2.  Long-Term Debt

The components of our long-term debt are presented in the following table (in thousands):

Exchange Transaction

On September 7, 2016, we consummated a transaction whereby we exchanged approximately $710.2 million in aggregate principal amount, or 79%, of our 8.500% Senior Notes, due June 15, 2019 (the “Unsecured Senior Notes”) for: (i) $159.8 million in aggregate principal amount of 9.00%/10.75% Senior Second Lien PIK Toggle Notes, due May 15, 2020, (the “Second Lien PIK Toggle Notes”); (ii) $142.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 8.50%/10.00% Senior Third Lien PIK Toggle Notes, due June 15, 2021, (the “Third Lien PIK Toggle Notes”); and (iii) 60.4 million shares of our common stock (collectively, the “Debt Exchange”).  At the same time on closing on the Debt Exchange, we closed on a $75.0 million, 11.00% 1.5 Lien Term Loan, due November 15, 2019, (the “1.5 Lien Term Loan”) with the largest holder of our Unsecured Senior Notes (collectively with the Debt Exchange, the “Exchange Transaction”).  We accounted for the Exchange Transaction as a Troubled Debt Restructuring pursuant to the guidance under Accounting Standard Codification 470-60, Troubled Debt Restructuring (“ASC 470-60”).  Under ASC 470-60, the carrying value of the newly issued Second Lien PIK Toggle Notes, Third Lien PIK Toggle Notes and 1.5 Lien Term Loan (the “New Debt”) is measured using all future undiscounted payments (principal and interest); therefore, no interest expense has been recorded for the New Debt in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations since September 7, 2016.  Additionally, no interest expense related to the New Debt will be recorded in future periods as payments of interest on the New Debt will be recorded as a reduction in the carrying amount; thus, our reported interest expense will be significantly less than the contractual interest payments through the terms of the New Debt.  Under ASC 470-60, payments related to the New Debt are reported in the financing section of the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.    

A gain of $124.0 million was initially recognized related to the Exchange Transaction for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2016.  Under ASC 470-60, a gain was recognized as the sum of (i) the future undiscounted payments (principal and interest) related to the New Debt, (ii) the fair value of the common stock issued and (iii) deal transaction costs of $18.9 million was less than the sum of (iv) the carrying value of the Unsecured Senior Notes exchanged and (v) the funds received from the 1.5 Lien Term Loan.  The shares of common stock issued were valued at $1.76 per share, which was the closing price on September 7, 2016.  The effect on basic and diluted earnings per share for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 was $1.33 per share and $1.52 per share, respectively, which assumes the gain would not affect our income tax benefit for either time period.  

The funds received from the 1.5 Lien Term Loan were used to pay transaction costs related to the Exchange Transaction and to pay down borrowings on the revolving bank credit facility.  The balance of the borrowings on the revolving bank credit facility was paid down from available cash.

During the second quarter of 2017, interest on the Second Lien PIK Toggle Notes and the Third Lien PIK Toggle Notes was paid in cash rather than in kind.  As a result of the cash interest payment, an $8.2 million net reduction was recorded to long-term debt on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet and the offset to Gain on exchange of debt in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations.  We anticipate the remaining eligible interest payments will be made in kind versus paid in cash.  For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, $0.4 million of additional expense was recorded to Gain on exchange of debt for differences between actual and estimated transaction expenses.  The effect of these transactions on basic and diluted earnings per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was $0.06 per share, which assumes the net gain would not affect income tax benefit for that period.

The primary terms of our long-term debt following the Exchange Transaction are described below.    

Credit Agreement

The Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”), provides a revolving bank credit facility.  The primary items of the Credit Agreement are as follows, with certain terms defined under the Credit Agreement:

Availability under our revolving bank credit facility is subject to a semi-annual redetermination of our borrowing base that occurs in the spring and fall of each year and is calculated by our lenders based on their evaluation of our proved reserves and their own internal criteria.  The 2017 spring redetermination reaffirmed the borrowing base amount of $150.0 million.  Any redetermination by our lenders to change our borrowing base will result in a similar change in the availability under our revolving bank credit facility.  The revolving bank credit facility is secured and is collateralized by a first priority lien on substantially all of our oil and natural gas properties.  

