NOTE 1 – ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Organization and Nature of Operations – Ring Energy, Inc. is a Nevada corporation. Ring Energy, Inc. is referred to herein as the “Company.” The Company owns interests in oil and gas properties located in Texas and Kansas and is engaged primarily in the acquisition, exploration and development of oil and gas properties and the production and sale of oil and natural gas.

Use of Estimates – The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Changes in the future estimated oil and natural gas reserves or the estimated future cash flows attributable to the reserves that are utilized for impairment analysis could have a significant impact on the future results of operations.

Fair Values of Financial Instruments – The carrying amounts reported for the revolving line of credit approximates fair value because the underlying instruments are at interest rates which approximate current market rates. The carrying amounts of receivables and accounts payable and other current assets and liabilities approximate fair value because of the short-term maturities and/or liquid nature of these assets and liabilities.

Fair Value of Non-financial Assets and Liabilities – The Company also applies fair value accounting guidance to initially, or as events dictate, measure non-financial assets and liabilities such as those obtained through business acquisitions, property and equipment and asset retirement obligations. These assets and liabilities are subject to fair value adjustments only in certain circumstances and are not subject to recurring revaluations. Fair value may be estimated using comparable market data, a discounted cash flow method, or a combination of the two as considered appropriate based on the circumstances. Under the discounted cash flow method, estimated future cash flows are based on managements’ expectations for the future and include estimates of future oil and natural gas production or other applicable sales estimates, operational costs and a risk-adjusted discount rate. The Company may use the present value of estimated future cash inflows and/or outflows or third-party offers or prices of comparable assets with consideration of current market conditions to value its non-financial assets and liabilities when circumstances dictate determining fair value is necessary. Given the significance of the unobservable nature of a number of the inputs, these are considered Level 3 on the fair value hierarchy.

Cash – The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Oil and Gas Properties – The Company uses the full cost method of accounting for oil and gas properties. Under this method, all costs associated with acquisition, exploration, and development of oil and gas properties are capitalized. Costs capitalized include acquisition costs, geological and geophysical expenditures, lease rentals on undeveloped properties and costs of drilling and equipping productive and non-productive wells. Drilling costs include directly related overhead costs. Capitalized costs are categorized either as being subject to amortization or not subject to amortization.

		For the Years Ended December 31,
		2016			2015			2014
Depletion		$	11,179,858		$	14,889,487		$	11,680,537
Depletion rate, per barrel-of-oil-equivalent (BOE)		$	12.73		$	20.03		$	25.20

 

Land, Buildings, Equipment and Leasehold Improvements – Land, buildings, equipment and leasehold improvements are valued at historical cost, adjusted for impairment loss less accumulated depreciation. Historical costs include all direct costs associated with the acquisition of land, buildings, equipment and leasehold improvements and placing them in service.

Buildings and improvements		30 years
Office equipment and software		5-7 years
Machinery and equipment		5-7 years

Revenue recognition – The Company predominantly derives its revenue from the sale of produced crude oil and natural gas. Revenue is recorded in the month the product is delivered to the purchaser. At the end of each month, the Company estimates the amount of production delivered to purchasers and the price received. Variances between the Company’s estimated revenue and actual payment are recorded in the month the payment is received; however, differences have been insignificant.

Income Taxes – Provisions for income taxes are based on taxes payable or refundable for the current year and deferred taxes. Deferred taxes are provided on differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the financial statements, and tax carry forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are included in the financial statements at currently enacted income tax rates applicable to the period in which the deferred tax assets and liabilities are expected to be realized or settled. As changes in tax laws or rates are enacted, deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted through the provision for income taxes.

Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes – In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, the Company has analyzed its filing positions in all jurisdictions where it is required to file income tax returns for the open tax years in such jurisdictions. The Company has identified its federal income tax return and its state income tax returns in Texas and Kansas in which it operates as “major” tax jurisdictions. The Company’s federal and Kansas income tax returns for the years ended December 31, 2013 through 2016 remain subject to examination. The Company’s franchise tax returns in Texas remain subject to examination for 2012 through 2016. The Company currently believes that all significant filing positions are highly certain and that all of its significant income tax filing positions and deductions would be sustained upon audit. Therefore, the Company has no significant reserves for uncertain tax positions and no adjustments to such reserves were required by generally accepted accounting principles. No interest or penalties have been levied against the Company and none are anticipated; therefore, no interest or penalty has been included in our provision for income taxes in the statements of operations. 

