UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 10-Q

 

 

(Mark One)

xQUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d)15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011

or

 

¨TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d)15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from             toto

Commission File Number: 001-32886

 

 

CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Oklahoma 73-0767549

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

302 N. Independence, Suite 1500, Enid, Oklahoma 73701
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (580) 233-8955

Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report: Not applicable

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 (d)15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer x  Accelerated filer  ¨
Non-accelerated filer ¨  (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)  Smaller reporting company  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ¨    No  x

170,042,442180,533,094 shares of our $0.01 par value common stock were outstanding on November 1, 2010.May 2, 2011.

 

 

 


Table of Contents

 

PART I. Financial Information

  

Item 1.

  Financial Statements   57  
  Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets   57  
  Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of IncomeOperations   68  
  Condensed Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity   79  
  Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows   810  
  Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements   911  

Item 2.

  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations   1922  

Item 3.

  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk   3133  

Item 4.

  Controls and Procedures   3234  

PART II. Other Information

  

Item 1.

  Legal Proceedings   3334  

Item 1A.

  Risk Factors   3334  

Item 2.

  Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds   3334  

Item 3.

  Defaults Upon Senior Securities   3435  

Item 4.

  (Removed and Reserved)   3435  

Item 5.

  Other Information   3435  

Item 6.

  Exhibits   35  
  Signature   36  

When we refer to “us,” “we,” “our,” “Company,” or “Continental” we are describing Continental Resources, Inc. and/or our subsidiary.subsidiaries.

Glossary of Crude Oil and Natural Gas Terms

The terms defined in this section are used throughout this report:report.

Bbl.” One stock tank barrel, of 42 U.S. gallons liquid volume, used herein in reference to crude oil, condensate or natural gas liquids.

Boe.” Barrels of crude oil equivalent, with six thousand cubic feet of natural gas being equivalent to one barrel of crude oil.oil based on the average equivalent energy content of the two commodities.

Boepd.”Boepd”Barrels of crude oil equivalent per day.

Bopd.”Bopd”Barrels of crude oil per day.

Completion.” The process of treating a drilled well followed by the installation of permanent equipment for the production of crude oil or natural gas, or crude oil, or in the case of a dry hole, the reporting of abandonment to the appropriate agency.

“Conventional play” An area that is believed to be capable of producing crude oil and natural gas occurring in discrete accumulations in structural and stratigraphic traps.

DD&A.” Depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion.

Developed acreage.” The number of acres that are allocated or assignable to productive wells or wells capable of production.

“Development well” A well drilled within the proved area of a crude oil or natural gas reservoir to the depth of a stratigraphic horizon known to be productive.

Dry hole.” Exploratory or development well that does not produce crude oil andand/or natural gas in economically producible quantities.

Enhanced recovery.” The recovery of crude oil and natural gas through the injection of liquids or gases into the reservoir. Enhanced recovery methods are often applied when production slows due to depletion of the natural pressure.

“Exploratory well” A well drilled to find a new field or to find a new reservoir in a field previously found to be productive of crude oil or natural gas in another reservoir.

Field.” An area consisting of a single reservoir or multiple reservoirs all grouped on, or related to, the same individual geological structural feature or stratigraphic condition. The field name refers to the surface area, although it may refer to both the surface and the underground productive formations.

FIFO.” (First in/First out) A cost flow assumption where the first (oldest) costs are assumed to flow out first. This means the latest (recent) costs remain on hand.

Formation.” A layer of rock which has distinct characteristics that differsdiffer from nearby rock.

Horizontal drilling.” A drilling technique used in certain formations where a well is drilled vertically to a certain depth and then drilled at a right angle within a specified interval.

Injection well.” A well into which liquids or gases are injected in order to “push” additional crude oil or natural gas out of underground reservoirs and into the wellbores of producing wells. Typically considered an enhanced recovery process.

MBbl.” One thousand barrels of crude oil, condensate or natural gas liquids.

MBoe.” One thousand Boe.

Mcf.” One thousand cubic feet of natural gas.

Mcfd.”Mcfd”Mcf per day.

MMBtu.” One million British thermal units.

MMcf.” One million cubic feet of natural gas.

NYMEX.” The New York Mercantile Exchange.

Play.” A portion of the exploration and production cycle following the identification by geologists and geophysicists of areas with potential crude oil and natural gas reserves.

“Productive well” A well that is found to be capable of producing hydrocarbons in sufficient quantities such that proceeds from the sale of the production exceed production expenses and taxes.

“Prospect” A potential geological feature or formation which geologists and geophysicists believe may contain hydrocarbons. A prospect can be in various stages of evaluation, ranging from a prospect that has been fully evaluated and is ready to drill to a prospect that will require substantial additional seismic data processing and interpretation.

“Proved developed reserves” Reserves that can be expected to be recovered through existing wells with existing equipment and operating methods.

Proved reserves.” The quantities of crude oil and natural gas, which, by analysis of geoscience and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be economically producible from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under existing economic conditions, operating methods, and government regulations prior to the time at which contracts providing the right to operate expire, unless evidence indicates that renewal is reasonably certain.

Proved undeveloped reservesorPUD.” Proved reserves that are expected to be recovered from new wells on undrilled acreage or from existing wells where a relatively major expenditure is required for recompletion.

Reservoir.” A porous and permeable underground formation containing a natural accumulation of producible crude oil and/or natural gas that is confined by impermeable rock or water barriers and is separate from other reservoirs.

“Royalty interest” Refers to the ownership of a percentage of the resources or revenues that are produced from a crude oil or natural gas property. A royalty interest owner does not bear any of the exploration, development, or operating expenses associated with drilling and producing a crude oil or natural gas property.

“Unconventional play” An area that is believed to be capable of producing crude oil and/or natural gas occurring in accumulations that are regionally extensive, but require recently developed technologies to achieve profitability. These areas tend to have low permeability and may be closely associated with source rock as is the case with gas shale, tight oil and gas sands and coalbed methane.

“Undeveloped acreage” Lease acreage on which wells have not been drilled or completed to a point that would permit the production of commercial quantities of crude oil and/or natural gas.

Unit.” The joining of all or substantially all interests in a reservoir or field, rather than a single tract, to provide for development and operation without regard to separate property interests. Also, the area covered by a unitization agreement.

“Working interest” The right granted to the lessee of a property to explore for and to produce and own crude oil, natural gas, or other minerals. The working interest owners bear the exploration, development, and operating costs on either a cash, penalty, or carried basis.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements and information in this report may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this report are forward-looking statements. When used in this report, the words “could,” “may,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions about future events and are based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements described under the heading “ItemItem 1A. Risk Factors”Factors included in this report and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009.2010.

These forward-looking statements reflect management’s current belief, based on currently available information, as to the outcome and timing of future events. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, certain statements incorporated by reference, if any, or included in this report constitute forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements may include statements about our:about:

 

our business strategy;

 

our future operations;

 

our reserves;

 

our technology;

 

our financial strategy;

 

crude oil and natural gas prices;

 

the timing and amount of future production of crude oil and natural gas;

 

the amount, nature and timing of capital expenditures;

 

estimated revenues and results of operations;

 

drilling of wells;

 

competition and government regulations;

 

marketing of crude oil and natural gas;

 

exploitation or property acquisitions;

 

costs of exploiting and developing our properties and conducting other operations;

 

our financial position;

 

general economic conditions;

 

credit markets;

 

our liquidity and access to capital;

the impact of regulatory and legal proceedings involving us and of scheduled or potential regulatory changes;

 

uncertainty regarding our future operating results; and

 

plans, objectives, expectations and intentions contained in this report that are not historical.

We caution you that these forward-looking statements are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control, incident to the exploration for, and development, production, and sale of, crude oil and natural gas. These risks include, but are not limited to, commodity price volatility, inflation, lack of availability of drilling and production equipment and services, environmental risks, drilling and other operating risks, regulatory changes, the uncertainty inherent in estimating crude oil and natural gas reserves and in projecting future rates of production, cash flows and access to capital, the timing of development expenditures, and the other risks described under “ItemPart II,Item 1A. Risk Factors”Factors in this report, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009,2010, registration statements filed from time to time with the SEC, and other announcements we make from time to time.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.

Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this report occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that we or persons acting on our behalf may issue.

Except as otherwise required by applicable law, we disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking statements all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this report.

PART I.FinancialI. Financial Information

 

ITEM 1.ITEM 1.Financial Statements

Continental Resources, Inc. and SubsidiarySubsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

 

In thousands, except par values and share data

  September 30,
2010
   December 31,
2009
 
  March 31,
2011
   December 31,
2010
 
  (Unaudited)     
  (Unaudited)       In thousands, except par values and share data 

Assets

        

Current assets:

        

Cash and cash equivalents

  $149,477    $14,222    $477,440    $7,916  

Receivables:

        

Oil and natural gas sales

   162,299     119,565  

Crude oil and natural gas sales

   260,570     208,211  

Affiliated parties

   11,885     7,823     17,038     20,156  

Joint interest and other, net

   202,144     55,970     282,861     254,471  

Derivative assets

   34,849     2,218     17,360     21,365  

Inventories

   31,056     26,711     52,248     38,362  

Deferred and prepaid taxes

   15     4,575     84,004     22,672  

Prepaid expenses and other

   6,295     4,944     9,724     9,173  
                

Total current assets

   598,020     236,028     1,201,245     582,326  

Net property and equipment, based on successful efforts method of accounting

   2,703,867     2,068,055     3,285,824     2,981,991  

Debt issuance costs, net

   28,076     10,844     26,342     27,468  

Noncurrent derivative assets

   4,662     —       49     —    
                

Total assets

  $3,334,625    $2,314,927    $4,513,460    $3,591,785  
                

Liabilities and shareholders’ equity

        

Current liabilities:

        

Accounts payable trade

  $313,348    $91,248    $425,812    $390,892  

Revenues and royalties payable

   95,505     66,789     174,620     133,051  

Payables to affiliated parties

   2,804     9,612     4,263     4,438  

Accrued liabilities and other

   112,888     49,601     106,357     94,829  

Derivative liabilities

   232,884     76,771  

Current portion of asset retirement obligations

   2,761     2,460     2,270     2,241  
                

Total current liabilities

   527,306     219,710     946,206     702,222  

Long-term debt

   895,917     523,524     896,065     925,991  

Other noncurrent liabilities:

        

Deferred income tax liabilities

   593,161     489,241     559,929     582,841  

Asset retirement obligations, net of current portion

   49,718     47,707     55,141     54,079  

Noncurrent derivative liabilities

   13,438     —       316,958     112,940  

Other noncurrent liabilities

   6,334     4,466     5,468     5,557  
                

Total other noncurrent liabilities

   662,651     541,414     937,496     755,417  

Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)

    

Commitments and contingencies (Note 7)

    

Shareholders’ equity:

        

Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 25,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding

   —       —       —       —    

Common stock, $0.01 par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized; 170,099,358 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2010; 169,968,471 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2009

   1,701     1,700  

Common stock, $0.01 par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized; 180,535,512 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2011; 170,408,652 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2010

   1,805     1,704  

Additional paid-in-capital

   435,471     430,283     1,102,538     439,900  

Retained earnings

   811,579     598,296     629,350     766,551  
                

Total shareholders’ equity

   1,248,751     1,030,279     1,733,693     1,208,155  
                

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

  $3,334,625    $2,314,927    $4,513,460    $3,591,785  
                

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

Continental Resources, Inc. and SubsidiarySubsidiaries

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of IncomeOperations

 

  Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30,   Three months ended March 31, 

In thousands, except per share data

  2010 2009 2010 2009 
  2011 2010 
  In thousands, except per share data 

Revenues:

        

Oil and natural gas sales

  $232,662   $162,465   $651,925   $389,310  

Oil and natural gas sales to affiliates

   6,164    5,907    23,451    18,069  

Gain (loss) on mark-to-market derivative instruments

   (24,183  (2,105  57,626    (1,215

Oil and natural gas service operations

   4,807    3,937    14,684    12,409  

Crude oil and natural gas sales

  $316,740   $208,059  

Crude oil and natural gas sales to affiliates

   9,727    9,065  

Gain (loss) on derivative instruments, net

   (369,303  26,344  

Crude oil and natural gas service operations

   6,626    4,800  
                    

Total revenues

   219,450    170,204    747,686    418,573     (36,210  248,268  

Operating costs and expenses:

        

