfe/d from 42 producing wells (19 horizontal and
23 vertical). We participated in the drilling of ten gross wells in 2007 of
which all were successful. We have identified over
50 potential drilling locations on our acreage and plan to participate in the
drilling of ten wells in 2008.
State
Waters of Texas
Sabine Lake. We
own a 50% operated working interest through a joint venture in Sabine Lake,
within Texas State Waters of Jefferson County and Louisiana State Waters of
Cameron Parish. During 2007, we drilled four gross wells of
which three were successful. Facilities and pipelines were
constructed and the wells began producing in November and December of 2007 with
a net production rate of 13 MMcfe/d at year-end 2007. We currently
hold interest in approximately 6,000 net acres with 70 square miles of 3-D
seismic data. We are evaluating additional drilling potential in the
region for 2008.
Other
Onshore
Live Oak County Prospect.
Through the interpretation of 3-D seismic data, we identified and participated
in the drilling of a 16,500 foot test in Live Oak County, Texas in the fourth
quarter of 2007 and tested the well in December 2007. The well is
currently being completed with first production expected in the second quarter
of 2008. We have identified further opportunities within an Area of
Mutual Interest (“AMI”) agreement covering approximately 22,000 gross
acres.
In the
Other Onshore region, we currently have approximately 26,000 net acres under
lease with an average of a 40% non-operated working interest. In
2007, we drilled 18 gross wells of which 16 were successful and are evaluating
additional drilling potential in the region for 2008.
Gulf
of Mexico
Federal Waters. We
own working interests in 12 offshore blocks ranging from 20% to 100% working
interest with approximately 36,000 net acres. For the year ended
December 31, 2007, our average net daily production from these blocks was 13
MMcfe/d. Under the PTRA with Calpine, we have its full support and
the Bankruptcy Court’s order to secure the outstanding MMS ministerial approval
for South Pelto 17 and South Timbalier 252. Due to the absence of
production, the MMS leases for East Cameron 76 and South Timbalier 235 have
expired.
During
2007, three wells previously drilled and completed in 2006 were placed on
production in the first half of 2007, of which we own a 25% - 50% working
interest. In 2007, as part of our participation in a joint venture, two wells
with a 50% non-operated working interest were drilled, resulting
in one dry hole and one well pending completion.
We have
entered into an AMI agreement in which we have the right to participate in up to
a 50% working interest in wells within 150 Outer Continental Shelf (“OCS”)
blocks on the Louisiana offshore shelf.
Crude
Oil and Natural Gas Operations
Production
by Operating Area
The
following table presents certain information with respect to our production data
for the period presented:
|
|
For
the Year Ended December 31, 2007 (1)
|
|
|
|
Natural
Gas
(Bcf)
|
|
|
Oil
(MBbls)
|
|
|
Equivalents
(Bcfe)
|
|
California
|
|
|
15.9 |
|
|
|
24.2 |
|
|
|
16.1 |
|
Rocky
Mountains
|
|
|
2.2 |
|
|
|
5.0 |
|
|
|
2.2 |
|
Mid-Continent
|
|
|
0.2 |
|
|
|
15.4 |
|
|
|
0.3 |
|
Lobo
|
|
|
14.2 |
|
|
|
113.3 |
|
|
|
14.9 |
|
Perdido
|
|
|
3.4 |
|
|
|
18.9 |
|
|
|
3.5 |
|
Texas
State Waters
|
|
|
0.8 |
|
|
|
31.7 |
|
|
|
1.0 |
|
Other
Onshore
|
|
|
2.3 |
|
|
|
131.9 |
|
|
|
2.9 |
|
Gulf
of Mexico
|
|
|
3.5 |
|
|
|
220.8 |
|
|
|
4.9 |
|
|
|
|
42.5 |
|
|
|
561.2 |
|
|
|
45.8 |
|
___________________________________
|
(1)
|
Excludes
certain interests in leases and wells not conveyed as part of the
Acquisition of the domestic oil and natural gas properties of Calpine, as
described in the footnotes for proved reserves
below.
|
Proved
Reserves
There are
a number of uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of proved reserves,
including many factors beyond our control, such as commodity pricing. Therefore,
the reserve information in this report represents only estimates. Reserve
engineering is a subjective process of estimating underground accumulations of
oil and natural gas that can not be measured in an exact manner. The accuracy of
any reserve estimate is a function of the quality of available data and of
engineering and geological interpretation and judgment. As a result, estimates
of different engineers may vary. In addition, results of drilling, testing and
production subsequent to the date of an estimate may justify revising the
original estimate. Accordingly, initial reserve estimates are often different
from the quantities of oil and natural gas that are ultimately recovered. The
meaningfulness of such estimates depends primarily on the accuracy of the
assumptions upon which they were based. Except to the extent that we acquire
additional properties containing proved reserves or conduct successful
exploration and development activities, or both, our proved reserves will
decline as reserves are produced.
As of
December 31, 2007, we had 418.4 Bcfe of proved oil and natural gas
reserves, including 400.2 Bcf of natural gas and 3,021 MBbls of oil and
condensate. Using prices as of December 31, 2007, the estimated
standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows was $954.2
million. The following table sets forth by operating area a summary
of our estimated net proved reserve information as of December 31,
2007:
|
|
Estimated
Proved Reserves at December 31, 2007 (1)(2)(3)
|
|
|
|
Developed
(Bcfe)
|
|
|
Undeveloped
(Bcfe)
|
|
|
Total
(Bcfe)
|
|
|
Percent
of Total Reserves
|
|
California
|
|
|
107.5 |
|
|
|
39.4 |
|
|
|
146.9 |
|
|
|
35 |
% |
Rocky
Mountains
|
|
|
35.6 |
|
|
|
7.0 |
|
|
|
42.6 |
|
|
|
10 |
% |
Mid-Continent
|
|
|
1.5 |
|
|
|
0.5 |
|
|
|
2.0 |
|
|
|
0 |
% |
Lobo
|
|
|
97.9 |
|
|
|
57.2 |
|
|
|
155.1 |
|
|
|
37 |
% |
Perdido
|
|
|
10.6 |
|
|
|
8.4 |
|
|
|
19.0 |
|
|
|
5 |
% |
Texas
State Waters
|
|
|
10.3 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
10.3 |
|
|
|
2 |
% |
Other
Onshore
|
|
|
20.4 |
|
|
|
2.6 |
|
|
|
23.0 |
|
|
|
6 |
% |
Gulf
of Mexico
|
|
|
17.8 |
|
|
|
1.7 |
|
|
|
19.5 |
|
|
|
5 |
% |
Total
|
|
|
301.6 |
|
|
|
116.8 |
|
|
|
418.4 |
|
|
|
100 |
% |
___________________________________
|
(1)
|
These
estimates are based upon a reserve report prepared by Netherland
Sewell & Associates, Inc. (hereafter “Netherland Sewell”) using
criteria in compliance with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”)
guidelines and excludes an estimate of 20 Bcfe of proved oil and
natural gas reserves for interests in certain leases and wells being
a portion of the properties described in footnote 2
below.
|
|
(2)
|
At
the July 2005 closing of the Acquisition, we withheld some $75 million for
interests in leases and wells (including that portion of the properties
subject to the preferential right) which Calpine agreed to transfer legal
title to us but for which Calpine had not then secured consents to assign,
which consents the parties believed at that time were
required.
|
|
(3)
|
Includes
properties subject to additional documentation or completion of
ministerial actions by federal or state agencies necessary to perfect
legal title issues discovered during routine post-closing analysis after
the Acquisition of the domestic oil and natural gas business from Calpine,
for which under the Purchase Agreement we believe Calpine is contractually
obligated to assist in resolving.
|
2007
Capital Expenditures
The
following table summarizes information regarding development and exploration
capital expenditures for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006
(Successor), six months ended December 31, 2005 (Successor) and the six
months ended June 30, 2005 (Predecessor).
|
|
Successor
|
|
|
Predecessor
|
|
|
|
Year
Ended
|
|
|
Year
Ended
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
|
|
|
|
December
31, 2007
|
|
|
December
31, 2006
|
|
|
December
31, 2005
|
|
|
June
30, 2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
Capital
Expenditures by Operating Area:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
California
|
|
$ |
58,493 |
|
|
$ |
39,691 |
|
|
$ |
3,933 |
|
|
$ |
4,572 |
|
Rocky
Mountains
|
|
|
23,904 |
|
|
|
15,299 |
|
|
|
3,035 |
|
|
|
1,102 |
|
Mid-Continent
|
|
|
4,974 |
|
|
|
3,371 |
|
|
|
317 |
|
|
|
220 |
|
Lobo
|
|
|
82,665 |
|
|
|
51,911 |
|
|
|
6,775 |
|
|
|
2,020 |
|
Perdido
|
|
|
22,636 |
|
|
|
25,971 |
|
|
|
9,268 |
|
|
|
12,441 |
|
Texas
State Waters
|
|
|
27,000 |
|
|
|
13,028 |
|
|
|
3,023 |
|
|
|
3,417 |
|
Other
Onshore
|
|
|
24,822 |
|
|
|
10,207 |
|
|
|
10,831 |
|
|
|
2,300 |
|
Gulf
of Mexico
|
|
|
28,523 |
|
|
|
17,958 |
|
|
|
9,369 |
|
|
|
4,556 |
|
Leasehold
|
|
|
8,838 |
|
|
|
16,383 |
|
|
|
9,224 |
|
|
|
2,617 |
|
New
acquisitions
|
|
|
38,656 |
|
|
|
35,105 |
|
|
|
5,524 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Delay
rentals
|
|
|
1,409 |
|
|
|
728 |
|
|
|
143 |
|
|
|
443 |
|
Geological
and geophysical/seismic
|
|
|
4,422 |
|
|
|
3,748 |
|
|
|
5,659 |
|
|
|
513 |
|
Total
capital expenditures (1)
|
|
$ |
326,342 |
|
|
$ |
233,400 |
|
|
$ |
67,101 |
|
|
$ |
34,201 |
|
___________________________________
|
(1)
|
Capital
expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2007 (Successor) excludes
capitalized internal costs directly identified with acquisition,
exploration and development activities of $5.5 million, capitalized
interest of $2.4 million and corporate other capital costs of $1.8
million. Capital expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2006
(Successor) excludes capitalized internal costs of $3.4 million,
capitalized interest of $2.1 million and corporate other capital costs of
$1.7 million. The six months ended December 31, 2005 (Successor)
excludes capitalized interest of $0.6 million, corporate other capital
costs of $1.6 million and capitalized internal costs of $1.7
million. Corporate other capital costs consist of costs related
to IT software/hardware, office furniture and fixtures and license
transfer fees. The six-month period ended June 30, 2005
(Predecessor) excludes $(0.7) million of capitalized interest and $1.7
million of overhead.
|
Productive
Wells and Acreage
The
following table sets forth our interest in undeveloped acreage, developed
acreage and productive wells in which we own a working interest as of
December 31, 2007. “Gross”
represents the total number of acres or wells in which we own a working
interest. “Net”
represents our proportionate working interest resulting from our
ownership in the gross acres or wells. Productive wells are wells in which we
have a working interest and that are capable of producing oil or natural
gas.
|
|
Undeveloped
Acres (1)
|
|
|
Developed
Acres (1)
|
|
|
Productive
Wells
|
|
|
|
Gross
|
|
|
Net
|
|
|
Gross
|
|
|
Net
|
|
|
Gross
|
|
|
Net
|
|
California
|
|
|
39,888 |
|
|
|
32,213 |
|
|
|
52,547 |
|
|
|
44,208 |
|
|
|
179 |
|
|
|
152 |
|
Rocky
Mountains
|
|
|
178,393 |
|
|
|
158,203 |
|
|
|
18,549 |
|
|
|
13,525 |
|
|
|
161 |
|
|
|
156 |
|
Mid-Continent
|
|
|
120 |
|
|
|
47 |
|
|
|
9,938 |
|
|
|
2,575 |
|
|
|
28 |
|
|
|
5 |
|
Lobo
|
|
|
28,755 |
|
|
|
31,203 |
|
|
|
61,949 |
|
|
|
46,659 |
|
|
|
248 |
|
|
|
215 |
|
Perdido
|
|
|
14,916 |
|
|
|
7,385 |
|
|
|
4,594 |
|
|
|
2,094 |
|
|
|
41 |
|
|
|
20 |
|
Texas
State Waters
|
|
|
5,706 |
|
|
|
2,801 |
|
|
|
10,038 |
|
|
|
3,193 |
|
|
|
7 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
Other
Onshore
|
|
|
19,689 |
|
|
|
8,709 |
|
|
|
44,508 |
|
|
|
16,905 |
|
|
|
285 |
|
|
|
46 |
|
Gulf
of Mexico (2)
|
|
|
17,495 |
|
|
|
9,497 |
|
|
|
46,994 |
|
|
|
26,886 |
|
|
|
12 |
|
|
|
9 |
|
|
|
|
304,962 |
|
|
|
250,058 |
|
|
|
249,117 |
|
|
|
156,045 |
|
|
|
961 |
|
|
|
606 |
|
___________________________________
|
(1)
|
This
table includes acreage relating to properties for which we believe Calpine
is contractually obligated to assist us in resolving, either on the basis
of further assurances under the Purchase Agreement and PTRA, or on other
legal basis.
|
|
(2)
|
Offshore
productive wells are based on intervals rather than well
bores.
|
The
following table shows our interest in undeveloped acreage as of
December 31, 2007 which is subject to expiration in 2008, 2009, 2010, and
thereafter.
2008
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
Thereafter
|
|
Gross
|
|
|
Net
|
|
|
Gross
|
|
|
Net
|
|
|
Gross
|
|
|
Net
|
|
|
Gross
|
|
|
Net
|
|
|
36,115 |
|
|
|
27,229 |
|
|
|
42,806 |
|
|
|
35,287 |
|
|
|
53,309 |
|
|
|
45,956 |
|
|
|
172,732 |
|
|
|
141,586 |
|
Drilling
Activity
The
following table sets forth the number of gross exploratory and gross development
wells drilled in which we participated during the last three fiscal years. The
number of wells drilled refers to the number of wells commenced at any time
during the respective fiscal year. Productive wells are either producing wells
or wells capable of commercial production.
|
|
Gross
Wells
|
|
|
|
Exploratory
|
|
|
Development
|
|
|
|
Productive
|
|
|
Dry
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
Productive
|
|
|
Dry
|
|
|
Total
|
|
2007
|
|
|
11.0 |
|
|
|
7.0 |
|
|
|
18.0 |
|
|
|
149.0 |
|
|
|
28.0 |
|
|
|
177.0 |
|
2006
|
|
|
68.0 |
|
|
|
15.0 |
|
|
|
83.0 |
|
|
|
51.0 |
|
|
|
8.0 |
|
|
|
59.0 |
|
2005
|
|
|
7.0 |
|
|
|
5.0 |
|
|
|
12.0 |
|
|
|
41.0 |
|
|
|
3.0 |
|
|
|
44.0 |
|
The
following table sets forth, for each of the last three fiscal years, the number
of net exploratory and net development wells drilled by us based on our
proportionate working interest in such wells.
|
|
Net Wells
|
|
|
|
Exploratory
|
|
|
Development
|
|
|
|
Productive
|
|
|
Dry
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
Productive
|
|
|
Dry
|
|
|
Total
|
|
2007
|
|
|
7.5 |
|
|
|
5.1 |
|
|
|
12.6 |
|
|
|
130.2 |
|
|
|
26.5 |
|
|
|
156.7 |
|
2006
|
|
|
58.5 |
|
|
|
10.0 |
|
|
|
68.5 |
|
|
|
45.0 |
|
|
|
6.2 |
|
|
|
51.2 |
|
2005
|
|
|
3.4 |
|
|
|
3.4 |
|
|
|
6.8 |
|
|
|
23.5 |
|
|
|
3.0 |
|
|
|
26.5 |
|
Marketing
and Customers
Pursuant
to our natural gas purchase and sales contract with CES whose
term runs through December 2009, we are obligated to sell all of the
then-existing and future production from our California leases in production as
of May 1, 2005 based on market prices. Calpine maintains a
right of first refusal in relation to this dedicated California production for a
term of 10 years after December 31, 2009. For the month of
December 2007, this dedicated California production comprised approximately
30% of our current overall daily equivalent production. Under the terms of our
gas purchase and sale contract and spot agreements with Calpine, cash payment
for all natural gas volumes that are contractually sold to Calpine on the
previous day are deposited into our collateral bank account. If the funds are
not deposited one business day in arrears in accordance with our contract, we
are not obligated to continue to sell our production to Calpine and these sales
can then cease immediately. We would then be in a position to market this
natural gas production to other parties. Calpine has 60 days to pay amounts owed
to us, at which time, provided Calpine has fully cured such payment default, we
are obligated under the contract to resume natural gas sales to Calpine. We
believe that Calpine’s bankruptcy and their emergence from Bankruptcy has not
had a significant effect on our ability to sell our natural gas at market
prices. Additionally, while we may market our natural gas production, which is
not subject to the above mentioned natural gas purchase and sales contract, to
parties other than Calpine, an affiliate of Calpine is under contract through
June 30, 2009 to provide us administrative services in connection with such
marketing efforts in accordance with the contract terms.
All of
our other production is sold to various purchasers, including Calpine, on a
competitive basis.
Major
Customers
For the
year ended December 31, 2007, we had one major customer, Calpine Energy Services
(“CES”), which accounted on an aggregated basis for approximately 55% of our
consolidated annual revenue.
Competition
The oil
and natural gas industry is highly competitive and we compete with a substantial
number of other companies that have greater resources. Many of these companies
explore for, produce and market oil and natural gas, carry on refining
operations and market the resultant products on a worldwide basis. The primary
areas in which we encounter substantial competition are in locating and
acquiring desirable leasehold acreage for our drilling and development
operations, locating and acquiring attractive producing oil and natural gas
properties, and obtaining purchasers and transporters of the oil and natural gas
we produce. There is also competition between producers of oil and natural gas
and other industries producing alternative energy and fuel. Furthermore,
competitive conditions may be substantially affected by various forms of energy
legislation and/or regulation considered from time to time by the federal, state
and local government; however, it is not possible to predict the nature of any
such legislation or regulation that may ultimately be adopted or its effects
upon our future operations. Such laws and regulations may, however,
substantially increase the costs of exploring for, developing or producing
natural gas and oil and may prevent or delay the commencement or continuation of
a given operation. The effect of these risks cannot be accurately
predicted.
Seasonal
Nature of Business
Generally,
but not always, the demand for natural gas decreases during the summer months
and increases during the winter months. Seasonal anomalies such as mild winters
or abnormally hot summers sometimes lessen this fluctuation. In addition,
certain natural gas users utilize natural gas storage facilities and purchase
some of their anticipated winter requirements during the summer. This can also
lessen seasonal demand fluctuations. Seasonal weather conditions and lease
stipulations can limit our drilling and producing activities and other oil and
natural gas operations in certain areas. These seasonal anomalies can increase
competition for equipment, supplies and personnel during the spring and summer
months, which could lead to shortages and increase costs or delay our
operations.
Government
Regulation
The oil
and gas industry is subject to extensive laws that are subject to amendment or
expansion. These laws have a significant impact on oil and gas
exploration, production and marketing activities, and increase the cost of doing
business, and consequently, affect profitability. Some of the legislation and
regulation affecting the oil and gas industry carry significant penalties for
failure to comply. While there can be no assurance that the Company will not
incur fines or penalties, we believe we are currently in compliance
with the applicable federal, state and local laws. Because enactment
of new laws affecting the oil and gas business is common and because existing
laws are often amended or reinterpreted, we are unable to predict the future
cost or impact of complying with such laws. We do not expect that any
of these laws would affect us in a materially different manner than any other
similarly sized oil and gas company operating in the United
States. The following are significant areas of the laws.
Exploration
and Production Regulation
Oil and
natural gas production is regulated under a wide range of federal, state and
local statutes, rules, orders and regulations, including laws related to
location of wells, drilling and casing of wells, well production limitations;
spill prevention plans; surface use and restoration; platform, facility and
equipment removal; the calculation and disbursement of royalties; the plugging
and abandonment of wells; bonding; permits for drilling operations; and
production, severance and ad valorem taxes. Oil and gas companies can encounter
delays in drilling from the permitting process and requirements. Our
operations are subject to regulations governing operation restrictions and
conservation matters, including provisions for the unitization or pooling of oil
and natural gas properties, the establishment of maximum rates of production
from oil and natural gas wells, and prevention of flaring or venting of natural
gas. The conservation laws have the effect of limiting the amount of oil and gas
we can produce from our wells and limit the number of wells or the locations at
which we can drill.