The Credit Agreement contains various customary covenants for certain financial tests, as defined in the Credit Agreement and are measured as of the end of each quarter, and for customary events of default.  The customary events of default include: (i) nonpayment of principal when due or nonpayment of interest or other amounts within three business days of when due; (ii) bankruptcy or insolvency with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries guaranteeing borrowings under the revolving bank credit facility; or (iii) a change of control.  The Credit Agreement contains cross-default clauses with the other long-term debt agreements, and such agreements contain similar cross-default clauses with the Credit Agreement.  We were in compliance with all applicable covenants of the Credit Agreement as of September 30, 2017.

  As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, we did not have any borrowings outstanding and had $0.3 million and $0.5 million, respectively, of letters of credit outstanding under the revolving bank credit facility.  Availability as of September 30, 2017 was $149.7 million.

1.5 Lien Term Loan

As part of the Exchange Transaction, we entered into the 1.5 Lien Term Loan on September 7, 2016 with a maturity date of November 15, 2019.  The maturity date will accelerate to February 28, 2019 if the remaining Unsecured Senior Notes have not been extended, renewed, refunded, defeased, discharged, replaced or refinanced by February 28, 2019.  Interest accrues at 11.00% per annum and is payable quarterly in cash.  The holder of the 1.5 Lien Term Loan was the largest holder of our Unsecured Senior Notes prior to the Exchange Transaction.  The 1.5 Lien Term Loan is secured by a 1.5 priority lien on all of our assets pledged under the Credit Agreement.  The lien securing the 1.5 Lien Term Loan is subordinate to the liens securing the Credit Agreement and has priority above the liens securing the Second Lien Term Loan (defined below), the Second Lien PIK Toggle Notes and the Third Lien PIK Toggle Notes.  All future undiscounted cash flows have been included in the carrying value under ASC 470-60.  Current maturities of long-term debt include the cash interest payable for the 1.5 Lien Term Loan payable in the next 12 months.  The 1.5 Lien Term Loan contains various covenants that limit, among other things, our ability to: (i) pay cash dividends; (ii) repurchase our common stock; (iii) sell our assets; (iv) make certain loans or investments; (v) merge or consolidate; (vi) enter into certain liens; (vii) create liens that secure debt; and (viii) enter into transactions with affiliates.  We were in compliance with all applicable covenants as of September 30, 2017.

Second Lien Term Loan

In May 2015, we entered into the 9.00% Term Loan (the “Second Lien Term Loan”), which bears an annual interest rate of 9.00%.  The Second Lien Term Loan was issued at a 1.0% discount to par, matures on May 15, 2020 and is recorded at its carrying value consisting of principal, unamortized discount and unamortized debt issuance costs.  Interest on the Second Lien Term Loan is payable in arrears semi-annually on May 15 and November 15.  The estimated annual effective interest rate on the Second Lien Term Loan is 9.6%, which includes amortization of debt issuance costs and discounts.  The Second Lien Term Loan is secured by a second-priority lien on all of our assets that are secured under the Credit Agreement.  The Second Lien Term Loan is effectively subordinate to the Credit Agreement and the 1.5 Lien Term Loan (discussed above) and is effectively pari passu with the Second Lien PIK Toggle Notes (discussed below).  The Second Lien Term Loan contains covenants that restrict our ability and the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to: (i) incur additional debt; (ii) make payments or distributions on account of our or our restricted subsidiaries’ capital stock; (iii) sell assets; (iv) restrict dividends or other payments of our restricted subsidiaries; (v) create liens that secure debt; (vi) enter into transactions with affiliates and (vii) merge or consolidate with another company.  We were in compliance with all applicable covenants as of September 30, 2017.

