| (d) |
Resource properties |
Exploration and evaluation (“E&E”) costs
Pre-license costs are expensed in the period in which they are incurred.
E&E costs are initially capitalized as either tangible or intangible E&E assets according to the nature of the assets acquired. Intangible E&E assets may include costs of license acquisition, technical services and studies, seismic acquisition, exploration drilling and testing, and directly attributable overhead and administration expenses. The costs are accumulated in cost centers by well, field or exploration area pending determination of technical feasibility and commercial viability.
E&E assets are assessed for impairment if sufficient data exists to determine technical feasibility and commercial viability or facts and circumstances suggest that the carrying amount exceeds the recoverable amount. For purposes of impairment testing, E&E assets are assessed at the individual asset level. If it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of the individual asset, exploration and evaluation assets are allocated to cash-generating units (“CGU’s”). Such CGU’s are not larger than an operating segment.
Exploration assets are not depleted and are carried forward until technical feasibility and commercial viability of extracting a mineral resource is considered to be determinable or sufficient/continued progress is made in assessing the commercial viability of the E&E assets. The technical feasibility and commercial viability of extracting a mineral resource is considered to be determinable when proven reserves are determined to exist. A review of each exploration license or field is carried out, at least annually, to confirm whether the Company intends further appraisal activity or to otherwise extract value from the property. When this is no longer the case, the costs are written off. Upon determination of proven reserves, E&E assets attributable to those reserves are first tested for impairment and then reclassified from E&E assets to oil and natural gas properties.
The Company may occasionally enter into arrangements, whereby the Company will transfer part of an oil and gas interest, as consideration, for an agreement by the transferee to meet certain E&E expenditures which would have otherwise been undertaken by the Company. The Company does not record any expenditures made by the transferee. Any cash consideration received from the agreement is credited against the costs previously capitalized to the oil and gas interest given up by the Company, with any excess cash accounted for as a gain on disposal.
Oil and gas properties and other property and equipment costs
Items of property and equipment, which include oil and gas development and production assets, are measured at cost less accumulated depletion and depreciation and accumulated impairment losses.
The initial cost of an asset comprises its purchase price or construction cost, any costs directly attributable to bringing the asset into operation, the initial estimate of the decommissioning obligation and, for qualifying assets, borrowing costs. The purchase price or construction cost is the aggregate amount paid and the fair value of any other consideration given to acquire the asset. When significant parts of an item of property and equipment, including oil and natural gas interests, have different useful lives, they are accounted for as separate items (major components).
Depletion and Depreciation
Oil and gas development and production assets are depreciated, by significant component, on a unit-of-production basis over proved and probable reserve volumes, taking into account estimated future development costs necessary to bring those reserves into production. Future development costs are estimated by taking into account the level of development required to produce the reserves. These estimates are reviewed by independent reserve engineers at least annually. Changes in reserve estimates are dealt with prospectively. Proved and probable reserves are estimated using independent reserve engineer reports and represent the estimated quantities of oil, natural gas and gas liquids.
Other property and equipment are depreciated based on a declining balance basis, which approximates the estimated useful lives of the asset, at the following rates:
| Office furniture and equipment | 20% |
| Computer equipment | 45% |
| Vehicle | 30% |
| Leasehold improvements | term of lease |
Depreciation methods, useful lives and residual values are reviewed at each reporting date. Other property and equipment are allocated to each of the Company’s primary cash-generating units, based on estimated future net revenue, consistent with the recoverable values applied in the most recent impairment test.
Derecognition
The carrying amount of an item of property and equipment is derecognized on disposal, when no beneficial interest is retained, or when no future economic benefits are expected from its use or disposal. The gain or loss arising from derecognition is included in profit or loss when the item is derecognized and is measured as the difference between the net disposal proceeds, if any, and the carrying amount of the item. The date of disposal is the date when the Company is no longer subject to the risks of ownership and is no longer the beneficiary of the rewards of ownership. Where the asset is derecognized, the date of disposal coincides with the date the revenue from the sale of the asset is recognized.
On the disposition of an undivided interest in a property, where an economic benefit remains, the Company recognizes the farm out only on the receipt of consideration by reducing the carrying amount of the related property with any excess recognized in profit or loss of the period.
Major maintenance and repairs
The costs of day-to-day servicing are expensed as incurred. These primarily include the costs of labor, consumables and small parts. Material costs of replaced parts, turnarounds and major inspections are capitalized as it is probable that future economic benefits will be received. The carrying value of a replaced part is derecognized in accordance with the derecognition principles above.
Jointly controlled operations
The Company conducts its oil and gas development and production activities through jointly controlled operations and the accounts reflect only its interest in such activities. A joint arrangement exists where the parties take their share of the output and is accounted for by recognizing the Company’s share of assets and liabilities jointly owned and incurred, and the recognition of its share of revenue and expenses of the joint operation. At December 31, 2017, the Company’s material joint operation in Canada is Drake/Woodrush. The principal activity is oil and gas production and the ownership percentage is 99% (December 31, 2016 – 99%).