Environmental
and Occupation Regulations
We are
subject to extensive federal, state and local statutes, rules and regulations
concerning protection of the environment and protection of wildlife;
restrictions on the emission or discharge of materials into the environment; and
occupational safety and health. We have made and will continue to make
expenditures in our efforts to comply with these requirements. In
this regard, we believe that we currently hold all up-to-date permits,
registrations and other authorizations to the extent they are required by our
operations under the current regulatory scheme. We maintain insurance
at industry customary levels to limit our financial exposure in the event of a
substantial environmental claim resulting from sudden, unanticipated and
accidental discharges of certain prohibited substances into the
environment. Such insurance might not cover the complete amount of
such a claim and would not cover fines or penalties for a violation of an
environmental law.
Insurance
Matters
As is
common in the oil and natural gas industry, we do not insure fully against all
risks associated with our business either because such insurance is not
available or because premium costs are considered prohibitive. A loss not fully
covered by insurance could have a materially adverse effect on our financial
position, results of operations or cash flows. In analyzing our operations and
insurance needs, and in recognition that we have a large number of individual
well locations with varied geographical distribution, we compared premium costs
to the likelihood of material loss of production. Based on this analysis, we
have elected, at this time, not to carry loss of production or business
interruption insurance for our operations.
Filings
of Reserve Estimates with Other Agencies
We
annually file estimates of our oil and gas reserves with the United States
Department of Energy (“DOE”) for those properties which we
operate. During 2007, we filed estimates of our oil and gas reserves
as of December 31, 2006 with the DOE, which differ by five percent or less from
the reserve data presented in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2006. For information concerning proved
natural gas and crude oil reserves, refer to Item 8. Consolidated Financial
Statements and Supplementary Data, Supplemental Oil and
Gas Disclosures.
Employees
As of
February 18, 2008, we have approximately 152 full time employees. We also
contract for the services of independent consultants involved in land,
regulatory, accounting, financial, legal and other disciplines as needed. None
of our employees are represented by labor unions or covered by any collective
bargaining agreement. We believe that our relations with our employees are
satisfactory.
Access
to Company Reports
For
further information pertaining to us, you may inspect without charge at the
public reference facilities of the SEC at 100 F Street, NE, Room 1580,
Washington, D.C. 20549 any of our filings with the SEC. Copies of all or any
portion of the documents may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.
In addition, the SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and
information statements and other information that is filed electronically with
the SEC. The website can be accessed at www.sec.gov.
Corporate
Governance Matters
Our
website is http://www.rosettaresources.com.
All corporate filings with the SEC can be found on our website, as well
as other information related to our business. Under the Corporate Governance tab
you can find copies of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, our Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee Charter, our Audit Committee Charter, and our
Compensation Committee Charter.
Calpine’s
bankruptcy and certain matters that have survived Calpine’s bankruptcy may
adversely affect us in several respects.
Calpine,
its creditors or interest holders have challenged the fairness of some or all of
the Acquisition.
On June
29, 2007, Calpine filed an adversary proceeding against us in the Bankruptcy
Court (the “Lawsuit”). The complaint alleges that the purchase by us
of the domestic oil and natural gas business formally owned by Calpine (the
“Assets”) in July 2005 for $1.05 billion, prior to Calpine's declaring
bankruptcy, was completed when Calpine was insolvent and was for less than a
reasonably equivalent value. Through the Lawsuit, Calpine is seeking
(i) monetary damages for the alleged shortfall in value it received for the
Assets, which it estimates to be at least approximately $400 million plus
interest, or (ii) in the alternative, return of the Assets. We deny
and intend to vigorously defend against all claims made by Calpine. The Official
Committee of Equity Security Holders and the Official Committee of the Unsecured
Creditors both intervened in the Lawsuit for the stated purpose of monitoring
the proceedings because these committees claim to have an interest in the
Lawsuit, which we dispute because creditors may be paid in full under Calpine’s
Plan of Reorganization without regard to the Lawsuit and equity holders cannot
benefit from fraudulent conveyance actions. On September 10, 2007, we
filed a motion to dismiss the complaint, which the Bankruptcy Court heard on
October 24, 2007. Following the hearing, the Bankruptcy Court denied
our motion on the basis that certain issues we raised in our motion were
premature as the bankruptcy process had not yet established how much Calpine’s
creditors would receive. We filed our answer and counterclaims
against Calpine on November 5, 2007. Under Calpine’s Plan of
Reorganization approved by the Bankruptcy Court on December 19, 2007, the
Official Committee of Equity Security Holders was dissolved as of the January
31, 2008 effective date and no longer has any interest in the
Lawsuit. While the Unsecured Creditors Committee also officially
dissolved as of the same effective date, there are provisions that will allow it
to remain involved in lawsuits to which it is a party, which may include this
Lawsuit.
The
Bankruptcy Court has not set a trial date for the Lawsuit, but the parties are
in current agreement that discovery may continue up through April
2008. If after a trial on the merits, the Bankruptcy Court determines
that Calpine has met its burden of proof, the Bankruptcy Court could void the
transfer or take other actions against us, including (i) setting aside the
Acquisition and returning some or all of our purchase price and/or giving us a
first lien on all the properties and assets we purchased in the Acquisition or
(ii) entering a judgment requiring us to pay Calpine the amount, if any, by
which the fair value of the business transferred, as determined by the
Bankruptcy Court as of the date of the transaction, exceeded the purchase price
determined and paid in July 2005. If the Bankruptcy Court should set aside the
Acquisition, it would have a material adverse effect upon our business, results
of operations, financial condition or cash flows in that substantially all of
the properties received by us at the time of the Acquisition would be returned
to Calpine, subject to our right (as a good faith transferee) to retain a lien
in our favor to secure the return of the purchase price we paid for the
properties. Additionally, if the Bankruptcy Court should so rule, any
requirement to pay an increased purchase price could have a material adverse
effect upon our results of operation and financial condition depending on the
amount we might be required to pay. See Item 3. Legal Proceedings for further
information regarding the Calpine bankruptcy.
The
bankruptcy proceeding may prevent, frustrate or delay our ability to receive
record legal title to certain properties originally determined to be Non-Consent
Properties which we are entitled to receive under the Purchase
Agreement.
On June
20, 2007, Calpine filed with the Bankruptcy Court its proposed Plan of
Reorganization and disclosure statement. In the disclosure statement,
Calpine revealed that it had not yet made a decision on whether to assume or
reject its remaining obligations and duties under the Purchase Agreement,
including the interrelated agreements, which set forth the terms and agreements
related to Calpine’s sale of its oil and gas assets to us. In its
proposed supplement to the plan filed on the same date, however, Calpine
indicated its desire to assume the NAESB agreements under which Rosetta sells
gas to Calpine Energy Services (“CES”) and the Calpine
Producer Services, L.P. (“CPS”) marketing agreement under which CPS
provides certain marketing services on our behalf. We contend that
all of the transaction documents constitute one agreement in regard to the
Acquisition and must, therefore, be assumed or rejected in their entirety as one
agreement and will vigorously oppose any effort by Calpine to treat any aspect
of the transaction documents as a stand-alone agreement. Following
negotiations with Calpine with respect to its Plan of Reorganization and its
efforts to assume portions of the Purchase Agreement, we agreed to extend the
deadline for Calpine to assume or reject the Purchase Agreement with Rosetta
related to the transaction until fifteen days following the conclusion of the
Lawsuit. In return, Calpine has agreed not to assume or reject the
CPS Marketing Agreement or the NAESB agreements until the conclusion of the
litigation with Rosetta; however, if Rosetta prevails in the litigation, Calpine
has agreed it will assume the Purchase Agreement and all other agreements from
the transaction.
Although
Calpine had not made its election to assume or reject the Purchase Agreement, on
August 3, 2007, we executed a Partial Transfer and Release Agreement (“PTRA”)
with Calpine, which was approved by the Bankruptcy Court on September 11, 2007,
without prejudice to the other pending claims, disputes, and defenses between
Calpine and us. As part of the PTRA, we agreed to enter into a new
CPS marketing agreement for a period of two years, effective as of July 1, 2007,
and concluding on June 30, 2009; however, the marketing agreement is subject to
earlier termination by us upon the occurrence of certain events. In
return, Calpine has provided documents to resolve legal title issues as to
certain previously purchased oil and gas properties located in the Gulf of
Mexico, California and Wyoming (“Properties”). Under the PTRA, we
have also agreed to assume all liabilities with respect to those Properties,
such as plugging and abandonment, as well as all liabilities and rights
associated with any under- or over-payment to the State of California as it
relates to certain state land.
Certain
of the properties we purchased from Calpine and paid Calpine for on July 7,
2005, require certain additional documentation, depending on the particular
facts and circumstances surrounding the particular properties involved, such
documentation was to be delivered by Calpine to quiet title related to our
ownership of these properties following closing. Those properties
that may still be subject to ministerial governmental action approving us as
qualified assignee and operator were included as part of the Properties being
addressed under the PTRA. For certain other properties, the
documentation delivered by Calpine at closing was incomplete. Calpine has
not made a decision on whether to perform its remaining obligations under the
Purchase Agreement with us and thus perform these required further assurances as
to title. On October 30, 2007, the California State Lands Commission approved
Calpine’s assignment of its interests in a certain State of California lease and
certain rights-of-way, completing the transfer of those properties to us and
resolving open issues on an audit the State had performed on the
properties. We are awaiting the final, ministerial approvals from the
Mineral Management Service (“MMS”) for the assignment of Calpine’s interests in
those PTRA Properties for which the federal government is the lessor. The
PTRA does not otherwise address the Non-Consent Properties which Calpine
withheld from the July 2005 closing due to lack of receipt of the lessors’
consents determined at that time (in many instances mistakenly) as needed for
transfer and for which we withheld from the closing of the transaction with
Calpine approximately $75 million of the purchase price. Until the
Purchase Agreement is assumed by Calpine, we will not have record title to the
interests in the leases and wells specified in the Purchase Agreement as
Non-Consent Properties for which Calpine retained an ownership
interest.
The
bankruptcy proceeding may continue to prevent, frustrate or delay our
ability to receive corrective documentation from Calpine for certain properties
that we paid for and bought from Calpine, in cases where Calpine delivered
incomplete documentation, including documentation related to certain ministerial
governmental approvals.
Certain
of the properties we purchased from Calpine and paid Calpine for on July 7,
2005, require certain additional documentation, depending on the particular
facts and circumstances surrounding the particular properties
involved. Such documentation to be delivered by Calpine to quiet
title related to our ownership of these properties. Certain of these properties
are subject to ministerial governmental approvals that state we are qualified
assignees and operators, even though in most cases there had been a conveyance
by Calpine and release of mortgages and liens by Calpine’s creditors. For
certain other properties, the documentation delivered by Calpine at closing was
incomplete. While we remain hopeful that Calpine will continue to work
cooperatively with us to secure these ministerial governmental approvals and
accomplish the curative corrections for all of these properties for which we
paid Calpine, all of the same being covered, we believe, by the further
assurances provision of the Purchase Agreement, that uncertainty remains pending
conclusion of the Lawsuit as to the exact details for each property involved and
how, when and if this will be able to be secured or accomplished. As
noted above, a number of these open issues were addressed under the PTRA between
us and Calpine, and we have obtained or are in the process of obtaining proper
legal title as to the PTRA Properties.
Additionally,
on June 29, 2006, Calpine filed a Section 365 motion in connection with its
pending bankruptcy proceeding seeking entry of an order (which was granted as to
the substantial portion of these leases) authorizing Calpine to assume certain
oil and natural gas leases which Calpine previously sold or agreed to sell to us
in the Acquisition, to the extent those leases constitute “unexpired leases of
non-residential real property” and were not fully transferred to us at the time
of Calpine’s filing for bankruptcy. According to this motion, Calpine filed it
to avoid the automatic forfeiture of any interest it might have in these leases
by operation of a statutory deadline. Calpine’s motion did not request that the
Bankruptcy Court determine whether these properties belong to us or to Calpine.
Generally, oil and gas leases are regarded as real property and not leases of
real property despite their being called leases. If the Bankruptcy Court were to
later conclude that the oil and natural gas leases are “unexpired leases of
non-residential real property,” and that we had no interest in them, we may be
required to take further action or pay further consideration to complete the
assignments of these interests or Calpine could retain the leases. In light of
Calpine’s obligations under the Purchase Agreement and rights afforded
purchasers of real property, we would oppose any such request or effort. Any
failure by Calpine to complete the corrective action necessary to remove title
deficiencies with respect to certain of these properties, including decision of
the Bankruptcy Court not to require Calpine to deliver corrective documentation
or to require us to pay additional consideration, could result in a material
adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial position or
cash flows if we are not able to receive any offsetting refund of the portion of
the purchase price attributable to those properties or if the amount of
additional consideration we are required to pay is material.
We
have expended and may continue to expend significant resources in connection
with Calpine’s bankruptcy.
We have
expended and may continue to expend significant resources in connection with
Calpine’s bankruptcy. These resources include our increased costs for
lawyers, consultant experts and related expenses, as well as lost opportunity
costs associated with our dedicating internal resources to these
matters. If we continue to expend significant resources and our
management is distracted by the Calpine bankruptcy from our business and
operational matters, our business, results of operations, financial position or
cash flows could be materially adversely affected.
Oil
and natural gas prices are volatile, and a decline in oil and natural gas prices
would significantly affect our financial results and impede our
growth.
Our
revenue, profitability and cash flow depend substantially upon the prices and
demand for oil and natural gas. The markets for these commodities are volatile
and even relatively modest drops in prices can significantly affect our
financial results and impede our growth. Prices for oil and natural gas
fluctuate widely in response to relatively minor changes in the supply and
demand for oil and natural gas, market uncertainty and a variety of additional
factors beyond our control, such as:
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Domestic
and foreign supply of oil and gas;
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Price
and quantity of foreign imports;
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Actions
of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and state-controlled
oil companies relating to oil price and production
controls;
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Conservation
of resources;
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Regional
price differentials and quality differentials of oil and natural
gas;
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Domestic
and foreign governmental regulations, actions and
taxes;
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Political
conditions in or affecting other oil producing and natural gas producing
countries, including the current conflicts in the Middle East and
conditions in South America and
Russia;
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Weather
conditions and natural disasters;
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Technological
advances affecting oil and natural gas
consumption;
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Overall
U.S. and global economic conditions;
and
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Price
and availability of alternative
fuels.
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Further,
oil and natural gas prices do not necessarily fluctuate in direct relationship
to each other. Because the majority of our estimated proved reserves are natural
gas reserves, our financial results are more sensitive to movements in natural
gas prices. Lower oil and natural gas prices may not only decrease our revenues
on a per unit basis but also may reduce the amount of oil and natural gas that
we can produce economically. Thus a significant reduction in commodity prices
may result in our having to make substantial downward adjustments to our
estimated proved reserves and could have a material adverse effect on our
financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
Development and
exploration drilling activities do not ensure reserve replacement and thus our
ability to produce revenue.
Development
and exploration drilling and strategic acquisitions are the main methods of
replacing reserves. However, development and exploration drilling operations may
not result in any increases in reserves for various reasons. Development and
exploration drilling operations may be curtailed, delayed or cancelled as a
result of:
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Lack
of acceptable prospective acreage;
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Inadequate
capital resources;
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Weather
conditions and natural disasters;
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Compliance
with governmental regulations;
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Mechanical
difficulties; and
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Unavailability
or high cost of equipment, drilling rigs, supplies or
services.
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Counterparty
credit default could have an adverse effect on us.
Our
revenues are generated under contracts with various counterparties. Results of
operations would be adversely affected as a result of non-performance by any of
these counterparties of their contractual obligations under the various
contracts. A counterparty’s default or non-performance could be caused by
factors beyond our control such as a counterparty experiencing credit default. A
default could occur as a result of circumstances relating directly to the
counterparty, or due to circumstances caused by other market participants having
a direct or indirect relationship with the counterparty. Defaults by
counterparties may occur from time to time, and this could negatively impact our
financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Calpine’s recent
emergence from bankruptcy reduces the likelihood of failure, but because we have
taken the legal position that any rejection by Calpine of the Purchase
Agreement, is also a rejection of the parties’ natural gas and sales agreements,
this could result in the failure of Calpine to continue purchasing natural gas
from us.
We
sell a significant amount of our production to one customer.
In
connection with the Acquisition, we entered into a natural gas purchase and sale
contract with CES whose
term runs through December 2009, we are obligated to sell all of the
then-existing and future production from our California leases in production as
of May 1, 2005 based on market prices. Calpine maintains a right of
first refusal for a term of 10 years after December 31,
2009. For the month of December 2007, this dedicated
California production comprised approximately 30% of our current overall
production based on an equivalent basis. Additionally, under separate monthly
spot agreements, we may sell some of our natural gas production to Calpine,
which could increase our credit exposure to Calpine. Under the terms of our
natural gas purchase and sale contract and spot agreements with Calpine, all
natural gas volumes that are contractually sold to Calpine are collateralized by
Calpine making margin payments one business day in arrears to our collateral
account equal to the previous day’s natural gas sales. In the event of a default
by Calpine, we could be exposed to the loss of up to four days of natural gas
sales revenue under the contract, which at prices and volumes in effect as of
December 31, 2007 would be approximately $3.1 million.
Unless
we replace our oil and natural gas reserves, our reserves and production will
decline.
Our
future oil and natural gas production depends on our success in finding or
acquiring additional reserves. If we fail to replace reserves through drilling
or acquisitions, our level of production and cash flows will be affected
adversely. In general, production from oil and natural gas properties declines
as reserves are depleted, with the rate of decline depending on reservoir
characteristics. Our total proved reserves decline as reserves are produced. Our
ability to make the necessary capital investment to maintain or expand our asset
base of oil and natural gas reserves would be impaired to the extent cash flow
from operations is reduced and external sources of capital become limited or
unavailable. We may not be successful in exploring for, developing or acquiring
additional reserves.
We
will require additional capital to fund our future activities. If we fail to
obtain additional capital, we may not be able to implement fully our business
plan, which could lead to a decline in reserves.
Future
projects and acquisitions will depend on our ability to obtain financing beyond
our cash flow from operations. We may finance our business plan and operations
primarily with internally generated cash flow, bank borrowings, entering into
exploratory arrangements with other parties and publicly or
privately raised equity. In the future, we will require substantial
capital to fund our business plan and operations. Sufficient capital may not be
available on acceptable terms or at all. If we cannot obtain additional capital
resources, we may curtail our drilling, development and other activities or be
forced to sell some of our assets on unfavorable terms.
The
terms of our credit facilities contain a number of restrictive and financial
covenants that limit our ability to pay dividends. If we are unable to comply
with these covenants, our lenders could accelerate the repayment of our
indebtedness.
The terms
of our credit facilities subject us to a number of covenants that impose
restrictions on us, including our ability to incur indebtedness and liens, make
loans and investments, make capital expenditures, sell assets, engage in
mergers, consolidations and acquisitions, enter into transactions with
affiliates, enter into sale and leaseback transactions, change our lines of
business and pay dividends on our common stock. We will also be required by the
terms of our credit facilities to comply with financial covenant ratios.
Additionally, we have secured a written waiver from our lenders in connection
with the Lawsuit based on existing events and our belief concerning those
events, and have an ongoing obligation to notify our lenders of all significant
developments in the Lawsuit. A more detailed description of our
credit facilities is included in Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital
Resources” and the footnotes to the Consolidated/Combined Financial
Statements.
A breach
of any of the covenants imposed on us by the terms of our indebtedness,
including the financial covenants and obligations associated with the Lawsuit
under our credit facilities, could result in a default under such indebtedness.
In the event of a default, the lenders for our revolving credit facility could
terminate their commitments to us, and they and the lenders of our second lien
term loan could accelerate the repayment of all of our indebtedness. In such
case, we may not have sufficient funds to pay the total amount of accelerated
obligations, and our lenders under the credit facilities could proceed against
the collateral securing the facilities. Any acceleration in the repayment of our
indebtedness or related foreclosure could adversely affect our
business.
Properties
we acquire may not produce as expected, and we may be unable to determine
reserve potential, identify liabilities associated with the properties or obtain
protection from sellers against such liabilities.
We
continually review opportunities to acquire producing properties, undeveloped
acreage and drilling prospects; however, such reviews are not capable of
identifying all potential conditions. Generally, it is not feasible to review in
depth every individual property involved in each acquisition. Ordinarily, we
will focus our review efforts on higher value properties or properties with
known adverse conditions and will sample the remainder.
