Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

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BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  
Condensed Financial Statements

Condensed Financial Statements – The accompanying condensed financial statements prepared by Ring Energy, Inc. (the “Company” or “Ring”) have not been audited by an independent registered public accounting firm.  In the opinion of the Company’s management, the accompanying unaudited financial statements contain all adjustments necessary for fair presentation of the results of operations for the periods presented, which adjustments were of a normal recurring nature, except as disclosed herein. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2020, for various reasons, including as a result of the impact of fluctuations in prices received for oil and natural gas, natural production declines, the uncertainty of exploration and development drilling results, fluctuations in the fair value of derivative instruments, the impacts of COVID-19 and other factors.

These unaudited condensed financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial information, and, accordingly, do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements.  Therefore, these financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Organization and Nature of Operations

Organization and Nature of Operations – The Company is a Nevada corporation that owns interests in oil and natural gas properties located in Texas and New Mexico. The Company’s oil and natural gas sales, profitability and future growth are dependent upon prevailing and future prices for oil and natural gas and the successful acquisition, exploration and development of oil and natural gas properties. Oil and natural gas prices have historically been volatile and may be subject to wide fluctuations in the future. A substantial decline in oil and natural gas prices could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, cash flows and quantities of oil and natural gas reserves that may be economically produced.

COVID - 19

COVID - 19 – In March 2020, the World Health Organization classified the outbreak of COVID-19 as a pandemic. The nature of COVID-19 led to worldwide shutdowns, reductions in commercial and interpersonal activity and changes in consumer behavior. In attempting to control the spread of COVID-19, governments around the world imposed laws and regulations such as shelter-in-place orders, quarantines, executive orders and similar restrictions. As a result, the global economy has been marked by significant slowdown and uncertainty, which in turn has led to a precipitous decline in oil prices in response to decreased demand, further exacerbated by global energy storage shortages and by the price war among members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (“OPEC”) and other non-OPEC producer nations (collectively with OPEC members, “OPEC+”) during the first quarter 2020. The decline in oil prices has resulted in a significantly weaker outlook for oil and gas producers, who have been compelled to cut their capital and operating budgets and have implemented a diverse range of operational adjustments. The Company's financial statements for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020, reflect the impact of these events and current market conditions. The continued spread of COVID-19 or further deterioration in oil and natural gas prices could result in additional adverse impacts on the Company's results of operations, cash flows and financial position, including further asset impairments.

Liquidity and Capital Considerations

Liquidity and Capital Considerations –  The accompanying condensed financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business for the twelve-month period following the issuance date of these condensed financial statements.

The price of both oil and gas has decreased primarily as a result of oil demand concerns due to the economic impacts of COVID-19 and uncertainty surrounding the OPEC+ voluntary production adjustments. While declines in oil and natural gas prices affect the Company's liquidity, the Company's hedges protect, to some extent, its cash flows from such price declines; however, if oil or natural gas prices remain depressed or continue to decline, the Company may be required to record oil and gas property write-downs.

In early March 2020, global oil and natural gas prices declined sharply, have since been volatile, and may decline again. The Company expects ongoing oil price volatility over the short term. Continued depressed oil prices have had and will continue to have a material adverse impact on the Company's oil revenue, which is mitigated to some extent by the Company's hedge contracts.

As mentioned, consumer demand has decreased since the global COVID-19 outbreak, which decrease is largely attributable to travel restrictions enacted by governments in an effort to curtail the spread of the coronavirus. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and of the decrease in oil and natural gas prices continue to evolve and to be realized as of the date of this report. As such, it is uncertain as to the full magnitude of the foregoing events on the Company’s business. Management is actively monitoring the global situation and the impact or adverse effects of the recent events on the Company’s results of future operations, financial position and liquidity in fiscal year 2020.