Production expenses

   23,626    17,536    64,044    56,269     28,398    19,159  

Production expenses to affiliates

   1,231    5,183    5,762    12,914     872    3,442  

Production taxes and other expenses

   19,517    12,378    53,755    30,829     27,562    16,007  

Exploration expenses

   3,530    1,077    7,585    9,726     6,812    1,786  

Oil and natural gas service operations

   4,935    2,326    12,982    7,423  

Crude oil and natural gas service operations

   5,451    3,956  

Depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion

   62,918    51,030    174,327    154,875     75,650    52,587  

Property impairments

   14,698    11,791    49,387    70,491     20,848    15,175  

General and administrative expenses

   12,148    10,049    35,491    29,684     16,347    11,849  

(Gain) loss on sale of assets

   491    (452  (32,855  (673

Gain on sale of assets

   (15,257  (222
                    

Total operating costs and expenses

   143,094    110,918    370,478    371,538     166,683    123,739  
                    

Income from operations

   76,356    59,286    377,208    47,035  

Income (loss) from operations

   (202,893  124,529  

Other income (expense):

        

Interest expense

   (12,612  (4,763  (32,875  (14,073   (18,971  (8,360

Other

   237    194    1,021    642     509    706  
                    
   (12,375  (4,569  (31,854  (13,431   (18,462  (7,654
                    

Income before income taxes

   63,981    54,717    345,354    33,604  

Provision for income taxes

   24,904    19,788    132,071    11,780  

Income (loss) before income taxes

   (221,355  116,875  

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

   (84,154  44,410  
                    

Net income

  $39,077   $34,929   $213,283   $21,824  

Net income (loss)

  $(137,201 $72,465  
                    

Basic net income per share

  $0.23   $0.21   $1.26   $0.13  

Diluted net income per share

  $0.23   $0.21   $1.26   $0.13  

Basic net income (loss) per share

  $(0.80 $0.43  

Diluted net income (loss) per share

  $(0.80 $0.43  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

Continental Resources, Inc. and SubsidiarySubsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity

 

In thousands, except share data

  Shares
outstanding
 Common
Stock
 Additional
paid-in
Capital
 Retained
earnings
   Total
shareholders’
Equity
 

Balance, January 1, 2009

   169,558,129   $1,696   $420,054   $526,958    $948,708  
  Shares
outstanding
 Common
stock
 Additional
paid-in
capital
 Retained
earnings
 Total
shareholders’
equity
 
  In thousands, except share data 

Balance, December 31, 2009

   169,968,471   $1,700   $430,283   $598,296   $1,030,279  

Net income

   —      —      —      71,338     71,338     —      —      —      168,255    168,255  

Excess tax benefit on stock-based compensation

   —      —      5,230    —      5,230  

Stock-based compensation

   —      —      11,408    —       11,408     —      —      11,691    —      11,691  

Tax benefit on stock-based compensation plan

   —      —      2,872    —       2,872  

Stock options:

             

Exercised

   138,010    1    244    —       245     207,220    2    255    —      257  

Repurchased and canceled

   (29,924  —      (1,223  —       (1,223   (59,877  (1  (2,661  —      (2,662

Restricted stock:

             

Issued

   411,217    4    —      —       4     449,114    4    —      —      4  

Repurchased and canceled

   (83,457  (1  (3,072  —       (3,073   (100,561  (1  (4,898  —      (4,899

Forfeited

   (25,504  —      —      —       —       (55,715  —      —      —      —    
                                 

Balance, December 31, 2009

   169,968,471   $1,700   $430,283   $598,296    $1,030,279  

Net income (unaudited)

   —      —      —      213,283     213,283  

Balance, December 31, 2010

   170,408,652   $1,704   $439,900   $766,551   $1,208,155  

Net income (loss) (unaudited)

   —      —      —      (137,201  (137,201

Public offering of common stock (unaudited)

   10,080,000    101    659,200    —      659,301  

Stock-based compensation (unaudited)

   —      —      8,596    —       8,596     —      —      3,642    —      3,642  

Stock options:

             

Exercised (unaudited)

   199,250    2    249    —       251     4,500    —      3    —      3  

Repurchased and canceled (unaudited)

   (57,397  (1  (2,540    (2,541

Restricted stock:

             

Issued (unaudited)

   60,667    1    —      —       1     47,480    —      —      —      —    

Repurchased and canceled (unaudited)

   (23,684  —      (1,117  —       (1,117   (3,172  —      (207  —      (207

Forfeited (unaudited)

   (47,949  (1  —      —       (1   (1,948  —      —      —      —    
                                 

Balance, September 30, 2010 (unaudited)

   170,099,358   $1,701   $435,471   $811,579    $1,248,751  

Balance, March 31, 2011 (unaudited)

   180,535,512   $1,805   $1,102,538   $629,350   $1,733,693  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

Continental Resources, Inc. and SubsidiarySubsidiaries

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 

  Nine months ended September 30,   Three months ended March 31, 

In thousands

  2010 2009 
  2011 2010 
  In thousands 

Cash flows from operating activities:

      

Net income

  $213,283   $21,824  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

   

Net income (loss)

  $(137,201 $72,465  

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:

   

Depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion

   173,321    157,696     76,762    52,179  

Property impairments

   49,387    70,491     20,848    15,175  

Change in fair value of derivatives

   (28,162  1,215     364,087    (22,052

Stock-based compensation

   8,596    8,594     3,642    2,852  

Provision for deferred income taxes

   116,165    11,780  

Provision (benefit) for deferred income taxes

   (84,154  40,416  

Dry hole costs

   1,943    5,002     1,504    33  

Gain on sale of assets

   (32,855  (673   (15,257  (222

Other, net

   3,631    1,726     929    956  

Changes in assets and liabilities:

      

Accounts receivable

   (192,970  70,518     (77,631  (61,044

Inventories

   (4,345  (13,038   (13,886  (363

Prepaid expenses and other

   2,105    21,193     (513  4,030  

Accounts payable trade

   99,869    (115,194   3,648    69,719  

Revenues and royalties payable

   28,716    (22,465   41,569    7,574  

Accrued liabilities and other

   54,008    (4,275   11,340    8,932  

Other noncurrent liabilities

   2,648    1,601     (52  38  
              

Net cash provided by operating activities

   495,340    215,995     195,635    190,688  

Cash flows from investing activities:

      

Exploration and development

   (719,843  (372,284   (348,011  (156,625

Purchase of oil and natural gas properties

   (7,319  (1,217

Purchase of crude oil and natural gas properties

   —      (128

Purchase of other property and equipment

   (20,453  (4,682   (29,443  (6,263

Proceeds from sale of assets

   38,662    2,762     22,131    1,106  
              

Net cash used in investing activities

   (708,953  (375,421   (355,323  (161,910

Cash flows from financing activities:

      

Revolving credit facility borrowings

   289,000    372,100     135,000    44,000  

Repayment of revolving credit facility

   (515,000  (502,500   (165,000  (72,000

Proceeds from issuance of Senior Notes

   587,210    297,480  

Proceeds from issuance of common stock

   659,736    —    

Debt issuance costs

   (8,932  (9,826   (21  (232

Equity issuance costs

   (299  —    

Repurchase of equity grants

   (3,658  (717   (207  (113

Dividends to shareholders

   (3  (8

Exercise of stock options

   251    141     3    3  

Other debt

   —      2,822  
              

Net cash provided by financing activities

   348,868    159,492  

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

   629,212    (28,342

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

   135,255    66     469,524    436  

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

   14,222    5,229     7,916    14,222  
              

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

  $149,477   $5,295    $477,440   $14,658  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

Continental Resources, Inc. and SubsidiarySubsidiaries

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 1. Organization and Nature of Business

Description of Company

Continental Resources, Inc.’sContinental’s principal business is crude oil and natural gas exploration, development and production. Continental’sproduction with operations are in the North, South, and East regions of the United States. The North region consists of properties north of Kansas and west of the Mississippi river and includes North Dakota Bakken, Montana Bakken, the Red River units and the Niobrara play in Colorado and Wyoming. The South region includes Kansas and all properties south of Kansas and west of the Mississippi river including the ArkomaAnadarko Woodford and AnadarkoArkoma Woodford plays in Oklahoma. The East region containsconsists of properties east of the Mississippi river including the Illinois Basin and the state of Michigan.

Note 2. Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of presentation

Continental has one wholly owned subsidiary, Banner Pipeline Company, L.L.C., which has no assets or operations. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Continental and its wholly owned subsidiarysubsidiaries after all significant inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

This report has been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) applicable to interim financial information. Because this is an interim period filing presented using a condensed format, it does not include all of the disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”), although the Company believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information not misleading. You should read this Form 10-Q along with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20092010 (“20092010 Form 10-K”), which includes a summary of the Company’s significant accounting policies and other disclosures.

The financial statements as of September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 and for the three and nine month periods ended September 30,March 31, 2011 and 2010 and 2009 are unaudited. The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheetcondensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 20092010 was derived from the audited balance sheet filed in the 20092010 Form 10-K. The Company has evaluated events or transactions through the date this report on Form 10-Q was filed with the SEC in conjunction with its preparation of these financial statements.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The most significant of the estimates and assumptions that affect reported results is the estimate of the Company’s crude oil and natural gas reserves, which is used to compute depreciation, depletion, amortization and impairment on producing crude oil and natural gas properties. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been included in these unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements. The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations that may be expected for any other interim period or for the entire year.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Inventoriesmarket and consist of the following:

 

In thousands

  September 30, 2010   December 31, 2009 

Tubular goods and equipment

  $18,038    $12,044  

Crude oil

   13,018     14,667  
          
  $31,056    $26,711  

Crude oil inventories consist of the following volumes:

In barrels

  September 30, 2010   December 31, 2009 

Crude oil line fill requirements

   229,000     253,000  

Temporarily stored crude oil

   75,000     145,000  
          
   304,000     398,000  

In thousands

  March 31, 2011   December 31, 2010 

Tubular goods and equipment

  $23,533    $16,306  

Crude oil

   28,715     22,056  
          
  $52,248    $38,362  

Crude oil inventories, including line fill, are valued at the lower of cost or market using the FIFOfirst-in, first-out inventory method. Crude oil inventories consist of the following volumes:

In barrels

  March 31, 2011   December 31, 2010 

Crude oil line fill requirements

   272,000     257,000  

Temporarily stored crude oil

   205,000     148,000  
          
   477,000     405,000  

Continental Resources, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – continued

 

Earnings per common share

Basic earningsnet income (loss) per common share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earningsnet income (loss) per share reflects the potential dilution of non-vested restricted stock awards and dilutive stock options, which are calculated using the treasury stock method as if thesethe awards and options were exercised. The following is the calculation of basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding and net income (loss) per share for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 and 2009:2010:

 

  Three months ended September 30,   Nine months ended September 30,   Three months ended March 31, 

In thousands, except per share data

  2010   2009   2010   2009 

Income (numerator):

        

Net income - basic and diluted

  $39,077    $34,929    $213,283    $21,824  
  2011   2010 
  In thousands, except per share data 

Income (loss) (numerator):

    

Net income (loss) - basic and diluted

  $(137,201  $72,465  
                        

Weighted average shares (denominator):

            

Weighted average shares - basic

   168,925     168,516     168,889     168,492     171,729     168,855  

Restricted shares

   740     782     719     489     —       662  

Employee stock options

   284     408     296     418     —       303  
                        

Weighted average shares - diluted

   169,949     169,706     169,904     169,399     171,729     169,820  

Net income per share:

        

Net income (loss) per share:

    

Basic

  $0.23    $0.21    $1.26    $0.13    $(0.80  $0.43  

Diluted

  $0.23    $0.21    $1.26    $0.13    $(0.80  $0.43  

The potential dilutive effect of 678,000 weighted average restricted shares and 103,000 weighted average stock options were not included in the calculation of diluted net loss per share for the three months ended March 31, 2011 because to do so would have been anti-dilutive.

ReclassificationsReclassification

CertainA prior year amounts haveamount has been reclassified on the condensed consolidated financial statements to conform to the 2010 presentation. On the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2009, the line item “Derivative assets” was included in “Receivables – Joint interest and other, net” and has been shown separately in this report to conform to the 20102011 presentation. On the unaudited condensed consolidated statementstatements of cash flows for the ninethree months ended September 30, 2009,March 31, 2010, the line item “Gain on sale of assets” was included in “Other, net” and has been shown separately in this report to conform to the 20102011 presentation.

Note 3. Related Party Transactions

During the second quarter of 2010, the Company determined that a related party relationship, as defined by SEC rules and U.S. GAAP, did not exist with a third party entity that had been historically accounted for as a related party in the consolidated financial statements. Effective April 1, 2010, transactions with this entity are no longer reflected as affiliate transactions in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. The balance sheet at December 31, 2009 includes $0.1 million from this party in “Receivables – Affiliated parties” and $6.4 million in “Payables to affiliated parties”. “Production expenses to affiliates” includes $1.8 million in expenses from this party for the nine months ended September 30, 2010, all of which was recognized in the first quarter of the year, and $1.7 million and $6.4 million in expenses from this party for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009, respectively.

