Interim Financial Statements.  The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim periods and the appropriate rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).  Accordingly, the condensed consolidated financial statements do not include all of the information and footnote disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements for annual periods.  In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included.

Operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the entire year.  These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.

Recent Events.  The price we receive for our crude oil, natural gas liquids (“NGLs”) and natural gas production directly affects our revenues, profitability, cash flows, liquidity, access to capital, proved reserves and future rate of growth.  The average prices of these commodities improved during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the average prices in the comparable period in 2016.  Operating costs were lower for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 on an absolute and on a per barrel oil equivalent (“Boe”) basis compared to the operating costs for the same period in 2016.  In September 2016, we consummated the Exchange Transaction, as defined and described below in Note 2, which reduced our interest payments during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the same period in 2016.  In addition, the Exchange Transaction extended the maturities on a portion of our debt, although for a portion of the New Debt, as defined and described below, the maturities of two of the new loans will accelerate if certain events do not transpire.

We have continued working to further reduce our operating costs, capital expenditures and costs related to asset retirement obligations (“ARO”).  Our 2017 capital expenditure forecast is higher than the capital expenditures incurred during 2016, but it is significantly lower than spending levels incurred during 2015 and 2014.  We are in the process of determining our capital expenditure budget for 2018.

As of the filing date of this Form 10-Q, the Company is in compliance with its financial assurance obligations to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (“BOEM”) and has no outstanding BOEM orders related to financial assurance obligations.  

During the second quarter of 2017, a trial court judgment was rendered in Apache Corporation’s (“Apache”) lawsuit against us.  As a result, we deposited $49.5 million with the registry of the court from cash on hand as a first step to allow us to appeal the decision.  See Note 9 for additional information.    

We have assessed our financial condition, the current capital markets and options given different scenarios of commodity prices.  We believe we will have adequate liquidity to fund our operations through December 2018, the period of assessment to qualify as a going concern.  However, we cannot predict the potential changes in commodity prices or future bonding requirements, either of which could affect our operations, liquidity levels and compliance with debt covenants.

See our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 concerning risks related to our business and events occurring during 2016 and other information and the Notes herein for additional information.  

Oil and Natural Gas Properties and Other, Net – at cost.  Oil and natural gas properties and equipment are recorded at cost using the full cost method.  There were no amounts excluded from amortization as of the dates presented in the following table (in thousands):

Other Assets (long-term).  The major categories recorded in Other assets are presented in the following table (in thousands):

Recent Accounting Developments.  In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09 (“ASU 2014-09”), Summary and Amendments That Create Revenue from Contracts and Customers (Subtopic 606).  ASU 2014-09 amends and replaces current revenue recognition requirements, including most industry-specific guidance.  The revised guidance establishes a five step approach to be utilized in determining when, and if, revenue should be recognized.  ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017.  Upon application, an entity may elect one of two methods, either restatement of prior periods presented or recording a cumulative adjustment in the initial period of application (modified retrospective approach).  Our current intention is to adopt the standard utilizing the modified retrospective approach.  Our evaluation to date is that the adoption of ASU 2014-09 is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.  We have not fully completed our analysis.  Our disclosures related to revenue will be modified when the new guidance is effective.  ASU 2014-09 will be effective for us in the first quarter of 2018.

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02 (“ASU 2016-02”), Leases (Subtopic 842).  Under the new guidance, a lessee will be required to recognize assets and liabilities for leases with lease terms of more than 12 months. Consistent with current GAAP, the recognition, measurement and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a lease by a lessee primarily will depend on its classification as a finance or operating lease.  However, unlike current GAAP, which requires only capital leases to be recognized on the balance sheet, ASU 2016-02 will require both types of leases to be recognized on the balance sheet.  ASU 2016-02 also will require disclosures to help investors and other financial statement users to better understand the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases.  These disclosures include qualitative and quantitative requirements, providing additional information about the amounts recorded in the financial statements.  ASU 2016-02 does not apply for leases for oil and gas properties, but does apply to equipment used to explore and develop oil and gas resources.  Our current operating leases that will be impacted by ASU 2016-02 are leases for office space in Houston, Texas and New Orleans, Louisiana, although ASU 2016-02 may impact the accounting for leases related to equipment depending on the term of the lease.  We currently do not have any leases classified as financing leases nor do we have any leases recorded on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.  ASU 2016-02 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and is to be applied using the modified retrospective approach.  We have not yet fully determined or quantified the effect ASU 2016-02 will have on our financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-13, (“ASU 2016-13”), Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Subtopic 326).  The new guidance eliminates the probable recognition threshold and broadens the information to consider past events, current conditions and forecasted information in estimating credit losses.  ASU 2016-13 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and early adoption is permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018.  We have not yet fully determined or quantified the effect ASU 2016-13 will have on our financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-15, (“ASU 2016-15”), Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230) – Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments.  ASU 2016-15 addresses the classification of several items that previously had diversity in practice.  Items identified in the new standard which were incurred by us in the past are: (a) debt prepayment or extinguishment costs; (b) contingent consideration made after a business acquisition; and (c) proceeds from settlement of insurance claims.  The item described in clause (b) would be the only such item changed under our historical classification in the statement of cash flows (financing vs. investing) and the amount of such change would not have been material; therefore, we do not anticipate the new standard will have a material effect on our financial statements.  ASU 2016-15 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 and early adoption is permitted.

In November 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-18, (“ASU 2016-18”), Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230) – Restricted Cash.  ASU 2016-18 addresses diversity in practice and requires that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows.  ASU 2016-18 is expected to change some of the presentation in our statement of cash flows, but not materially impact total cash flows from operating, investing or financing activities.  ASU 2016-18 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those fiscal years.  Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period.

In August 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2017-12, (“ASU 2017-12”), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) – Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities.  The amendments in ASU 2017-12 require an entity to present the earnings effect of the hedging instrument in the same income statement line in which the earning effect of the hedged item is reported.  This presentation enables users of financial statements to better understand the results and costs of an entity’s hedging program.  Also, relative to current GAAP, this approach simplifies the financial statement reporting for qualifying hedging relationships.  As we do not designate our commodity derivative positions as qualifying hedging instruments, our assessment is this amendment will not impact the presentation of the changes in fair values of our commodity derivative instruments on our financial statements.  ASU 2017-12 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020.  Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period.