However,
even a detailed review of records and properties may not necessarily reveal
existing or potential problems or permit a buyer to become sufficiently familiar
with the properties to assess fully their condition, any deficiencies, and
development potential. Inspections may not always be performed on every well,
and environmental problems, such as ground water contamination are not
necessarily observable even when an inspection is undertaken.
Our
exploration and development activities may not be commercially
successful.
Exploration
activities involve numerous risks, including the risk that no commercially
productive oil or natural gas reservoirs will be discovered. In addition, the
future cost and timing of drilling, completing and producing wells is often
uncertain. Furthermore, drilling operations may be curtailed, delayed or
cancelled as a result of a variety of factors, including:
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Unexpected
drilling conditions; pressure or irregularities in formations; equipment
failures or accidents;
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Adverse
weather conditions, including hurricanes, which are common in the Gulf of
Mexico during certain times of the year; compliance with governmental
regulations; unavailability or high cost of drilling rigs, equipment or
labor;
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Reductions
in oil and natural gas prices; and
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Limitations
in the market for oil and natural
gas.
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Our
decisions to purchase, explore, develop and exploit prospects or properties
depend in part on data obtained through geophysical and geological analyses,
production data and engineering studies, the results of which are often
uncertain. Even when used and properly interpreted, 3-D seismic data and
visualization techniques only assist geoscientists in identifying subsurface
structures and hydrocarbon indicators. They do not allow the interpreter to know
conclusively if hydrocarbons are present or producible economically. In
addition, the use of 3-D seismic and other advanced technologies requires
greater pre-drilling expenditures than traditional drilling strategies. Because
of these factors, we could incur losses as a result of exploratory drilling
expenditures. Poor results from exploration activities could have a material
adverse effect on our future financial position, results of operations and cash
flows.
Numerous
uncertainties are inherent in our estimates of oil and natural gas reserves and
our estimated reserve quantities and present value calculations may not be
accurate. Any material inaccuracies in these reserve estimates or underlying
assumptions will affect materially the estimated quantities and present value of
our reserves.
Estimates
of proved oil and natural gas reserves and the future net cash flows
attributable to those reserves are prepared by independent petroleum engineers
and geologists. As noted above, the estimated reserve quantities and
present value calculations exclude the estimates attributable to interests in
certain leases and wells being a portion of the Non-Consent Properties specified
in the Purchase Agreement. The
estimated reserve quantities and present value calculations include
properties subject to additional documentation, or completion
of documentation, including ministerial actions by federal or state
agencies for which we believe Calpine is contractually obligated to assist in
resolving, along
with certain other leases, concerning which Calpine has asserted an ownership
interest under its Section 365 motion and order in the Bankruptcy
Court. The estimated reserve quantities and present value
calculations may be impacted depending on the outcome of the Lawsuit and whether
Calpine assumes or rejects the Purchase Agreement. There are numerous
uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of proved oil and natural gas
reserves and cash flows attributable to such reserves, including factors beyond
our engineers control. Reserve engineering is a subjective process of estimating
underground accumulations of oil and natural gas that cannot be measured in an
exact manner. The accuracy of an estimate of quantities of reserves, or of cash
flows attributable to such reserves, is a function of the available data,
assumptions regarding future oil and natural gas prices, expenditures for future
development and exploration activities, engineering and geological
interpretation and judgment. Additionally, reserves and future cash flows may be
subject to material downward or upward revisions, based upon production history,
development and exploration activities and prices of oil and natural gas. As an
example, Netherland Sewell’s reserve report for year end 2007 includes the
downward revision for certain proved undeveloped reserves located in South Texas
due to the actual production performance history for wells we have drilled in
this area since the Acquisition. Actual future production, revenue,
taxes, development expenditures, operating expenses, underlying information,
quantities of recoverable reserves and the value of cash flows from such
reserves may vary significantly from the assumptions and underlying information
set forth herein. In addition, different reserve engineers may make different
estimates of reserves and cash flows based on the same available data. The
present value of future net revenues from our proved reserves referred to in
this Report is not necessarily the actual current market value of our estimated
oil and natural gas reserves. In accordance with SEC requirements, we base the
estimated discounted future net cash flows from our proved reserves on fixed
prices and costs as of the date of the estimate. Actual future prices and costs
fluctuate over time and may differ materially from those used in the present
value estimate. In addition, discounted future net cash flows are estimated
assuming royalties to the MMS, royalty owners and other state and federal
regulatory agencies with respect to our affected properties, and will be paid or
suspended during the life of the properties based upon oil and natural gas
prices as of the date of the estimate. Since actual future prices fluctuate over
time, royalties may be required to be paid for various portions of the life of
the properties and suspended for other portions of the life of the
properties.
The
timing of both the production and expenses from the development and production
of oil and natural gas properties will affect both the timing of actual future
net cash flows from our proved reserves and their present value. In addition,
the 10% discount factor that we use to calculate the net present value of future
net cash flows for reporting purposes in accordance with the SEC’s rules may not
necessarily be the most appropriate discount factor. The effective interest rate
at various times and the risks associated with our business or the oil and
natural gas industry, in general, will affect the appropriateness of the 10%
discount factor in arriving at an accurate net present value of future net cash
flows.
We
are subject to the full cost ceiling limitation which may result in a write-down
of our estimated net reserves.
Under the
full cost method, we are subject to quarterly calculations of a “ceiling” or
limitation on the amount of our oil and gas properties that can be capitalized
on our balance sheet. If the net capitalized costs of our oil and gas properties
exceed the cost ceiling, we are subject to a ceiling test write-down of our
estimated net reserves to the extent of such excess. If required, it would
reduce earnings and impact stockholders’ equity in the period of occurrence and
result in lower amortization expense in future periods. The discounted present
value of our proved reserves is a major component of the ceiling calculation and
represents the component that requires the most subjective judgments. However,
the associated hedge adjusted market prices of oil and gas reserves that are
included in the discounted present value of the reserves do not require
judgment. The ceiling calculation dictates that prices and costs in effect as of
the last day of the quarter are held constant. However, we may not be
subject to a write-down if prices increase subsequent to the end of a quarter in
which a write-down might otherwise be required. The risk that we will be
required to write down the carrying value of oil and natural gas properties
increases when natural gas and crude oil prices are depressed or
volatile. In addition, write-down of proved oil and natural gas
properties may occur if we experience substantial downward adjustments to our
estimated proved reserves. Expense recorded in one period may not be
reversed in a subsequent period even though higher natural gas and crude oil
prices may have increased the ceiling applicable in the subsequent
period.
For the
year ended December 31, 2007, there was no write-down recorded. Due to the
volatility of commodity prices, should natural gas prices decline in the future,
it is possible that a write-down could occur. See Item 7.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations, Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates for further
information.
Government
laws and regulations can change.
Our
activities are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations.
Extensive laws, regulations and rules relate to activities and operations in the
oil and gas industry. Some of the laws, regulations and rules
contain provisions for significant fines and penalties for
non-compliance. Changes in laws and regulations could affect our
costs of operations and our profitability. Changes in laws and
regulations could also affect production levels, royalty obligations, price
levels, environmental requirements, and other matters affecting our
business. We are unable to predict changes to existing laws and
regulations or additions to laws and regulations. Such changes could
significantly impact our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial
position and future growth.
Our
business requires a sufficient level of staff with technical expertise,
specialized knowledge and training and a high degree of management
experience.
Our
success is largely dependent our ability to attract and retain personnel with
the skills and experience required for our business. An inability to
sufficiently staff our operations or the loss of the services of one or more
members of our senior management or of numerous employees with critical skills
could have a negative effect on our business, financial position, results of
operations, cash flows and future growth.
Our
results are subject to commodity price fluctuations related to seasonal and
market conditions and reservoir and production risks.
Our
quarterly operating results have fluctuated in the past and could be negatively
impacted in the future as a result of a number of factors,
including:
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Seasonal
variations in oil and natural gas
prices;
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Variations
in levels of production; and
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The
completion of exploration and production
projects.
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The
ultimate outcome of the legal proceedings relating to our activities cannot be
predicted. Any adverse determination could have a material adverse effect on our
financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
Operation
of our properties has generated various litigation matters arising out of the
normal course of business. In connection with the transfer and assumption
agreement with Calpine, we generally assumed liabilities arising from our
activities from and after the Acquisition, including defense of future
litigation and claims involving Calpine’s domestic oil and natural gas reserve
properties conveyed in the Acquisition, other than certain litigation that
Calpine and its subsidiaries retained liability or agreed to indemnify the
Company by agreement. Calpine’s bankruptcy may affect its obligations for the
retained liabilities and claims. The ultimate outcome of claims and litigation
relating to our activities cannot presently be determined, nor can the liability
that may potentially result from a negative outcome be reasonably estimated at
this time for every case. The liability we may ultimately incur with respect to
any one of these matters in the event of a negative outcome may be in excess of
amounts currently accrued with respect to such matters and, as a result, these
matters may potentially be material to our financial position, results of
operations and cash flows.
Market
conditions or transportation impediments may hinder our access to oil and
natural gas markets or delay our production.
Market
conditions, the unavailability of satisfactory oil and natural gas processing
and transportation or the remote location of certain of our drilling operations
may hinder our access to oil and natural gas markets or delay our production.
The availability of a ready market for our oil and natural gas production
depends on a number of factors, including the demand for and supply of oil and
natural gas and the proximity of reserves to pipelines or trucking and terminal
facilities. In the Gulf of Mexico operations, the availability of a ready market
depends on the proximity of and our ability to tie into existing production
platforms owned or operated by others and the ability to negotiate commercially
satisfactory arrangements with the owners or operators. Under
interruptible or short term transportation agreements, the transportation of our
gas may be interrupted due to capacity constraints on the applicable system, for
maintenance or repair of the system or for other reasons specified by the
particular agreements. We may be required to shut in natural gas
wells or delay initial production for lack of a market or because of inadequacy
or unavailability of natural gas pipelines or gathering system capacity. When
that occurs, we are unable to realize revenue from those wells until the
production can be tied to a gathering system. This can result in considerable
delays from the initial discovery of a reservoir to the actual production of the
oil and natural gas and realization of revenues.
Competition
in the oil and natural gas industry is intense, and many of our competitors have
resources that are greater than ours.
We
operate in a highly competitive environment for acquiring prospects and
productive properties, marketing oil and natural gas and securing equipment and
trained personnel. Many of our competitors, major and large independent oil and
natural gas companies, possess and employ financial, technical and personnel
resources substantially greater than our resources. Those companies may be able
to develop and acquire more prospects and productive properties than our
financial or personnel resources permit. Our ability to acquire additional
prospects and discover reserves in the future will depend on our ability to
evaluate and select suitable properties and consummate transactions in a highly
competitive environment. Also, there is substantial competition for capital
available for investment in the oil and natural gas industry. Larger competitors
may be better able to withstand sustained periods of unsuccessful drilling and
absorb the burden of changes in laws and regulations more easily than we can,
which would adversely affect our competitive position. We may not be able to
compete successfully in the future in acquiring prospective reserves, developing
reserves, marketing hydrocarbons, attracting and retaining quality personnel and
raising additional capital.
The
unavailability or high cost of drilling rigs, equipment, supplies, personnel and
oil field services could adversely affect our ability to execute our exploration
and development plans on a timely basis and within our budget.
Our
industry is cyclical and, from time to time, there is a shortage of drilling
rigs, equipment, supplies or qualified personnel. During these periods, the
costs and delivery times of rigs, equipment and supplies are substantially
greater. In addition, the demand for, and wage rates of, qualified drilling rig
crews rise as the number of active rigs in service increases. As a result of
increasing levels of exploration and production in response to strong prices of
oil and natural gas, the demand for oilfield services has risen, and the costs
of these services are increasing, while the quality of these services may
suffer. If the unavailability or high cost of drilling rigs, equipment, supplies
or qualified personnel were particularly severe in Texas and California, we
could be materially and adversely affected because our operations and properties
are concentrated in those areas.
Operating
hazards, natural disasters or other interruptions of our operations could result
in potential liabilities, which may not be fully covered by our
insurance.
The oil
and natural gas business involves certain operating hazards such
as:
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Uncontrollable
flows of oil, natural gas or well
fluids;
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Hurricanes,
tropical storms, earthquakes, mud slides, and
flooding;
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The
occurrence of one of the above may result in injury, loss of life, property
damage, suspension of operations, environmental damage and remediation and/or
governmental investigations and penalties.
In
addition, our operations in California are especially susceptible to damage from
natural disasters such as earthquakes and fires and involve increased risks of
personal injury, property damage and marketing interruptions. Any of these
operating hazards could cause serious injuries, fatalities or property damage,
which could expose us to liabilities. The payment of any of these liabilities
could reduce, or even eliminate, the funds available for exploration,
development, and acquisition, or could result in a loss of our properties. Our
insurance policies provide limited coverage for losses or liabilities relating
to pollution, with broader coverage for sudden and accidental occurrences. Our
insurance might be inadequate to cover our liabilities. For example, we are not
fully insured against earthquake risk in California because of high premium
costs. Insurance covering earthquakes or other risks may not be available at
premium levels that justify its purchase in the future, if at all. In addition,
we are subject to energy package insurance coverage limitations related to any
single named windstorm. The insurance market in general and the energy insurance
market in particular have been difficult markets over the past several years.
Insurance costs are expected to continue to increase over the next few years and
we may decrease coverage and retain more risk to mitigate future cost increases.
If we incur substantial liability and the damages are not covered by insurance
or are in excess of policy limits, or if we incur a liability at a time when we
are not able to obtain liability insurance, then our business, financial
position, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely
affected. Because of the expense of the associated premiums and the
perception of risk, we do not have any insurance coverage for any loss of
production as may be associated with these operating hazards.
Environmental
matters and costs can be significant.
The oil
and natural gas business is subject to various federal, state, and local laws
and regulations relating to discharge of materials into, and protection of, the
environment. Such laws and regulations may impose liability on us for
pollution clean-up, remediation, restoration and other liabilities arising from
or related to our operations. Any noncompliance with these laws and regulations
could subject us to material administrative, civil or criminal penalties or
other liabilities. Additionally, our compliance with these laws may, from time
to time, result in increased costs to our operations or decreased
production. We also may be liable for environmental damages caused by
the previous owners or operators of properties we have purchased or are
currently operating. The cost of future compliance is uncertain and is subject
to various factors, including future changes to laws and
regulations. We have no assurance that future changes in or additions
to the environmental laws and regulations will not have a significant impact on
our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and future
growth.
Our
acquisition strategy could fail or present unanticipated problems for our
business in the future, which could adversely affect our ability to make
acquisitions or realize anticipated benefits of those acquisitions.
Our
growth strategy includes acquiring oil and natural gas businesses and properties
if favorable economics and strategic objectives can be served. We may not be
able to identify suitable acquisition opportunities or finance and complete any
particular acquisition successfully.
Furthermore,
acquisitions involve a number of risks and challenges, including:
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Division
of management’s attention;
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The
need to integrate acquired
operations;
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Potential
loss of key employees of the acquired
companies;
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Potential
lack of operating experience in a geographic market of the acquired
business; and
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An
increase in our expenses and working capital
requirements.
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Any of
these factors could adversely affect our ability to achieve anticipated levels
of cash flows from the acquired businesses and properties or realize other
anticipated benefits of those acquisitions.
We
are vulnerable to risks associated with operating in the Gulf of
Mexico.
Our
operations and financial results could be significantly impacted by unique
conditions in the Gulf of Mexico because we explore and produce extensively in
that area. As a result of this activity, we are vulnerable to the risks
associated with operating in the Gulf of Mexico, including those relating
to:
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Adverse
weather conditions and natural
disasters;
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Oil
field service costs and
availability;
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Compliance
with environmental and other laws and
regulations;
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Remediation
and other costs resulting from oil spills or releases of hazardous
materials; and
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Failure
of equipment or facilities.
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Further,
production of reserves from reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico generally decline
more rapidly than from fields in many other producing regions of the world. This
results in recovery of a relatively higher percentage of reserves from
properties in the Gulf of Mexico during the initial years of production, and as
a result, our reserve replacement needs from new prospects may be greater there
than for our operations elsewhere. Also, our revenues and return on capital will
depend significantly on prices prevailing during these relatively short
production periods.
Hedging
transactions may limit our potential gains.
We have
entered into natural gas price hedging arrangements with respect to a
significant portion of our expected production through 2009. Such transactions
may limit our potential gains if oil and natural gas prices were to rise
substantially over the price established by the hedge. In addition, such
transactions may expose us to the risk of loss in certain circumstances,
including instances in which our production is less than expected, there is a
widening of price differentials between delivery points for our production and
the delivery point assumed in the hedge arrangement, or the counterparties to
our hedging agreements fail to perform under the contracts.
We have
also entered into a series of interest rate swap agreements to hedge the change
in the variable interest rates associated with our debt under our credit
facility. If interest rates should fall below the rate established in
the hedge, we could be exposed to losses associated with these
hedges.
The
historical financial results of the domestic oil and natural gas business of
Calpine may not be representative of our results as a separate
company.
The
combined historical financial information included in this Report does not
necessarily reflect what our financial position, results of operations and cash
flows would have been had we been a separate, stand-alone entity during the
periods presented. The costs and expenses reflect charges from Calpine for
centralized corporate services and infrastructure costs. The allocations were
determined based on Calpine’s methodologies. This combined historical financial
information is not necessarily indicative of what our results of operations,
financial position and cash flows will be in the future.
Our
prior and continuing relationship with Calpine exposes us to risks attributable
to Calpine’s businesses and credit worthiness.
We
acquired a business that previously was integrated within Calpine and is subject
to liabilities and risk for activities of businesses of Calpine other than the
acquired business. In connection with our separation from Calpine, Calpine and
certain of its subsidiaries have agreed to retain and indemnify us for certain
liabilities. Third parties may seek to hold us responsible for some or all of
those retained liabilities.
Any
claims made against us that are properly attributable to Calpine and certain of
its subsidiaries will require us to exercise our rights under the
indemnification provisions of the Purchase Agreement to obtain payment from
them. We are exposed to the risk that, in these circumstances and in light of
the Lawsuit, any or all of Calpine and certain of its subsidiaries cannot or
will not make the required payment. If this were to occur, our business and
results of operations, financial position or cash flow could be adversely
affected.
If
we are unable to obtain governmental approvals arising from the Acquisition and
the PTRA, we may not acquire all of Calpine’s domestic oil and gas
business.
The
consummation of the Acquisition required various approvals, filings and
recordings with governmental entities to transfer existing contracts and
arrangements as well as all of Calpine’s domestic oil and gas properties to us.
In addition, all government issued permits and licenses that are important to
our business, including permits issued by the City of Rio Vista and Counties of
Sacramento, Solano and Contra Costa, California, may require reapplication or
application by us and reissuance or issuance in our name. Some of the required
permits, licenses and approvals have been obtained or received, but certain
others remain outstanding. In connection with the PTRA, we have submitted
the required documents and are waiting for ministerial approvals from the
MMS. If we are unable to obtain a reissuance or issuance of any
contract, license or permit being transferred or the required approvals as
operator and/or lessee, as to certain oil and gas properties, our business and
results of operations, financial position and cash flows could be adversely
affected.
The
SEC informal inquiry relating to the downward revision of the estimate of
continuing proved reserves, while owned by Calpine, could have a material
adverse effect on the presentation of our predecessor financial
statements.
In April
2005, the staff of the Division of Enforcement of the SEC commenced an informal
inquiry into the facts and circumstances relating to the downward revision of
the estimate of continuing proved natural gas reserves at December 31,
2004, while the domestic oil and natural gas properties were owned by Calpine.
Calpine has advised us that it is fully cooperating with this informal inquiry
which also involved two other non-oil and natural gas related matters, and we
have separately agreed with Calpine that we will also fully cooperate. Calpine
has not advised us of any change in the inactive status of the SEC’s informal
inquiry in this regard. Our understanding is that Calpine has not had
any further response or inquiry from the SEC staff in regard to this matter
since July 2005 and that the ultimate outcome of this inquiry cannot presently
be determined. However, it is possible that the staff of the SEC could conclude
that the estimate of continuing proved reserves as of December 31, 2004, as
revised, requires further downward revision, which could have a material adverse
effect on the presentation of our predecessor financial statements.
Future
sales of our common stock may cause our stock price to decline.
Sales of
substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, or the perception
that these sales may occur, could cause the market price of our common stock to
decline, which could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of
additional common or preferred stock.
Stock
sales and purchases by institutional investors or stockholders with significant
holdings could have significant influence over our stock volatility and our
corresponding ability to raise capital through debt or equity
offerings.