Note 4. Supplemental Cash Flow Information

The following table discloses supplemental cash flow information about cash paid for interest and income taxes. Also disclosed is information about investing activities that affects recognized liabilities but does not result in cash receipts or payments.

 

  Nine months ended September 30,   Three months ended March 31, 

In thousands

  2010 2009 
  2011   2010 
  In thousands 

Supplemental cash flow information:

       

Cash paid for interest

  $17,218   $13,675    $15,908    $2,263  

Cash paid for income taxes

  $10,876   $146    $90    $14  

Cash received for income tax refunds

  $(1,288 $(22,018  $—      $(1,285

Non-cash investing activities

   

Non-cash investing activities:

    

Asset retirement obligations

  $1,325   $555    $513    $456  

Note 5.4. Derivative ContractsInstruments

The Company is required to recognize all derivative instruments on the balance sheet as either assets or liabilities measured at fair value. The Company electshas not to designatedesignated its derivativesderivative instruments as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes and, as a result, marks its derivative instruments to fair value and recognizes the realized and unrealized changes in fair value on derivative instruments in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of incomeoperations under the caption “Gain (loss) on mark-to-market derivative instruments.instruments, net.

The Company has utilized swap and collar derivative contracts to hedge against the variability in cash flows associated with the forecasted sale of future crude oil and natural gas production. While the use of these derivative instruments limits the downside risk of adverse price movements, their use also may limitlimits future revenues from favorable price movements.

Continental Resources, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – continued

 

During the ninethree months ended September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, the Company entered into several new swap and collar derivative contracts covering a portion of its crude oil and natural gas production for 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. The new contracts were entered into in the normalordinary course of business and the Company expects tomay enter into additional similar contracts during the year. None of the new contracts have been designated for hedge accounting.

With respect to a fixed price swap contract, the counterparty is required to make a payment to the Company if the settlement price for any settlement period is less than the swap price, and the Company is required to make a payment to the counterparty if the settlement price for any settlement period is greater than the swap price. For a basis swap contract, which guarantees a price differential between the NYMEX posted prices and the Company’s physical pricing points, the Company receives a payment from the counterparty if the settled price differential is greater than the stated terms of the contract and the Company pays the counterparty if the settled price differential is less than the stated terms of the contract. For a collar contract, the counterparty is required to make a payment to the Company if the settlement price for any settlement period is below the floor price, the Company is required to make payment to the counterparty if the settlement price for any settlement period is above the ceiling price, and neither party is required to make a payment to the other party if the settlement price for any settlement period is equal to or greater thanbetween the floor price and equal to or less than the ceiling price.

All of the Company’s derivative contracts are carried at their fair value on the condensed consolidated balance sheets under the captions “Derivative assets”, “Noncurrent derivative assets”, “Accrued liabilities and other”“Derivative liabilities”, and “Noncurrent derivative liabilities”. Derivative assets and liabilities with the same counterparty and subject to contractual terms which provide for net settlement are reported on a net basis on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Substantially all of the crude oil and natural gas derivative contracts are settled based upon reported prices on the NYMEX. The estimated fair value of these contracts is based upon various factors, including closing exchange prices on the NYMEX, over-the-counter quotations, and, in the case of collars, volatility and the time value of options. The calculation of the fair value of collars requires the use of an option-pricing model. SeeNote 6.5. Fair Value Measurements.

At September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, the Company had outstanding contracts with respect to future production as set forth in the tables below.

Crude Oil

 

Period and Type of Contract

  Volume in
Bbls
   Swaps
Weighted
Average
   Collars   Bbls   Swaps
Weighted
Average
   Collars 
  Floors   Ceilings    Floors   Ceilings 
  Range   Weighted
Average
   Range   Weighted
Average
    Range   Weighted
Average
   Range   Weighted
Average
 

October 2010 - December 2010

            

Swaps

   1,089,000    $83.99          

Collars

   1,380,000      $75-$78    $76.00    $88.75-$96.75    $93.43  

January 2011 - March 2011

            

Swaps

   284,000     83.86          

Collars

   2,565,000      $75-$80     78.95    $88.65-$97.25     91.70  

April 2011 - June 2011

                        

Swaps

   91,000     81.22             273,000    $84.67          

Collars

   2,593,500      $75-$80     79.39    $89.00-$97.25     91.27     2,593,500      $75-$80    $79.39    $89.00-$97.25    $91.27  

July 2011 - September 2011

                        

Swaps

   92,000     81.22             460,000    $85.64          

Collars

   2,622,000      $75-$80     79.39    $89.00-$97.25     91.27     2,622,000     ��$75-$80    $79.39    $89.00-$97.25    $91.27  

October 2011 - December 2011

                        

Swaps

   92,000     81.22             644,000    $86.25          

Collars

   2,622,000      $75-$80     79.39    $89.00-$97.25     91.27     2,622,000      $75-$80    $79.39    $89.00-$97.25    $91.27  

January 2012 - December 2012

                        

Swaps

   1,830,000     84.57             8,235,000    $88.36          

Collars

   2,745,000      $80     80.00    $93.25-$93.65     93.54     5,332,620      $80    $80.00    $93.25-$97.00    $94.71  

January 2013 - December 2013

                        

Swaps

   1,825,000     85.90             5,110,000    $88.63          

Collars

   7,847,500      $80-$95    $85.98    $92.30-$101.70    $98.20  

Continental Resources, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – continued

 

Natural Gas

 

Period and Type of Contract

  MMBtu   Swaps
Weighted
Average
 

October 2010 - December 2010

    

Swaps

   3,778,000    $6.09  

January 2011 - December 2011

    

Swaps

   11,862,500     6.36  

Natural Gas Basis, Centerpoint East

Period and Type of Contract

  MMBtu   Swaps
Weighted
Average
 

October 2010 - December 2010

    

Basis swaps

   1,800,000    $(0.62

Period and Type of Contract

  MMBtus   Swaps
Weighted
Average
 

April 2011 - June 2011

    

Swaps

   6,597,500    $5.44  

July 2011 - September 2011

    

Swaps

   6,900,000    $5.42  

October 2011 - December 2011

    

Swaps

   7,222,000    $5.40  

January 2012 - December 2012

    

Swaps

   3,660,000    $5.07  

Derivative Fair Value Gain (Loss)

The following table presents information about the components of derivative fair value gain (loss) for the periods presented.

 

  Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30,   Three months ended March 31, 

In thousands

  2010 2009 2010 2009 
  2011 2010 
  In thousands 

Realized gain (loss) on derivatives:

        

Crude oil fixed price swaps

  $5,845   $—     $13,275   $—      $(3,095 $2,531  

Crude oil collars

   825    —      1,884    —       (10,247  —    

Natural gas fixed price swaps

   6,373    —      16,628    —       8,126    2,722  

Natural gas basis swaps

   (674  —      (2,323  —       —      (961

Unrealized gain (loss) on derivatives:

     

Unrealized gain (loss) on derivatives

   

Crude oil fixed price swaps

   (17,538  —      (6,727  —       (165,043  (2,213

Crude oil collars

   (28,640  —      6,445    —       (195,088  (4,549

Natural gas fixed price swaps

   9,258    (1,134  26,552    701     (3,956  28,326  

Natural gas basis swaps

   368    (971  1,892    (1,916   —      488  
                    

Gain (loss) on mark-to-market derivative instruments

  $(24,183 $(2,105 $57,626   $(1,215

Gain (loss) on derivative instruments, net

  $(369,303 $26,344  

The table below provides data about the fair value of derivatives that are not accounted for using hedge accounting.

 

  September 30, 2010   December 31, 2009   March 31, 2011 December 31, 2010 
  Assets   (Liabilities) Net   Assets   (Liabilities) Net   Assets   (Liabilities) Net Assets   (Liabilities) Net 

In thousands

  Fair
Value
   Fair Value Fair
Value
   Fair
Value
   Fair Value Fair
Value
   Fair
Value
   Fair
Value
 Fair
Value
 Fair
Value
   Fair
Value
 Fair
Value
 

Commodity swaps and collars

  $39,511    $(13,438 $26,073    $2,218    $(4,307 $(2,089  $17,409    $(549,842 $(532,433 $21,365    $(189,711 $(168,346

Note 6.5. Fair Value Measurements

In January 2010, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued ASU No. 2010-06,Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (Topic 820)–Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements, which requires new disclosures and clarifies existing disclosure requirements related to fair value measurements. The Company adopted the applicable provisions of this new standard on January 1, 2010 and has included the required disclosures below, as applicable.

The Company is required to calculate fair value based on a hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three levels. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted market prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). Level 2 inputs are inputs, other than quoted prices included within Level 1, which are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. As Level 1 inputs generally provide the most reliable evidence of fair value, the Company uses Level 1 inputs when available.

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

Certain assets and liabilities are reported at fair value on a recurring basis. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment, and may affect the valuation of the fair

Continental Resources, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – continued

value of assets and liabilities and their placement

within the fair value hierarchy levels. In determining the fair value of fixed price swaps and basis swaps, due to the unavailability of relevant comparable market data for the Company’s exact contracts, a discounted cash flow method is used. The discounted cash flow method estimates future cash flows based on quoted market prices for future commodity prices, observable inputs relating to basis differentials and a risk-adjusted discount rate. The fair value of fixed price swaps and basis swap derivatives is calculated using mainly significant observable inputs (Level 2). The calculation of the fair value of collar contracts requires the use of an option-pricing model with significant unobservable inputs (Level 3). The valuation model for option derivative contracts is primarily an industry-standard model that considers various inputs including: (a) quoted forward prices for commodities, (b) time value, (c) volatility factors, and (d) current market and contractual prices for the underlying instruments, as well as other relevant economic measures. The Company’s calculation for each position is then compared to the counterparty valuation for reasonableness.

The following table summarizestables summarize the valuation of financial instruments by pricing levels that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis as of September 30,March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010. There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy during the three and nine month periodsmonths ended September 30, 2010.March 31, 2011. Further, there were no transfers in and/or out of Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy during the three and nine month periodsmonths ended September 30, 2010.March 31, 2011.

 

In thousands

  Fair value measurements at September 30, 2010 using:     
  Fair value measurements at March 31, 2011 using:   

Description

  Level 1   Level 2 Level 3   Total   Level 1   Level 2 Level 3 Total 
  in thousands 

Derivative assets (liabilities):

         

Fixed price swaps

  $—      $23,606   $—      $23,606    $—      $(233,927 $—     $(233,927

Basis swaps

   —       (703  —       (703

Collars

   —       —      3,170     3,170     —       —      (298,506  (298,506
                             

Total

  $—      $22,903   $3,170    $26,073    $—      $(233,927 $(298,506 $(532,433

   Fair value measurements at December 31, 2010 using:    

Description

  Level 1   Level 2  Level 3  Total 
   in thousands 

Derivative assets (liabilities):

  

Fixed price swaps

  $—      $(64,928 $—     $(64,928

Collars

   —       —      (103,418  (103,418
                  

Total

  $—      $(64,928 $(103,418 $(168,346

The following table sets forth a reconciliation of changes in the fair value of financial assets and liabilities classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy for the indicated periods:

 

In thousands

  2010 

Balance at December 31, 2009

  $(3,275

Total realized or unrealized gains (losses):

  
  2011 2010 
  In thousands 

Balance at January 1

  $(103,418 $(3,275

Total realized or unrealized losses:

   

Included in earnings

   (4,549   (195,088  (4,549

Included in other comprehensive income

   —       —      —    

Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements, net

   —    

Purchases

   —      —    

Sales

   —      —    

Issuances

   —      —    

Settlements

   —      —    

Transfers into Level 3

   —       —      —    

Transfers out of Level 3

   —       —      —    
           

Balance at March 31, 2010

  $(7,824

Total realized or unrealized gains (losses):

  

Included in earnings

   39,634  

Included in other comprehensive income

   —    

Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements, net

   —    

Transfers into Level 3

   —    

Transfers out of Level 3

   —    

Balance at March 31

  $(298,506 $(7,824
    

Balance at June 30, 2010

  $31,810  

Total realized or unrealized gains (losses):

  

Included in earnings

   (28,640

Included in other comprehensive income

   —    

Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements, net

   —    

Transfers into Level 3

   —    

Transfers out of Level 3

   —    
    

Balance at September 30, 2010

  $3,170  

Change in unrealized gains (losses) relating to derivatives still held at September 30, 2010

  $6,631  

Change in unrealized losses relating to derivatives still held at March 31

  $(196,675 $(4,549

Gains and losses included in earnings for the three and nine month periods ended September 30,March 31, 2011 and 2010 attributable to the change in unrealized gains and losses relating to derivatives held at September 30,March 31, 2011 and 2010 are reported in revenues.

