Ring Energy, Inc. Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2024

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

NOTE 6 — DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The Company is exposed to fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas prices on its production. It utilizes derivative strategies that consist of either a single derivative instrument or a combination of instruments to manage the variability in cash flows associated with the forecasted sale of our future domestic oil and natural gas production. While the use of derivative instruments may limit or partially reduce the downside risk of adverse commodity price movements, their use also may limit future income from favorable commodity price movements.

From time to time, the Company enters into derivative contracts to protect the Company’s cash flow from price fluctuation and maintain its capital programs. The Company has historically used costless collars, deferred premium puts, or swaps for this purpose. Oil derivative contracts are based on WTI ("West Texas Intermediate") crude oil prices and natural gas contacts are based on the Henry Hub. A “costless collar” is the combination of two options, a put option (floor) and call option (ceiling) with the options structured so that the premium paid for the put option will be offset by the premium received from selling the call option. Similar to costless collars, there is no cost to enter into the swap contracts. A deferred premium put contract has the premium established upon entering the contract, and due upon settlement of the contract.

The use of derivative transactions involves the risk that the counterparties, which generally are financial institutions, will be unable to meet the financial terms of such transactions. All of our derivative contracts are with lenders under our Credit Facility. Non-performance risk is incorporated in the discount rate by adding the quoted bank (counterparty) credit default swap (CDS) rates to the risk free rate. Although the counterparties hold the right to offset (i.e. netting) the settlement amounts with the Company, in accordance with ASC 815-10-50-4B, the Company classifies the fair value of all its derivative positions on a gross basis in the Company's Condensed Balance Sheets.

The Company’s derivative financial instruments are recorded at fair value and included as either assets or liabilities in the accompanying Condensed Balance Sheets. The Company has not designated its derivative instruments as hedges for accounting purposes, and, as a result, any gains or losses resulting from changes in fair value of outstanding derivative financial instruments and from the settlement of derivative financial instruments are recognized in earnings and included as a component of "Other Income" under the heading "Gain (loss) on derivative contracts" in the accompanying Condensed Statements of Operations.

The following presents the impact of the Company’s contracts on its Condensed Balance Sheets for the periods indicated.


	As of
	September 30, 2024		December 31, 2023
Commodity derivative instruments, marked to market:

Derivative assets, current	$	8,605,087	$	7,768,697
Discounted deferred premiums	(229,103)		(1,553,323)
Derivatives assets, current, net of premiums	$	8,375,984	$	6,215,374



Derivative assets, noncurrent	$	8,735,674	$	11,634,714

Derivative liabilities, current	$	3,929,188	$	7,520,336

Derivative liabilities, noncurrent	$	4,535,777	$	11,510,368

The components of “Gain (loss) on derivative contracts” from the Condensed Statements of Operations are as follows for the respective periods:


	For the Three Months Ended				For the Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2024		September 30, 2023		September 30, 2024		September 30, 2023
Oil derivatives:
Realized gain (loss) on oil derivatives	$	(3,109,660)	$	(5,825,427)	$	(9,921,757)	$	(7,323,030)
Unrealized gain (loss) on oil derivatives	27,238,245		(34,077,473)		12,552,517		(21,425,316)
Gain (loss) on oil derivatives	$	24,128,585	$	(39,902,900)	$	2,630,760	$	(28,748,346)

Natural gas derivatives:
Realized gain (loss) on natural gas derivatives	1,226,895		474,629		$	3,982,980	$	1,493,302
Unrealized gain (loss) on natural gas derivatives	(623,855)		205,516		(2,725,209)		771,854
Gain (loss) on natural gas derivatives	$	603,040	$	680,145	$	1,257,771	$	2,265,156

Gain (loss) on derivative contracts	$	24,731,625	$	(39,222,755)	$	3,888,531	$	(26,483,190)

The components of “Cash received (paid) for derivative settlements, net” within the Condensed Statements of Cash Flows are as follows for the respective periods:


	For the Three Months Ended				For the Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2024		September 30, 2023		September 30, 2024		September 30, 2023
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash received (paid) for oil derivatives	$	(3,109,660)	$	(5,825,427)	$	(9,921,757)	$	(7,323,030)
Cash received (paid) for natural gas derivatives	1,226,895		474,629		3,982,980		1,493,302
Cash received (paid) for derivative settlements, net	$	(1,882,765)	$	(5,350,798)	$	(5,938,777)	$	(5,829,728)

The following tables reflect the details of current derivative contracts as of September 30, 2024 (Quantities are in barrels (Bbl) for the oil derivative contracts and in million British thermal units (MMBtu) for the natural gas derivative contracts):


	Oil Hedges (WTI)
	Q4 2024		Q1 2025		Q2 2025		Q3 2025		Q4 2025		Q1 2026		Q2 2026		Q3 2026

Swaps:
Hedged volume (Bbl)	368,000		71,897		52,063		265,517		64,555		449,350		432,701		—
Weighted average swap price	$	68.43	$	72.03	$	72.03	$	72.94	$	72.03	$	70.38	$	69.53	$	—

Deferred premium puts:
Hedged volume (Bbl)	88,405		—		—		—		—		—		—		—
Weighted average strike price	$	75.00	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—
Weighted average deferred premium price	$	2.61	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—

Two-way collars:
Hedged volume (Bbl)	128,800		474,750		464,100		225,400		404,800		—		—		379,685
Weighted average put price	$	60.00	$	57.06	$	60.00	$	65.00	$	60.00	$	—	$	—	$	60.00
Weighted average call price	$	73.24	$	75.82	$	69.85	$	78.91	$	75.68	$	—	$	—	$	72.50


	Gas Hedges (Henry Hub)
	Q4 2024		Q1 2025		Q2 2025		Q3 2025		Q4 2025		Q1 2026		Q2 2026		Q3 2026

NYMEX Swaps:
Hedged volume (MMBtu)	431,800		616,199		594,400		289,550		—		—		532,500		—
Weighted average swap price	$	4.44	$	3.78	$	3.43	$	3.72	$	—	$	—	$	3.38	$	—

Two-way collars:
Hedged volume (MMBtu)	18,300		33,401		27,300		308,200		598,000		553,500		—		515,728
Weighted average put price	$	3.00	$	3.00	$	3.00	$	3.00	$	3.00	$	3.50	$	—	$	3.00

Weighted average call price	$	4.15	$	4.39	$	4.15	$	4.75	$	4.15	$	5.03	$	—	$	3.93


	Oil Hedges (basis differential)
	Q4 2024		Q1 2025		Q2 2025		Q3 2025		Q4 2025		Q1 2026		Q2 2026		Q3 2026

Argus basis swaps:
Hedged volume (Bbl)	244,000		270,000		273,000		276,000		276,000		—		—		—
Weighted average spread price (1)	$	1.15	$	1.00	$	1.00	$	1.00	$	1.00	$	—	$	—	$	—

(1) The oil basis swap hedges are calculated as the fixed price (weighted average spread price above) less the difference between WTI Midland and WTI Cushing, in the issue of Argus Americas Crude.