Item 2. Properties
Item 2. Properties.
Description of the Underlying Properties
The
Underlying Properties consist of producing and non-producing interests in oil and natural gas units, wells and lands in Texas, Louisiana
and New Mexico. The Underlying Properties include a portion of the assets in east Texas and north Louisiana acquired by Enduro from Denbury
Resources Inc. in December 2010, and all of the assets in the Permian Basin of New Mexico and west Texas acquired by Enduro from
Samson Investment Company and ConocoPhillips Company in January 2011 and February 2011, respectively. In August 2018, the
Sponsor purchased the Underlying Properties from Enduro and assumed all of Enduro’s obligations under the Trust Agreement
and other instruments to which Enduro and the Trustee were parties. The Underlying Properties are divided into two geographic regions:
the Permian Basin region and East Texas/North Louisiana region.
As of December 31, 2024, the Underlying Properties
had proved reserves of 10.8 MMBoe with 92% and 97% of the volumes and PV-10 value, respectively, attributable to proved developed reserves.
All of the 10.8 MMBoe of proved reserves, based on PV-10 value, were operated by third-party operators.
The Sponsor’s interests in the Underlying
Properties require the Sponsor to bear its proportionate share of the costs of development and operation of such properties. As of December 31,
2024, the Sponsor held average working interests of approximately 19% and 15% and average net revenue interests of approximately 16% and
12% in the Underlying Properties located in the Permian Basin and East Texas/North Louisiana regions, respectively. The Underlying Properties
are also burdened by non-cost bearing interests owned by third parties consisting primarily of overriding royalty and royalty interests.
Reserves
Cawley,
Gillespie & Associates, Inc. (“Cawley Gillespie”), independent petroleum and geological engineers, estimated
crude oil (including natural gas liquids) and natural gas proved reserves of the Underlying Properties’ full economic life and for
the Trust life as of December 31, 2024. Numerous uncertainties are inherent in estimating reserve volumes and values, and the estimates
are subject to change as additional information becomes available. The reserves actually recovered and the timing of production of the
reserves may vary significantly from the original estimates. In addition, the reserves and net revenues attributable to the Net Profits
Interest include only 80% of the reserves attributable to the Underlying Properties that are expected to be produced within the term of
the Net Profits Interest.
The independent petroleum engineer’s report
as to the proved oil and natural gas reserves as of December 31, 2024 was prepared by Cawley Gillespie. Cawley Gillespie, whose firm
registration number is F-693, was founded in 1961 and is a leader in the evaluation of oil and gas properties. The technical person at
Cawley Gillespie primarily responsible for overseeing the reserve estimates with respect to the Underlying Properties and the Net Profits
Interest attributable to the Trust is W. Todd Brooker. Mr. Brooker has been a petroleum consultant for Cawley Gillespie since 1992
and is currently the Senior Vice President. He is a registered professional engineer in the State of Texas (license no. 83462) and a graduate
of the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering.
Information
concerning changes in net proved reserves attributable to the Trust, and the calculation of the standardized measure of the related discounted
future net revenues is contained in the notes to the financial statements of the Trust included in this Form 10-K. COERT has
not filed reserve estimates covering the Underlying Properties with any other federal authority or agency.
40
The following table summarizes the estimated proved
reserve quantities and PV-10 attributable to the Trust and Underlying Properties as of December 31, 2024 and 2023:
Trust Net Profits Interest
Underlying Properties
Oil (1)
Natural
Gas
Total (2)
PV-10 (3)
Oil (1)
Natural
Gas
Total (2)
PV-10 (3)
(MBbls)
(MMcf)
(MBoe)
(in thousands)
(MBbls)
(MMcf)
(MBoe)
(in thousands)
2024
Proved Developed Producing
2,437
5,892
3,419
$ 76,822
5,595
13,374
7,824
$ 96,027
Proved Developed Non-Producing
4
7,290
1,219
8,293
6
12,840
2,146
10,367
Proved Undeveloped
298
962
458
6,246
575
1,846
883
3,096
2023
Proved Developed Producing
1,826
4,545
2,584
$ 62,512
4,239
10,481
5,986
$ 78,140
Proved Developed Non-Producing
55
3,162
582
6,774
85
4,984
916
8,465
Proved Undeveloped
283
1,648
558
7,370
552
2,924
1,039
4,615
(1) Reserves for natural gas liquids are included as a component of oil reserves.
(2) Boe represents an approximate energy equivalent basis such that one Bbl of crude oil equals approximately six Mcf of natural gas.
However, the value of oil and natural gas value and the value of reserve volumes of oil and natural gas are often substantially different
than the amount implied by the Boe ratio.