“Revenues – Gain (loss) on derivative instruments, net”.

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis

Certain assets and liabilities are reported at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in the condensed consolidated financial statements. The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair values.values for those assets and liabilities.

Continental Resources, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – continued

Asset Impairments –Proved crude oil and natural gas properties are reviewed for impairment when events and circumstances indicate a possible decline in the recoverability of the carrying value of such property. The estimated future cash flows expected in connection with the property are compared to the carrying amount of the property to determine if the carrying amount is recoverable. If the carrying amount of the property exceeds its estimated undiscounted future cash flows, the carrying amount of the property is reduced to its estimated fair value. Due to the unavailability of relevant comparable market data, a discounted cash flow method is used to determine the fair value of proved properties. The discounted cash flow method estimates future cash flows based on management’s expectations for the future and includes estimates of future crude oil and natural gas production, commodity prices based on commodity futures price strips, operating and development costs, and a risk-adjusted discount rate. The fair value of proved crude oil and natural gas properties is calculated using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3).

Non-producing crude oil and natural gas properties, which primarily consist of undeveloped leasehold costs and costs associated with the purchase of proved undeveloped reserves, are assessed for impairment on a property-by-property basis for individually significant balances, if any, and on an aggregate basis by prospect for individually insignificant balances. If the assessment indicates an impairment, a loss is recognized by providing a valuation allowance at the level consistent with the level at which impairment was assessed. The impairment assessment is affected by economic factors such as the results of exploration activities, commodity price outlooks, remaining lease terms, and potential shifts in business strategy employed by management. For individually insignificant non-producing properties, the amount of the impairment loss recognized is determined by amortizing the portion of the properties’ costs which management believesestimates will not be transferred to proved properties over the life of the lease based on experience of successful drilling and the average holding period. The fair value of non-producing properties is calculated using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3).

As a result of changes in reserves and the forwardcommodity futures price strip,strips, proved properties were reviewed for impairment at September 30, 2010.March 31, 2011. No impairment provisions were recorded for the Company’s proved crude oil and natural gas properties for either the three months ended September 30, 2010 or 2009.March 31, 2011. For those periods,that period, future cash flows were determined to be in excess of cost basis, therefore no impairment was necessary. Certain non-producing properties were impaired at September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, reflecting amortization of leasehold costs. The following table sets forth the pre-tax (non-cash)non-cash impairments of both proved and non-producing properties for the indicated periods. Proved and non-producing property impairments are recorded under the caption “Property impairments” in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income.operations.

 

  Three months ended September 30,   Nine months ended September 30,   Three months ended March 31, 

In thousands

  2010   2009   2010   2009 
  2011   2010 
  In thousands 

Proved property impairments

  $—      $—      $1,674    $36,051    $—      $976  

Non-producing property impairments

   14,698     11,791     47,713     34,440     20,848     14,199  
                        

Total

  $14,698    $11,791    $49,387    $70,491    $20,848    $15,175  

Asset Retirement Obligations – The fair valuesvalue of asset retirement obligations (AROs) areis estimated based on discounted cash flow projections using numerous estimates, assumptions and judgments regarding such factors as the existence of a legal obligation for an ARO;ARO, estimated probabilities, amounts and timing of settlements;settlements, the credit-adjusted risk-free rate to be used;used, and inflation rates. The fair valuevalues of ARO additions waswere $0.6 million and $0.3$0.4 million for the three months ended September 30,March 31, 2011 and 2010, and 2009, respectively, and was $1.4 million and $1.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively, which are reflected in the caption “Asset retirement obligations, net of current portion” in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. The fair values of AROs are calculated using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3).

Financial Instruments Not Recorded at Fair Value

The following table sets forth the fair valuevalues of financial instruments that are not recorded at fair value in the condensed consolidated financial statements.

Continental Resources, Inc. and Subsidiaries

   September 30, 2010   December 31, 2009 

In thousands

  Carrying
Amount
   Fair Value   Carrying
Amount
   Fair Value 

Long-term debt

        

Revolving credit facility

  $—      $—      $226,000    $226,000  

8 1/4% Senior Notes due 2019(1)

   297,651     328,500     297,524     315,750  

7 3/8% Senior Notes due 2020(2)

   198,266     210,750     —       —    

7 1/8% Senior Notes due 2021(3)

   400,000     415,000     —       —    
                    

Total

  $895,917    $954,250    $523,524    $541,750  

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – continued

   March 31, 2011   December 31, 2010 

In thousands

  Carrying
Amount
   Fair Value   Carrying
Amount
   Fair Value 

Long-term debt

        

Revolving credit facility

  $—      $—      $30,000    $30,000  

8 1/4% Senior Notes due 2019(1)

   297,740     329,380     297,696     331,500  

7 3/8% Senior Notes due 2020(2)

   198,325     215,750     198,295     213,000  

7 1/8% Senior Notes due 2021(3)

   400,000     426,173     400,000     419,333  
                    

Total

  $896,065    $971,303    $925,991    $993,833  

 

(1)The carrying amount is net of discounts of $2.3 million and $2.5 million at September 30, 2010both March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2009, respectively.2010.
(2)The carrying amount is net of discounts of $1.7 million at September 30,both March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010.
(3)The notes were sold at par and are recorded at 100% of face value.

The fair value of the revolving credit facility approximates its carrying value based on the borrowing rates available to the Company for bank loans with similar terms and maturities. The fair valuevalues of the 8 1/4% Senior Notes due 2019, the 7 3/8% Senior Notes due 2020 and the 7 1/8% Senior Notes due 2021 are based on quoted market prices.

The carrying values of all classes of cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables, and trade payables are considered to be representative of their respective fair values due to the short term maturities of those instruments.

Note 7. Long-term6. Long-Term Debt

Long-term debt consists of the following:

 

In thousands

  September 30, 2010   December 31, 2009   March 31, 2011   December 31, 2010 

Revolving credit facility

  $—      $226,000    $—      $30,000  

8 1/4% Senior Notes due 2019(1)

   297,651     297,524     297,740     297,696  

7 3/8% Senior Notes due 2020(2)

   198,266     —       198,325     198,295  

7 1/8% Senior Notes due 2021(3)

   400,000     —       400,000     400,000  
                

Total long-term debt

  $895,917    $523,524    $896,065    $925,991  

 

(1)The carrying amount is net of discounts of $2.3 million and $2.5 million at September 30, 2010both March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2009, respectively.2010.
(2)The carrying amount is net of discounts of $1.7 million at September 30,both March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010.
(3)The notes were sold at par and are recorded at 100% of face value.

Revolving credit facility

The Company had no debt outstanding at September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 on its revolving credit facility due July 1, 2015. At December 31, 2009,2010, the Company had $226.0$30.0 million in long-term debtof outstanding borrowings on its revolving credit facility. The credit facility has aggregate commitments of $750 million and a borrowing base of $1.3$1.5 billion, subject to semi-annual redetermination. The terms of the facility provide that the commitment level can be increased up to the lesser of the borrowing base then in effect or $2.5 billion. Borrowings under the facility bear interest, payable quarterly, at a rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) for one, two, three or six months, as elected by the Company, plus a margin ranging from 175 to 275 basis points, depending on the percentage of itsthe borrowing base utilized, or the lead bank’s reference rate (prime). plus a margin ranging from 75 to 175 basis points. Borrowings are secured by ourthe Company’s interest in at least 85% (by value) of all of the Company’s provenits proved reserves and associated crude oil and natural gas properties.

The Company had $747.7$747.6 million of unused commitments (after considering outstanding letters of credit) under theits revolving credit facility at September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 and incurs commitment fees of 0.50% per annum of the daily average amount of unused borrowing availability. The credit facilityagreement contains certain restrictive covenants including a requirement that the Company maintain a current ratio of not less than 1.0 to 1.0 (representingand a ratio of total funded debt to EBITDAX of no greater than 3.75 to 1.0. As defined by the credit agreement, the current ratio represents the ratio of current assets lessto current liabilities, inclusive of available borrowing capacity under the credit agreement and exclusive of current balances associated with derivative contracts and asset retirement obligations)obligations. EBITDAX represents earnings before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion, property impairments, exploration expenses, unrealized derivative gains

Continental Resources, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – continued

and losses and non-cash equity compensation expense. EBITDAX is not a ratiomeasure of net income or cash flows as determined by GAAP. A reconciliation of net income to EBITDAX is provided inPart I, Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The total funded debt to EBITDAX ratio represents the sum of no greater than 3.75 to 1.0.outstanding borrowings and letters of credit on the revolving credit facility plus the Company’s senior note obligations, divided by total EBITDAX for the most recent four quarters. The Company was in compliance with all covenants at September 30, 2010.March 31, 2011.

Senior Notes

8  1/4% Senior Notes due 2019 - On September 23, 2009, the Company issued $300 million ofThe 8 1/4% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “2019 Notes”) and received net proceeds of approximately $289.7 million after deducting, the initial purchasers’ discounts and fees. The net proceeds were used to repay a portion of the borrowings then outstanding under the revolving credit facility.

7 3/8% Senior Notes due 2020 -On April 5, 2010, the Company issued $200 million of 7 3/8% Senior Notes due 2020 (the “2020 Notes”), and received net proceeds of approximately $194.2 million after deducting the initial purchasers’ discounts and fees. The 2020 Notes were sold in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A of the Securities Act. The net proceeds were used to repay a portion of the borrowings then outstanding under the revolving credit facility.

7 1/8% Senior Notes due 2021 -On September 16, 2010, the Company issued $400 million of 7 1/8% Senior Notes due 2021 (the “2021 Notes”). The 2021 Notes were sold at par in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A of the Securities Act. The Company received net proceeds of approximately $393.0 million after deducting the initial purchasers’ fees. The net proceeds were used to repay all borrowings outstanding under the revolving credit facility and to increase cash balances to fund a portion of the Company’s 2010 capital program.

In connection with the issuance and sale of the 2020 Notes and the 2021 Notes, the Company entered into registration rights agreements (the “Registration Rights Agreements”) with the initial purchasers dated April 5, 2010 and September 16, 2010. Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreements, the Company has agreed to file a registration statement with the SEC so that holders of the 2020 Notes and the 2021 Notes can exchange them for registered notes that have substantially identical terms as the 2020 Notes and the 2021 Notes. The Company has agreed to use reasonable efforts to cause the exchanges to be completed within 400 days after the issuance of the 2020 Notes and the 2021 Notes. The Company is required to pay additional interest if it fails to comply with its obligations to register the 2020 Notes and the 2021 Notes within the specified time period, whereby the interest rate would be increased by 1.0% per annum during the period in which a registration default is in effect. The Company expects to comply with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreements and complete the exchanges of the 2020 Notes and the 2021 Notes within the 400 day period.

The 2019 Notes, 2020 Notes, and 2021 notes (together, (collectively, the “Notes”) will mature on October 1, 2019, October 1, 2020, and April 1, 2021, respectively. Interest on the Notes is payable semi-annually on April 1 and October 1 of each year, with interest on the 2021 Notes commencinghaving commenced on April 1, 2011. The Company has the option to redeem all or a portion of the 2019 Notes, 2020 Notes, and 2021 Notes at any time on or after October 1, 2014, October 1, 2015, and April 1, 2016, respectively, at the redemption prices specified in the Notes’ respective indentures (together, the “Indentures”) plus accrued and unpaid interest. The Company may also redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at athe “make-whole” redemption priceprices specified in the Indentures plus accrued and unpaid interest at any time prior to October 1, 2014, October 1, 2015, and April 1, 2016 for the 2019 Notes, 2020 Notes, and 2021 Notes, respectively. In addition, the Company may redeem up to 35% of the 2019 Notes, 2020 Notes, and 2021 Notes prior to October 1, 2012, October 1, 2013, and April 1, 2014, respectively, under certain circumstances with the net cash proceeds from certain equity offerings. The Notes are not subject to any mandatory redemption or sinking fund requirements.

The Indentures contain certain restrictions on the Company’s ability to incur additional debt, pay dividends on common stock, make certain investments, create certain liens on assets, engage in certain transactions with affiliates, transfer or sell certain assets, consolidate or merge, or sell substantially all of the Company’s assets. These covenants are subject to a number of important exceptions and qualifications. The Company was in compliance with these covenants asat March 31, 2011. One of September 30, 2010. The Notes are not subject to any mandatory redemption or sinking fund requirements. Thethe Company’s sole subsidiary,subsidiaries, Banner Pipeline Company, L.L.C., which currently has no independent assets or operations, fully and unconditionally guarantees the Notes. The Company’s other subsidiary, whose assets and operations are minor, does not guarantee the Notes.