Due to the recent oil price volatility, the Company has suspended its 2020 capital spending program. The Company has also reduced staff, reduced overtime and made other staffing changes.  Furthermore, the Company began shutting in and curtailing production in April 2020. The curtailments continued until early June 2020 when, with commodity prices improving and price differential decreasing, the Company  began bringing wells back online. The Company has returned to full production for the third quarter.

The Company believes that it has the ability to continue to fund its operations and service its debt by using cash on hand, cash flows from operations and cash flows from its hedges.

Subsequent to September 30, 2020, the Company completed a public offering and concurrently completed a registered direct offering of common shares, pre-funded warrants and common warrants.  In total, the company issued 13,075,800 shares, 16,728,500 pre-funded warrants and 29,804,300 common warrants.  Gross proceeds received at closing were approximately $20.8 million and net proceeds are anticipated to be approximately $19.1MM.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates – The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  The Company’s unaudited condensed financial statements are based on a number of significant estimates, including estimates of oil and natural gas reserve quantities, which are the basis for the calculation of depletion and impairment of oil and gas properties.  Reserve estimates, by their nature, are inherently imprecise.  Actual results could differ from those estimates. Changes in the future estimated oil and natural gas reserves or the estimated future cash flows attributable to the reserves that are utilized for impairment analysis could have a significant impact on the Company’s future results of operations.

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements – Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (exit price). The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) has established a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. This hierarchy consists of three broad levels. Level 1 inputs are the highest priority and consist of unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities. Level 2 are inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 3 are unobservable inputs for an asset or liability.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Values of Financial Instruments – The carrying amounts reported for the revolving line of credit approximate their fair value because the underlying instruments are at interest rates which approximate current market rates. The carrying amounts of accounts receivables and accounts payable and other current assets and liabilities approximate fair value because of the short-term maturities and/or liquid nature of these assets and liabilities.

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities – The Company may periodically enter into derivative contracts to manage its exposure to commodity risk. These derivative contracts, which are generally placed with major financial institutions, may take the form of forward contracts, futures contracts, swaps or options. The oil and gas reference prices upon which the commodity derivative contracts are based reflect various market indices that have a high degree of historical correlation with actual prices received by the Company for its oil and gas production.

When applicable, the Company records all derivative instruments, other than those that meet the normal purchases and sales exception, on the balance sheet as either an asset or liability measured at fair value. Changes in fair value are recognized currently in earnings unless specific hedge accounting criteria are met.  The change in fair value resulted in the recognition of an unrealized loss of $6,228,453 for the three months ended September 30, 2020 and an unrealized gain of $14,086,699 for the nine months ended September 30, 2020.  During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the change in fair value resulted in the recognition of unrealized gains of

$1,877,368 and $3,066,913, respectively, on derivative contracts.  During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, the Company had realized gains of $1,726,373 and $18,814,068, respectively, on derivatives.  During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company had no realized gain or loss on derivatives.

Concentration of Credit Risk and Major Customer

Concentration of Credit Risk and Major Customer – The Company had cash in excess of federally insured limits at September 30, 2020.  During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, sales to two customers represented 64% and 14%, respectively, of the Company’s oil and gas revenues.  At September 30, 2020, these two customers made up 85% and 0%, respectively, of the Company’s accounts receivable.

Approximately 95% of the Company’s accounts and joint interest billing receivables are from purchasers of oil and gas.  Oil and gas sales are generally unsecured.  The Company has not had any significant credit losses in the past and believes its accounts and joint interest billing receivables are fully collectable.  Accordingly, no allowance for doubtful accounts has been provided at September 30, 2020.  The Company also has joint interest billing receivable.  Joint interest billing receivables are collateralized by the pro rata revenue attributable to the joint interest holders and further by the interest itself.

