Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Acquisitions

v3.3.0.814
Acquisitions
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Business Combinations [Abstract]  
Acquisitions
ACQUISITIONS

In February 2014, the Company entered into a definitive agreement with Rhino Exploration LLC ("Rhino") to acquire additional oil and natural gas properties consisting of approximately 8,000 net acres in the Utica Shale, as well as Rhino's interest in all of the producing wells on this acreage (the "Rhino Acquisition"). The Company purchased approximately $182.0 million ($179.5 million net of purchase price adjustments) of these assets in 2014.

The Rhino Acquisition qualified as a business combination for accounting purposes and, as such, the Company estimated the fair value of the acquired properties as of the March 20, 2014 acquisition date. The fair value of the assets and liabilities acquired was estimated using assumptions that represent Level 3 inputs. See Note 11 - "Fair Value Measurements" for additional discussion of the measurement inputs.

The Company estimated that the consideration paid in the Rhino Acquisition for these properties approximated the fair value that would be paid by a typical market participant. As a result, no goodwill or bargain purchase gain was recognized in conjunction with the purchase.

The following table summarizes the consideration paid in the Rhino Acquisition to acquire the properties and the fair value amount of the assets acquired as of March 20, 2014.
 
 
(In thousands)
Consideration paid
 
 
     Cash, net of purchase price adjustments
 
$
179,527

Fair value of identifiable assets acquired
 
 
     Oil and natural gas properties
 
 
       Proved
 
$
31,961

       Unproved
 
6,263

       Unevaluated
 
141,303

Fair value of net identifiable assets acquired
 
$
179,527



In April 2015, the Company entered into an agreement to acquire Paloma Partners III, LLC ("Paloma") for a total purchase price of approximately $301.9 million, subject to certain adjustments. Paloma holds approximately 24,000 net nonproducing acres in the Utica Shale of Ohio. In accordance with the agreement, the Company deposited $75.0 million into an escrow account. At the closing of the transaction the deposit was credited toward the purchase price. This transaction closed on August 31, 2015 for a purchase price of approximately $302.3 million, net of purchase price adjustments. At closing, approximately $30.1 million of the purchase price was placed in escrow pending completion of title review after the closing.

On June 9, 2015, the Company completed the acquisition of 6,198 gross and net acres located in Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio from American Energy-Utica, LLC ("AEU") for a purchase price of approximately $68.2 million, subject to adjustment. On June 12, 2015, the Company completed the acquisition of 38,965 gross (27,228 net) acres located in Monroe County, Ohio, 14.6 MMcf per day of average net production (estimated for April 2015), 18 gross (11.3 net) drilled but uncompleted wells, an 11 mile gas gathering system and a four well pad location from AEU for a total purchase price of approximately $319.0 million (the "Monroe Acquisition"). On June 29, 2015, the Company acquired an additional 4,950 gross (1,900 net) acres in Monroe County for an additional $18.2 million from AEU. The total purchase price of these transactions, collectively referred to as the ("AEU Acquisition"), was approximately $405.4 million, subject to closing adjustments. At closing, approximately $67.1 million of the purchase price was placed in escrow pending completion of title review after the closing.

The AEU Acquisition qualified as a business combination for accounting purposes and, as such, the Company estimated the fair value of the acquired properties as of the June 12, 2015 acquisition date. The fair value of the assets and liabilities acquired was estimated using assumptions that represent Level 3 inputs. See Note 11 - "Fair Value Measurements" for additional discussion of the measurement inputs.

The Company estimated that the consideration paid in the AEU Acquisition for these properties approximated the fair value that would be paid by a typical market participant. As a result, no goodwill or bargain purchase gain was recognized in conjunction with the purchase.

The following table summarizes the consideration paid in the AEU Acquisition to acquire the properties and the fair value amount of the assets acquired as of June 12, 2015. Both the consideration paid and the fair value assigned to the assets is preliminary and subject to adjustment upon final closing.

 
 
(In thousands)
Consideration paid
 
 
     Cash, net of purchase price adjustments
 
$
405,029

Fair value of identifiable assets acquired
 
 
     Oil and natural gas properties
 
 
       Proved
 
$
70,804

       Unevaluated
 
334,225

Fair value of net identifiable assets acquired
 
$
405,029