Note 8.7. Commitments and Contingencies

Drilling CommitmentscommitmentsAs of September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, the Company had various drilling rig contracts with various terms extending through June 2012. These contracts were entered into in the normalordinary course of business to ensure rig availability to allow the Company to execute its business objectives in its key strategic plays. These drilling commitments are not recorded in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. Future drilling commitments as of September 30, 2010 are $3.1March 31, 2011 total approximately $65 million, for contracts that expire in 2010, $45.8of which $57 million is for contracts that expire in 2011 and $21.4$8 million is for contracts that expire in 2012.

Fracturing and Well Stimulation Services Arrangementwell stimulation services arrangementOnIn August 20, 2010, the Company entered into an agreement with a third party towhereby the third party will provide, on a take-or-pay basis, hydraulic fracturing services and related equipment to service certain of the Company’s properties in North Dakota and Montana. The arrangement has a term of three years, beginning in SeptemberOctober 2010, with two one-year extensions available to the Company at its discretion. Pursuant to the take-or-pay arrangement, the Company is to pay a fixed rate per day for a minimum number of days per calendar quarter over the three-year term regardless of whether or not the services are provided. The arrangement also stipulates that the Company will bear the cost of certain products and materials used. Fixed commitments amount to $4.9 million per quarter, or $19.5 million annually, for total future commitments of $58.5 million over the three-year term. Future commitments remaining as of March 31, 2011 amount to $48.7 million. The commitments under this arrangement are not recorded in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Delivery commitments –In 2010, the Company signed a throughput and deficiency agreement with a third party crude oil pipeline company committing to ship 10,000 barrels of crude oil per day for five years at a tariff of $1.85 per barrel. The third party system is scheduled to commence operations late in the second quarter of 2011. The Company will use this system to move some of its North region crude oil to market.

Employee retirement plan –The Company maintains a defined contribution retirement plan for its employees and makes discretionary contributions to the plan, up to the contribution limits established by the Internal Revenue Service, based on a percentage of each eligible employee’s compensation. During the nine months ended September 30, 2010, and the year ended December 31, 2009, contributions to the plan were 5% of eligible employees’ compensation, excluding bonuses. Effective January 1, 2011, the Company’s contributions to the plan represent 3% of eligible employees’ compensation, including bonuses, in addition to matching 50% of eligible employees’ contributions up to 6%. Expenses were $1.0associated with the plan amounted to $0.9 million and $0.9$0.3 million for the ninethree months ended September 30,March 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Continental Resources, Inc. and 2009, respectively.Subsidiaries

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – continued

Employee health claims –The Company self insuresself-insures employee health claims up to the first $125,000 per employee.employee per year. The Company self insuresself-insures employee workers’ compensation claims up to the first $250,000 per employee.employee per claim. Any amounts paid above these thresholdslevels are reinsured through third-party providers. The Company accrues for claims that have been incurred but not yet reported based on a review of claims filed versus expected claims based on claims history. The accrued liability for health and workers’ compensation claims was $1.3$2.1 million and $1.9 million at both September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2009.2010, respectively.

Litigation – In November 2010, a putative class action was filed against the Company alleging the Company improperly deducted post-production costs from royalties paid to plaintiffs and other royalty interest owners from crude oil and natural gas wells located in Oklahoma. The plaintiffs seek recovery of compensatory damages, interest, punitive damages and attorney fees on behalf of the putative class. The Company has responded to the petition, denied the allegations and raised a number of affirmative defenses. The action is in very preliminary stages and discovery has recently commenced. As such, the Company is not able to estimate what impact, if any, the action will have on its financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

The Company is involved in various other legal proceedings insuch as commercial disputes, claims from royalty and surface owners, property damage claims, personal injury claims and similar matters. While the normal courseoutcome of business, none of which, inthese legal matters cannot be predicted with certainty, the opinion of management, will individually or collectivelyCompany does not expect them to have a material adverse effect on theits financial position orcondition, results of operations of the Company.or cash flows. As of September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2009,2010, the Company has providedrecorded a reserveliability in “Other noncurrent liabilities” of $4.6$4.5 million and $4.3$4.6 million, respectively, for various matters, none of which are believed to be individually significant.

Environmental Risk –Due to the nature of the crude oil and natural gas business, the Company is exposed to possible environmental risks. The Company is not aware of any material environmental issues or claims.

Note 9.8. Stock-Based Compensation

The Company has granted stock options and restricted stock to employees and directors pursuant to the Continental Resources, Inc. 2000 Stock Option Plan (“2000 Plan”) and the Continental Resources, Inc. 2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan (“2005 Plan”) as discussed below. The Company’s associated compensation expense, which is included in the caption “General and administrative expenses” in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,operations, is reflected in the table below for the periods presented.

 

   Three months ended September 30,   Nine months ended September 30, 

In thousands

  2010   2009   2010   2009 

Non-cash equity compensation

  $2,626    $3,172    $8,596    $8,594  
   Three months ended March 31, 
   2011   2010 
   In thousands 

Non-cash equity compensation

  $3,642    $2,852  

Stock Options

Effective October 1, 2000, the Company adopted the 2000 Plan and granted stock options to certain eligible employees. These grants consisted of either incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options or a combination of both. The granted stock options vest ratably over either a three or five-year period commencing on the first anniversary of the grant date and expire ten years from the date of grant. On November 10, 2005, the 2000 Plan was terminated. As of September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, options covering 2,200,7232,213,193 shares had been exercised and 535,893 had been canceled.

The Company’s stock option activity under the 2000 Plan for the ninethree months ended September 30, 2010 was as follows:March 31, 2011 is presented below:

 

   Outstanding   Exercisable 
   Number
of options
  Weighted
average
exercise
price
   Number
of options
  Weighted
average
exercise
price
 

Outstanding at December 31, 2009

   312,190   $1.06     312,190   $1.06  

Exercised

   (199,250  1.26     (199,250  1.26  
            

Outstanding at September 30, 2010

   112,940    0.71     112,940    0.71  
   Outstanding   Exercisable 
   Number of
stock options
  Weighted
average
exercise
price
   Number of
stock options
 ��Weighted
average
exercise
price
 

Outstanding at December 31, 2010

   104,970   $0.71     104,970   $0.71  

Exercised

   (4,500  0.71     (4,500  0.71  
            

Outstanding at March 31, 2011

   100,470    0.71     100,470    0.71  

The intrinsic value of a stock option is the amount by which the value of the underlying stock exceeds the exercise

Continental Resources, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – continued

price of the stock option at its exercise date. The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the ninethree months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 was approximately $8.5$0.3 million. At September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, all stock options were exercisable and had a weighted average remaining life of 1.5 years1.0 year with an aggregate intrinsic value of $5.2$7.1 million.

Restricted Stock

On October 3, 2005, the Company adopted the 2005 Plan and reserved a maximum of 5,500,000 shares of common stock that may be issued pursuant to the 2005 Plan. As of September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, the Company had 3,302,1522,955,988 shares of restricted stock available to grant to directors, officers and key employees under the 2005 Plan. Restricted stock is awarded in the name of the recipient and except for the right of disposal, constitutes issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock for all corporate purposes during the period of restriction including the right to receive dividends, subject to forfeiture. Restricted stock grants generally vest over periods ranging from one to three years.

The Company began issuing shares of restricted common stock to employees and non-employee directors in October 2005. A summary of changes in the non-vested shares of restricted stock for the ninethree months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 is presented below:

 

   Number of
non-vested
shares
  Weighted
average
grant-
date fair
value
 

Non-vested restricted shares at December 31, 2009

   1,126,821   $26.55  

Granted

   60,667    42.42  

Vested

   (92,273  30.92  

Forfeited

   (47,949  30.92  
      

Non-vested restricted shares at September 30, 2010

   1,047,266    26.88  

   Number of
non-vested
shares
  Weighted
average
grant-date
fair value
 

Non-vested restricted shares at December 31, 2010

   1,108,077   $35.72  

Granted

   47,480    68.31  

Vested

   (21,036  29.36  

Forfeited

   (1,948  35.51  
      

Non-vested restricted shares at March 31, 2011

   1,132,573    37.21  

The fair value of restricted stock represents the average of the high and low intraday market prices of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. Compensation expense for a restricted stock grant is a fixed amount determined at the grant date fair value and is recognized ratably over the vesting period as services are rendered by employees. The expected life of restricted stock is based on the non-vested period that remains subsequent to the date of grant. There are no post-vesting restrictions related to the Company’s restricted stock. The fair value of the restricted sharesstock that vested during the ninethree months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 at theirthe vesting date was $4.2$1.3 million. As of September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, there was $12.5$27.4 million of unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested restricted shares.stock. The expense is expected to be recognized ratably over a weighted average period of 1.0 year.1.5 years.

Note 9. Sale of Common Stock

On March 9, 2011, the Company and certain selling shareholders completed a public offering of an aggregate of 10,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, including 9,170,000 shares issued and sold by the Company and 830,000 shares sold by the selling shareholders, at a price of $68.00 per share ($65.45 per share, net of the underwriting discount). The net proceeds to the Company from the offering amounted to approximately $599.8 million after deducting the underwriting discount and offering-related expenses. The Company did not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling shareholders. In connection with the offering, the Company granted the underwriters a 30-day overallotment option to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 shares of common stock at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount, to cover overallotments, if any.

On March 25, 2011, the Company completed the sale of an additional 910,000 shares of its common stock at a price of $68.00 per share ($65.45 per share, net of the underwriting discount) in connection with the underwriters’ partial exercise of the overallotment option granted by the Company. The Company received additional net proceeds of approximately $59.5 million, after deducting the underwriting discount, from the partial exercise of the overallotment option. The selling shareholders did not participate in the partial exercise of the overallotment option.

The Company used a portion of the total net proceeds from the offering to repay all amounts outstanding under its revolving credit facility and expects to use the remaining net proceeds to accelerate the Company’s multi-year drilling program by funding its increased 2011 capital budget.

Note 10. Asset Disposition

Continental Resources, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – continued

In June 2010,March 2011, the Company soldassigned certain non-strategic leaseholds located in DeSoto Parish, Louisianathe state of Michigan to a third party with an effective date of June 18, 2010. Totalfor cash proceeds amounted to $35.4of $22.0 million. In connection with the sale,transaction, the Company recognized a pre-tax gain of $32.2$15.3 million. The saleassignment involved undeveloped acreage with no proved reserves and no production or revenues.

Note 11. Commercial Property Transaction with Related Party

On March 18, 2011, the Company executed an agreement to acquire ownership of 20 Broadway Associates LLC (“20 Broadway”), an entity wholly owned by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and principal shareholder. 20 Broadway’s sole asset is an office building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where the Company intends to locate its corporate headquarters in 2012. The Company usedpaid approximately $22.9 million for 20 Broadway, which is the proceeds fromamount the saleCompany’s principal shareholder initially paid to fund a portionacquire the office building in Oklahoma City, including the related commissions and closing costs. The transaction was approved by the Company’s Board of its 2010 capital expenditures program.

Directors.

ITEM 2.ITEM 2.Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our historical consolidated financial statements and the notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009.2010. Our operating results for the periods discussed may not be indicative of future performance. The following discussion and analysis includes forward-looking statements and should be read in conjunction with “Risk Factors” under Part II, Item 1A of this report, along with “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” at the beginning of this report, for information about the risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to be materially different than our forward-looking statements.

Overview

We are engaged in crude oil and natural gas exploration, exploitation and production activities in the North, South and East regions of the United States. The North region consists of properties north of Kansas and west of the Mississippi river and includes North Dakota Bakken, Montana Bakken, the Red River units and the Niobrara play in Colorado and Wyoming. The South region includes Kansas and all properties south of Kansas and west of the Mississippi river including the ArkomaAnadarko Woodford and AnadarkoArkoma Woodford plays in Oklahoma. The East region contains properties east of the Mississippi river including the Illinois Basin and the state of Michigan.

We focus our exploration activities in large new or developing plays that provide us the opportunity to acquire undeveloped acreage positions for future drilling operations. We have been successful in targeting large repeatable resource plays where horizontal drilling, advanced fracture stimulation and enhanced recovery technologies provide the means to economically develop and produce crude oil and natural gas reserves from unconventional formations. We derive the majority of our operating income and cash flows from the sale of crude oil and natural gas. We expect that growth in our revenues and operating income will primarily depend on product prices and our ability to increase our crude oil and natural gas production. In recent months and years, there has been significant volatility in crude oil and natural gas prices due to a variety of factors we cannot control or predict, including political and economic events, weather conditions, and competition from other energy sources. These factors impact supply and demand for crude oil and natural gas, which affects crude oil and natural gas prices. In addition, the prices we realize for our crude oil and natural gas production are affected by location differences in market prices.