Oil and Gas Properties

Oil and Gas Properties – The Company uses the full cost method of accounting for oil and gas properties.  Under this method, all costs associated with the acquisition, leasing, exploration and development of oil and gas reserves are capitalized. Costs capitalized include acquisition costs, estimated future costs of abandonment and site restoration, geological and geophysical expenditures, lease rentals on undeveloped properties and costs of drilling and equipping productive and non-productive wells. Drilling costs include directly related overhead costs.  Capitalized costs are generally categorized either as being subject to amortization or not subject to amortization. All of our costs are subject to amortization.

All capitalized costs of oil and gas properties, plus estimated future costs to develop proved reserves, are amortized on the unit-of-production method using estimates of proved reserves as determined by independent petroleum engineers. The Company evaluates oil and gas properties for impairment quarterly. For the nine months ended September 30, 2020, the Company incurred write downs on oil and natural gas properties as a result of the ceiling test in the amount of $147,937,943. No impairment was recorded for the three months ended September 31, 2020. No impairment was recorded for the three or nine months ended September 30, 2019.

Depreciation, depletion and amortization expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 was $10,826,989 and $31,848,093, respectively, based on depletion at the rate of $12.22 and $13.37, respectively, per barrel of oil equivalent compared to $14,115,170 and $41,659,494, respectively, based on depletion at the rate of $13.42 and $14.18 per barrel of oil equivalent for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019. These amounts include $88,928 and $289,106, respectively, of depreciation for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, compared to $110,120 and $217,551, respectively, of depreciation for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019.

Equipment, vehicles and leasehold improvements

Equipment, vehicles and leasehold improvements – Office equipment is valued at historical cost adjusted for impairment loss less accumulated depreciation. Historical costs include all direct costs associated with the acquisition of office equipment and placing such equipment in service. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method based upon an estimated useful life of 5 to 7 years.

Asset Retirement Obligation

Asset Retirement Obligation – The Company records a liability in the period in which an asset retirement obligation (“ARO”) is incurred, in an amount equal to the discounted estimated fair value of the obligation that is capitalized. Thereafter, this liability is accreted up to the final estimated retirement cost. An ARO is a future expenditure related to the disposal or other retirement of certain assets. The Company’s ARO relates to future plugging and abandonment expenses of its oil and natural gas properties and related facilities disposal.

Share-Based Employee Compensation

Share-Based Employee Compensation – The Company has outstanding stock option grants to directors, officers and employees, which are described more fully in Note 11. The Company recognizes the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments based on the grant-date fair value of the award and recognizes the related compensation expense over the period during which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the award, which is generally the vesting period.

Share-Based Compensation to Non-Employees

Share-Based Compensation to Non-Employees – The Company accounts for share-based compensation issued to non-employees as either the fair value of the consideration received or the fair value of the equity instruments issued, whichever is more reliably measurable. The measurement date for these issuances is the earlier of (i) the date at which a commitment for performance by the recipient to earn the equity instruments is reached or (ii) the date at which the recipient’s performance is complete.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes – Provisions for income taxes are based on taxes payable or refundable for the current year and deferred taxes. Deferred taxes are based on differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the financial statements, and tax carry forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are included in the financial statements at currently enacted income tax rates applicable to the period in which the deferred tax assets and liabilities are expected to be realized or settled. As changes in tax laws or rates are enacted, deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted through the provision for income taxes.

The CARES ACT was enacted March 27, 2020 and includes income tax provisions that, among other things, allow net operating losses (“NOLs”) to be carried back, permits interest expense to be deducted up to a higher percentage of adjusted taxable income and modifies tax depreciation of qualified improvement property. These provisions have no material impact on the Company.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements – In August 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Updated (“ASU”) 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement (“ASU 2018-13”). ASU 2018-13 eliminates, adds and modifies certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurement. ASU 2018-13 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted for either the entire standard or only the provisions that eliminate or modify requirements. ASU 2018-13 requires that the additional disclosure requirements be adopted using a retrospective approach.  The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share – Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period.  Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if all contracts to issue common stock were converted into common stock, except for those that are anti-dilutive.  The dilutive effect of stock options and other share-based compensation is calculated using the treasury method