Second Lien PIK Toggle Notes

As part of the Exchange Transaction, we issued Second Lien PIK Toggle Notes on September 7, 2016 with a maturity date of May 15, 2020.  Cash interest accrues at 9.00% per annum and is payable on May 15 and November 15 of each year.  The Second Lien PIK Toggle Notes contain provisions whereby certain semi-annual interest is added to the principal amount through payment-in-kind instead of being paid in cash in the then current semi-annual period.  For the initial interest period ending November 15, 2016, interest could only be paid-in-kind at the annual rate of 10.75%.  For interest periods through March 7, 2018, if we so elect, we have the option to pay all or a portion of interest in kind at a rate of 10.75% per annum.  For the six month interest period ending May 15, 2017, we paid the interest payment in cash rather than using the payment-in-kind provision.  The Second Lien PIK Toggle Notes are secured by a second-priority lien on all of our assets that are pledged under the Credit Agreement.  The Second Lien PIK Toggle Notes are effectively subordinate to the Credit Agreement and the 1.5 Lien Term Loan (discussed above) and are effectively pari passu with the Second Lien Term Loan (discussed above).  For purposes of determining the carrying amount under ASC 470-60, we anticipate the remaining eligible interest payments will be paid in kind versus paid in cash.  When the PIK option is utilized, the principal amount of the notes increases.  Current maturities of long-term debt include the cash interest payable for the Second Lien PIK Toggle Notes for the stub period of March 7, 2018 to May 15, 2018.  The Second Lien PIK Toggle Notes contain covenants that restrict our ability and the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to: (i) incur additional debt; (ii) make payments or distributions on account of our or our restricted subsidiaries’ capital stock; (iii) sell assets; (iv) restrict dividends or other payments of our restricted subsidiaries; (v) create liens that secure debt; (vi) enter into transactions with affiliates and (vii) merge or consolidate with another company.  We were in compliance with all applicable covenants as of September 30, 2017.    

Third Lien PIK Toggle Notes

As part of the Exchange Transaction, we issued Third Lien PIK Toggle Notes on September 7, 2016 with a maturity date of June 15, 2021.  The maturity date will accelerate to February 28, 2019 if the remaining Unsecured Senior Notes have not been extended, renewed, refunded, defeased, discharged, replaced or refinanced by February 28, 2019.  Cash interest accrues at 8.50% per annum and is payable on June 15 and December 15 of each year.  The Third Lien PIK Toggle Notes contain interest provisions whereby certain semi-annual interest is added to the principal amount through payment-in-kind instead of being paid in cash in the then current semi-annual period.  For the initial interest period ending December 15, 2016, interest could only be paid in kind at the annual rate of 10.00%.  For interest periods through September 7, 2018, if we so elect, we have the option to pay all or a portion of interest in kind at a rate of 10.00% per annum.  For the six month interest period ending June 15, 2017, we paid the interest payment in cash rather than using the payment-in-kind provision.  The Third Lien PIK Toggle Notes are secured by a third-priority lien on all of our assets that are secured under the Credit Agreement.  The Third Lien PIK Toggle Notes are effectively subordinate to the Second Lien Term Loan and the Second Lien PIK Toggle Notes.  For purposes of determining the carrying amount under ASC 470-60, we anticipate the remaining eligible interest payments will be paid in kind versus paid in cash.  When the PIK option is utilized, the principal amount of the notes increases.  The Third Lien PIK Toggle Notes contain covenants that restrict our ability and the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to: (i) incur additional debt; (ii) make payments or distributions on account of our or our restricted subsidiaries’ capital stock; (iii) sell assets; (iv) restrict dividends or other payments of our restricted subsidiaries; (v) create liens that secure debt; (vi) enter into transactions with affiliates and (vii) merge or consolidate with another company.  We were in compliance with all applicable covenants as of September 30, 2017.

Unsecured Senior Notes

Our outstanding Unsecured Senior Notes, which bear an annual interest rate of 8.50% and mature on June 15, 2019, were recorded at their carrying value, which includes unamortized debt premium and unamortized debt issuance costs.  Interest on the Unsecured Senior Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on June 15 and December 15.  The estimated annual effective interest rate on the Unsecured Senior Notes is 8.3%, which includes amortization of premiums and debt issuance costs.  The Unsecured Senior Notes contain covenants that restrict our ability and the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to: (i) incur additional debt; (ii) make payments or distributions on account of our or our restricted subsidiaries’ capital stock; (iii) sell assets; (iv) restrict dividends or other payments of our restricted subsidiaries; (v) create liens that secure debt; (vi) enter into transactions with affiliates and (vii) merge or consolidate with another company.  We were in compliance with all applicable covenants as of September 30, 2017.  

For information about fair value measurements for our long-term debt, refer to Note 3.