Because
institutional investors have the ability to trade in large volumes of shares of
our common stock, the price of our common stock could be subject to significant
volatility, which could adversely affect the market price for our common stock
as well as limit our ability to raise capital or issue additional equity in the
future.
You
may experience dilution of your ownership interests because of the future
issuance of additional shares of our common and preferred stock.
We may in
the future issue our previously authorized and unissued equity securities,
resulting in the dilution of the ownership interests of our present stockholders
and purchasers of common stock offered hereby. We are currently authorized to
issue an aggregate of 155,000,000 shares of capital stock consisting of
150,000,000 shares of common stock and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock with
preferences and rights as determined by our Board of Directors. As of
December 31, 2007, 50,998,073 shares of common stock were issued, including
899,150 shares of restricted stock issued to certain employees and
directors. The majority of these shares vest over a three year
period. Of the restricted stock that has been granted, 443,725 shares
had vested as of December 31, 2007 and the remaining shares will vest no later
than 2012. Pursuant to our 2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan, we have reserved
3,000,000 shares of our common stock for issuance as restricted stock, stock
options and/or other equity based grants to employees and directors. In
addition, we have issued 1,062,600 options to purchase common stock issued to
certain employees and directors, of which 90,000 have been exercised as of
December 31, 2007. The potential issuance of additional shares of common stock
may create downward pressure on the trading price of our common stock. We may
also issue additional shares of our common stock or other securities that are
convertible into or exercisable for common stock in connection with the hiring
of personnel, future acquisitions, future issuance of our securities for capital
raising purposes, or for other business purposes.
Provisions
under Delaware law, our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could delay or
prevent a change in control of our company, which could adversely affect the
price of our common stock.
The
existence of some provisions under Delaware law, our certificate of
incorporation and bylaws could delay or prevent a change in control of the
Company, which could adversely affect the price of our common stock. Delaware
law imposes restrictions on mergers and other business combinations between us
and any holder of 15% or more of our outstanding common stock. Our certificate
of incorporation and bylaws prohibit our stockholders from taking action by
written consent absent approval by all members of our Board of Directors.
Further, our stockholders do not have the power to call a special meeting of
stockholders.
None
A
description of our properties is located in Item 1. Business and is incorporated
herein by reference.
Our
headquarters are located at 717 Texas, Suite 2800, Houston, Texas 77002, where
we sublease two floors of office space from Calpine. We also maintain a division
office in Denver, Colorado, where we were assigned a lease by Calpine and
consequently deal directly with the landlord. We also have field
offices in Laredo, Texas, Rio Vista, California and Magnolia, Arkansas. All
leases were negotiated at market prices applicable to their respective
location.
Title
to Properties
Our
properties are subject to customary royalty interests, liens incident to
operating agreements, liens for current taxes and other burdens, including other
mineral encumbrances and restrictions as well as mortgage liens on at least 80%
of our proved reserves in accordance with our credit facilities. We do not
believe that any of these burdens materially interferes with our use of the
properties in the operation of our business.
Except as
noted below in the “Open Issues Regarding Legal Title to Certain Properties”
section in Item 3. Legal Proceedings, we believe that we have generally
satisfactory title to or rights in all of our producing properties. As is
customary in the oil and natural gas industry, we make minimal investigation of
title at the time we acquire undeveloped properties. We make title
investigations and receive title opinions of local counsel only before we
commence drilling operations. We believe that we have satisfactory title to all
of our other assets. Although title to our properties is subject to encumbrances
in certain cases, we believe that none of these burdens will materially detract
from the value of our properties or from our interest therein or will materially
interfere with our use in the operation of our business.
Calpine’s
Lawsuit and its possible rejection of the Purchase Agreement may delay or
frustrate our ability to complete additional transfers of properties for which
legal title was not obtained or secure curative documentation to correct
possible clouds on title as of July 7, 2005. See item 3. Legal
Proceedings for further information concerning the Lawsuit and Calpine’s
possible rejection of the Purchase Agreement, and the effect of possible losses
in connection with open issues regarding legal title to certain
properties.
Item
3. Legal Proceedings
We are
party to various oil and natural gas litigation matters arising out of the
ordinary course of business. While the outcome of these proceedings
cannot be predicted with certainty, we do not expect these matters to have a
material adverse effect on the consolidated financial statements.
Calpine
Bankruptcy
On
December 20, 2005, Calpine and certain of its subsidiaries filed for
protection under the federal bankruptcy laws in the United States Bankruptcy
Court of the Southern District of New York (the “Bankruptcy
Court”). On December 19, 2007, the Bankruptcy Court approved
Calpine’s Plan of Reorganization. On January 31, 2008, Calpine and
certain of its subsidiaries emerged from Bankruptcy.
Calpine’s
Lawsuit Against Rosetta
On June
29, 2007, Calpine filed an adversary proceeding against us in the Bankruptcy
Court (the “Lawsuit”). The complaint alleges that the purchase by Rosetta of the
domestic oil and natural gas business owned by Calpine (the “Assets”) in July
2005 for $1.05 billion, prior to Calpine filing for bankruptcy, was completed
when Calpine was insolvent and was for less than a reasonably equivalent value.
Through the Lawsuit, Calpine is seeking (i) monetary damages for the alleged
shortfall in value it received for these Assets which it estimates to be at
least approximately $400 million plus interest, or (ii) in the alternative,
return of the Assets from us. We believe that the allegations in the Lawsuit are
without merit, and we continue to believe that it is unlikely that this
challenge by Calpine to the fairness of the Acquisition will be successful upon
the ultimate disposition of this litigation in the Bankruptcy Court, or if
necessary, in the appellate courts. The Official Committee of Equity Security
Holders and the Official Committee of the Unsecured Creditors both intervened in
the Lawsuit for the stated purpose of monitoring the proceedings because the
committees claimed to have an interest in the Lawsuit, which we dispute because
we believe creditors may be paid in full under Calpine’s Plan of Reorganization
without regard to the Lawsuit and equity holders have no interest in fraudulent
conveyance actions. Under Calpine’s Plan of Reorganization approved
by the Bankruptcy Court on December 19, 2007, the Official Committee of Equity
Security Holders was dissolved as of the January 31, 2008 effective date and no
longer has any interest in the Lawsuit. While the Unsecured Creditors
Committee also was officially dissolved as of the same effective date, there are
provisions under the approved Plan of Reorganization that will allow it to
remain involved in lawsuits to which it is a party, which may include this
Lawsuit.
On
September 10, 2007, we filed a motion to dismiss the Lawsuit or in the
alternative, to stay the Lawsuit. The Bankruptcy Court conducted a hearing upon
our motion on October 24, 2007. Following the hearing, the
Bankruptcy Court denied our motion on the basis that certain issues we raised in
our motion were premature as the bankruptcy process had not yet established how
much Calpine’s creditors would receive. On November 5, 2007, we filed
our answer, affirmative defenses and counterclaims with respect to the Lawsuit,
denying the allegations set forth in both counts of the Lawsuit, and asserting
affirmative defenses to Calpine’s claims as well as affirmative counterclaims
against Calpine related to the Acquisition for (i) breach of covenant of
solvency, (ii) fraud and fraud in a real estate transaction, (iii) breach of
contract, (iv) conversion, (v) civil theft and (vi) setoff. The
parties are currently in agreement that discovery may continue in the Lawsuit
until April 2008. The Bankruptcy Court has not set a trial date for
the lawsuit.
Remaining
Issues with Respect to the Acquisition
Separate
from the Calpine lawsuit, Calpine has taken the position that the Purchase and
Sale Agreement and interrelated agreements concurrently executed therewith,
dated July 7, 2005, by and among Calpine, us, and various other signatories
thereto (collectively, the “Purchase Agreement”) are “executory contracts”,
which Calpine may assume or reject. Following the July 7, 2005
closing of the Acquisition and as of the date of Calpine’s bankruptcy filing,
there were open issues regarding legal title to certain properties included in
the Purchase Agreement. On September 25, 2007, the Bankruptcy Court approved
Calpine’s Disclosure Statement accompanying its proposed Plan of Reorganization
under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, in which Calpine revealed it had
not yet made a decision as to whether to assume or reject its remaining duties
and obligations under the Purchase Agreement. We may contend that the
Purchase Agreement is not an executory contract which Calpine may choose to
reject. If the Court were to determine that the Purchase Agreement is
an executory contract, we may contend the various agreements entered into as
part of the transaction constitute a single contract for purposes of assumption
or rejection under the Bankruptcy Code, and we may argue that Calpine cannot
choose to assume certain of the agreements and to reject others. This
issue may be contested by Calpine. If the Purchase Agreement is held
to be executory, the deadline by when Calpine must exercise its decision to
assume or reject the Purchase Agreement and the further duties and obligations
required therein would normally have been the date on which Calpine’s
Plan of Reorganization was confirmed; however, in order to address certain
issues, we and Calpine have agreed to extend this deadline until fifteen days
following the entry of a final, unappealable order in the Lawsuit, and the
parties set forth this agreement in the proposed Plan of Reorganization approved
by the Bankruptcy Court on December 19, 2007.
Open
Issues Regarding Legal Title to Certain Properties
Under the
Purchase Agreement, Calpine is required to resolve the open issues regarding
legal title to interests in certain properties. At the closing of the
Acquisition on July 7, 2005, we retained approximately $75 million of the
purchase price in respect to leases and wells identified by Calpine as requiring
third-party consents or waivers of preferential rights to purchase that were not
received by the parties before closing (“Non-Consent
Properties”). The interests in the Non-Consent Properties were not
included in the conveyances delivered at the closing. Subsequent
analysis determined that a significant portion of the Non-Consent Properties did
not require consents or waivers. For that portion of the Non-Consent
Properties for which third-party consents were in fact required and for which
either us or Calpine obtained the required consents or waivers, as well as for
all Non-Consent Properties that did not require consents or waivers, we contend
Calpine was and is obligated to have transferred to us the record title, free of
any mortgages and other liens.
The
approximate allocated value under the Purchase Agreement for the portion of the
Non-Consent Properties subject to a third-party’s preferential right to purchase
is $7.4 million. We have retained $7.1 million of the purchase price
under the Purchase Agreement for the Non-Consent Properties subject to the
third-party preferential right, and, in addition, a post-closing adjustment is
required to credit us for approximately $0.3 million for a property which was
transferred to us but, if necessary, will be transferred to the appropriate
third party under its exercised preferential purchase right upon Calpine’s
performance of its obligations under the Purchase Agreement.
We
believe all conditions precedent for our receipt of record title, free of any
mortgages or other liens, for substantially all of the Non-Consent Properties
(excluding that portion of these properties subject to the third-party
preferential right) were satisfied earlier, and certainly no later, than
December 15, 2005, when we tendered the amounts necessary to conclude the
settlement of the Non-Consent Properties.
We
believe we are the equitable owner of each of the Non-Consent Properties for
which Calpine was and is obligated to have transferred the record title and that
such properties are not part of Calpine’s bankruptcy estate. Upon our
receipt from Calpine of record title, free of any mortgages or other liens, to
these Non-Consent Properties (excluding that portion of these properties subject
to a validly exercised third party’s preferential right to purchase) and further
assurances required to eliminate any open issues on title to the remaining
properties discussed below, we have been prepared to conclude the remaining
aspects of the Acquisition. We have not included in our
statement of operations for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006 and six
months ended December 31, 2005, estimated net revenues and
related estimated production from interests in certain leases and
wells being a portion of the Non-Consent Properties, including those
properties subject to preferential rights.
On
September 11, 2007, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order approving that certain
Partial Transfer and Release Agreement (“PTRA”) negotiated by and between us and
Calpine which, among other things, resolves issues in regard to title of certain
of the other oil and natural gas properties we purchased from Calpine in the
Acquisition and for which payment was made to Calpine on July 7, 2005, and we
entered into a new Marketing and Services Agreement (“MSA”) with Calpine
Producer Services, L.P. (“CPS”) for a two-year period commencing on July 1, 2007
but which is subject to earlier termination by us on the occurrence of certain
events. The additional documentation received from Calpine under the PTRA
eliminates any open issues in our title and resolves any issues as to the
clarity of our ownership in certain properties located in the Gulf of Mexico,
California, and Wyoming (the “PTRA Properties”), including all oil and gas
properties requiring ministerial approvals, such as leases with the U.S.
Minerals Management Service (“MMS”), California State Lands Commission (“CSLC”)
and U.S. Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”). However, the PTRA was executed
without prejudice to Calpine’s fraudulent conveyance action or its right, if
any, to reject the Purchase Agreement, and without prejudice to our rights and
legal arguments in relation thereto, including our various
counterclaims. The PTRA did not otherwise address or resolve issues
with respect to the Non-Consent Properties and certain other
properties.
We
recorded the conveyances of those PTRA Properties in California not requiring
governmental agency approval. On October 30, 2007, the CSLC approved
the assignment of the State of California leases and rights of way to us from
Calpine and resolved open issues under an audit the State of California had
conducted as to these properties. While the documentation has
been filed with the MMS, we are still awaiting its ministerial approval for the
assignment of Calpine’s interests in MMS Federal Offshore leases for South Pelto
17 and South Timalier 252 to us.
Notwithstanding
the PTRA, as a result of Calpine’s bankruptcy filing, it remains uncertain as to
whether Calpine will respond cooperatively as to the remaining outstanding
issues under the Purchase Agreement. If Calpine does not fulfill its contractual
obligations (as a result of rejection of the Purchase Agreement or otherwise)
and does not complete the documentation necessary to resolve these remaining
issues whether under the Purchase Agreement or the PTRA, we will pursue all
available remedies, including but not limited to a declaratory judgment to
enforce our rights and actions to quiet title. After pursuing these matters, if
we experience a loss of ownership with respect to these properties without
receiving adequate consideration for any resulting loss to us, an outcome our
management considers to be unlikely upon ultimate disposition, including
appeals, if any, then we could experience losses which could have a material
adverse effect on our business, financial condition, statement of operations or
cash flows.
Sale
of Natural Gas to Calpine
In
addition to the issues involving legal title to certain properties, we executed,
as part of the interrelated agreements that constitute the Purchase Agreement,
certain natural gas sales agreements with Calpine Energy Services, L.P. (“CES”),
which also filed for bankruptcy on December 20, 2005. During the
period following Calpine’s filing for bankruptcy, CES has continued to make the
required deposits into our margin account and to timely pay for natural gas
production it purchases from our subsidiaries under these various natural gas
sales agreements. Although Calpine has indicated in a supplement to
its recently proposed Plan of Reorganization that it intends to assume the CES
natural gas sales agreements with us, we disagree that Calpine may assume
anything less than the entire Purchase Agreement and intend to oppose any effort
by Calpine to do less.
Calpine’s
Marketing of the Company’s Production
As part
of the PTRA, we entered into the MSA with CPS, effective July 1, 2007, which was
approved by the Bankruptcy Court on September 11, 2007. Under the MSA, CPS
provides marketing and related services in relation to the sales of our natural
gas production and charges us a fee. This MSA extends CPS’ obligations to
provide such services until June 30, 2009. The MSA is subject to early
termination by us upon the occurrence of certain events.
Events
within Calpine’s Bankruptcy Case
On June
29, 2006, Calpine filed a motion in connection with its pending bankruptcy
proceeding in the Bankruptcy Court seeking the entry of an order authorizing
Calpine to assume certain oil and natural gas leases that Calpine had previously
sold or agreed to sell to us in the Acquisition, to the extent those leases
constitute “unexpired leases of non-residential real property” and were not
fully transferred to us at the time of Calpine’s filing for
bankruptcy. The oil and gas leases identified in Calpine’s motion
are, in large part, those properties with open issues in regards to their legal
title in certain oil and natural gas leases which Calpine contends it may
possess some legal interest. According to this motion, Calpine filed
its pending bankruptcy proceeding in order to avoid the automatic forfeiture of
any interest it may have in these leases by operation of a bankruptcy code
deadline. Calpine’s motion did not request that the Bankruptcy Court
determine whether these properties belong to us or Calpine, but we understand
Calpine’s motion was meant to allow Calpine to preserve and avoid forfeiture
under the Bankruptcy Code of whatever interest Calpine may possess, if any, in
these oil and natural gas leases. We dispute Calpine’s contention
that it may have an interest in any significant portion of these oil and natural
gas leases and intend to take the necessary steps to protect all of the our
rights and interest in and to the leases. Certain of these properties
have been subsequently addressed under the PTRA discussed above.
On July
7, 2006, we filed an objection in response to Calpine’s motion, wherein we
asserted that oil and natural gas leases constitute interests in real property
that are not subject to “assumption” under the Bankruptcy Code. In the
objection, we also requested that (a) the Bankruptcy Court eliminate from the
order certain Federal offshore leases from the Calpine motion because these
properties were fully conveyed to us in July 2005, and the MMS has subsequently
recognized us as owner and operator of all but two of these properties, two
other leases of offshore properties having expired, and (b) any order entered by
the Bankruptcy Court be without prejudice to, and fully preserve our rights,
claims and legal arguments regarding the characterization and ultimate
disposition of the remaining described oil and natural gas
properties. In our objection, we also urged the Bankruptcy Court to
require the parties to promptly address and resolve any remaining issues under
the pre-bankruptcy definitive agreements with Calpine and proposed to the
Bankruptcy Court that the parties could seek mediation to complete the
following:
|
·
|
Calpine’s
conveyance of its retained interest in the Non-Consent Properties to
us;
|
|
·
|
Calpine’s
execution of all documents and performance of all tasks required under
“further assurances” provisions of the Purchase Agreement with respect to
certain of the oil and natural gas properties for which we have already
paid Calpine; and
|
|
·
|
Resolution
of the final amounts we are to pay
Calpine.
|
At a
hearing held on July 12, 2006, the Bankruptcy Court took the following
steps:
|
·
|
In
response to an objection filed by the Department of Justice and asserted
by the CSLC that the Debtors’ Motion to Assume Non-Residential Leases and
Set Cure Amounts (the “Motion”), did not allow adequate time for an
appropriate response, Calpine withdrew from the list of oil and gas leases
that were the subject of the Motion those leases issued by the United
States (and managed by the MMS) (the “MMS Oil and Gas Leases”) and the
State of California (and managed by the CSLC) (the “CSLC Leases”).
Calpine, the Department of Justice and the State of California agreed to
an extension of the existing deadline to November 15, 2006 to assume or
reject the MMS Oil and Gas Leases and CSLC Leases under Section 365 of the
Bankruptcy Code, to the extent the MMS Oil and Gas Leases and CSLC Leases
are leases subject to Section 365. The effect of these actions was to
render our objection inapplicable at that time;
and
|
|
·
|
The
Bankruptcy Court also encouraged Calpine and us to arrive at a business
solution to all remaining issues including approximately $68 million
payable to Calpine for conveyance of the Non-Consent Properties (excluding
the properties subject to third party’s preferential
right).
|
On August
1, 2006, we filed a number of proofs of claim in the Calpine bankruptcy
asserting claims against a variety of Calpine debtors seeking recovery of $27.9
million in liquidated amounts, as well as unliquidated damages in amounts that
have not presently been determined. In the event that Calpine elects
to reject the Purchase Agreement or otherwise refuses to perform its remaining
obligations therein, we anticipate we will be allowed to amend our proofs of
claim to assert any additional damages we suffer as a result of the ultimate
impact of Calpine’s refusal or failure to perform under the Purchase
Agreement. In the bankruptcy, Calpine may elect to contest or dispute
the amount of damages we seek in our proofs of claim. We will assert
all right to offset any of our damages against any funds we possess that may be
owed to Calpine. Until the allowed amount of our claims are finally
established and the Bankruptcy Court issues its rulings with respect to
Calpine’s approved Plan of Reorganization, we can not predict what amounts we
may recover from the Calpine bankruptcy should Calpine reject or refuse to
perform under the Purchase Agreement.
With
respect to the stipulations between Calpine and MMS and Calpine and CSLC
extending the deadline to assume or reject the MMS Oil and Gas Leases and the
CSLC Leases respectively, these parties further extended this deadline by
stipulation. The deadline was first extended to January 31, 2007, was further
extended to April 15, 2007 with respect to the MMS Oil and Gas Leases and April
30, 2007 with respect to the CSLC Leases, was further extended again to
September 15, 2007 with respect to the MMS Oil and Gas Leases and July 15, 2007
and more recently, October 31, 2007 with respect to the CSLC Leases. The
Bankruptcy Court entered Orders related to the MMS Oil and Gas Leases and CSLC
Leases which included appropriate language that we negotiated with Calpine for
our protection in this regard. The MMS Oil and Gas Leases and CSLC
Leases were included in the PTRA that was approved by the Bankruptcy Court on
September 11, 2007, with the result that there is no further need for the
parties to contest whether the MMS Oil and Gas Leases and the CLSC Leases are
appropriate for inclusion in Calpine’s 365 motion. The PTRA approved by the
Bankruptcy Court, among other things, resolves open issues in regard to our
title to ownership of all of the unexpired MMS Oil and Gas Leases and the CLSC
Leases. However, the PTRA was executed without prejudice to Calpine’s
fraudulent conveyance action or its rights, if any, to reject the Purchase
Agreement and our rights and legal arguments in relation thereto.
