Oil and natural gas properties
Full Cost Method
The accounting for, and disclosure of, oil and natural gas producing activities require that the EXCO/HGI JV choose between two GAAP alternatives; the full cost method or the successful efforts method. The EXCO/HGI JV chose to use the full cost method of accounting, which involves capitalizing all intangible drilling costs, lease and well equipment and exploration and development costs incurred plus acquired proved and unproved leaseholds. Once the EXCO/HGI JV incurs costs, they are recorded in the depletable pool of proved properties or in unproved properties, collectively, the full cost pool. The EXCO/HGI JV's unproved property costs, which include unproved oil and natural gas properties, properties under development, and major development projects, collectively totaled $49.8 and $48.5 as of June 30, 2013 and February 14, 2013, respectively, and are not subject to depletion. The EXCO/HGI JV reviews its unproved oil and natural gas property costs on a quarterly basis to assess for impairment and transfer unproved costs to proved properties as a result of extensions or discoveries from drilling operations or determine that no proved reserves are attributable to such costs. The EXCO/HGI JV expects these costs to be evaluated over approximately four years and transferred to the depletable portion of the full cost pool during that time. The EXCO/HGI JV has not recorded any impairments of undeveloped properties for the period from inception to June 30, 2013.
Capitalization of Interest
When the EXCO/HGI JV acquires significant amounts of undeveloped acreage, it capitalizes interest on the acquisition costs in accordance with FASB ASC Subtopic 835-20, Capitalization of Interest. When the unproved property costs are moved to proved developed and undeveloped oil and natural gas properties, or the properties are sold, the EXCO/HGI JV will cease capitalizing interest related to those properties.
Depletion
The EXCO/HGI JV calculates depletion using the unit-of-production method. Under this method, the sum of the full cost pool, excluding the book value of unproved properties, and all estimated future development costs are divided by the total estimated quantities of proved reserves. This rate is applied to the EXCO/HGI JV's total production for the quarter, and the appropriate expense is recorded. The EXCO/HGI JV capitalizes the portion of general and administrative costs, including share-based compensation, that is attributable to its exploration, exploitation and development activities.
Sales, dispositions and other oil and natural gas property retirements are accounted for as adjustments to the full cost pool, with no recognition of gain or loss, unless the disposition would significantly alter the amortization rate and/or the relationship between capitalized costs and Proved Reserves.
Ceiling Test Exemption
Pursuant to Rule 4-10(c)(4) of Regulation S-X, the EXCO/HGI JV was required to compute its ceiling test using the simple average spot price for the trailing twelve month period for oil and natural gas as of June 30, 2013. The computation resulted in the carrying costs of the EXCO/HGI JV's unamortized proved oil and natural gas properties exceeding the June 30, 2013 ceiling test limitation by approximately $211.2. As a result of a temporary exemption received from the SEC to exclude the acquisition of the EXCO/HGI JV's conventional oil and natural gas properties from the ceiling test, the need to recognize impairment for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 was eliminated.
The EXCO/HGI JV's pricing for these acquisitions are based on models which incorporate, among other things, market prices based on New York Mercantile Exchange ("NYMEX") futures. The ceiling test requires companies using the full cost accounting method to price period ending proved reserves using the simple average spot price for the trailing twelve month period, which may not be indicative of actual market values. Given the short passage of time between closing of these acquisitions and the required ceiling test computation, HGI requested, and received, an exemption from the SEC to exclude the acquisition of these oil and natural gas properties from the ceiling test assessments for a period of twelve months following the corresponding acquisition dates.
The request for exemption was made because the EXCO/HGI JV believes the fair value of the aforementioned acquisitions can be demonstrated beyond a reasonable doubt to exceed their unamortized costs. The EXCO/HGI JV's expectation of future prices is principally based on NYMEX futures contracts, adjusted for basis differentials, for a period of five years. After a five year period the EXCO/HGI JV has elected to use flat pricing as the NYMEX futures contracts become more thinly traded. Generally, the flat price used for the sixth year through the economic life of the property is management's internal long-term price estimate, which is, in part, based on an extension of