For the first ninethree months of 2010,2011, our crude oil and natural gas production increased to 11,3924,650 MBoe (41,728(51,663 Boe per day), up 1,2411,191 MBoe, or 12%34%, from the first ninethree months of 2009.2010. The increase in 20102011 production was primarily driven by an increase in production from our North Dakota Bakken field and OklahomaAnadarko Woodford plays.play in Oklahoma. Our crude oil and natural gas revenues for the first ninethree months of 20102011 increased 66%50% to $675.4$326.5 million due to a 44%15% increase in realized commodity prices along with increased production compared to the same period in 2009.2010. Our realized price per Boe increased $17.90$9.07 to $58.82$71.14 for the ninethree months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 compared to the ninethree months ended September 30, 2009. For the nine month period ended September 30, 2010, we experienced increases in production taxes and other expenses of $22.9 million, a 74% increase compared to the first nine months of 2009, primarily due to an increase in crude oil and natural gas revenues resulting from higher commodity prices and an increase in sales volumes.March 31, 2010. At various times, we have stored crude oil due to pipeline line fill requirements, low commodity prices, or because of low pricestransportation constraints or we have sold crude oil from inventory. These actions result in differences between our produced and sold crude oil volumes. For the ninethree months ended September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, crude oil sales volumes were 9060 MBbls moreless than crude oil production, and crude oil sales volumes were 19640 MBbls lessmore than crude oil production for the same period in 2009.2010. Our cash flows from operating activities for the ninethree months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 were $495.3$195.6 million, an increase of $279.3$4.9 million from $216.0$190.7 million provided by our operating activities during the comparable 20092010 period. The increase in operating cash flows was primarily due to increased crude oil and natural gas revenues as a result of higher commodity prices and sales volumes. During the ninethree months ended September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, we invested $866.1$412.8 million (including increased accruals for capital expenditures of $115.4$31.1 million and $3.1$4.3 million of seismic costs) in our capital program, concentrating mainly in the North Dakota Bakken field and the Arkoma Woodford and Anadarko Woodford plays, and the Red River units.play in Oklahoma.

In July 2010,March 2011, our Board of Directors increased our 20102011 capital expenditures budget to $1.3$1.75 billion to further accelerate our drilling program and increase our acreage positions in strategic plays in the United States. Our previous 20102011 capital expenditures budget was $850 million.$1.36 billion. Our revised 2010 capital expenditures budget of $1.3 billion focuses primarily on increased development in the Bakken shale of North Dakota and Montana, the Anadarko Woodford shale in western Oklahoma, and the Niobrara shale in Colorado and Wyoming. In October 2010, our Board of Directors approved a 2011 capital expenditures budget of $1.36$1.75 billion which will continue to focus primarily on increased development in the Bakken shale of North Dakota Bakken field and Montana, the Anadarko Woodford shaleplay in western OklahomaOklahoma. Due to the volatility of crude oil and the Niobrara shale in Coloradonatural gas prices and Wyoming.our desire to diligently develop our substantial inventory of undeveloped reserves, we have hedged a substantial portion of our forecasted production from our estimated proved reserves through 2013. We expect our cash flows from operations, our remaining cash balance, and the availability under our revolving credit facility will be sufficient to meet our capital expenditure needs.needs for the next 12 months.

How We Evaluate Our Operations

We use a variety of financial and operationaloperating measures to assess our performance. Among these measures are:

 

volumes of crude oil and natural gas produced,

crude oil and natural gas prices realized,

 

per unit operating and administrative costs, and

 

EBITDAX.EBITDAX (a non-GAAP financial measure).

The following table contains financial and operationaloperating highlights for the periods presented.

 

   Three months ended September 30,   Nine months ended September 30, 
   2010   2009   2010   2009 

Average daily production:

        

Crude oil (Bopd)

   33,432     27,552     31,404     27,265  

Natural gas (Mcfd)

   68,057     58,995     61,948     59,503  

Crude oil equivalents (Boepd)

   44,775     37,384     41,728     37,182  

Average prices:(1)

        

Crude oil ($/Bbl)

  $67.26    $58.78    $68.92    $49.81  

Natural gas ($/Mcf)

   4.28     2.98     4.63     2.86  

Crude oil equivalents ($/Boe)

   56.92     48.19     58.82     40.92  

Production expense ($/Boe)(1)

   5.92     6.50     6.08     6.95  

General and administrative expense ($/Boe)(1)

   2.90     2.88     3.09     2.98  

EBITDAX (in thousands)(2)

   196,917     128,655     589,962     292,578  

Net income (in thousands)

   39,077     34,929     213,283     21,824  

Diluted net income per share

   0.23     0.21     1.26     0.13  
   Three months ended March 31, 
   2011  2010 

Average daily production:

   

Crude oil (Bbl per day)

   38,446    29,121  

Natural gas (Mcf per day)

   79,297    55,839  

Crude oil equivalents (Boe per day)

   51,663    38,428  

Average sales prices:(1)

   

Crude oil ($/Bbl)

  $85.34   $71.41  

Natural gas ($/Mcf)

   5.09    5.40  

Crude oil equivalents ($/Boe)

   71.14    62.07  

Production expenses ($/Boe)(1)

   6.38    6.46  

General and administrative expenses ($/Boe)(1) (2)

   3.56    3.39  

Net income (loss) (in thousands)

   (137,201  72,465  

Diluted net income (loss) per share

   (0.80  0.43  

EBITDAX (in thousands)(3)

   268,655    175,583  

 

(1)Average sales prices and per unit expenses have been calculated using sales volumes and excludingexclude any effect of derivative transactions. At various times, we have stored crude oil due to pipeline line fill requirements or because
(2)General and administrative expense ($/Boe) includes non-cash equity compensation expense of low prices or we have sold crude oil from inventory. These actions result in differences between our produced$0.79 per Boe and sold crude oil volumes. Crude oil sales volumes were 78 MBbls more than crude oil production$0.82 per Boe for the three months ended September 30,March 31, 2011 and 2010, and 55 MBbls more than crude oil production for the three months ended September 30, 2009. For the nine months ended September 30, 2010, crude oil sales volumes were 90 MBbls more than crude oil production and 196 MBbls less than crude oil production for the nine months ended September 30, 2009.respectively.
(2)(3)EBITDAX represents earnings before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion, property impairments, exploration expenses, unrealized derivative gains and losses and non-cash equity compensation expense. EBITDAX is not a measure of net income or cash flows as determined by U.S. GAAP. A reconciliation of net income to EBITDAX is provided subsequently under the headerheadingNon-GAAP Financial Measures.

Three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2009March 31, 2010

Results of Operations

The following table presents selected financial and operating information for each of the periods presented.

   Three months ended September 30, 

In thousands, except price data

  2010  2009 

Crude oil and natural gas sales

  $238,826   $168,372  

Gain (loss) on mark-to-market derivative instruments

   (24,183  (2,105

Total revenues

   219,450    170,204  

Operating costs and expenses(1)

   143,094    110,918  

Other expenses, net

   12,375    4,569  
         

Income before income taxes

   63,981    54,717  

Provision for income taxes

   24,904    19,788  
         

Net income

  $39,077   $34,929  

Production Volumes:

   

Crude oil (MBbl)

   3,075    2,534  

Natural gas (MMcf)

   6,261    5,427  

Crude oil equivalents (MBoe)

   4,119    3,440  

Sales Volumes:

   

Crude oil (MBbl)

   3,153    2,589  

Natural gas (MMcf)

   6,261    5,427  

Crude oil equivalents (MBoe)

   4,195    3,494  

Average Prices:(2)

   

Crude oil ($/Bbl)

  $67.26   $58.78  

Natural gas ($/Mcf)

  $4.28   $2.98  

Crude oil equivalents ($/Boe)

  $56.92   $48.19  
   Three months ended March 31, 
   2011  2010 
   In thousands, except sales price data 

Crude oil and natural gas sales

  $326,467   $217,124  

Gain (loss) on derivative instruments, net(1)

   (369,303  26,344  

Total revenues

   (36,210  248,268  

Operating costs and expenses(2)

   166,683    123,739  

Other expenses, net

   18,462    7,654  
         

Income (loss) before income taxes

   (221,355  116,875  

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

   (84,154  44,410  
         

Net income (loss)

  $(137,201 $72,465  

Production volumes:

   

Crude oil (MBbl)(3)

   3,460    2,621  

Natural gas (MMcf)

   7,137    5,026  

Crude oil equivalents (MBoe)

   4,650    3,459  

Sales volumes:

   

Crude oil (MBbl)(3)

   3,400    2,661  

Natural gas (MMcf)

   7,137    5,026  

Crude oil equivalents (MBoe)

   4,589    3,499  

Average sales prices:(4)

   

Crude oil ($/Bbl)

  $85.34   $71.41  

Natural gas ($/Mcf)

  $5.09   $5.40  

Crude oil equivalents ($/Boe)

  $71.14   $62.07  

 

(1)Net ofAmounts include an unrealized non-cash mark-to-market loss on salederivative instruments of assets$364.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2011 and an unrealized non-cash mark-to-market gain on derivative instruments of $0.5$22.0 million and afor the three months ended March 31, 2010.
(2)Net of gain on sale of assets of $0.5$15.3 million and $0.2 million for the three months ended September 30,March 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. In March 2011, we assigned certain non-strategic leaseholds in the state of Michigan to a third party for cash proceeds of $22.0 million. In connection with the transaction, we recognized a pre-tax gain of $15.3 million. The assignment involved undeveloped acreage with no proved reserves and 2009, respectively.no production or revenues.
(2)(3)At various times we have stored crude oil due to pipeline line fill requirements, low commodity prices, or transportation constraints or we have sold crude oil from inventory. These actions result in differences between our produced and sold crude oil volumes. Crude oil sales volumes were 60 MBbls less than crude oil production for the three months ended March 31, 2011 and 40 MBbls more than crude oil production for the three months ended March 31, 2010.
(4)Average sales prices have been calculated using sales volumes and excludingexclude any effect of derivative transactions.

Production

The following tables reflect our production by product and region for the periods presented.

 

  Three months ended September 30,     Three months ended March 31,   
  2010 2009 Volume
increase
  Percent
increase
   2011 2010 Volume
increase
  Percent
increase
 
  Volume   Percent Volume   Percent   Volume   Percent Volume   Percent 

Crude oil (MBbl)

   3,075     75  2,534     74  541    21   3,460     74  2,621     76  839    32

Natural Gas (MMcf)

   6,261     25  5,427     26  834    15   7,137     26  5,026     24  2,111    42
                                        

Total (MBoe)

   4,119     100  3,440     100  679    20   4,650     100  3,459     100  1,191    34
  Three months ended September 30, Volume
increase
(decrease)
  Percent
increase
(decrease)
   Three months ended March 31, Volume
increase
(decrease)
  Percent
increase
(decrease)
 
  2010 2009   2011 2010 
  MBoe   Percent MBoe   Percent   MBoe   Percent MBoe   Percent 

North Region

   3,230     78  2,608     76  622    24   3,660     79  2,707     78  953    35

South Region

   776     19  696     20  80    11   886     19  628     18  258    41

East Region

   113     3  136     4  (23  (17)%    104     2  124     4  (20  (16)% 
                                        

Total (MBoe)

   4,119     100  3,440     100  679    20

Total

   4,650     100  3,459     100  1,191    34

Crude oil production volumes increased 21%32% during the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2009.March 31, 2010. Production increases in the North Dakota Bakken field, Red River units, and the Oklahoma Woodford play contributed incremental production volumes in 20102011 of 659850 MBbls, in excess ofa 43% increase over production for the thirdfirst quarter of 2009.2010. Favorable drilling results from drilling have been the primary contributors to production growth in these areas. Natural gas production volumes increased 8342,111 MMcf, or 15%42%, during the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 compared to the same period in 2009.2010. Natural gas production in the Bakken field in the North region was up 564635 MMcf, or 62%, for the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 compared to the same period in 20092010 due to additional natural gas being connected and sold in North Dakota. Natural gas production in the Oklahoma Woodford area increased 6171,196 MMcf, or 52%, due to additional wells being completed and producing in the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 compared to the same period in 2009. These additional sales in the Bakken and Oklahoma Woodford plays were partially offset by decreases in natural gas volumes of 180 MMcf in the Cedar Hills field due to the conversion of producing wells to injection wells and 155 MMcf in the South region due to natural declines in a non-Woodford area.2010.

