NOTE 12 – CONTINGENCIES AND COMMITMENTS

Standby Letters of Credit – A commercial bank issued standby letters of credit on behalf of the Company to a state agency for $250,000 on June 26, 2015, a federal agency for $10,000 on April 9, 2019, and to an insurance company on May 19, 2020 for $500,438. The standby letters of credit are valid until cancelled or matured and are collateralized by the Credit Facility. The terms of the letters of credit to the state and federal agencies are extended for a term of one year at a time. The Company intends to renew the standby letters of credit to the state and federal agencies for as long as the Company does business in the States of Texas and New Mexico. The letter of credit to the insurance company relates to the surety bonds noted below. No amounts have been drawn under the standby letters of credit.

Surety Bonds - An insurance company issued surety bonds on behalf of the Company totaling $500,438 to various State of New Mexico agencies in order for the Company to do business in the State of New Mexico. The surety bonds are valid until canceled or matured. The terms of the surety bonds are extended for a term of one year at a time. The Company intends to renew the surety bonds on $400,000 as long as the Company does business in the State of New Mexico. The remaining $100,438 is related to inactive wells and will remain in place until the Company returns those wells to activity or plugs them. As of September 30, 2022, the Company had surety bonds of $450,288, with $50,288 related to inactive wells.