Earnings (Loss) Per Share – Basic earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the year. Diluted earnings (loss) per share are calculated to give effect to potentially issuable dilutive common shares.

Major Customers – During the year ended December 31, 2016, sales to two customers represented 50% and 42%, respectively of total oil and gas revenues. At December 31, 2016, these two customers made up 59% and 32%, respectively, of accounts receivable. During the year ended December 31, 2015, sales to three customers represented 48%, 23% and 20%, respectively of total sales. At December 31, 2015, these three customers made up 30%, 53% and 0%, respectively, of accounts receivable. During the year ended December 31, 2014, sales to two customers represented 75% and 18% of total sales, respectively. At December 31, 2014, these two customers made up 45% and 37%, respectively, of accounts receivable. The loss of any of our customers would not have a material adverse effect on the Company as there is an available market for its crude oil and natural gas production from other purchasers.

Stock-Based Employee and Non-Employee Compensation – The Company has outstanding stock options to directors, employees and contract employees, which are described more fully in Note 8. The Company accounts for its stock options grants in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Generally accepted accounting principles require the recognition of the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments in the financial statements and is measured based on the grant date fair value of the award. Generally accepted accounting principles also requires stock option compensation expense to be recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the award (the vesting period).

 

Reclassifications – Certain reclassifications of amounts previously reported have been made to the accompanying financial statements to maintain consistency between periods presented. The reclassifications had no impact on net income (loss) or shareholders’ equity.

 

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncement – In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, Presentation of Financial Statements – Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40.) Its objective is to provide guidance about management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. Certain disclosures are required should substantial doubt exist. This evaluation is performed each annual and interim reporting period to assess conditions or events within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. This ASU was effective for Ring beginning with the year ended December 31, 2016; however, no additional disclosures as contemplated by this ASU were warranted.

 

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncement – In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718.) The guidance seeks to simplify the accounting for share-based compensation. The new standard requires all excess tax benefits and reductions from differences between the deduction for tax purposes and the compensation cost recorded for financial reporting purposes be recognized as income tax expense or benefit in the Statement of Operations and not recognized as additional paid-in capital. The new standard also requires all excess tax benefits and deficiencies to be classified as operating activity included with income tax cash flows. Ring adopted this ASU as of January 1, 2017. For recording periods following adoption, Ring will make certain income tax presentation changes, most notably prospectively presenting excess tax benefits as income tax expense in the statements of operations and as operating cash flows in the statements of cash flows. The adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on the Company’s statement of cash flows.

 

In August 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230).  ASU 2016-15 seeks to reduce the existing diversity in practice in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. This update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on the Company’s statement of cash flows.

 

In February 2016, FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 841). For lessees, the amendments in this update require that for all leases not considered to be short term, a company recognize both a lease liability and right-of-use asset on its balance sheet, representing the obligation to make payments and the right to use or control the use of a specified asset for the lease term. The amendments in this update are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Upon adoption the Company will begin reflect long-term future lease payments as both an asset and a liability on its balance sheet. The adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

 

In May 2014, the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issued a joint revenue recognition standard, ASU 2014-09. The new standard removes inconsistencies in existing standards, changes the way companies recognize revenue from contracts with customers, and increases disclosure requirements. The codification was amended through additional ASUs and, as amended, requires companies to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The standard is required to be adopted using either the full retrospective approach, with all prior periods presented adjusted, or the modified retrospective approach, with a cumulative adjustment to retained earnings on the opening balance sheet. The Company will adopt the new standard utilizing the modified retrospective approach. Upon preliminary evaluation, the Company does not expect the adoption of this ASU to have a material impact on its financial statements.