(3) PV-10 is a non-GAAP financial measure and represents the present value of estimated future cash inflows from proved crude oil and
natural gas reserves, less future development and production costs, discounted at 10% per annum to reflect timing of future cash inflows
using the twelve-month unweighted arithmetic average of the first-day-of-the-month commodity prices, after adjustment for differentials
in location and quality, for each of the preceding twelve months. An estimate of PV-10 is provided because it provides useful information
to investors as it is widely used by professional analysts and sophisticated investors when evaluating oil and gas companies. PV-10 is
considered relevant and useful for evaluating the relative monetary significance of oil and natural gas reserves. PV-10 is not intended
to represent the current market value of the estimated reserves of the Underlying Properties. PV-10 differs from standardized measure
of discounted future net cash flows because it does not include the effect of future income taxes. Please refer to the notes to the financial
statements of the Trust included in this Form 10-K.
Reserve quantities and revenues for the Net Profits
Interest were estimated from projections of reserves and revenues attributable to the Underlying Properties. Since the Trust has a defined
Net Profits Interest, the Trust does not own a specific percentage of the oil and natural gas reserve quantities. Accordingly, reserves
allocated to the Trust pertaining to its 80% Net Profits Interest in the Underlying Properties have effectively been reduced to reflect
recovery of the Trust’s 80% portion of applicable production and development costs. Because Trust reserve quantities are determined
using an allocation formula, any changes in actual or assumed prices or costs will result in revisions to the estimated reserve quantities
allocated to the Net Profits Interest.
Estimates of proved reserves were prepared in accordance
with guidelines prescribed by the SEC and the Financial Accounting Standards Board, which require that reserve estimates be prepared under
existing economic and operating conditions based upon an average of the NYMEX first-day-of-the-month commodity price during the 12-month
period ending on the balance sheet date with no provision for price and cost escalations except by contractual arrangements. Prices used
in estimating reserves were as follows:
2024
2023
2022
Oil (per Bbl)
$ 75.48
$ 78.22
$ 93.67
Natural gas (per Mcf)
$ 2.13
$ 2.64
$ 6.36
Changes in Proved Undeveloped Reserves
During
the year ended December 31, 2024, proved undeveloped reserves of the Underlying Properties decreased 0.2 MMBoe primarily due to the
decrease in the estimated reserves for the booked, non-operated wells in Haynesville shale of Louisiana, partially offset by the
increase in the amount of booked, non-operated Wolfcamp shale wells in the Permian Basin. The following is a summary of the changes in
quantities of proved undeveloped reserves for the Underlying Properties during the year ended December 31, 2024.
Underlying Properties
Oil (1)
Natural Gas
Total
(MBbls)
(MMcf)
(MBoe)
Balance – December 31, 2023
552
2,924
1,039
Development
6
4
7
Revisions and Other
17
(1,082 )
(156 )
Balance – December 31, 2024
575
1,846
890
(1) Reserves for natural gas liquids
are included as a component of oil reserves.
41
Producing Acreage and Well Counts
For the following data, “gross” refers
to the total number of wells or acres in the Underlying Properties and “net” refers to gross wells or acres multiplied by
the percentage working interest owned by the Sponsor and in turn attributable to the Underlying Properties. All of the acreage comprising
the Underlying Properties is held by production. Although many wells produce both oil and natural gas, a well is categorized as an oil
well or a natural gas well based upon the ratio of oil to natural gas production.
The Underlying Properties are interests in properties
located in the Permian Basin of west Texas and New Mexico and in the East Texas/North Louisiana region. The following is a summary of
the approximate acreage of the Underlying Properties at December 31, 2024:
Acres
Gross
Net
Permian Basin
119,112
33,830
East Texas/North Louisiana
10,424
2,840
Total
129,536
36,670
The following is a summary of the producing wells
on the Underlying Properties as of December 31, 2024:
Oil
Natural Gas
Gross Wells (1)
Net Wells
Gross Wells (1)
Net Wells
Permian Basin
2,174
219
66
8
East Texas/North Louisiana
—
—
308
47
Total
2,174
219
374
55
(1) The Sponsor’s total producing
wells include 2,548 non-operated wells.
The following is a summary of the number of development
and exploratory wells drilled on the Underlying Properties located in the Permian Basin and East Texas/North Louisiana during the last
three years:
Year Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Gross
Net
Gross
Net
Gross
Net
Permian Basin
Development Wells:
Productive
47
1.2
15
0.5
5
0.1
Dry holes
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Exploratory Wells:
Productive
—
—
—
—
—
—
Dry holes
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Total:
Productive
47
1.2
15
0.5
5
0.1
Dry holes
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
42
Year Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Gross
Net
Gross
Net
Gross
Net
East Texas/North Louisiana
Development Wells: (1)
Productive
6
0.3
—
—
3
0.1
Dry holes
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Exploratory Wells:
Productive
—
—
—
—
—
—
Dry holes
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Total:
Productive
6
0.3
—
—
3
0.1
Dry holes
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(1) Production of natural gas liquids
is immaterial and included as a component of natural gas production.
