COMMITTMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
6 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Firm Transportation and Sales Commitments
The table below presents the firm sales commitments by year:
The table below presents the firm transportation commitments by year:
Other Commitments
Effective October 1, 2014, the Company entered into a Sand Supply Agreement with Muskie Proppant LLC (“Muskie”), a subsidiary of Mammoth Energy and a related party. Pursuant to this agreement, as amended effective August 3, 2018, the Company has agreed to purchase annual and monthly amounts of proppant sand subject to exceptions specified in the agreement at agreed pricing plus agreed costs and expenses through 2021. Failure by either Muskie or the Company to deliver or accept the minimum monthly amount results in damages calculated per ton based on the difference between the monthly obligation amount and the amount actually delivered or accepted, as applicable. The Company did not incur any non-utilization fees under this agreement during the three months ended June 30, 2019 and incurred $0.3 million of such fees during the six months ended June 30, 2019. The Company did not incur any non-utilization fees during the three months ended June 30, 2018 and incurred $0.9 million of such fees during the six months ended June 30, 2018.
Future minimum commitments under this agreement at June 30, 2019 are:
Litigation and Regulatory Proceedings
The Company is involved in a number of litigation and regulatory proceedings including those described below. Many of these proceedings are in early stages, and many of them seek or may seek damages and penalties, the amount of which is
indeterminate. The Company's total accrued liabilities in respect of litigation and regulatory proceedings is determined on a case-by-case basis and represents an estimate of probable losses after considering, among other factors, the progress of each case or proceeding, its experience and the experience of others in similar cases or proceedings, and the opinions and views of legal counsel. Significant judgment is required in making these estimates and their final liabilities may ultimately be materially different.
The Company, along with a number of other oil and gas companies, has been named as a defendant in two separate complaints, one filed by the State of Louisiana and the Parish of Cameron in the 38th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Cameron on February 9, 2016 and the other filed by the State of Louisiana and the District Attorney for the 15th Judicial District of the State of Louisiana in the 15th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Vermilion on July 29, 2016 (together, the "Complaints"). The Complaints allege that certain of the defendants’ operations violated the State and Local Coastal Resources Management Act of 1978, as amended, and the rules, regulations, orders and ordinances adopted thereunder (the "CZM Laws") by causing substantial damage to land and waterbodies located in the coastal zone of the relevant Parish. The plaintiffs seek damages and other appropriate relief under the CZM Laws, including the payment of costs necessary to clear, re-vegetate, detoxify and otherwise restore the affected coastal zone of the relevant Parish to its original condition, actual restoration of such coastal zone to its original condition, and the payment of reasonable attorney fees and legal expenses and interest. The cases have been removed to the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, and motions to remand are pending.
The cases are still in their early stages and the parties have conducted very little discovery. As a result, the Company has not had the opportunity to evaluate the applicability of the allegations made in plaintiffs' complaints to the Company's operations and management cannot determine the amount of loss, if any, that may result.
SEC Investigation
The SEC has commenced an investigation with respect to certain actions by former Company management, including alleged improper personal use of Company assets, and potential violations by former management and the Company of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 in connection with such actions. The Company has fully cooperated and intends to continue to cooperate fully with the SEC’s investigation. Although it is not possible to predict the ultimate resolution or financial liability with respect to this matter, the Company believes that the outcome of this matter will not have a material effect on the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations.
Business Operations
The Company is involved in various lawsuits and disputes incidental to its business operations, including commercial disputes, personal injury claims, royalty claims, property damage claims and contract actions.
Environmental Contingencies
The nature of the oil and gas business carries with it certain environmental risks for Gulfport and its subsidiaries. They have implemented various policies, programs, procedures, training and audits to reduce and mitigate such environmental risks. They conduct periodic reviews, on a company-wide basis, to assess changes in their environmental risk profile. Environmental reserves are established for environmental liabilities for which economic losses are probable and reasonably estimable. The Company manages its exposure to environmental liabilities in acquisitions by using an evaluation process that seeks to identify pre-existing contamination or compliance concerns and address the potential liability. Depending on the extent of an identified environmental concern, they may, among other things, exclude a property from the transaction, require the seller to remediate the property to their satisfaction in an acquisition or agree to assume liability for the remediation of the property.
The Company received several Finding of Violation (“FOVs”) from the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("USEPA") alleging violations of the Clean Air Act at approximately 12 locations in Ohio. The first FOV for one site was dated December 11, 2013. Two subsequent FOVs incorporated and expanded the scope on January 4, 2017 and April 15, 2019. The Company has exchanged information with the USEPA and is engaged in discussions aimed at resolving the allegations. Resolution of the matter may result in monetary sanctions of more than $100,000.
Other Matters
Based on management’s current assessment, they are of the opinion that no pending or threatened lawsuit or dispute relating to its business operations is likely to have a material adverse effect on their future consolidated financial position,
results of operations or cash flows. The final resolution of such matters could exceed amounts accrued, however, and actual results could differ materially from management’s estimates.
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