Revenues

Our total revenues are comprised of sales of crude oil and natural gas, revenues associated with crude oil and natural gas service operations, and realized and unrealized changes in the fair value of our derivative instruments. Throughout 2010 and 2011 we entered into a series of derivative instruments, including fixed price swaps and zero-cost collars, to reduce the uncertainty of future cash flows in order to underpin our capital expenditures and accelerated drilling program over the next three years. The significant increase in the price of crude oil during the three months ended March 31, 2011 had an adverse impact on the fair value of our derivative instruments, which resulted in negative revenue adjustments of $369.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2011. The adverse impact of the changes in our derivative instruments resulted in our total revenues being a negative $36.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2011. The $369.3 million negative adjustment to revenue for the 2011 first quarter includes $5.2 million of net cash paid to our counterparties to settle derivatives and $364.1 million of unrealized non-cash mark-to-market losses on open derivative instruments. Excluding the unrealized non-cash components resulting from mark-to-market changes in the fair value of our derivative instruments, our total revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2011 would have been a positive $327.9 million. The unrealized mark-to-market loss relates to derivative instruments with various terms that are scheduled to be realized over the period from April 2011 through December 2013. Over this period, actual realized derivative settlements may differ significantly from the unrealized mark-to-market valuation at March 31, 2011. We expect that our revenues will continue to be significantly impacted, either positively or negatively, by changes in the fair value of our derivative instruments as a result of volatility in crude oil and natural gas prices. While the existence of historically high commodity prices over a prolonged period could continue to have an adverse impact on the fair value of our derivative instruments and derivative settlements, such an adverse impact would be partially mitigated by increased revenues from higher realized sales prices of crude oil and natural gas at the wellhead.

Crude Oil and Natural Gas Sales. Crude oil and natural gas sales for the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 were $238.8$326.5 million, a 42%50% increase from sales of $168.4$217.1 million for the same period in 2009.2010. Our sales volumes increased 7011,090 MBoe, or 20%31%, over the same period in 20092010 due to the continuing success of our enhanced crude oil recoverydrilling programs in the Bakken field and drilling programs.Anadarko Woodford play. Our realized price per Boe increased $8.73$9.07 to $56.92$71.14 for the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 from $48.19$62.07 for the three months ended September 30, 2009.March 31, 2010. The differential between NYMEX calendar month average crude oil prices and our realized crude oil price per barrel for the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 was $8.93$9.21 compared to $9.39$7.42 for the three months ended September 30, 2009March 31, 2010 and $8.29$9.02 for the year ended December 31, 2009.2010. Factors contributing to the changing differentials included disruptions in Canadian crude oil delivery systems and other circumstances that impacted Canadian crude oil imports, and increases in production in the North region, coupled with downstream transportation capacity constraints and seasonal demand fluctuations.

Derivatives. We are required to recognize all derivative instruments on the balance sheet as either assets or liabilities measured at fair value. We electedhave not to designatedesignated our derivativesderivative instruments as cash flow hedges.hedges for accounting purposes. As a result, we mark our derivative instruments to fair value and recognize the realized and unrealized changes in fair value on derivative instruments in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of incomeoperations under the caption “Gain (loss) on mark-to-market derivative instruments.instruments, net.

During the three months ended September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, we realized losses on crude oil derivatives of $13.3 million and realized gains on natural gas derivatives of $5.7$8.1 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2011, we reported an unrealized non-cash mark-to-market loss on crude oil derivatives of $360.1 million and an unrealized non-cash mark-to-market loss on natural gas derivatives of $4.0 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2010, we realized gains on crude oil derivatives of $6.7$2.5 million and realized gains on natural gas derivatives of $1.8 million. During the three months ended September 30,March 31, 2010, we reported an unrealized non-cash mark-to-market loss on crude oil derivatives of $6.8 million and an unrealized non-cash mark-to-market gain on natural gas derivatives of $9.6 million and an unrealized non-cash mark-to-market loss on crude oil derivatives of $46.2$28.8 million. During the three months ended September 30, 2009, we had no derivative contracts related to our crude oil production and we reported unrealized non-cash mark-to-market losses from our natural gas derivatives of $2.1 million for such period.

Crude Oil and Natural Gas Service Operations. Our crude oil and natural gas service operations consist primarily of the treatment and sale of lower quality crude oil, or reclaimed crude oil. The table below shows the volumes and prices for the sale of reclaimed crude oil for the periods presented.

  Three months ended September 30,       Three months ended March 31,     

Reclaimed crude oil sales

  2010   2009   Variance   2011   2010   Variance 

Average sales price ($/Bbl)

  $65.79    $56.90    $8.89    $79.67    $68.25    $11.42  

Sales volumes (barrels)

   52,000     39,000     13,000     52,138     55,361     (3,223

Prices for reclaimed crude oil sold from our central treating units were $8.89$11.42 per barrel higher for the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 than the comparable 20092010 period, which contributed to an increase in reclaimed crude oil revenue by $0.7of $0.5 million to $3.3$4.7 million, contributing to an overall increase in crude oil and natural gas service operations revenue of $0.9$1.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2010. We sold high-pressure airMarch 31, 2011. Also contributing to the increase in crude oil and natural gas service operations revenue was a $1.0 million increase in saltwater disposal income resulting from our Red River units to a third party and recorded revenues of $0.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2009. Beginning in January 2010, we no longer sell high-pressure air to a third party.increased activity. Associated crude oil and natural gas service operations expenses increased $2.6$1.5 million to $4.9$5.5 million during the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 from $2.3$4.0 million during the three months ended September 30, 2009March 31, 2010 due mainly to an increase in the costs of purchasing and treating reclaimed crude oil for resale compared to the same periodand in 2009.providing saltwater disposal services.

Operating Costs and Expenses

Production Expenses and Production Taxes and Other Expenses. Production expenses increased 9%30% to $24.9$29.3 million during the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 from $22.7$22.6 million during the three months ended September 30, 2009March 31, 2010 due primarily to higher production volumes. Production expense per Boe decreased to $5.92$6.38 for the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 from $6.50$6.46 per Boe for the three months ended September 30, 2009. In the prior year, we leased compressors from a related party for approximately $400,000March 31, 2010. The per month under an operating lease and a new agreementunit decrease was negotiated effective February 1, 2010 resultingdriven by longer natural production periods on certain North Dakota Bakken wells that resulted in lower artificial lifting costs, positive secondary recovery efforts in the monthly lease fee being reducedCedar Hills field that have resulted in lower-cost improvements in production, and the conversion of certain high pressure air injection units to $50,000, loweringless costly waterflood units. We plan to convert some waterflood units to high pressure air injection units on certain fields during 2011, which may result in increased production expense per Boe for the 2010 period.expenses compared to 2010.

Production taxes and other expenses increased $7.1$11.6 million, or 58%72%, to $27.6 million during the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2009March 31, 2010 as a result of higher crude oil and natural gas revenues resulting from increased commodity prices and sales volumes along with the expiration of various tax incentives. Production taxes and other expenses on the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations include other charges for marketing, gathering, dehydration and compression fees primarily related to natural gas sales in the ArkomaOklahoma Woodford areaand North Dakota Bakken areas of $1.1$2.2 million and $1.5$1.1 million for the three months ended September 30,March 31, 2011 and 2010, and 2009, respectively. Production taxes, excluding other charges, as a percentage of crude oil and natural gas sales were 7.7%7.8% for the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 compared to 6.7%7.0% for the three months ended September 30, 2009.March 31, 2010. The increase is due to the expiration of various tax incentives coupled with higher taxable revenues in North Dakota, our most active area, which has production tax rates of up to 11.5% of crude oil revenues. Production taxes are based on the wellhead values of production and vary by state. Additionally, some states offer exemptions or reduced production tax rates for wells that produce less than a certain quantity of crude oil or natural gas and to encourage certain activities, such as horizontal drilling and enhanced recovery projects. In Montana and Oklahoma, new horizontal wells qualify for a tax incentive and are taxed at a lower rate during their initial months of production. After the incentive period expires, the tax rate increases to the statutory rates. Our overall production tax rate is expected to increase as production tax incentives we currently receive for horizontal wells reach the end of their incentive period.periods.

On a unit of sales basis, production expenses and production taxes and other expenses were as follows:

 

  Three months ended September 30,   Percent
increase
(decrease)
   Three months ended March 31,   Percent
increase

(decrease)
 

$/Boe

      2010           2009             2011           2010       

Production expenses

  $5.92    $6.50     (9)%   $6.38    $6.46     (1)% 

Production taxes and other expenses

   4.65     3.54     31   6.01     4.58     31
                    

Production expenses, production taxes and other expenses

  $10.57    $10.04     5  $12.39    $11.04     12

Exploration Expenses. Exploration expenses consist primarily of dry hole costs and exploratory geological and geophysical costs that are expensed as incurred. Exploration expenses increased $2.5$5.0 million in the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 to $3.5$6.8 million due primarily to increasesa $1.5 million increase in dry hole expenses and a $3.3 million increase in seismic expenseexpenses resulting from higher acquisitions of $0.9 million and dry hole expense of $1.5 million.seismic data in the current year in connection with our increased capital budget for 2011.

Depreciation, Depletion, Amortization and Accretion (“DD&A”). Total DD&A increased $11.9$23.1 million, or 23%44%, in the thirdfirst quarter of 2011 compared to the first quarter of 2010, compared to the third quarter of 2009, primarily due to thean increase in production.production volumes. The following table shows the components of our DD&A rate per Boe.

 

  Three months ended September 30,   Three months ended March 31, 

$/Boe

  2010   2009   2011   2010 

Crude oil and natural gas

  $14.59    $14.22    $16.07    $14.62  

Other equipment

   0.24     0.22     0.25     0.23  

Asset retirement obligation accretion

   0.16     0.16     0.17     0.18  
                

Depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion

  $14.99    $14.60    $16.49    $15.03  

The increase in DD&A per Boe is partially the result of a gradual shift in our production base from our historic production base of the Red River units in the Cedar Hills field to our new production base in the Bakken field. Our producing properties in the Bakken field typically carry a higher DD&A rate due to the existence of higher cost reserves in that field compared to other areas in which we operate.

Property Impairments. Property impairments, which consisted entirely of impairments ofboth proved and non-producing, propertiesincreased in the three months ended March 31, 2011 by $5.6 million to $20.8 million compared to $15.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009,March 31, 2010.

Impairment of non-producing properties increased $2.9$6.6 million during the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 to $14.7$20.8 million compared to $11.8$14.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2009March 31, 2010 reflecting higher amortization of leasehold costs resulting from a larger base of amortizable costs. Non-producing properties consist of undeveloped leasehold costs and costs associated with the purchase of certain proved undeveloped reserves. Non-producing properties are amortized on a composite method based on our estimated experience of successful drilling and the average holding period.

We did not record any impairment provisions for proved oil and gas properties for either the three months ended September 30, 2010 or 2009. We evaluate our proved crude oil and natural gas properties for impairment by comparing their cost basis to the estimated future cash flows on a field basis. If the cost basis is in excess of estimated future cash flows, then we impair it based on an estimate of fair market value based on discounted cash flows. For bothWe did not record any impairment provisions for proved oil and gas properties for the three months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009,March 31, 2011. For that period, future cash flows were determined to be in excess of cost basis, andtherefore no impairment was necessary. Impairment provisions for proved crude oil and natural gas properties were $1.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2010. Impairments of proved properties in 2010 reflect uneconomic operating results in a non-Bakken Montana field in the North region.

General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses increased $2.1$4.5 million to $12.1$16.3 million during the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 from $10.0$11.8 million during the comparable period in 2009. The majority of the increase was in personnel and office expenses.2010. General and administrative expenses include non-cash charges for stock-based compensation of $2.6$3.6 million and $3.2$2.9 million for the three months ended September 30,March 31, 2011 and 2010, and 2009, respectively. General and administrative expenses excluding stock-based compensation increased $2.7$3.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 compared to the same period in 2009.2010. The increase was primarily related to an increase in personnel costs and office related expenses associated with the growth of our Company. On a volumetric basis, general and administrative expenses increased $0.02$0.17 to $2.90$3.56 per Boe for the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 compared to $2.88$3.39 per Boe for the three months ended September 30, 2009.March 31, 2010.