Major Producing Areas
Substantially all of the Underlying Properties
are located in mature oil fields that are characterized by long production histories. Based on the reserve reports, approximately 56%
of the future production from the Underlying Properties is expected to be oil and approximately 44% is expected to be natural gas.
Permian Basin Region
The Permian Basin is one of the largest and most
prolific oil and natural gas producing basins in the United States. The Underlying Properties in the Permian Basin contain 119,112 gross
(33,830 net) acres in Texas and New Mexico.
The largest fields in the Underlying Properties
are located primarily in the Permian Basin (measured by Boe reserves at December 31, 2024). The largest field in the Permian Basin
region is the Spraberry field, which individually accounts for 21 percent of the Underlying Properties reserves as of December 31,
2024. This unit produces from the Wolfcamp formations at depths up to 8,500 feet. Proved reserves attributable to the Underlying Properties
in the Eunice Monument field were 2.2 MMBoe as of December 31, 2024. This field is operated by Pioneer Natural Resources, Ovintiv
and Franklin Mountain.
East Texas/North Louisiana Region
The Underlying Properties contain interests in
10,424 gross (2,840 net) acres in the East Texas/North Louisiana region across three fields: the Elm Grove field, operated primarily by
BP Energy, Aethon Energy Operating, LLC and Comstock Oil & Gas, LLC; and the Kingston field, operated by EXCO Resources and Diversified
Production, LLC. All proved reserves attributable to the Underlying Properties in the East Texas/North Louisiana region are located in
the Haynesville, Cotton Valley, and Hosston reservoirs of the Elm Grove and Kingston fields. Proved reserves attributable to the Underlying
Properties in the Elm Grove and Kingston fields were 2.3 MMBoe and 0.1 MMBoe, respectively, as of December 31, 2024.
Production and Reserves
The
following table shows the net production, average sales price, average lease operating expense, and proved reserves as of year-end for
the Underlying Properties located in the Permian Basin of west Texas and New Mexico and in the East Texas/North Louisiana region,
which relates to the amounts included in the net profits calculation for the distributions paid during the years ended December 31,
2024, 2023 and 2022.
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Year Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Permian Basin
Oil Sales Volumes (Bbls)
634,618
439,122
495,434
Natural Gas (1) Sales Volumes (Mcf)
3,324,021
1,700,680
1,980,171
Total Sales Volumes (Boe)
1,188,621
722,568
825,462
Oil Average Sales Price per Bbl
$ 79.20
$ 78.85
$ 90.02
Natural Gas Average Sales Price per Mcf
$ 1.98
$ 3.52
$ 5.12
Average Lease Operating Expense per Boe
$ 18.46
$ 30.44
$ 25.42
Proved Reserves (MBoe)
8,510
6,830
10,881
East Texas/North Louisiana
Oil Sales Volumes (Bbls)
384
418
1,132
Natural Gas (1) Sales Volumes (Mcf)
2,255,872
1,081,888
1,377,062
Total Sales Volumes (Boe)
376,363
180,733
230,643
Oil Average Sales Price per Bbl
$ 69.91
$ 71.23
$ 61.47
Natural Gas Average Sales Price per Mcf
$ 2.11
$ 4.22
$ 5.33
Average Lease Operating Expense per Boe
$ 4.05
$ 8.61
$ 8.18
Proved Reserves (MBoe)
2,343
1,112
827
Total
Oil Sales Volumes (Bbls)
635,002
439,540
496,566
Natural Gas (1) Sales Volumes (Mcf)
5,579,893
2,782,568
3,357,233
Total Sales Volumes (Boe)
1,564,984
903,302
1,056,105
Oil Average Sales Price per Bbl
$ 79.20
$ 78.84
$ 89.96
Natural Gas Average Sales Price per Mcf
$ 2.03
$ 3.79
$ 5.21
Average Lease Operating Expense per Boe
$ 15.00
$ 26.07
$ 21.66
Proved Reserves (MBoe)
10,853
7,941
11,708
(1) Production of natural gas liquids
is immaterial and included as a component of natural gas production.
Abandonment and Sale of Underlying Properties
Each of the operators of the Underlying Properties
or any transferee has the right to abandon its interest in any well or property if it reasonably believes a well or property ceases to
produce or is not capable of producing in commercially paying quantities. Upon termination of the lease, the portion of the Net Profits
Interest relating to the abandoned property will be extinguished.