On June
20, 2007, Calpine filed its proposed Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure
Statement with the Bankruptcy Court. Calpine had indicated in its
filings with the Court that it believed substantial payments in the form of cash
or newly issued stock, or some combination thereof, would be made to unsecured
creditors under its proposed Plan of Reorganization that could conceivably
result in payment of 100% of allowed claims and possibly provide some payment to
its equity holders. The amounts any plan ultimately distributes to
its various claimants of the Calpine estate, including unsecured creditors, will
depend on the amount of allowed claims that remain following the objection
process. The Bankruptcy Court approved Calpine’s Plan of
Reorganization on December 19, 2007, overruling our objection to the releases
granted by this Plan to prior and current directors and officers of Calpine and
certain of its law firms and other professional advisors.
On August
3, 2007, we executed the PTRA, resolving certain open issues without prejudice
to Calpine’s avoidance action and, if the Court concludes the Purchase Agreement
is executory, Calpine’s ability to assume or reject the Purchase
Agreement. The principal terms are as follows:
|
·
|
We
entered into a new MSA with CPS through and until June 30, 2009, effective
July 1, 2007. This agreement is subject to earlier termination
right by us upon the occurrence of certain
events;
|
|
·
|
Calpine
delivers to us documents that resolve title issues pertaining to the
Properties defined as certain previously purchased oil and gas properties
located in the Gulf of Mexico, California and
Wyoming;
|
|
·
|
We
assume all Calpine's rights and obligations for an audit by the California
State Lands Commission on part of the Properties;
and
|
|
·
|
We
assume all rights and obligations for the Properties, including all
plugging and abandonment
liabilities.
|
On
September 11, 2007, the Bankruptcy Court approved the PTRA. The PTRA
did not resolve the open issues on the Non-Consent Properties and certain other
properties.
Notwithstanding
the PTRA, as a result of Calpine’s bankruptcy, there remains the possibility
that there will be issues between us and Calpine that could amount to material
contingencies in relation to the litigation filed by Calpine against us or the
Purchase Agreement, including unasserted claims and assessments with respect to
(i) the still pending Purchase Agreement and the amounts that will be payable in
connection therewith, (ii) whether or not Calpine and its affiliated debtors
will, in fact, perform their remaining obligations in connection with the
Purchase Agreement and PTRA; and (iii) the issues pertaining to the Non-Consent
Properties.
Arbitration
between Calpine/Rosetta and Pogo Producing Company
On
September 1, 2004, Calpine and Calpine Natural Gas L.P. sold their New Mexico
oil and natural gas assets to Pogo Producing Company (“Pogo”). During the course
of that sale, Pogo made three title defect claims on properties sold by Calpine
(valued at approximately $2.7 million in the aggregate, subject to a $0.5
million deductible assuming no reconveyance) claiming that certain leases
subject to the sale had expired because of lack of production. With Rosetta’s
assistance, Calpine had undertaken without success to resolve this matter by
obtaining ratifications of a majority of the questionable leases. Calpine filed
for bankruptcy protection before Pogo filed arbitration against it. Even though
this is a retained liability of Calpine, Calpine had earlier declined to accept
the Company’s tender of defense and indemnity when Pogo filed for arbitration
against us. We filed a motion to stay this arbitration under the
automatic stay provision of the Bankruptcy Code which motion was granted by the
Bankruptcy Court on April 24, 2007. We intend to cooperate with Calpine in
defending against Pogo’s claim should it resume; however, it is too early for
management to determine whether this matter will affect
us, and if so, in what amount. This is due, but not limited to
uncertainity concerning (1) whether or not Pogo’s proofs of claim will be
fully satisfied by Calpine under its approved Plan of Reorganization; and (2)
whether and if so, the extent to which, Calpine may reimburse us for our claim
for our defense costs and any arbitration award regarding the Pogo
claim.
Item
4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security
Holders
No
matters were submitted to a vote of our security holders during the fourth
quarter of 2007.
Part
II
Item
5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder
Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Trading
Market
Our
common stock is listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market® under
the symbol “ROSE”. Our common stock began publicly trading on February 13,
2006. Prior to such date, there was no public market for our common stock.
However, certain qualified institutional investors participated in limited
trading through quotes on The PORTAL Market after July 7,
2005.
The
following table sets forth for the 2007 and 2006 periods indicated the high and
low sale prices of our common stock:
2007
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
High
|
|
|
Low
|
|
|
|
High
|
|
|
Low
|
|
January 1
- March 31
|
|
$ |
21.07 |
|
|
$ |
17.66 |
|
February 13
- March 31
|
|
$ |
18.75 |
|
|
$ |
17.67 |
|
April 1
- June 30
|
|
|
25.00 |
|
|
|
20.74 |
|
April 1
- June 30
|
|
|
21.48 |
|
|
|
15.81 |
|
July 1
- September 30
|
|
|
21.97 |
|
|
|
15.67 |
|
July 1
- September 30
|
|
|
19.05 |
|
|
|
15.82 |
|
October 1
- December 31
|
|
|
20.84 |
|
|
|
17.69 |
|
October 1
- December 31
|
|
|
19.89 |
|
|
|
16.71 |
|
The
number of shareholders of record on February 18, 2008 was 10,912. However, we
estimate that we have a significantly greater number of beneficial shareholders
because a substantial number of our common shares are held of record by brokers
or dealers for the benefit of their customers.
We have
not paid a cash dividend on our common stock and currently intend to retain
earnings to fund the growth and development of our business. Any future change
in our policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors in light
of the financial condition, capital requirements, earnings prospects of Rosetta
and any limitations imposed by lenders or investors, as well as other factors
the board of directors may deem relevant.
The
following table sets forth certain information with respect to repurchases of
our common stock during the three months ended December 31, 2007:
Period
|
|
Total
Number of
Shares
Purchased (1)
|
|
|
Average
Price
Paid
per Share
|
|
|
Total
Number of
Shares
Purchased
as
Part of Publicly
Announced
Plans
or
Programs
|
|
|
Maximum
Number (or
Approximate
Dollar Value)
of
Shares that May yet
Be
Purchased Under
the
Plans
or
Programs
|
|
October
1 - October 31
|
|
|
1,404 |
|
|
$ |
18.60 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
November
1 - November 30
|
|
|
2,381 |
|
|
|
18.49 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
December
1 - December 31
|
|
|
82 |
|
|
|
17.93 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
___________________________________
|
(1)
|
All
of the shares were surrendered by the employees to pay tax withholding
upon the vesting of restricted stock awards. These repurchases
were not part of a publicly announced program to repurchase shares of our
common stock, nor do we have a publicly announced program to repurchase
shares of common stock.
|
Stock
Performance Graph
The
following stock performance graph compares our common stock performance (“ROSE”)
with the performance of the Standard & Poors’ 500 Stock Index (“S&P 500
Index”) and the performance of our peers within the oil and gas
industry. The seven companies that comprise our peer group are
Petrohawk Energy Corporation (“HK”), St. Mary Land & Exploration Co. (“SM”),
Bill Barrrett Corp. (“BBG”), Brigham Exploration Co. (“BEXP”), Berry Petroleum
Co. (“BRY”), Comstock Resources Inc. (“CRK”) and Range Resources Corp. (“RRC”),
all known as our peer group (“Peer Group”). The graph assumes the
value of the investment in our common stock , the S&P 500 Index, and our
Peer Group was $100 on February 13, 2006 and that all dividends are
reinvested.
Total
Return Among Rosetta Resources Inc., the S&P 500 Index and our Peer
Group
|
|
2/13/2006
(1)
|
|
|
12/31/2006
|
|
|
12/31/2007
|
|
ROSE
|
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
|
$ |
98.26 |
|
|
$ |
104.37 |
|
S&P
500 Index
|
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
|
$ |
111.94 |
|
|
$ |
115.89 |
|
Peer
Group
|
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
|
$ |
94.82 |
|
|
$ |
128.62 |
|
___________________________________
(1)
February 13, 2006 was the first full trading day following the effective date of
the Company’s registration statement filed in connection with the public
offering of its common stock.
The
following table sets forth our selected financial data. For the years
ended December 31, 2007 and 2006 and the six months ended December 31, 2005
(Successor), the financial data has been derived from the consolidated financial
statements of Rosetta Resources Inc. For the six months ended June
30, 2005 and for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003 (Predecessor), the
financial data was derived from the combined financial statements of the
domestic oil and natural gas properties of Calpine and are presented on a
carve-out basis to include the historical operations of the domestic oil and
natural gas business. You should read the following selected
historical consolidated/combined financial data in connection with “Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation” and the
audited Consolidated/Combined Financial Statements and related notes included
elsewhere in this report.
Additionally,
the historical financial data reflects successful efforts accounting for oil and
natural gas properties for the Predecessor periods described above and the full
cost method of accounting for oil and natural gas properties effective
July 1, 2005 for the Successor periods. In addition, Calpine
adopted on January 1, 2003, Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”)
No. 123 “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation”, as amended by SFAS
No. 148, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation—Transition and
Disclosure” (SFAS No. 123”) to measure the cost of employee services
received in exchange for an award of equity instruments, whereas we adopted the
intrinsic value method of accounting for stock options and stock awards pursuant
to Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, “Stock Issued to Employees”
(“APB No. 25”) effective July 2005, and as required have adopted the
guidance for stock-based compensation under SFAS No. 123 (revised 2004)
“Share-Based Payments” (“SFAS No. 123R”) effective January 1, 2006.
|
|
Successor-Consolidated
|
|
|
Predecessor
- Combined
|
|
|
|
Year
Ended
December
31,
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
December
31,
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30,
|
|
|
Year
Ended
December
31,
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2004
(1)
|
|
|
2003
(1)
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands, except per share data)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating
Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
revenue
|
|
$ |
363,489 |
|
|
$ |
271,763 |
|
|
$ |
113,104 |
|
|
$ |
103,831 |
|
|
$ |
248,006 |
|
|
$ |
279,916 |
|
Income
(loss) from continuing operations (2)
|
|
|
57,205 |
|
|
|
44,608 |
|
|
|
17,535 |
|
|
|
18,681 |
|
|
|
(78,836 |
) |
|
|
66,879 |
|
Net
income (loss) (2)
|
|
|
57,205 |
|
|
|
44,608 |
|
|
|
17,535 |
|
|
|
18,681 |
|
|
|
(10,396 |
) |
|
|
71,440 |
|
Income
per share (2):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income
(loss) from continuing operations
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
1.14 |
|
|
|
0.89 |
|
|
|
0.35 |
|
|
|
0.37 |
|
|
|
(1.58 |
) |
|
|
1.34 |
|
Diluted
|
|
|
1.13 |
|
|
|
0.88 |
|
|
|
0.35 |
|
|
|
0.37 |
|
|
|
(1.58 |
) |
|
|
1.33 |
|
Net
income (loss)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
1.14 |
|
|
|
0.89 |
|
|
|
0.35 |
|
|
|
0.37 |
|
|
|
(0.21 |
) |
|
|
1.43 |
|
Diluted
|
|
|
1.13 |
|
|
|
0.88 |
|
|
|
0.35 |
|
|
|
0.37 |
|
|
|
(0.21 |
) |
|
|
1.42 |
|
Cash
dividends declared per common share
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Balance
Sheet Data (At the end of the Period)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
assets
|
|
|
1,357,214 |
|
|
|
1,219,405 |
|
|
|
1,119,269 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
656,528 |
|
|
|
990,893 |
|
Long-term
debt
|
|
|
245,000 |
|
|
|
240,000 |
|
|
|
240,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
507 |
|
Stockholders'
equity/owner's net investment
|
|
|
872,955 |
|
|
|
822,289 |
|
|
|
715,423 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
223,451 |
|
|
|
233,847 |
|
____________________________________
|
(1)
|
In
September 2004, Calpine and Calpine Natural Gas L.P. sold their natural
gas reserves in the New Mexico San Juan Basin and Colorado Piceance Basin
and such properties have been reflected as discontinued operations for the
respective periods presented
herein.
|
|
(2)
|
Includes
a $202.1 million pre-tax impairment charge for the year ended December 31,
2004.
|
Item
7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations
Overview
We are an
independent oil and natural gas company engaged in the acquisition, exploration,
development and production of natural gas and oil properties in the United
States. We were formed as a Delaware corporation in June 2005. In July 2005, we
acquired the oil and natural gas business of Calpine Corporation and affiliates.
We own producing and non-producing oil and natural gas properties in the
Sacramento Basin of California, the Rocky Mountains, the Lobo and Perdido Trends
in South Texas, the State Waters of Texas and the Gulf of Mexico and other
properties located in various geographical areas in the United States. In this
section, we refer to Rosetta as “Successor” and to the domestic oil and natural
gas properties acquired from Calpine as “Predecessor”.
In
accounting for the oil and natural gas exploration and production business, the
Predecessor used the successful efforts method of accounting for oil and natural
gas activities. However, in connection with our separation from Calpine, we
adopted the full cost method of accounting for our oil and natural gas
properties, (see “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates—Oil and Gas
Activities” below for further discussion of the differences on the
Consolidated/Combined Financial Statements of the two accounting
methods).
We plan
our activities and budget based on conservative sales price assumptions given
the inherent volatility of oil and natural gas prices that are influenced by
many factors beyond our control. We focus our efforts on increasing oil and
natural gas reserves and production while controlling costs at a level that is
appropriate for long-term operations. Our future earnings and cash flows are
dependent on our ability to manage our overall cost structure to a level that
allows for profitable production. Our future earnings will also be impacted by
the changes in the fair market value of hedges we executed to mitigate the
volatility in the changes of oil and natural gas prices in future
periods. These instruments meet the criteria to be accounted for as
cash flow hedges, and until settlement, the changes in fair market value of our
hedges will be included as a component of stockholder’s equity to the extent
effective. In periods of rising prices, these transactions will mitigate future
earnings and in periods of declining prices will increase future earnings in the
respective period the positions are settled. In addition, we have
also entered into a series of interest rate swap agreements to hedge the change
in variable interest rates associated with our debt under our credit
facility. In periods where interest rates rise, these hedges will
mitigate losses to future earnings. In periods of falling interest
rates, these hedges will expose us to losses in future earnings.
Like all
oil and natural gas exploration and production companies, we face the challenge
of natural production declines. As initial reservoir pressures are depleted, oil
and natural gas production from a given well naturally decreases. Thus, an oil
and natural gas exploration and production company depletes part of its asset
base with each unit of oil or natural gas it produces. We attempt to overcome
this natural decline by drilling and acquiring more reserves than we produce.
Our future growth will depend on our ability to continue to add reserves in
excess of production. We will maintain our focus on adding reserves through
drilling and acquisitions, while placing a clear priority on lowering the
Company’s cost of replacing reserves. Consistent with our stated
strategies, we will emphasize building a high-quality inventory of future
drilling projects while also focusing on improving our capital and cost
efficiency. We have several efforts underway to address this
challenge.
We have
set a goal to fully assess our existing asset portfolio during
2008. We will implement a formal capital performance lookback process
to monitor where value is being created. In addition, we will form
technical teams to study the resource potential of our current assets, many of
which we believe may yield significant future drilling inventory through
down-spacing programs, deeper or shallower programs or close
extensions. The combination of more inventory and calibration on our
programs from the lookback exercise should allow us to deliver better
performance on our future capital spending.
We also
expect to launch several of significant resource assessments in basins,
trends, or plays where significant inventory can be identified. We
are considering several areas where we have technical expertise that could be
applied to new or extension opportunities. This effort will
service existing asset optimization as well as our merger and acquisition
efforts.
Finally,
we will undertake to improve our capital and cost efficiency on an ongoing
business. We will look for opportunities to attract additional
experienced personnel with successful track records, streamline or improve
processes and organize for profitable growth. In addition to the
capital lookback process, we expect to bolster several other core analytic
functions, including reserve engineering, business analysis and
planning.
Financial
Highlights
Our
consolidated financial statements reflect total revenue of $363.5 million on
total volumes of 45.8 Bcfe for the year ended December 31, 2007
(Successor). Operating income was $106.6 million, or 29% of total revenue, and
included lease operating expense of $47.0 million and $6.8 million of
compensation expense for stock-based compensation granted to employees. Total
net other income was comprised of interest expense (net of capitalized interest)
on our long-term debt offset by interest income on short term cash investments.
Overall, our net income for the year ended December 31, 2007 (Successor)
was $57.2 million, or 16% of total revenue.
Critical
Accounting Policies and Estimates
The
discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are
based upon the Consolidated/Combined Financial Statements, which have been
prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States of America. The preparation of these financial statements requires
us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets,
liabilities, revenues and expenses, related disclosure of contingent assets and
liabilities and proved oil and gas reserves. Certain accounting policies involve
judgments and uncertainties to such an extent that there is reasonable
likelihood that materially different amounts could have been reported under
different conditions, or if different assumptions had been used. We evaluate our
estimates and assumptions on a regular basis. We base our estimates on
historical experience and various other assumptions that are believed to be
reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for
making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are
not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these
estimates and assumptions used in preparation of our financial statements.
Below, we have provided expanded discussion of our more significant accounting
policies, estimates and judgments for our financial statements and those of our
Predecessor. We believe these accounting policies reflect the more significant
estimates and assumptions used in preparation of the financial
statements.
We also
describe the most significant estimates and assumptions we make in applying
these policies. See Item 8. Consolidated Financial Statements and
Supplementary Data Note 3, Summary of Significant Accounting
Policies, for a discussion of additional accounting policies and
estimates made by management.
Oil
and Gas Activities
Accounting
for oil and gas activities is subject to special, unique rules. Two generally
accepted methods of accounting for oil and gas activities are the successful
efforts method or the full cost method. The most significant differences between
these two methods are the treatment of exploration costs and the manner in which
the carrying value of oil and gas properties are amortized and evaluated for
impairment. The successful efforts method, as used by our Predecessor, requires
certain exploration costs to be expensed as they are incurred while the full
cost method provides for the capitalization of these costs. Both methods
generally provide for the periodic amortization of capitalized costs based on
proved reserve quantities. Impairment of oil and gas properties under the
successful efforts method is based on an evaluation of the carrying value of
individual oil and gas properties against their estimated fair
value. The assessment for impairment under the full cost method
requires an evaluation of the carrying value of oil and gas properties included
in a cost center against the net present value of future cash flows from the
related proved reserves, using period-end prices and costs and a 10% discount
rate.
Full
Cost Method
We use
the full cost method of accounting for our oil and gas activities. Under this
method, all costs incurred in the acquisition, exploration and development of
oil and gas properties are capitalized into a cost center (the amortization
base), whether or not the activities to which they apply are
successful. As all of our operations are located in the U.S., all of
our costs are included in one cost pool. Such amounts include the
cost of drilling and equipping productive wells, dry hole costs, lease
acquisition costs and delay rentals. Capitalized costs also include salaries,
employee benefits, costs of consulting services and other expenses that directly
relate to our oil and gas activities. Interest costs related to
unproved properties are also capitalized. Costs associated with
production and general corporate activities are expensed in the period incurred.
The capitalized costs of our oil and gas properties, plus an estimate of our
future development and abandonment costs, are amortized on a unit-of-production
method based on our estimate of total proved reserves. Unevaluated costs are
excluded from the full cost pool and are periodically considered for impairment
rather than amortization. Upon evaluation, these costs are
transferred to the full cost pool and amortized. Our financial
position and results of operations would have been significantly different had
we used the successful efforts method of accounting for our oil and gas
activities, as used by our Predecessor, and as presented herein for the six
months ended June 30, 2005, since we generally reflect a higher level of
capitalized costs as well as a higher depreciation, depletion and amortization
rate on our oil and natural gas properties.
