Quarterly report [Sections 13 or 15(d)]

DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

v3.25.2
DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2025
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
NOTE 6 — DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
The Company is exposed to fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas prices on its production. It utilizes derivative strategies that consist of either a single derivative instrument or a combination of instruments to manage the variability in cash flows associated with the forecasted sale of our future domestic oil and natural gas production. While the use of derivative instruments may limit or partially reduce the downside risk of adverse commodity price movements, their use also may limit future income from favorable commodity price movements.
From time to time, the Company enters into derivative contracts to protect the Company’s cash flow from price fluctuation and maintain its capital programs. The Company has historically used costless collars, deferred premium puts, or swaps for this purpose. Oil derivative contracts are based on WTI ("West Texas Intermediate") crude oil prices and natural gas contacts are based on the Henry Hub. A “costless collar” is the combination of two options, a put option (floor) and call option (ceiling) with the options structured so that the premium paid for the put option will be offset by the premium received from selling the call option. Similar to costless collars, there is no cost to enter into the swap contracts. A deferred premium put contract has the premium established upon entering the contract, and due upon settlement of the contract.
The use of derivative transactions involves the risk that the counterparties, which generally are financial institutions, will be unable to meet the financial terms of such transactions. All of our derivative contracts are with lenders under our Credit Facility. Non-performance risk is incorporated in the discount rate by adding the quoted bank (counterparty) credit default swap (CDS) rates to the risk free rate. Although the counterparties hold the right to offset (i.e. netting) the settlement amounts with the Company, in accordance with ASC 815-10-50-4B, the Company classifies the fair value of all its derivative positions on a gross basis in the Company's Condensed Balance Sheets.
The Company’s derivative financial instruments are recorded at fair value and included as either assets or liabilities in the accompanying Condensed Balance Sheets. The Company has not designated its derivative instruments as hedges for accounting purposes, and, as a result, any gains or losses resulting from changes in fair value of outstanding derivative financial instruments and from the settlement of derivative financial instruments are recognized in earnings and included as a component of "Other Income (Expense)" under the heading "Gain (loss) on derivative contracts" in the accompanying Condensed Statements of Operations.
The following presents the impact of the Company’s contracts on its Condensed Balance Sheets for the periods indicated.
As of
June 30, 2025 December 31, 2024
Commodity derivative instruments, marked to market:
Derivatives assets, current
 $ 14,815,235  $ 5,497,057 
Derivative assets, noncurrent
 $ 6,613,480  $ 5,473,375 
Derivative liabilities, current $ 2,322,147  $ 6,410,547 
Derivative liabilities, noncurrent $ 3,864,413  $ 2,912,745 
The components of “Gain (loss) on derivative contracts” from the Condensed Statements of Operations are as follows for the respective periods:
For the Three Months Ended
For the Six Months Ended
June 30, 2025 June 30, 2024 June 30, 2025 June 30, 2024
Oil derivatives:
Realized gain (loss) on oil derivatives $ 433,301  $ (4,073,127) $ (206,966) $ (6,812,097)
Unrealized gain (loss) on oil derivatives 12,145,940  2,308,594  14,487,365  (14,685,728)
Gain (loss) on oil derivatives $ 12,579,241  $ (1,764,533) $ 14,280,399  $ (21,497,825)
Natural gas derivatives:
Realized gain (loss) on natural gas derivatives 244,542  1,478,630  $ 331,215  $ 2,756,085 
Unrealized gain (loss) on natural gas derivatives 1,824,271  (1,542,696) (892,350) (2,101,354)
Gain (loss) on natural gas derivatives $ 2,068,813  $ (64,066) $ (561,135) $ 654,731 
Gain (loss) on derivative contracts $ 14,648,054  $ (1,828,599) $ 13,719,264  $ (20,843,094)
The components of “Cash received (paid) for derivative settlements, net” within the Condensed Statements of Cash Flows are as follows for the respective periods:
For the Three Months Ended
For the Six Months Ended
June 30, 2025 June 30, 2024 June 30, 2025 June 30, 2024
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash received (paid) for oil derivatives $ 433,301  $ (4,073,127) $ (206,966) $ (6,812,097)
Cash received (paid) for natural gas derivatives 244,542  1,478,630  331,215  2,756,085 
Cash received (paid) for derivative settlements, net $ 677,843  $ (2,594,497) $ 124,249  $ (4,056,012)
The following tables reflect the details of current derivative contracts as of June 30, 2025 (Quantities are in barrels (Bbl) for the oil derivative contracts and in million British thermal units (MMBtu) for the natural gas derivative contracts):

Oil Hedges (WTI)
Q3 2025 Q4 2025 Q1 2026 Q2 2026 Q3 2026 Q4 2026 Q1 2027 Q2 2027
Swaps:
Hedged volume (Bbl) 471,917  241,755  608,350  577,101  171,400  529,000  509,500  492,000 
Weighted average swap price $ 68.64  $ 65.56  $ 67.95  $ 67.41  $ 62.26  $ 65.34  $ 62.82  $ 60.45 
Two-way collars:
Hedged volume (Bbl) 225,400  404,800  —  —  379,685  —  —  — 
Weighted average put price $ 65.00  $ 60.00  $ —  $ —  $ 60.00  $ —  $ —  $ — 
Weighted average call price $ 78.91  $ 75.68  $ —  $ —  $ 72.50  $ —  $ —  $ — 
Gas Hedges (Henry Hub)
Q3 2025 Q4 2025 Q1 2026 Q2 2026 Q3 2026 Q4 2026 Q1 2027 Q2 2027
NYMEX Swaps:
Hedged volume (MMBtu) 300,500  128,400  140,600  662,300  121,400  613,300  —  — 
Weighted average swap price $ 3.88  $ 4.25  $ 4.20  $ 3.54  $ 4.22  $ 3.83  $ —  $ — 
Two-way collars:
Hedged volume (MMBtu) 309,350  748,000  694,500  139,000  648,728  128,000  717,000  694,000 
Weighted average put price $ 3.17  $ 3.10  $ 3.50  $ 3.50  $ 3.10  $ 3.50  $ 3.99  $ 3.00 
Weighted average call price $ 4.98  $ 4.40  $ 5.11  $ 5.42  $ 4.24  $ 5.42  $ 5.21  $ 4.32 
Oil Hedges (basis differential)
Q3 2025 Q4 2025 Q1 2026 Q2 2026 Q3 2026 Q4 2026 Q1 2027 Q2 2027
Argus basis swaps:
Hedged volume (Bbl)
 183,000  276,000  —  —  —  —  —  — 
Weighted average spread price (1)
$ 1.00  $ 1.00  $ —  $ —  $ —  $ —  $ —  $ — 
Gas Hedges (basis differential)
Q3 2025 Q4 2025 Q1 2026 Q2 2026 Q3 2026 Q4 2026 Q1 2027 Q2 2027
El Paso Permian Basin basis swaps:
Hedged volume (MMBtu) 381,725  363,200  —  —  —  —  700,000  — 
Weighted average spread price (2)
$ 1.69  $ 1.69  $ —  $ —  $ —  $ —  $ 0.74  $ — 
(1) The oil basis swap hedges are calculated as the fixed price (weighted average spread price above) less the difference between WTI Midland and WTI Cushing, in the issue of Argus Americas Crude.
(2) The gas basis swap hedges are calculated as the Henry Hub natural gas price less the fixed amount specified as the weighted average spread price above.