Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Equity Investments

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Equity Investments
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Equity Investments [Abstract]  
Equity Investments
4.   EQUITY INVESTMENTS

 

    September 30, 2011     December 31, 2010  

Investment in Tatex Thailand II, LLC

  $ 1,150,000      $ 1,907,000   

Investment in Tatex Thailand III, LLC

    7,414,000        4,660,000   

Investment in Grizzly Oil Sands ULC

    41,161,000        26,454,000   

Investment in Bison Drilling and Field Services LLC

    6,304,000        —     
 

 

 

   

 

 

 
  $ 56,029,000      $ 33,021,000   
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Tatex Thailand II, LLC

During 2005, the Company purchased a 23.5% ownership interest in Tatex Thailand II, LLC ("Tatex") at a cost of $2,400,000. The remaining interests in Tatex are owned by entities controlled by Wexford. Tatex, a non-public entity, holds 85,122 of the 1,000,000 outstanding shares of APICO, LLC ("APICO"), an international oil and gas exploration company. APICO has a reserve base located in Southeast Asia through its ownership of concessions covering two million acres which includes the Phu Horm Field. During the nine months ended September 30, 2011, Gulfport received $750,000 in distributions, reducing its total net investment in Tatex to $1,150,000. The loss on equity investment related to Tatex was immaterial for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010.

Tatex Thailand III, LLC

During the first quarter of 2008, the Company purchased a 5% ownership interest in Tatex Thailand III, LLC ("Tatex III") at a cost of $850,000. In December 2009, the Company purchased an additional approximately 12.9% ownership interest at a cost of approximately $3,385,000 bringing its total ownership interest to approximately 17.9%. Approximately 68.7% of the remaining interests in Tatex III are owned by entities controlled by Wexford. During the nine months ended September 30, 2011, Gulfport paid $2,953,000 in cash calls, increasing its total net investment in Tatex III (including previous investments) to $7,414,000. The Company recognized a loss on equity investment of $199,000 and $149,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, which is included in (income) loss from equity method investments in the consolidated statements of operations.

Grizzly Oil Sands ULC

During the third quarter of 2006, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary Grizzly Holdings Inc., purchased a 24.9999% interest in Grizzly, a Canadian unlimited liability company, for approximately $8,199,000. The remaining interests in Grizzly are owned by entities controlled by Wexford. During 2006 and 2007, Grizzly acquired leases in the Athabasca region located in the Alberta Province near Fort McMurray near other oil sands development projects. Grizzly has drilled core holes and water supply test wells in nine separate lease blocks for feasibility of oil production and conducted a seismic program. In March 2010, Grizzly filed an application in Alberta, Canada for the development of an 11,300 barrel per day SAGD facility at Algar Lake. In October 2011, the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) and Ministry of Environment completed their review of Grizzly's Algar Lake Project and have prepared their approval documents. A request has been made to the Government of Alberta to provide an Order-in Council authorizing the ERCB to issue the formal approval to Grizzly. As of September 30, 2011, Gulfport's net investment in Grizzly was $41,161,000. During the nine months ended September 30, 2011, the Company paid $17,902,000 in cash calls. Grizzly's functional currency is the Canadian dollar. The Company's investment in Grizzly was decreased by $3,138,000 and $2,200,000 as a result of a currency translation loss for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2011, respectively. The Company recognized a loss on equity investment of $182,000 and $995,000 for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2011, respectively, and $171,000 and $336,000 for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2010, respectively, which is included in (income) loss from equity method investments in the consolidated statements of operations.

 

The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary Grizzly Holdings Inc., entered into a loan agreement with Grizzly effective January 1, 2008, under which Grizzly may borrow funds from the Company. Borrowed funds initially bore interest at LIBOR plus 400 basis points and had an original maturity date of December 31, 2012. Effective April 1, 2010, the loan agreement was amended to modify the interest rate to 0.69% and change the maturity date to December 31, 2011. Effective October 15, 2010, the loan agreement was further amended to change the maturity date to December 31, 2012. Interest is paid on a paid-in-kind basis by increasing the outstanding balance of the loan. The Company loaned Grizzly approximately $3,182,000 during the nine months ended September 30, 2011. The Company recognized interest income of approximately $41,000 and $117,000 for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2011, respectively, and $31,000 and $232,000 for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2010, respectively, which is included in interest income in the consolidated statements of operations. The note balance was decreased by approximately $1,717,000 and $1,085,000 as a result of a currency translation loss for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2011, respectively. The total $22,220,000 due from Grizzly at September 30, 2011 is included in note receivable – related party on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Bison Drilling and Field Services LLC

During the third quarter of 2011, the Company purchased a 25% ownership interest in Bison Drilling and Field Services LLC ("Bison") at a cost of $6,009,000, subject to adjustment. The remaining interests in Bison are owned by entities controlled by Wexford. Bison owns and operates four drilling rigs. The Company recognized income on equity investment of $295,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, which is included in (income) loss from equity method investments in the consolidated statements of operations.