Proved
Oil and Gas Reserves
Our
engineering estimates of proved oil and gas reserves directly impact financial
accounting estimates, including depreciation, depletion and amortization expense
and the full cost ceiling limitation. Proved oil and gas reserves are the
estimated quantities of oil and gas reserves that geological and engineering
data demonstrate with reasonable certainty to be recoverable in future years
from known reservoirs under period-end economic and operating conditions. The
process of estimating quantities of proved reserves is very complex, requiring
significant subjective decisions in the evaluation of all geological,
engineering and economic data for each reservoir. Accordingly, our
reserve estimates are developed internally and subsequently, provided to
Netherland Sewell who then generates an annual year-end reserve report. The data
for a given reservoir may change substantially over time as a result of numerous
factors including additional development activity, evolving production history
and continual reassessment of the viability of production under varying economic
conditions. Changes in oil and gas prices, operating costs and expected
performance from a given reservoir also will result in revisions to the amount
of our estimated proved reserves. The estimate of proved oil and
natural gas reserves primarily impact property, plant and equipment amounts in
the balance sheets and the depreciation, depletion and amortization amounts in
the consolidated/combined statement of operations. For more
information regarding reserve estimation, including historical reserve
revisions, refer to Item 8. Consolidated Financial Statements and
Supplementary Data, Supplemental Oil and
Gas Disclosures.
Full
Cost Ceiling Limitation
Our
ceiling test computation was calculated using hedge adjusted market prices at
December 31, 2007, which were based on a Henry Hub price of $6.80 per MMBtu and
a West Texas Intermediate oil price of $92.50 per Bbl (adjusted for basis and
quality differentials). The use of these prices would have resulted a pre-tax
writedown of $21.5 million at December 31, 2007. However, we
reevaluated our ceiling test exposure on February 22, 2008 using the
market price for Henry Hub of $8.91 per MMBtu and the price for West Texas
Intermediate $98.88 per Bbl. Utilizing these prices, the
calculated ceiling amount exceeded our net capitalized cost of oil and gas
properties. As a result, no write-down was recorded for the year
ended December 31, 2007. Due to the volatility of commodity prices, should
natural gas prices decline in the future, it is possible that a write-down could
occur.
There was
no ceiling test write-down for the year ended December 31, 2006 or for the six
months ended December 31, 2005.
Depreciation,
Depletion and Amortization
The
quantities of estimated proved oil and gas reserves are a significant component
of our calculation of depletion expense and revisions in such estimates may
alter the rate of future depletion expense. Holding all other factors constant,
if reserves are revised upward, earnings would increase due to lower depletion
expense. Likewise, if reserves are revised downward, earnings would decrease due
to higher depletion expense or due to a ceiling test write-down. A
five percent positive or negative revision to proved reserves throughout the
Company would decrease or increase the depreciation, depletion and amortization
(“DD&A”) rate by approximately $0.18 to $0.19 per MMcfe. This
estimated impact is based on current data at December 31, 2007 and actual events
could require different adjustments to DD&A.
Derivative Transactions and Hedging
Activities
We enter
into derivative transactions to hedge against changes in oil and natural gas
prices and changes in interest rates related to outstanding debt under our
credit agreements primarily through the use of fixed price swap agreements,
basis swap agreements, costless collars and put options. Consistent with our
hedge policy, we entered into a series of derivative transactions to hedge a
significant portion of our expected natural gas production through 2009. We also
entered into a series of interest rate swap agreements to hedge the change in
interest rates associated with our variable rate debt through June of
2009. These transactions are recorded in our financial statements in
accordance with SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and
Hedging Activities” (“SFAS No. 133”). Although not risk free, we believe
this policy will reduce our exposure to commodity price fluctuations and changes
in interest rates and thereby achieve a more predictable cash flow. We do not
enter into derivative agreements for trading or other speculative
purposes.
In
accordance with SFAS No. 133, as amended, all derivative instruments,
unless designated as normal purchase normal sale, are recorded on the balance
sheet at fair market value and changes in the fair market value of the
derivatives are recorded each period in current earnings or other comprehensive
income, depending on whether a derivative is designated as a hedge transaction,
and depending on the type of hedge transaction. Our derivative contracts are
cash flow hedge transactions in which we are hedging the variability of cash
flow related to a forecasted transaction. Changes in the fair market value of
these derivative instruments are reported in other comprehensive income and
reclassified as earnings in the period(s) in which earnings are impacted by the
variability of the cash flow of the hedged item. We assess the effectiveness of
hedging transactions quarterly, consistent with our documented risk management
strategy for the particular hedging relationship. Changes in the fair market
value of the ineffective portion of cash flow hedges are included in other
income (expense).
Future
Development and Abandonment Costs
Future
development costs include costs incurred to obtain access to proved reserves
such as drilling costs and the installation of production equipment and such
costs are included in the calculation of DD&A expense. Future abandonment
costs include costs to dismantle and relocate or dispose of our production
platforms, gathering systems and related structures and restoration costs of
land and seabed. We develop estimates of these costs for each of our properties
based upon the property’s geographic location, type of production structure,
well depth, currently available procedures and ongoing consultations with
construction and engineering consultants. Because these costs typically extend
many years into the future, estimating these future costs is difficult and
requires management to make judgments that are subject to future revisions based
upon numerous factors, including changing technology and the political and
regulatory environment. We review our assumptions and estimates of future
development and future abandonment costs on an annual basis.
We
provide for future abandonment costs in accordance with SFAS No. 143, “Accounting for Asset
Retirement Obligations”. This standard requires that a liability for the
discounted fair value of an asset retirement obligation be recorded in the
period in which it is incurred and the corresponding cost capitalized by
increasing the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset. The liability is
accreted to its present value each period, and the capitalized cost is
depreciated over the useful life of the related asset. Holding all
other factors constant, if our estimate of future abandonment and development
costs is revised upward, earnings would decrease due to higher DD&A expense.
Likewise, if these estimates are revised downward, earnings would increase due
to lower DD&A expense.
Stock
-Based Compensation
We
account for stock-based compensation in accordance with SFAS 123R. Under the
provisions of SFAS 123R, stock-based compensation cost is estimated at the grant
date based on the award’s fair value as calculated by the Black-Scholes
option-pricing model and is recognized as expense over the requisite service
period. The Black-Scholes model requires various highly judgmental assumptions
including volatility, forfeiture rates and expected option life. If any of the
assumptions used in the Black-Scholes model change significantly, stock-based
compensation expense may differ materially in the future from that recorded in
the current period.
Revenue
Recognition
The
Company uses the sales method of accounting for the sale of its natural
gas. When actual natural gas sales volumes exceed our delivered
share of sales volumes, an over-produced imbalance occurs. To the extent an
over-produced imbalance exceeds our share of the remaining estimated proved
natural gas reserves for a given property, the Company records a
liability. At December 31, 2007 and 2006, imbalances were
insignificant.
Since
there is a ready market for natural gas, crude oil and natural gas liquids
(“NGLs”), the Company sells its products soon after production at various
locations at which time title and risk of loss pass to the buyer. Revenue is
recorded when title passes based on the Company’s net interest or nominated
deliveries of production volumes. The Company records its share of revenues
based on production volumes and contracted sales prices. The sales price for
natural gas, natural gas liquids and crude oil are adjusted for transportation
cost and other related deductions. The transportation costs and other deductions
are based on contractual or historical data and do not require significant
judgment. Subsequently, these deductions and transportation costs are adjusted
to reflect actual charges based on third party documents once received by the
Company. Historically, these adjustments have been insignificant. In addition,
natural gas and crude oil volumes sold are not significantly different from the
Company’s share of production.
It is the
Company’s policy to calculate and pay royalties on natural gas, crude oil and
NGLs in accordance with the particular contractual provisions of the
lease. Royalty liabilities are recorded in the period in which the
natural gas, crude oil or NGLs are produced and are included in Royalties
Payable on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet.
Income
Taxes
We
provide for deferred income taxes on the difference between the tax basis of an
asset or liability and its carrying amount in our financial statements in
accordance with SFAS No. 109, “Accounting for Income Taxes”. This difference
will result in taxable income or deductions in future years when the reported
amount of the asset or liability is recovered or settled, respectively.
Considerable judgment is required in determining when these events may occur and
whether recovery of an asset is more likely than not. Deferred tax
assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management,
it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets
will not be realized.
Estimating
the amount of the valuation allowance is dependent on estimates of future
taxable income, alternative minimum tax income and change in stockholder
ownership that would trigger limits on use of net operating losses under the
Internal Revenue Code Section 382. We have a significant deferred tax
asset associated with net operating loss carryforwards (NOLs). It is
more likely than not that we will use these NOLs to offset current tax
liabilities in future years. Our NOLs are more fully described in
Item 8. Consolidated Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, Note 13 Income
Taxes.
Additionally,
our federal and state income tax returns are generally not filed before the
consolidated financial statements are prepared, therefore we estimate the tax
basis of our assets and liabilities at the end of each period as well as the
effects of tax rate changes, tax credits and net operating and capital loss
carryforwards and carrybacks. Adjustments related to differences between the
estimates we used and actual amounts we reported are recorded in the period in
which we file our income tax returns. These adjustments and changes in our
estimates of asset recovery could have an impact on our results of operations. A
one percent change in our effective tax rate would have affected our calculated
income tax expense by approximately $1.0 million for the year ended December 31,
2007.
FASB
Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes - an
interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109” (“FIN 48”) requires
that we recognize the financial statement benefit of a tax position only after
determining that the relevant tax authority would more likely than not sustain
the position following an audit. For tax positions meeting the more
likely than not threshold, the amount recognized in the financial statements is
the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized
upon ultimate settlement with the relevant tax authority.
Recent
Accounting Developments
Noncontrolling Interests in
Consolidated Financial Statements. In December 2007, the
Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued SFAS No. 160,
“Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements, an amendment of
Accounting Research Bulletin No. 51” (SFAS No. 160), which improves
the relevance, comparability and transparency of the financial information that
a reporting entity provides in its consolidated financial statements by
establishing accounting and reporting standards for the noncontrolling interest
in a subsidiary and for the deconsolidation of a subsidiary. This
statement is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15,
2008. We do not expect the adoption of SFAS No. 160 to have a
material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or
cash flows.
Business
Combinations. In December 2007, FASB issued SFAS No. 141(R),
“Business Combinations” (“SFAS No. 141R”), which creates greater consistency in
the accounting and financial reporting of business combinations. This
statement is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15,
2008. We do not expect the adoption of SFAS No. 141R to have a
material impact on the our consolidated financial position, results of
operations or cash flows.
The Fair Value Option for Financial
Assets and Financial Liabilities. In February 2007, FASB issued
SFAS No. 159, “The Fair Value Option For Financial Assets and Financial
Liabilities - Including an Amendment of FASB Statement No. 115” (“SFAS No.
159”), which permits an entity to choose to measure certain financial assets and
liabilities at fair value. SFAS No. 159 also revises provisions of SFAS No. 115
that apply to available-for-sale and trading securities. This statement is
effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. We do not
expect the adoption of SFAS No. 159 to have a material impact on our
consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows as we did
not choose to measure at fair value.
Fair Value
Measurements. In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No.
157,“Fair Value
Measurements” (“SFAS No. 157”), which addresses how companies should measure
fair value when companies are required to use a fair value measure for
recognition or disclosure purposes under generally accepted accounting
principles (“GAAP”). As a result of SFAS No. 157, there is now a common
definition of fair value to be used throughout GAAP. SFAS No. 157 is effective
for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after November 15,
2007, and interim periods within those years. The FASB has also issued
Staff Position FAS 157-2 (“FSP No. 157-2”), which delays the effective date of
SFAS No. 157 for nonfinancial assets and liabilities, except for items that are
recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring
basis (at least annually), until fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2008.
We do not expect the adoption of SFAS No. 157 or FSP No. 157-2 to have a
material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or
cash flows.
Results
of Operations
The
following table summarizes our results of operations and compares the year ended
December 31, 2007 to the year ended December 31, 2006. However, due
to the acquisition of Calpine Natural Gas L.P. in July 2005, the year ended
December 31, 2006 financial data is not comparative with 2005. As
such, the results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2005 are
presented in two periods, Successor comprising the six months ended December 31,
2005 and Predecessor comprising the six months ended June 30, 2005.
Differences
in accounting principles also exist between Calpine and us, primarily the full
cost method of accounting for oil and natural gas properties adopted by us and
the successful efforts method of accounting for oil and natural gas properties
followed by Calpine. In addition, Calpine adopted on January 1, 2003,
SFAS No. 123 to measure the cost of employee services received in exchange
for an award of equity instruments at fair value, whereas we adopted the
intrinsic value method of accounting for stock options and stock awards
effective July 1, 2005, and as required, have adopted the guidance for
stock-based compensation under SFAS No. 123R effective January 1,
2006. See Note 3 to the Consolidated/Combined Financial
Statements for further discussion regarding the adoption of SFAS
123R.
We
believe comparative results would be misleading for the year ended December 31,
2006 and 2005; therefore, we have presented the information below separately as
Successor and Predecessor. In addition, at the closing of the
Acquisition on July 7, 2005, we retained approximately $75 million of the
purchase price in respect to interest in leases and wells associated with the
Non-Consent Properties. Our operating income does not include our
estimated revenues and expenses related to certain interests in leases and
wells being a portion of the Non-Consent Properties, which were a part
of the Predecessor’s operating income.
|
|
Successor-Consolidated
|
|
|
Predecessor-Combined
|
|
|
|
Year
Ended
December
31, 2007
|
|
|
Year
Ended
December
31, 2006
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
December
31, 2005
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30, 2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
revenues (In thousands)
|
|
$ |
363,489 |
|
|
$ |
271,763 |
|
|
$ |
113,104 |
|
|
$ |
103,831 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Production:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gas
(Bcf)
|
|
|
42.5 |
|
|
|
30.3 |
|
|
|
12.4 |
|
|
|
14.5 |
|
Oil
(MBbls)
|
|
|
561.2 |
|
|
|
551.3 |
|
|
|
185.6 |
|
|
|
163.8 |
|
Total
Equivalents (Bcfe)
|
|
|
45.8 |
|
|
|
33.4 |
|
|
|
13.5 |
|
|
|
15.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
per unit:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Avg.
Gas Price per Mcf
|
|
$ |
7.61 |
|
|
$ |
7.81 |
|
|
$ |
8.23 |
|
|
$ |
6.59 |
|
Avg.
Gas Price per Mcf excluding Hedging
|
|
|
7.07 |
|
|
|
6.83 |
|
|
|
9.57 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Avg.
Oil Price per Bbl
|
|
|
71.54 |
|
|
|
64.01 |
|
|
|
59.52 |
|
|
|
49.86 |
|
Avg.
Revenue per Mcfe
|
|
$ |
7.94 |
|
|
$ |
8.14 |
|
|
$ |
8.38 |
|
|
$ |
6.70 |
|
Revenues
Our
revenues are derived from the sale of our oil and natural gas production, which
includes the effects of qualifying commodity hedge contracts. Our
revenues may vary significantly from period to period as a result of changes in
commodity prices or volumes of production sold.
Year
Ended December 31, 2007 (Successor) Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2006
(Successor)
Total
revenue for the year ended December 31, 2007 was $363.5 million which is an
increase of $91.7 million, or 34%, from the year ended December 31,
2006. Approximately 89% of revenue was attributable to natural gas
sales on total volumes of 45.8 Bcfe.
Natural
Gas. For the year
ended December 31, 2007, natural gas revenue increased by $86.8 million,
including the realized impact of derivative instruments, from the comparable
period in 2006, to $323.3 million. The increase is primarily
attributable to California and Lobo production of 15.9 Bcfe and 14.2 Bcfe,
respectively, or 78% of the increased production. This increase is
primarily due to an increase in the number of wells producing in 2007 as
compared to 2006, which includes the acquisition of the OPEX properties in the
second quarter of 2007. The effect of gas hedging activities on
natural gas revenue for the year ended December 31, 2007 was a gain of $22.9
million as compared to a gain of $29.6 million for the year ended December 31,
2006. The average realized natural gas price including the effects of
hedging decreased from $7.61 per Mcf for the year ended December 31, 2007 as
compared to the same period in 2006 of $7.81 per Mcf.
Crude
Oil. For the year
ended December 31, 2007, oil revenue increased by $4.9 million primarily due to
the increase in the average oil price of $7.53 per Bbl from $64.01 per Bbl for
the year ended December 31, 2006 as compared to $71.54 for the year ended
December 31, 2007. The slight increase in oil production volumes were
associated with increased production in California, Lobo and Texas State Water
regions due to the new wells in 2007.
Year
Ended December 31, 2006 (Successor)
Total
revenue of $271.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 consists
primarily of natural gas sales comprising 87% of total revenue on total volumes
of 33.4 Bcfe.
Natural
Gas. Natural gas
sales revenue was $236.5 million, including the effects of hedging, based on
total gas production volumes of 30.3 Bcf. Approximately 75% of the
production volumes were from the following three areas: California, Lobo, and
Perdido. Average natural gas prices were $7.81 for the respective
period including the effects of hedging. The effect of hedging on
natural gas sales revenue was an increase of $29.6 million for an increase in
total price from $6.83 to $7.81 per Mcf.
Crude
Oil. Oil sales
revenue was $35.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 with oil
production volumes of 551.3 MBbls. The oil production volumes were
primarily in the Offshore and Other Onshore regions with approximately 75% of
the total production volumes. The average oil price was $64.01 per
Bbl for the year ended December 31, 2006.
Six
Months Ended December 31, 2005 (Successor)
Total
revenue of $113.1 million for the six months ended December 31, 2005
consists primarily of natural gas sales comprising 90% of total revenue on total
volumes of 13.5 Bcfe.
Natural Gas.
Natural gas sales revenue was $102.1 million, including the effects of
hedging, based on total gas production volumes of 12.4 Bcf. Lobo and Perdido
production was 3.9 Bcf and 1.5 Bcf or 28.9% and 11.2%, respectively, or a total
of 5.4 Bcf and 40.1% of total volumes. California production was 5.3 Bcf or
39.0% of total volumes at an average price of $9.08 per Mcfe, excluding the
effects of hedging. California production was affected by the delay in our
drilling program and compression issues. The effect of hedging on natural gas
sales revenue was a decrease of $16.6 million related to volumes of 8.0 MMbtu
for a decrease in total price to $8.23 per Mcf.
Crude Oil.
Oil revenue was $11.0 million based on oil production volumes of 185.6
MBbls. The Southern region production was 21.9 MBbls, 8.5 MBbls, 8.3 MBbls, 42.0
MBbls and 93.0 MBbls from Lobo, Perdido, State Waters, Other Onshore and Gulf of
Mexico or 94% of oil production for the six months ended December 31, 2005
at a total average price of $59.61 per Bbl for these fields. Overall volumes in
the Gulf of Mexico were affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In
addition, production volumes were also affected by a workover program at High
Island and East Cameron which was delayed in prior years due to capital
constraints imposed by Calpine. Fluctuations in product prices significantly
impacted our revenue from existing properties.
Six
Months Ended June 30, 2005 (Predecessor)
Total
revenue of $103.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2005 consists
primarily of natural gas sales comprising 92% of total revenue on total volumes
of 15.5 Bcfe.
Natural
Gas. Natural gas
sales revenue was $95.6 million with natural gas production volumes of 14.5 Bcf
for the six months ended June 30, 2005. The
production volumes were primarily from the Sacramento Basin with 6.5 Bcf or
44.8% and Lobo and Perdido with a combined production of 5.5 Bcf or
37.9%. Production volumes were lower than expected due to capital
expenditure constraints resulting in reduced drilling activity. The
average price for natural gas was $6.59 per Mcf. There was no hedging
activity for the six months ended June 30, 2005.
Crude
Oil. For the six
months ended June 30, 2005, crude oil sales revenue was $8.2 million based on
production volumes of 163.8 MBbls. Production volumes were primarily
from the Gulf of Mexico region which produced 72.7 MBbls or 44% of the total oil
production. The average price of oil was $49.86 per Bbl for the six
months ended June 30, 2005
Operating
Expenses
The
following table presents information about our operating expenses:
|
|
Successor-Consolidated
|
|
|
|
|
|
Predecessor-Combined
|
|
|
|
Year
Ended
December
31, 2007
|
|
|
Year
Ended
December
31, 2006
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
December
31, 2005
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30, 2005
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands, except per unit amounts)
|
|
|
|
|
Lease
operating expense
|
|
$ |
47,044 |
|
|
$ |
36,273 |
|
|
$ |
15,674 |
|
|
$ |
16,629 |
|
Depreciation,
depletion and amortization
|
|
|
152,882 |
|
|
|
105,886 |
|
|
|
40,500 |
|
|
|
30,679 |
|
Production
taxes
|
|
|
6,417 |
|
|
|
6,433 |
|
|
|
3,975 |
|
|
|
2,755 |
|
General
and administrative costs
|
|
$ |
43,867 |
|
|
$ |
33,233 |
|
|
$ |
14,687 |
|
|
$ |
9,677 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
per unit:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Avg.
lease operating expense per Mcfe
|
|
$ |
1.03 |
|
|
$ |
1.09 |
|
|
$ |
1.16 |
|
|
$ |
1.08 |
|
Avg.
