This report contains forward-looking statements that involve risk and
uncertainties. We use words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "expect",
"future", "intend", and similar expressions to identify such forward-looking
statements. Investors should be aware that all forward-looking statements
contained within this filing are good faith estimates of management as of the
date of this filing. Our actual results could differ materially from those
anticipated in these forward-looking statements.
The Company is a management services company managing the acquisition and
conventional operation of mature oil fields and the further recovery of stranded
oil from those fields using enhanced oil recovery methods for its sole customer,
SORC, an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Alleghany. See "Item 1. Business"
in the Form 10-K for the year ended May 31, 2019 for a discussion of our
business and our transactions with SORC. The sole source of revenue for the
Company comes from the management fees described in the MSA and from a Royalty
based upon the success of SORC. As of November 30, 2019, no royalties have been
accrued or paid.
From SORC's formation in 2011 through September 30, 2019, Alleghany's net
investment into SORC has been $274.1 million. This investment has been channeled
primarily into three major projects discussed in the following paragraphs.
The first project was located in Kansas. SORC funds have been used to acquire
oil and gas leases and to purchase mineral rights totaling approximately 2,500
acres and used to construct and develop an Underground Gravity Drainage ("UGD")
facility. SORC completed construction of its underground facility in 2014 and
commenced its drilling program in 2015. After a thorough evaluation of the
project, SORC sold substantially all its assets to third parties as of December
29, 2017 and no longer has oil and gas properties in Kansas
The second project is located in Louisiana. SORC has acquired oil and gas leases
on approximately 9,244 acres in a targeted oil reservoir. The oil field there is
operational and currently producing crude oil using conventional production
methods. The Company believes that mineral rights underlying sufficient acreage
are already in place to develop another UGD project there. The Company, on
behalf of SORC, is currently operating those leases acquired using conventional
recovery methods. In addition, the Company is implementing and evaluating a
modified UGD site within the field.
The third project is located in Wyoming. On January 30, 2015, SORC, through one
of its subsidiaries, purchased the Department of Energy's Naval Petroleum
Reserve Number 3 (NPR-3), the Teapot Dome Oilfield, for $45.2 million. The
purchase culminated a competitive bidding process that closed on October 16,
2014. Under the terms of the sale, operation and ownership of all of NPR-3's
mineral rights and approximately 9,000 acres of land immediately transferred to
SORC. The remaining surface acreage transferred in June 2015, bringing the total
acres purchased to 9,318. The oil field there is operational and currently
producing crude oil using conventional production methods. The Company is also
implementing and evaluating a modified UGD site within the field.
In the Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2018, Alleghany reported that
SORC realized a $35.4 million capital loss due to an impairment charge from the
write-down of certain assets arising from a decline in energy prices. The
reported SORC stockholders' equity then was $88.0 million. As of September 30,
2019, Alleghany reported the SORC stockholders' equity to be $87.8 million.
When SORC acquires mineral rights, it generally will continue to operate any
producing properties associated with those rights and expects to generate
revenue and profit from doing so. Some mineral rights acquired thus far include
leases which have producing wells on them. Once development of the underground
chamber and the UGD method is prepared for operation, selected conventional
wells are expected to be plugged and abandoned after UGD production has begun.
The effect of such operational procedures should result in minimal disruption of
oil production from the SORC field investments.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
In accordance with the SORC license and management services agreements, the
Company believes that it will receive from SORC sufficient working capital
necessary to meet its obligations under the Agreements. The Company provides the
know-how, expertise, and management required to identify, evaluate, acquire,
test and develop targeted properties, and SORC will provide all required funding
and will own the acquired assets. It is expected that SORC will be funded
primarily by Alleghany in exchange for issuance by SORC to Alleghany of 12%
Cumulative Preferred Stock. In April 2014, one of the SORC subsidiaries obtained
a $250 million non-recourse secured bank credit facility to provide it with a
lower cost source of funding as compared to the cost of funds received from
Alleghany. As of September 30, 2019, SORC had no borrowings under the facility
which is limited to the value of properties included in the borrowing base as
determined by the lending institution. As of September 30, 2019, SORC had
received $274.1 million in net funding from Alleghany. Prior to the Company
receiving any Royalty cash distributions from SORC, all SORC preferred share
accrued dividends (approximately $218 million as of September 30, 2019) must be
paid, preferred shares redeemed, and debt retired to comply with any loan
agreements. Additionally, when SORC acquires additional oil fields, any
Alleghany funds invested into SORC to finance their acquisition and development
must be repaid prior to the distribution of any Royalty cash distributions to
Laredo. With such uncertainty, Royalty cash distributions are not foreseen in
the near future, and the main source of income for the Company will continue to
be the management fee revenue under the Management Services Agreement.
The Company's cash and cash equivalents at November 30, 2019 was $383,672. Total
debt outstanding as of the filing date of this report is $350,000 owed to
Alleghany Capital, which is classified as long-term.
11
Results of Operations
Pursuant to the MSA with SORC, the Company received and recorded management fee
revenue and direct costs totaling $2,036,723 and $1,951,148 for the quarter
ended November 30, 2019 and $2,076,928 and $1,956,444 for the same quarter ended
November 30, 2018. Similarly, the Company received and recorded management fee
revenue and direct costs totaling $4,121,905 and $4,020,465 for the six months
ended November 30, 2019 and $4,138,225 and $3,919,114 for the six months ended
November 30, 2018. The decrease in revenues and direct costs is primarily
attributable to staffing changes in the three and six months ended November 30,
2019 as compared to the same three and six months of the prior fiscal year.
During the quarters ended November 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, we incurred
operating expenses of $46,322 and $57,305. The Company incurred operating
expenses of $138,805 and $173,769 during the six months ended November 30, 2019
and 2018, respectively. These expenses consisted of general operating expenses
incurred in connection with the day to day operation of our business, the
preparation and filing of our required reports and stock option compensation
expense. The decrease in expenses for the three and six months ended November
30, 2019 as compared to the same periods in 2018 is primarily attributable to
the decreased share based compensation expense and professional fees.
Due to the nature of the Agreements, the Company is relatively unaffected by the
impact of inflation. Usually, when general price inflation occurs, the price of
crude oil increases as well, which may have a positive effect on sales. However,
as the price of oil increases, it also most likely will result in making
targeted oil fields more expensive.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
The process of preparing financial statements requires that we make estimates
and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of liabilities and
stockholders' deficit at the date of the financial statements, and the reported
amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Our estimates and
assumptions are based on current facts, historical experience and various other
factors we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. As of November 30,
2019 and 2018, there are no significant estimates with regard to the financial
statements included with this report.
OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS
We do not currently have any off-balance sheet arrangements or other such
unrecorded obligations, and we have not guaranteed the debt of any other party.
© Edgar Online, source Glimpses