The
Sponsor generally may sell all or a portion of its interests in the Underlying Properties, subject to and burdened by the Net Profits
Interest, without the consent of the Trust unitholders. Following the sale of all or any portion of the Underlying Properties, the purchaser
will be bound by the obligations of the Sponsor under the Trust Agreement and the Conveyance with respect to the portion sold. In addition,
the Sponsor may, without the consent of the Trust unitholders, require the Trustee to release the Net Profits Interest associated with
any lease that accounts for no more than 0.25% of the total production from the Underlying Properties in the prior 12 months , provided
that the Net Profits Interest covered by such releases cannot exceed, during any 12-month period, an aggregate fair market value to the
Trust of $500,000. These releases may be made only in connection with a sale by the Sponsor to a non-affiliate of the relevant Underlying
Properties and are conditioned upon the Trust receiving an amount equal to the fair value to the Trust of such Net Profits Interest. In
May 2023, the Sponsor sold approximately $0.3 million in non-producing, non-cash flowing acreage to a private oil company, free and
clear of the Net Profits Interest, as permitted under the Trust Agreement. The proceeds from this sale attributable to the Trust’s
Net Profits Interest were included in the distribution that was paid to Trust unitholders on August 14, 2023.
Title to Properties
The properties comprising the Underlying Properties
are or may be subject to one or more of the burdens and obligations described below. To the extent that these burdens and obligations
affect the Sponsor’s rights to production or the value of production from the Underlying Properties, they have been taken into account
in calculating the Trust’s interests and in estimating the size and the value of the reserves attributable to the Underlying Properties.
The Sponsor’s interests in the oil and natural
gas properties comprising the Underlying Properties are typically subject to one or more of the following:
· royalties and other burdens, express and implied, under oil and natural gas leases and other arrangements;
· overriding royalties, production payments and similar interests and other burdens created by the Sponsor’s predecessors in title;
· a variety of contractual obligations arising under operating agreements, farm-out agreements, production sales contracts and other
agreements that may affect the Underlying Properties or their title;
44
· liens that arise in the normal course of operations, such as those for unpaid taxes, statutory liens securing unpaid suppliers and
contractors and contractual liens under operating agreements that are not yet delinquent or, if delinquent, are being contested in good
faith by appropriate proceedings;
· pooling, unitization and communitization agreements, declarations and orders;
· easements, restrictions, rights-of-way and other matters that commonly affect property;
· conventional rights of reassignment that obligate the Sponsor to reassign all or part of a property to a third party if the Sponsor
intends to release or abandon such property;
· preferential rights to purchase or similar agreements and required third party consents to assignments or similar agreements;
· obligations or duties affecting the Underlying Properties to any municipality or public authority with respect to any franchise, grant,
license or permit, and all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders of any governmental authority; and
· rights reserved to or vested in the appropriate governmental agency or authority to control or regulate the Underlying Properties
and also the interests held therein, including the Sponsor’s interests and the Net Profits Interest.
The Sponsor has informed the Trustee that the Sponsor
believes the burdens and obligations affecting the properties comprising the Underlying Properties are conventional in the industry for
similar properties. The Sponsor has also informed the Trustee that the Sponsor believes the existing burdens and obligations do not, in
the aggregate, materially interfere with the use of the Underlying Properties and will not materially adversely affect the Net Profits
Interest or its value.
To give third parties notice of the Net Profits
Interest, Enduro recorded the Conveyance in Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico in the real property records in each Texas, Louisiana or New
Mexico county in which the Underlying Properties are located, or in such other public records of those states as required under applicable
law to place third parties on notice of the Conveyance.
In a bankruptcy of the Sponsor, to the extent Louisiana
or New Mexico law were held to be applicable, the Net Profits Interest might be considered an asset of the bankruptcy estate and used
to satisfy obligations to creditors of the Sponsor, in which case the Trust would be an unsecured creditor of the Sponsor at risk of losing
the entire value of the Net Profits Interest to senior creditors. See “Risk Factors—Financial Risks—In the event of
the bankruptcy of the Sponsor, if a court were to hold that the Net Profits Interest was part of the bankruptcy estate, the Trust may
be treated as an unsecured creditor with respect to the Net Profits Interest attributable to properties in Louisiana and New Mexico”
in Part I, Item 1A of this Form 10-K.
The Sponsor believes that its title to the Underlying
Properties and the Trust’s title to the Net Profits Interest are each good and defensible in accordance with standards generally
accepted in the oil and gas industry, subject to such exceptions as are not so material to detract substantially from the use or value
of such Underlying Properties or Net Profits Interest. Under the terms of the Conveyance creating the Net Profits Interest, the Sponsor
has provided a special warranty of title with respect to the Net Profits Interest, subject to the burdens and obligations described in
this section. Please see “Risk Factors—Financial Risks—The Trust Units may lose value as a result of title deficiencies
with respect to the Underlying Properties” in Part I, Item 1A of this Form 10-K.
45