DD&A per Mcfe
|
|
|
3.34 |
|
|
|
3.17 |
|
|
|
3.00 |
|
|
|
1.98 |
|
Avg.
production taxes per Mcfe
|
|
|
0.14 |
|
|
|
0.19 |
|
|
|
0.29 |
|
|
|
0.18 |
|
Avg.
G&A per Mcfe
|
|
$ |
0.96 |
|
|
$ |
1.00 |
|
|
$ |
1.09 |
|
|
$ |
0.63 |
|
Year
Ended December 31, 2007 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2006
(Successor)
Lease Operating
Expense. Lease operating expense increased $10.8 million for
the year ended December 31, 2007 as compared to the same period for 2006. This
overall increase is primarily due the increase in production of 37% for 2007
which led to higher costs for equipment rentals, maintenance and repairs, and
costs associated with non-operated properties. In addition, there was
an increase of $5.2 million in ad valorem taxes primarily related to property
appraisals in California. The overall increase was offset by a $1.6 million
decrease in workover expense primarily due to the insurance reimbursement in
2007 of $2.4 million for claims submitted as a result of Hurricane Rita. Lease
operating expense includes workover costs of $0.11 per Mcfe, ad valorem taxes of
$0.26 per Mcfe and insurance of $0.05 per Mcfe for the year ended December 31,
2007 as compared to workover costs of $0.19 per Mcfe, ad valorem taxes of $0.20
and insurance of $0.04 per Mcfe for the same period in 2006.
Depreciation, Depletion, and
Amortization. Depreciation, depletion and amortization expense
increased $47.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 as compared to the
same period for 2006. The increase is due to a 37% increase in total
production and a higher DD&A rate for 2007 as compared to
2006. The DD&A rate for the respective period in 2007 was $3.34
per Mcfe while the rate for the same period in 2006 was $3.17 per Mcfe due to
the increase in finding costs.
Production
Taxes. Production taxes as a percentage of oil and natural gas
sales were 1.8% for the year ended December 31, 2007 as compared to 2.4% for the
year ended December 31, 2006. This decrease is the result of
increased tax credits received for the year ended December 31, 2007 as compared
to the same period for 2006. The tax credits were received for
natural gas wells drilled in qualifying formations primarily in the Lobo and
Perdido regions.
General and Administrative
Costs. General and administrative costs, net of capitalized
general and administrative costs of $5.5 million for the year ended December 31,
2007, increased by $10.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 as
compared to the same period for 2006, with capitalized general and
administrative costs of $3.5 million. This increase is net of
decreases in audit and consulting fees related to higher costs in the first six
months of 2006 associated with becoming a public company, which was not incurred
in 2007. The increase in costs incurred in the current period are
primarily related to increases in the CEO transition costs of approximately $5.0
million, increases in legal fees related to the Calpine litigation of $2.6
million and increases in payroll expenses associated with the payout
of bonuses of $2.9 million. The increase is also associated with
stock-based compensation, which increased $1.1 million from $5.7 million for the
year ended December 31, 2006 to $6.8 million for the year ended December 31,
2007.
Year
Ended December 31, 2006 (Successor)
Lease Operating
Expense. Lease operating expense of $36.3 million related
directly to oil and gas volumes which totaled 33.4 Bcfe for the year ended
December 31, 2006 or costs of $1.09 per Mcfe. Lease operating costs
were affected by the wells that came on-line in South Texas. Lease
operating expense includes workover costs of $0.19 per Mcfe, ad valorem taxes of
$0.20 per Mcfe and insurance of $0.04 per Mcfe.
Depreciation, Depletion and
Amortization. Depreciation, depletion and amortization was
$105.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 under the full cost method
of accounting. The DD&A rate was $3.17 per Mcfe. There
were no ceiling test write-downs for the year ended December 31,
2006.
Production
Taxes. Production taxes as a percentage of natural gas and oil
sales were approximately 2.4% for the year ended December 31,
2006. Production taxes were primarily based on the wellhead values of
production and vary across the different regions.
General and Administrative costs.
For the year ended December 31, 2006, general and administrative costs
were $33.2 million, net of capitalization of certain general and administrative
costs of $3.4 million under the full cost method of accounting for oil and
natural gas properties. General and administrative costs include
salary and employee benefits as well as legal, consulting and auditing
fees. In addition, stock compensation expense for the year ended
December 31, 2006 was $5.7 million and is included in general and administrative
costs.
Six
Months Ended December 31, 2005 (Successor)
Lease Operating
Expense. Our lease operating expense of $15.7 million is
primarily due to oil and natural gas volumes which totaled 13.5 Bcfe for the six
months ended December 31, 2005 or costs of $1.16 per Mcfe. The costs
include workover costs on our High Island A-442 and East Cameron 88 wells in the
Gulf of Mexico and the La Perla field in South Texas. Lease operating costs
included workover costs, ad valorem taxes and insurance of $0.22 per Mcfe, $0.25
per Mcfe and $0.04 per Mcfe, respectively.
Depreciation, Depletion and
Amortization. Depreciation, depletion and amortization expense was $40.5
million for the six months ended December 31, 2005. We adopted the full
cost method of accounting for oil and gas properties as further discussed in our
“Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” above whereby related costs are
capitalized into the full cost pool. Our DD&A rate for this period was an
average of $3.00 per Mcfe. There were no ceiling test write-downs for the six
months ended December 31, 2005.
Production
Taxes. Production taxes as a percentage of natural gas and oil
sales were approximately 3.6% for the six months ended December 31,
2005. Production taxes were primarily based on the wellhead values of
production and vary across the different regions.
General and Administrative
Costs. General and administrative costs of $14.7 million is
net of capitalization of general and administrative costs of $3.5 million as a
component of our oil and natural gas properties under the full cost method of
accounting for oil and natural gas properties which we adopted July 1,
2005. General and administrative costs for this period include $4.2 million of
stock compensation expense for stock granted to employees during the period and
$10.9 million of salary and employee benefit costs before capitalization of any
of these costs to our oil and natural gas properties.
Six
Months Ended June 30, 2005 (Predecessor)
Lease Operating Expense.
Lease Operating Expense was $16.6 million and related to total oil and
gas volumes of 15.5 Bcfe or $1.08 per Mcfe for the six months ended June 30,
2005. Lease operating costs include work over cost of $0.22 per Mcfe,
ad valorem taxes of $0.22 per Mcfe and insurance of $0.06 per
Mcfe. These costs are due to higher taxes in South Texas and a
special reclamation tax in California.
Depreciation, Depletion and
Amortization. For the six months ended June 30, 2005, depreciation,
depletion, and amortization expense was $30.7 million. The
predecessor used the successful efforts method of accounting for oil and natural
gas properties. The DD&A rate was $1.98 per Mcfe for the six
months ended June 30, 2005.
Production
Taxes. Production taxes as a percentage of natural gas and oil
sales were approximately 2.7% for the six months ended December 31,
2005. Production taxes were primarily based on the wellhead values of
production and vary across the different regions.
General and Administrative
Costs. General and administrative costs for the six months
ended June 30, 2005 were $9.7 million, which is net of capitalized general and
administrative costs of $3.6 million. General and administrative costs are
comprised of items such as salaries and employee benefits, legal fees, and
contract fees. For the six months ended June 30, 2005, of the
$9.7 million in total general and administrative costs, $5.9 million relates to
salary and employee benefits. In addition, $1.3 million are legal
costs and $1.7 million are merger and acquisition costs, which relate to the
sale of the oil and natural gas business to the Company.
Total Other
Expense
Other
expense includes interest expense, interest income and other income/expense, net
which increased $2.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 (Successor) as
compared to the respective period in 2006. The increase in other
expense is the result of reduced interest income in 2007 to offset interest
expense as compared to 2006. The interest income is earned on the
cash balances, which were greater during 2006 than in
2007. Approximately $35.3 million was expended during the fourth
quarter of 2006 to fund various asset acquisitions and approximately $38.7
million was expended during the second quarter of 2007 for the acquisition of
the OPEX Properties.
Other
expense for the year ended December 31, 2006 (Successor) was $12.9 million and
is primarily comprised of interest expense of $17.4 million (net of $2.1 million
of capitalized interest) offset by interest income of $4.5
million. The interest expense is associated with the senior secured
revolving line of credit and second lien term loan and the interest income is
related to the interest earned on the overnight investments of our cash
balances.
Other
expense for the six months ended December 31, 2005 (Successor) is primarily
associated with interest expense of $8.2 million, including amortization of
deferred loan fees of $0.6 million related to interest on our Revolver and Term
Loan. Interest income of $1.8 million was earned on available cash invested in
short term money market investments.
For the
six months ended June 30, 2005 (Predecessor), other expense of $7.0 million was
associated with the intercompany debt with Calpine Corporation.
Provision for Income
Taxes
For the
year ended December 31, 2007(Successor), the effective tax rate was 37.3% as
compared to the effective tax rate of 38.3% for the year ended December 31, 2006
(Successor). For the six months ended December 31, 2005 (Successor),
the effective tax rate was 39.7% and for the six months ended June 30, 2005
(Predecessor), the effective tax rate was 38.1%. The provision for
income taxes differs from the taxes computed at the federal statutory income tax
rate primarily due to the effect of state taxes.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
Our
primary source of liquidity and capital is our operating cash flow. We also
maintain a revolving line of credit, which can be accessed as needed to
supplement operating cash flow.
Operating Cash
Flow. Our cash flows depend on many factors, including the
price of oil and natural gas and the success of our development and exploration
activities as well as future acquisitions. We actively manage our exposure to
commodity price fluctuations by executing derivative transactions to hedge the
change in prices of our production, thereby mitigating our exposure to price
declines, but these transactions will also limit our earnings potential in
periods of rising natural gas prices. This derivative transaction activity will
allow us the flexibility to continue to execute our capital plan if prices
decline during the period in which our derivative transactions are in place. The
effects of these derivative transactions on our natural gas sales are discussed
above under “Results of Operations – Natural Gas”. In addition, the
majority of our capital expenditures are discretionary and could be curtailed if
our cash flows decline from expected levels.
Senior Secured Revolving Line of
Credit. In July 2005, BNP Paribas provided us with a senior
secured revolving line of credit concurrent with the Acquisition in the amount
of up to $400.0 million (“Revolver”). This Revolver was syndicated to a group of
lenders on September 27, 2005. Availability under the Revolver is
restricted to the borrowing base, which initially was $275.0 million and was
reset to $325.0 million, upon amendment, as a result of the hedges put in place
in July 2005 and the favorable effects of the exercise of the
over-allotment option we granted in our private equity offering in July 2005. In
July 2005, we repaid $60.0 million of the $225.0 million in original borrowings
on the Revolver. In addition, in 2007, we increased our net borrowings against
the Revolver by $5.0 million, bringing the balance to $170.0 million at December
31, 2007. The borrowing base is subject to review and adjustment on a
semi-annual basis and other interim adjustments, including adjustments based on
our hedging arrangements. In May 2007, the borrowing base was adjusted to $350.0
million. Initial amounts outstanding under the Revolver bore
interest, as amended, at specified margins over the London Interbank Offered
Rate (“LIBOR”) of 1.25% to 2.00% (5.82% at December 31, 2007). These
rates over LIBOR were adjusted in May 2007 to be 1.00% to 1.75%. Such
margins will fluctuate based on the utilization of the facility. Borrowings
under the Revolver are collateralized by perfected first priority liens and
security interests on substantially all of our assets, including a mortgage lien
on oil and natural gas properties having at least 80% of the pretax SEC PV-10
reserve value, a guaranty by all of our domestic subsidiaries, a pledge of 100%
of the stock of domestic subsidiaries and a lien on cash securing the Calpine
gas purchase and sale contract. These collateralized amounts under the mortgages
are subject to semi-annual reviews based on updated reserve information. We are
subject to the financial covenants of a minimum current ratio of not less than
1.0 to 1.0 as of the end of each fiscal quarter and a maximum leverage ratio of
not greater than 3.5 to 1.0, calculated at the end of each fiscal quarter for
the four fiscal quarters then ended, measured quarterly with the pro forma
effect of acquisitions and divestitures. At December 31, 2007, our current ratio
was 1.8 to 1.0, as adjusted per current agreements, and our leverage ratio was
0.9 to 1.0. In addition, we are subject to covenants limiting
dividends and other restricted payments, transactions with affiliates,
incurrence of debt, changes of control, asset sales and liens on properties. We
obtained a waiver of any breach of a loan covenant arising out of Calpine’s
institution of Calpine’s fraudulent conveyance action against us and were in
compliance with all covenants at December 31, 2007. All amounts drawn under the
Revolver are due and payable on July 7, 2009. Availability
under the revolving line of credit was $179.0 million at December 31,
2007.
Second Lien Term Loan.
In July 2005, BNP Paribas provided us with a second lien
term loan in the amount of $100.0 million (“Term Loan”). On September 27,
2005, we repaid $25.0 million of borrowings on the Term Loan, reducing the
balance to $75.0 million and syndicated the Term Loan to a group of lenders
including BNP Paribas. Borrowings under the Term Loan initially bore interest at
LIBOR plus 5.00%. As a result of the hedges put in place in July 2005 and the
favorable effects of our private equity placement, as described above, the
interest rate for the Term Loan has been reduced to LIBOR plus 4.00% (8.82% at
December 31, 2007). The Term Loan is collateralized by second priority liens on
substantially all of our assets. We are subject to the financial covenants of a
minimum asset coverage ratio of not less than 1.5 to 1.0 and a maximum leverage
ratio of not more than 4.0 to 1.0, calculated at the end of each fiscal quarter
for the four fiscal quarters then ended, measured quarterly with the pro forma
effect of acquisitions and divestitures. In addition, we are subject to
covenants limiting dividends and other restricted payments, transactions with
affiliates, incurrence of debt, changes of control, asset sales, and liens on
properties. We obtained a waiver of any breach of a loan covenant arising out of
Calpine’s institution of Calpine’s fraudulent conveyance action against us and
were in compliance with all covenants at December 31, 2007. The revised
principal balance of the Term Loan is due and payable on July 7,
2010.
Our
ability to raise capital depends on the current state of the financial markets,
which are subject to general and economic and industry
conditions. Therefore, the availability of and price of capital in
the financial markets could negatively affect our liquidity position. Our
current liquidity is supported by our revolving credit facility maturing on July
7, 2009.
Working
Capital
At
December 31, 2007, we had a working capital deficit of $62.9 million as compared
to a working capital surplus of $30.7 million at December 31,
2006. Our working capital is affected primarily by fluctuations in
the fair value of our commodity derivative instruments, deferred taxes
associated with hedging activities, cash and cash equivalents balance and our
capital spending program. This deficit was largely caused by the
decrease in our cash balance to fund capital expenditures, including property
acquisitions as well as an increase in our accrued capital costs. As
of December 31, 2007, the working capital asset balances of our cash and cash
equivalents and derivative instruments were approximately $3.2 million and $4.0
million, respectively, and there was no balance for current deferred tax
assets. In addition, the associated working capital liability
balances for accrued liabilities were approximately $64.2 million as of December
31, 2007.
We
believe we have adequate expected cash flows from operations and available
borrowings under our Revolver to fund our budgeted capital
expenditures.
Cash
Flows
|
|
Successor-Consolidated
|
|
|
Predecessor-Combined
|
|
|
|
Year
Ended
December 31,
2007
|
|
|
Year
Ended
December 31,
2006
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
December 31,
2005
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
June 30,
2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
Cash
flows provided by operating activities
|
|
$ |
257,307 |
|
|
$ |
199,610 |
|
|
$ |
63,744 |
|
|
$ |
59,379 |
|
Cash
flows used in investing activities
|
|
|
(322,041 |
) |
|
|
(236,064 |
) |
|
|
(943,246 |
) |
|
|
(30,645 |
) |
Cash
flows provided by (used in) financing activities
|
|
|
5,170 |
|
|
|
(490 |
) |
|
|
979,226 |
|
|
|
(27,239 |
) |
Net
(decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$ |
(59,564 |
) |
|
$ |
(36,944 |
) |
|
$ |
99,724 |
|
|
$ |
1,495 |
|
Operating Activities. Key
drivers of net cash provided by operating activities are commodity prices,
production volumes and costs and expenses, which primarily include operating
costs, taxes other than income taxes, transportation and general and
administrative expenses. Net cash provided by operating activities
(“Operating Cash Flow”) continued to be a primary source of liquidity and
capital used to finance our capital expenditures for the year ended December 31,
2007.
Cash
flows provided by operating activities increased by $57.7 million for the year
ended December 31, 2007 as compared to the same period for 2006. This increase
is largely affected by our net income, excluding non-cash expenses such as
depreciation, depletion and amortization and deferred income
taxes. For the year ended December 31, 2007, we had net income of
$57.2 million with an increase of production of 37% as compared to the year
ended December 31, 2006 with net income of $44.6 million. As noted
above, we also had a working capital deficit of $62.9 million, which was largely
caused by the decrease in our cash balance to fund capital expenditures,
including property acquisitions. For the year ended December 31,
2007, we incurred approximately $336.1 million in capital expenditures as
compared to $242.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2006.
Net cash
provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2006 was $199.6
million with net income of $44.6 million and total production of 33.4 Bcfe.
Natural gas prices averaged $7.81 per Mcf, including the effects of hedging, and
oil averaged $64.01 per Bbl.
Net cash
provided by operating activities for the six months ended December 31, 2005 was
$63.7 million generated from total production of 13.5 Bcfe with revenue of
$113.1 and net income of $17.5 million. Natural gas prices averaged $8.23 per
Mcf, including the effects of hedging, and oil averaged $59.52 per Bbl during
this period.
Net cash
provided from operations for the six months ended June 30, 2005 was $59.4
million generated from total production of 15.5 Bcfe with revenue of $103.8
million and net income of $30.2 million before tax. Natural gas
prices averaged $6.59 per Mcf and oil averaged $49.86 per Bbl during the
quarter.
Investing
Activities. The primary driver of cash used in investing
activities is capital spending.
Cash
flows used in investing activities increased by $86.0 million for the year ended
December 31, 2007 as compared to the same period for 2006 and related to our
expenditures for the acquisition of the OPEX properties and drilling and
development of oil and gas properties. During the year ended
December 31, 2007, we participated in the drilling of 195 gross wells as
compared to the drilling of 142 gross wells for the year ended December 31,
2006.
Cash used
in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2006 was $236.1
million. These expenditures were primarily from the California, South
Texas and Gulf of Mexico regions and included acquisitions of $35.3
million.
Cash used
in investing activities for the six months ended December 31, 2005 was
$943.2 million primarily relating to the Acquisition in the net cash amount of
$910 million (excluding fees, purchase price adjustments and expenses) and $32
million in capital expenditures spent after the acquisition.
Cash used
in investing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2005 was $30.6 million
related to drilling and completion work and lease acquisitions less sale of
assets.
Financing
Activities. The primary driver of cash used in financing
activities is equity transactions and issuance and repayments of
debt.
Cash
flows provided by financing activities increased by $5.7 million for the year
ended December 31, 2007 as compared to the same period for 2006. The
net increase is primarily related to net borrowings of $5.0 million made in 2007
against the Revolver. In addition, there were fewer purchases of
treasury stock for the year ended December 31, 2007 than for the comparable
period in 2006. The purchases of stock were surrendered by certain
employees to pay tax withholding upon vesting of restricted stock
awards. These purchases are not part of a publicly announced program
to repurchase shares of our common stock, nor do we have a publicly announced
program to purchase shares of common stock.
Net cash
used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2006 was primarily
associated with the purchases of treasury stock surrendered by the employees to
pay tax withholding upon the vesting of restricted stock awards offset by
proceeds from issuances of common stock.
Net cash
provided by financing activities for the six months ended December 31, 2005
was $979.2 million. This was due to receipt of $800 million in equity offering
proceeds net of $55.6 million in transaction fees and borrowings on our $325
million senior credit facility subsequently used for the acquisition of the oil
and natural gas properties of Calpine, operating needs, the repayment of $85.0
million of long-term debt and $5.1 million of deferred loan costs
Net cash
used in financing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2005 was
comprised of repayments of notes to affiliates totaling $27.2
million.
Commodity
Price Risks and Related Hedging Activities
The
energy markets have historically been very volatile and there can be no
assurance that oil and natural gas prices will not be subject to wide
fluctuations in the future. To mitigate our exposure to changes in commodity
prices, management has adopted a policy of hedging oil and natural gas prices
from time to time primarily through the use of certain derivative instruments
including fixed price swaps, basis swaps, costless collars and put options.
Although not risk free, we believe this policy will reduce our exposure to
commodity price fluctuations and thereby achieve a more predictable cash flow.
Consistent with this policy, we have entered into a series of natural gas
fixed-price swaps, which are intended to establish a fixed price for a
significant portion of our expected natural gas production through 2009. The
fixed-price swap agreements we have entered into require payments to (or
receipts from) counterparties based on the differential between a fixed price
and a variable price for a notional quantity of natural gas without the exchange
of underlying volumes. The notional amounts of these financial instruments were
based on expected proved production from existing wells at inception of the
hedge instruments.
We also
entered into a series of basis swaps transactions covering a portion of our 2008
production. The basis swap requires us to pay Natural Gas
Intelligence (“NGI”) PG&E Citygate Index for notional volumes for calendar
year 2008. The counterparty will pay the float price based on the
last trade day settlement of the corresponding forward month contract settlement
of the NYMEX Henry Hub index. When combined with existing NYMEX Henry
Hub fixed price swaps, this effectively creates a fixed price swap that settles
at PG&E Citygate Index. Consistent with our hedge policy the
basis swap transactions will be combined with the NYMEX fixed price swaps noted
above and treated as PG&E fixed price swaps in subsequent
disclosures. See “Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure
About Market Risk”.
The
following table sets forth the results of commodity hedging transaction
settlements for the year ended December 31, 2007:
|
|
For
the Year Ended
December 31,
2007
|
|
|
For
the Year Ended
December 31,
2006
|
|
Natural
Gas
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quantity
settled (MMBtu)
|
|
|
23,464,500 |
|
|
|
20,075,000 |
|
Increase
in natural gas sales revenue (In thousands)
|
|
$ |
22,926 |
|
|
$ |
29,578 |
|
Interest
Rate Risks and Related Hedging Activities
Borrowings
under our Revolver and Term Loan mature on July 7, 2009 and July 7, 2010,
respectively, and bear interest at a LIBOR-based rate. This exposes us to risk
of earnings loss due to changes in market interest rates. To mitigate this
exposure, we have entered into a series of interest rate swap agreements through
June 2009 to mitigate such risk. If we determine the risk may become substantial
and the costs are not prohibitive, we may enter into additional interest rate
swap agreements in the future.
The
following table sets forth the results of third party interest rate hedging
transactions settled for the year ended December 31, 2007:
|
|
For
the Year Ended
December 31,
2007
|
|
|
For
the Year Ended
December 31,
2006
|
|
Interest
Rate Swaps
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Decrease
in interest expense (In thousands)
|
|
$ |
20 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
In
accordance with SFAS No. 133, as amended, all derivative instruments, not
designated as a normal purchase sale, are recorded on the balance sheet at fair
market value and changes in the fair market value of the derivatives are
recorded each period in current earnings or other comprehensive income,
depending on whether a derivative is designated as a hedge transaction, and
depending on the type of hedge transaction. Our derivative contracts are cash
flow hedge transactions in which we are hedging the variability of cash flow
related to a forecasted transaction. Changes in the fair market value of these
derivative instruments are reported in other comprehensive income and
reclassified as earnings in the period(s) in which earnings are impacted by the
variability of the cash flow of the hedged item. We assess the effectiveness of
hedging transactions on a quarterly basis, consistent with documented risk
management strategy for the particular hedging relationship. Changes in the fair
market value of the ineffective portion of cash flow hedges, if any, are
included in other income (expense).
Our
current commodity and interest rate hedge positions are with counterparties that
are lenders in our credit facilities. This allows us to secure any margin
obligation resulting from a negative change in the fair market value of the
derivative contracts in connection with our credit obligations and eliminate the
need for independent collateral postings. As of December 31,
2007, we had no deposits for collateral.
Capital
Requirements
The
historical capital expenditures summary table is included in Item 1. Business
and is incorporated herein by reference.
Our
capital expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2007 were $336.1 million,
and we currently expect to expend approximately $290.1 million during
2008. We believe we have adequate expected cash flows from operations
and available borrowings under our Revolver to fund our budgeted capital
expenditures.
Commitments
and Contingencies
As is
common within the industry, we have entered into various commitments and
operating agreements related to the exploration and development of and
production from proved oil and natural gas properties. It is management’s
belief that such commitments will be met without a material adverse effect on
our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Contractual Obligations. At
December 31, 2007, the aggregate amounts of our contractually obligated
payment commitments for the next five years are as follows:
|
|
Payments
Due By Period
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2009
to 2010
|
|
|
2011
to 2012
|
|
|
2013
& Beyond
|
|
|
|
(In
thousands)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior
secured revolving line of credit
|
|
$ |
170,000 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
170,000 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
Second
lien term loan
|
|
|
75,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
75,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Operating
leases
|
|
|
16,418 |
|
|
|
2,365 |
|
|
|
5,455 |
|
|
|
5,535 |
|
|
|
3,063 |
|
Interest
payments on long-term debt (1)
|
|
|
31,590 |
|
|
|
16,514 |
|
|
|
15,076 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Rig
commitments
|
|
|
4,100 |
|
|
|
4,100 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Total
contractual obligations
|
|
$ |
297,108 |
|
|
$ |
22,979 |
|
|
$ |
265,531 |
|
|
$ |
5,535 |
|
|
$ |
3,063 |
|
___________________________________
(1)
Future interest payments were calculated based on interest rates and amounts
outstanding at December 31, 2007.
Asset retirement Obligation.
The Company also has liabilities of $22.7 million related to asset retirement
obligations on its Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2007 excluded
from the table above. Due to the nature of these obligations, we cannot
determine precisely when the payments will be made to settle these obligations.
See Item 8. Consolidated Financial Statements and Supplementary Data Note
9, Asset
Retirement Obligation.
Purchase and Sale Agreement with
Calpine. Under the Purchase Agreement, Calpine agreed to transfer to us
certain properties. At the closing of the Acquisition in July 2005,
Calpine agreed to sell but retained interests in title to certain domestic oil
and natural gas leases and wells, subject to obtaining various third party
consents or waivers of preferential purchase rights, which the parties believed
at the time were required, in order to effect transfer of legal title to such
interests. In July 2005, as part of the transactions undertaken in connection
with closing the Acquisition, we accepted possession of and have since been
operating substantially all of the interests in leases, wells and easements, for
which Calpine retained record legal title. We withheld approximately
$75 million from the aggregate purchase price, which was an agreed dollar amount
under the Purchase Agreement with respect to the Non-Consent
Properties. Subsequent to the closing of the Acquisition, with the
exception of the properties subject to the preferential right to purchase, we
obtained substantially all of the consents to assign for all of these remaining
properties for which consents were actually required. Prior to the
Calpine bankruptcy, we were prepared to consummate the assignments of legal
title for these remaining properties, except those subject to properly executed
preferential rights to purchase. If the assignment of any remaining
properties (including any leases) does not occur, the portion of the purchase
price we held back pending consent or waiver will continue to be withheld by us
and available for general corporate purposes.
Contingencies
We are
party to various litigation matters arising out of the normal course of
business. Although the ultimate outcome of each of these matters cannot be
absolutely determined, and the liability the Company may ultimately incur with
respect to any one of these matters in the event of a negative outcome may be in
excess of amounts currently accrued with respect to such matters, management
does not believe any such matters will have a material adverse effect on the
Company’s financial position, results of operation or cash flows.
Calpine
Bankruptcy and Related Matters
Calpine
and certain of its subsidiaries filed for protection under the federal
bankruptcy laws in the Bankruptcy Court on December 20, 2005. Calpine
Energy Services, L.P., which filed for bankruptcy, has continued to make the
required deposits into the Company’s margin account and to timely pay for
natural gas production it purchases from the Company’s subsidiaries under
various natural gas supply agreements. As part of the Acquisition,
Calpine and the Company entered into a Transition Services Agreement, pursuant
to which both parties were to provide certain services for the other for various
periods of time. Calpine’s obligation to provide services under the
Transition Services Agreement ceased on July 6, 2006 and certain of Calpine’s
services ceased prior to the conclusion of the contract, which in neither case
had any material effect on the Company. Additionally, Calpine Producer Services,
L.P., (“CPS”) which filed for bankruptcy, is providing services to the Company
under a new marketing and services agreement (“MSA”). The initial MSA
was entered into by the Company and Calpine in July 2005 and ran through June
30, 2007. Under a new marketing and service agreement executed in
conjunction with the PTRA, CPS is to provide services through June 30, 2009,
subject to earlier termination by the Company in certain events.
Additionally,
on June 29, 2007, Calpine filed a Lawsuit against us seeking $400 million plus
interest as a result of an alleged shortfall in value received for the assets
involved in the Acquisition, or in the alternative, a return of the domestic oil
and gas assets sold to us by Calpine. We have answered the Lawsuit
and filed our counterclaims.
The
Bankruptcy filing and Lawsuit raises certain concerns regarding aspects of our
relationship with Calpine and certain of its subsidiaries, which we will
continue to closely monitor and, as needed, vigorously protect our
interests. See further discussion of our concerns under Item
1A. Risk Factors and Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
Calpine
and certain of its subsidiaries have since emerged from bankruptcy.
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements
At
December 31, 2007 and 2006, we did not have any off-balance sheet
arrangements.
Forward-Looking
Statements
This
report includes various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than
statements of historical fact included or incorporated by reference in this
report are forward-looking statements, including without limitation all
statements regarding future plans, business objectives, strategies, expected
future financial position or performance, expected future operational position
or performance, budgets and projected costs, future competitive position, or
goals and/or projections of management for future operations. In some cases, you
can identify a forward-looking statement by terminology such as “may”, “will”,
“could”, “should”, “expect”, “plan”, “project”, “intend”, “anticipate”,
“believe”, “estimate”, “predict”, “potential”, “pursue”, “target” or “continue”,
the negative of such terms or variations thereon, or other comparable
terminology.
The
forward-looking statements contained in this report are largely based on our
expectations for the future, which reflect certain estimates and assumptions
made by our management. These estimates and assumptions reflect our best
judgment based on currently known market conditions, operating trends, and other
factors. Although we believe such estimates and assumptions to be
reasonable, they are inherently uncertain and involve a number of risks and
uncertainties that are beyond our control. As such, management’s
assumptions about future events may prove to be inaccurate. For a more detailed
description of the risks and uncertainties involved, see Item 1A. Risk Factors
in this report. We do not intend to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events,
changes in circumstances, or otherwise. These cautionary statements qualify all
forward-looking statements attributable to us, or persons acting on our
behalf. Management cautions all readers that the forward-looking
statements contained in this report are not guarantees of future performance,
and we cannot assure any reader that such statements will be realized or that
the events and circumstances they describe will occur. Factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or
implied in the forward-looking statements herein include, but are not limited
to:
·
|
The
supply and demand for oil, natural gas, and other products and
services;
|
·
|
The price of
oil, natural gas, and other products and services;
|
·
|
Conditions
in the energy markets;
|
·
|
Changes
or advances in technology;
|
·
|
Currency
exchange rates and inflation;
|
·
|
The
availability and cost of relevant raw materials, goods and
services;
|
·
|
Future
processing volumes and pipeline
throughput;
|
·
|
Conditions
in the securities and/or capital
markets;
|
·
|
The
occurrence of property acquisitions or
divestitures;
|
·
|
Drilling
and exploration risks;
|
·
|
The
availability and cost of processing and
transportation;
|
·
|
Developments
in oil-producing and natural gas-producing
countries;
|
·
|
Competition
in the oil and natural gas
industry;
|
·
|
The
ability and willingness of our current or potential counterparties or
vendors to enter into transactions with us and/or to fulfill their
obligations to us;
|
·
|
Our
ability to access the capital markets on favorable terms or at
all;
|
·
|
Our
ability to obtain credit and/or capital in desired amounts and/or on
favorable terms;
|
·
|
Present
and possible future claims, litigation and enforcement
actions;
|
·
|
Effects
of the application of applicable laws and regulations, including changes
in such regulations or the interpretation
thereof;
|
·
|
Relevant
legislative or regulatory changes, including retroactive royalty or
production tax regimes, changes in environmental regulation, environmental
risks and liability under federal, state and foreign environmental laws
and regulations;
|
·
|
General
economic conditions, either internationally, nationally or in
jurisdictions affecting our
business;
|
·
|
The
amount of resources expended in connection with Calpine’s bankruptcy and
its fraudulent conveyance action, including significant ongoing costs for
lawyers, consultants, experts and all related expenses, as well as all
lost opportunity costs associated with our internal resources dedicated to
these matters and possible impacts on our
reputation;
|
·
|
Disputes
with mineral lease and royalty owners regarding calculation and payment of
royalties;
|
·
|
The
weather, including the occurrence of any adverse weather conditions and/or
natural disasters affecting our business;
and
|
·
|
Any
other factors that impact or could impact the exploration of oil or
natural gas resources, including but not limited to the geology of a
resource, the total amount and costs to develop recoverable reserves,
legal title, regulatory, natural gas administration, marketing and
operational factors relating to the extraction of oil and natural
gas.
|
Item
7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About
Market Risk
The
primary objective of the following information is to provide forward-looking
quantitative and qualitative information about our potential exposure to market
risks. The term “market risk” refers to the risk of loss arising from adverse
changes in oil and natural gas prices and interest rates. The disclosures are
not meant to be precise indicators of expected future losses, but rather
indicators of reasonable possible losses. This forward-looking information
provides indicators of how we view and manage our ongoing market risk exposures.
All of our market risk sensitive instruments were entered into for purposes
other than speculative trading.
Commodity Price Risk. Our
major market risk exposure is in the pricing of our oil and natural gas
production. Realized pricing is primarily driven by the prevailing worldwide
price for crude oil and spot market prices applicable to our U.S. natural gas
production. Pricing for oil and natural gas production has been volatile and
unpredictable for several years, and we expect this volatility to continue in
the future. The prices we receive for production depend on many factors outside
of our control. Based on average daily production for the year ended December
31, 2007, our annual income before income taxes would change by approximately
$4.3 million for each $0.10 per Mfe change in natural gas prices and
approximately $0.6 million for each $1.00 per Bbl change in crude oil prices,
excluding the effects of hedging.
Our
fixed-price swap agreements are used to fix the sales price for our anticipated
future oil and natural gas production. Upon settlement, we receive a fixed price
for the hedged commodity and pay our counterparty a floating market price, as
defined in each instrument. These instruments are settled monthly. When the
floating price exceeds the fixed price for a contract month, we pay our
counterparty. When the fixed price exceeds the floating price, our counterparty
is required to make a payment to us. We have designated these swaps as cash flow
hedges.
As of
December 31, 2007, we had the following financial fixed price swap
positions outstanding with average underlying prices that represent hedged
prices of commodities at various market locations:
Settlement
Period
|
Derivative
Instrument
|
Hedge
Strategy
|
|
Notional
Daily
Volume
MMBtu
|
|
|
Total
of N
otional
Volume
MMBtu
|
|
|
Average
Underlying
Prices
MMBtu
|
|
|
Total
of Proved
Natural
Gas
Production
Hedged
(1)
|
|
|
Fair
Market Value
Gain/(Loss)
(In
thousands)
|
|
2008
|
Swap
|
Cash
Flow
|
|
|
64,909 |
|
|
|
23,756,616 |
|
|
$ |
7.74 |
|
|
|
49 |
% |
|
$ |
2,302 |
|
2009
|
Swap
|
Cash
Flow
|
|
|
42,141 |
|
|
|
15,381,465 |
|
|
|
7.49 |
|
|
|
35 |
% |
|
|
(13,165 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
39,138,081 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
(10,863 |
) |
___________________________________
|
(1)
|
Estimated
based on net gas reserves presented in the December 31, 2007 Netherland,
Sewell & Associates, Inc. reserve
report.
|
In 2008,
we entered into an additional 23,000 MMBtu per day of financial fixed price
swaps covering a portion of our production for 2008 through 2010 at an average
underlying price of $8.27 per MMBtu. We also entered into a series
of costless collars for 10,000 MMBtu per day for a portion of our production in
2008 and 2009 with an average floor price of $8.00 per MMBtu and an average
ceiling price of $10.28 per MMBtu.
Interest Rate Risks. In July
2005, we entered into our credit facilities including (1) a senior secured
revolving line of credit in the aggregate amount of up to $400 million (the
“Revolver”), and (2) a senior secured second lien term loan, initially, in
the aggregate amount of $100 million (the “Term Loan”). Both the Revolver and
the Term Loan were amended and syndicated on September 27,
2005.
Availability
under the Revolver is restricted to a borrowing base calculation of value
assigned to proved oil and natural gas reserves. The borrowing base is $350
million and is subject to review and adjustment on a semi-annual basis and other
interim adjustments, including adjustments based on our derivative arrangements.
Amounts outstanding under the Revolver bear interest at specified margins over
the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) of 1.00% to 1.75%, based on facility
utilization. The Revolver will mature on July 7, 2009.
The Term
Loan initially in the amount of $100 million was reduced to $75 million on the
syndication date of September 27, 2005 due to the repayment of $25 million.
Borrowings under the Term Loan initially bore interest at LIBOR plus
5.00%. The interest rate for the Term Loan has been reduced to LIBOR
plus 4.00%. The Term Loan is collateralized by a second lien on all assets
securing the Revolver. The Term Loan will mature on July 7,
2010.
We had
availability under the Revolver of $179.0 million as of December 31, 2007.
A one hundred basis point increase in each of the LIBOR rate and federal funds
rate as of December 31, 2007 and 2006 for both our Revolver and Term Loan would
result in an estimated $2.5 million and $2.4 million increase, respectively, in
annual interest expense.
In 2007,
we entered into a series of fixed rate swap agreements for a portion of our
variable rate debt. Our fixed-rate swap agreements are used to fix
the interest rate we pay under our variable rate credit facilities. The
fixed-rate swaps are freestanding financial agreements that require us and the
counterparty to net cash settle our gains and losses on a monthly
basis. Upon settlement, we receive a floating market LIBOR rate and
pay our counterparty a fixed interest rate, as defined in each instrument. When
the floating rate exceeds the fixed rate for a contract month, our counterparty
pays us. When the fixed price exceeds the floating price, we are required to
make a payment to our counterparty. We have designated these swaps as cash flow
hedges.
We have
hedged the interest rates on $75.0 million of our variable rate debt through
2008 and $50.0 million through 2009. As of December 31, 2007 we had
the following financial interest rate swap positions outstanding:
Settlement
Period
|
Derivative
Instrument
|
Hedge
Strategy
|
|
Average
Fixed Rate
|
|
|
Fair
Market Value
Gain/(Loss)
(In
thousands)
|
|
2008
|
Swap
|
Cash
Flow
|
|
|
4.41%
|
|
|
$ |
(369 |
) |
2009
|
Swap
|
Cash
Flow
|
|
|
4.55%
|
|
|
|
(282 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
(651 |
) |
Derivative
Instruments and Hedging Activities
We use
derivative transactions to manage exposure to changes in commodity prices and
interest rates. Our objectives for holding derivative instruments are to achieve
a consistent level of cash flow to support a portion of our planned capital
spending. Our use of derivative transactions for hedging activities could
materially affect our results of operations, in particular quarterly or annual
periods since such instruments can limit our ability to benefit from favorable
interest rate movements. We do not enter into derivative instruments for
speculative purposes.
We
believe the use of derivative transactions, although not free of risk, allows us
to reduce our exposure to oil and natural gas sales price fluctuations and
interest rates and thereby achieve a more predictable cash flow. While the use
of derivative instruments limits the downside risk of adverse price movements,
their use may also limit future revenues from favorable price movements.
Moreover, our derivative contracts generally do not apply to all of our
production or variable rate debt and thus provide only partial price protection
against declines in commodity prices or rising interest rates. We expect that
the amount of our derivative contracts will vary from time to time.
Item
8. Financial Statements and Supplementary
Data
Index
to Financial Statements
|
|
Page
|
Reports
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
|
|
50
|
Consolidated
Balance Sheet at December 31, 2007 and 2006
|
|
52
|
Consolidated/Combined
Statement of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006
(Successor), for the six months ended December 31, 2005 (Successor) and
for the six months ended June 30, 2005 (Predecessor)
|
|
53
|
Consolidated/Combined
Statement of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006
(Successor), for the six months ended December 31, 2005 (Successor) and
for the six months ended June 30, 2005 (Predecessor)
|
|
|