Interest Expense. Interest expense increased 165%,$10.6 million, or $7.8 million,127%, for the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2009,March 31, 2010 due to an increase in our outstanding debt balance in the current year coupled withand higher rates of interest being incurred on our senior notes in the current year compared to lower interest rates on our credit facility borrowings in the prior year. On September 23, 2009, we issued $300 million of 8 1/4% Senior Notes due 2019. On April 5, 2010, we issued $200 million of 7 3/8% Senior Notes due 2020. On September 16, 2010, we issued $400 million of 7 1/8% Senior Notes due 2021. We recorded $10.3$17.2 million in interest expense on the outstanding senior notes for the three months ended September 30,March 31, 2011 compared with $6.3 million for the same period in 2010. Including the interest on both the senior notes and revolving credit facility borrowings, our weighted average interest rate for the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 was 6.2%7.3% with a weighted average outstanding long-term debt balance of $730.8$971.9 million while for the three months ended September 30, 2009 ourcompared to a weighted average interest rate was 2.82%of 6.1% with a weighted average outstanding long-term debt balance of $581.6 million.$511.7 million for the same period in 2010.

Our weighted average outstanding revolving credit facility balance decreased to $170.0$71.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 compared to $558.8$211.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2009.March 31, 2010. The weighted average interest rate on our revolving credit facility borrowings was higherlower at 2.66%2.65% for the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 compared to 2.59%2.75% for the same period in 2009.2010. At September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, we had no outstanding borrowings on our revolving credit facility.

Income Taxes. We recorded an income tax expensebenefit for the three months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 of $24.9$84.2 million compared to $19.8with income tax expense of $44.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2009.March 31, 2010. We provide for income taxes at a combined federal and state tax rate of approximately 38% after taking into account permanent taxable differences.

Nine months ended September 30, 2010 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2009

Results of Operations

The following table presents selected financial and operating information for each of the periods presented.

   Nine months ended September 30, 

In thousands, except price data

  2010   2009 

Crude oil and natural gas sales

  $675,376    $407,379  

Gain (loss) on mark-to-market derivative instruments

   57,626     (1,215

Total revenues

   747,686     418,573  

Operating costs and expenses(1)

   370,478     371,538  

Other expenses, net

   31,854     13,431  
          

Income before income taxes

   345,354     33,604  

Provision for income taxes

   132,071     11,780  
          

Net income

  $213,283    $21,824  

Production Volumes:

    

Crude oil (MBbl)

   8,573     7,443  

Natural gas (MMcf)

   16,912     16,244  

Crude oil equivalents (MBoe)

   11,392     10,151  

Sales Volumes:

    

Crude oil (MBbl)

   8,663     7,247  

Natural gas (MMcf)

   16,912     16,244  

Crude oil equivalents (MBoe)

   11,481     9,955  

Average Prices:(2)

    

Crude oil ($/Bbl)

  $68.92    $49.81  

Natural gas ($/Mcf)

  $4.63    $2.86  

Crude oil equivalents ($/Boe)

  $58.82    $40.92  

(1)Net of gain on sale of assets of $32.9 million and $0.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively. In June 2010, we sold certain non-strategic leaseholds located in DeSoto Parish, Louisiana to a third party with an effective date of June 18, 2010. Total cash proceeds amounted to $35.4 million. In connection with the sale, we recognized a pre-tax gain of $32.2 million. The sale involved undeveloped acreage with no proved reserves and no production or revenues.
(2)Average prices have been calculated using sales volumes and excluding any effect of derivative transactions.

Production

The following tables reflect our production by product and region for the periods presented.

   Nine months ended September 30,  Volume
increase
  Percent
increase
 
   2010  2009   
   Volume   Percent  Volume   Percent   

Crude oil (MBbl)

   8,573     75  7,443     73  1,130    15

Natural Gas (MMcf)

   16,912     25  16,244     27  668    4
                        

Total (MBoe)

   11,392     100  10,151     100  1,241    12
   Nine months ended September 30,  Volume
increase
(decrease)
  Percent
increase
(decrease)
 
   2010  2009   
   MBoe   Percent  MBoe   Percent   

North Region

   8,969     79  7,634     75  1,335    17

South Region

   2,078     18  2,127     21  (49  (2)% 

East Region

   345     3  390     4  (45  (12)% 
                        

Total (MBoe)

   11,392     100  10,151     100  1,241    12

        Crude oil production volumes increased 15% during the nine months ended September 30, 2010 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2009. Production increases in the North Dakota Bakken field, Cedar Hills field and the Oklahoma Woodford play contributed incremental volumes in 2010 of 1,625 MBbls in excess of production for the same period in 2009. Favorable results from drilling have been the primary contributors to production growth in these areas. This increase was partially offset by a decrease in the Montana Bakken of 324 MBbls due to wells shut in for repairs and natural declines. Natural gas volumes increased 668 MMcf, or 4%, during the nine months ended September 30, 2010 compared to the same period in 2009. Natural gas production in the Bakken field in the North region was up 1,742 MMcf for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 compared to the same period in 2009 due to additional natural gas being connected and sold in North Dakota. Natural gas production in the Oklahoma Woodford area increased 550 MMcf due to additional wells being completed and producing in the nine months ended September 30, 2010 compared to the same period in 2009. These additional sales in the Bakken and Oklahoma Woodford plays were partially offset by a decrease in natural gas volumes of 731 MMcf in the Red River units due to the conversion of producing wells to injection wells and the Badlands plant being down for repairs. Further, other South region natural gas volumes decreased 880 MMcf mostly due to natural declines from a non-Woodford area.

Revenues

Crude Oil and Natural Gas Sales. Crude oil and natural gas sales for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 were $675.4 million, a 66% increase from sales of $407.4 million for the same period in 2009. Our sales volumes increased 1,526 MBoe, or 15%, over the same period in 2009 due to the continuing success of our enhanced crude oil recovery and drilling programs. Our realized price per Boe increased $17.90 to $58.82 for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 from $40.92 for the nine months ended September 30, 2009. The differential between NYMEX calendar month average crude oil prices and our realized crude oil price per barrel for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 was $8.68 compared to $7.91 for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 and $8.29 for the year ended December 31, 2009. Factors contributing to the changing differentials included Canadian crude oil imports and increases in production in the North region, coupled with downstream transportation capacity and seasonal demand fluctuations.

Derivatives. We are required to recognize all derivative instruments on the balance sheet as either assets or liabilities measured at fair value. We elected not to designate our derivatives as cash flow hedges. As a result, we mark our derivative instruments to fair value and recognize the realized and unrealized changes in fair value on derivative instruments in the consolidated statements of income under the caption “Gain (loss) on mark-to-market derivative instruments.”

During the nine months ended September 30, 2010, we realized gains on natural gas derivatives of $14.3 million and realized gains on crude oil derivatives of $15.2 million. During the nine months ended September 30, 2010, we reported an unrealized non-cash mark-to-market gain on natural gas derivatives of $28.4 million and an unrealized non-cash mark-to-market loss on crude oil derivatives of $0.3 million. During the nine months ended September 30, 2009, we had no derivative contracts related to our crude oil production and we reported unrealized non-cash mark-to-market losses from our natural gas derivatives of $1.2 million for such period.

Crude Oil and Natural Gas Service Operations. Our crude oil and natural gas service operations consist primarily of the treatment and sale of lower quality crude oil, or reclaimed crude oil. The table below shows the volumes and prices for the sale of reclaimed crude oil for the periods presented.

   Nine months ended September 30,     

Reclaimed crude oil sales

  2010   2009   Variance 

Average sales price ($/Bbl)

  $67.46    $43.61    $23.85  

Sales volumes (barrels)

   167,000     156,000     11,000  

Prices for reclaimed crude oil sold from our central treating units were $23.85 per barrel higher for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 than the comparable 2009 period, which contributed to an increase in reclaimed crude oil revenue by $4.1 million to $12.0 million, contributing to an overall increase in crude oil and natural gas service operations revenue of $2.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010. We sold high-pressure air from our Red River units to a third party and recorded revenues of $1.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009. Beginning in January 2010, we no longer sell high-pressure air to a third party. Associated crude oil and natural gas service operations expenses increased $5.6 million to $13.0 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2010 from $7.4 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2009 due mainly to an increase in the costs of purchasing and treating reclaimed crude oil for resale compared to the same period in 2009.

Operating Costs and Expenses

Production Expenses and Production Taxes and Other Expenses. Production expenses increased 1% to $69.8 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2010 from $69.2 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2009 due to higher production volumes. Production expense per Boe decreased to $6.08 for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 from $6.95 per Boe for the nine months ended September 30, 2009. In the prior year, we leased compressors from a related party for approximately $400,000 per month under an operating lease and a new agreement was negotiated effective February 1, 2010 resulting in the monthly lease fee being reduced to $50,000, lowering production expense per Boe for the 2010 period. Also contributing to the decrease was a non-recurring charge recorded in the prior year period to accrue for potential loss exposure on royalty interpretations.

        Production taxes and other expenses increased $22.9 million, or 74%, during the nine months ended September 30, 2010 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2009 as a result of higher revenues resulting from increased commodity prices and sales volumes along with the expiration of various tax incentives. Production taxes and other expenses include charges for marketing, gathering, dehydration and compression fees primarily related to natural gas sales in the Arkoma Woodford area of $4.4 million and $5.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Production taxes, excluding other charges, as a percentage of crude oil and natural gas sales were 7.4% for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 compared to 6.4% for the nine months ended September 30, 2009. The increase is due to the expiration of various tax incentives coupled with higher taxable revenues in North Dakota, our most active area, which has production tax rates of up to 11.5% of oil revenues. Production taxes are based on the wellhead values of production and vary by state. Additionally, some states offer exemptions or reduced production tax rates for wells that produce less than a certain quantity of crude oil or natural gas and to encourage certain activities, such as horizontal drilling and enhanced recovery projects. In Montana and Oklahoma, new horizontal wells qualify for a tax incentive and are taxed at a lower rate during their initial months of production. After the incentive period expires, the tax rate increases to the statutory rates. Our overall production tax rate is expected to increase as incentives we currently receive for horizontal wells reach the end of their incentive period.

On a unit of sales basis, production expenses and production taxes and other expenses were as follows:

   Nine months ended September 30,   Percent
increase

(decrease)
 

$/Boe

  2010   2009   

Production expenses

  $6.08    $6.95     (13)% 

Production taxes and other expenses

   4.68     3.10     51
            

Production expenses, production taxes and other expenses

  $10.76    $10.05     7

Exploration Expenses. Exploration expenses consist primarily of dry hole costs and exploratory geological and geophysical costs that are expensed as incurred. Exploration expenses decreased $2.1 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2010 to $7.6 million due primarily to a decrease in dry hole expense of $3.1 million, partially offset by a $1.6 million increase in seismic expenses.

Depreciation, Depletion, Amortization and Accretion. Total DD&A increased $19.5 million, or 13%, in the first nine months of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009, primarily due to the increase in production. The following table shows the components of our DD&A rate per Boe.

   Nine months ended September 30, 

$/Boe

  2010   2009 

Crude oil and natural gas

  $14.78    $15.16  

Other equipment

   0.24     0.23  

Asset retirement obligation accretion

   0.17     0.17  
          

Depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion

  $15.19    $15.56  

DD&A per Boe decreased partially as a result of the increase in commodity prices used to calculate year-end 2009 reserve volumes as compared to the prices used to calculate year-end 2008 reserve volumes. Higher prices have the effect of increasing the economic life of oil and gas properties, which increases future reserve volumes and decreases DD&A on a volumetric basis.

Property Impairments. Property impairments, both proved and non-producing, decreased in the nine months ended September 30, 2010 by $21.1 million to $49.4 million compared to $70.5 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2009.

Impairment of non-producing properties increased $13.3 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2010 to $47.7 million compared to $34.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 reflecting amortization of leasehold costs. Non-producing properties consist of undeveloped leasehold costs and costs associated with the purchase of certain proved undeveloped reserves. Non-producing properties are amortized on a composite method based on our estimated experience of successful drilling and the average holding period.

Impairment provisions for proved crude oil and natural gas properties were approximately $1.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 compared to approximately $36.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, a decrease of $34.4 million, or 95%. We evaluate our proved crude oil and natural gas properties for impairment by comparing their cost basis to the estimated future cash flows on a field basis. If the cost basis is in excess of estimated future cash flows, then we impair it based on an estimate of fair market value based on discounted cash flows. Impairments of proved properties in 2010 reflect uneconomic operating results in the East region and a non-Bakken Montana field in the North region, which resulted in impairments of $1.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010. Impairments of proved properties in 2009 reflect uneconomic drilling results in the first half of 2009 in our South region, which resulted in impairments of $24.1 million. The remaining 2009 impairments were the result of decreases in reserves and prices.

General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses increased $5.8 million to $35.5 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2010 from $29.7 million during the comparable period in 2009. The majority of the increase was in personnel and office expenses. General and administrative expenses include non-cash charges for stock-based compensation of $8.6 million for both the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009. On a volumetric basis, general and administrative expenses increased $0.11 to $3.09 per Boe for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 compared to $2.98 per Boe for the nine months ended September 30, 2009.

        Interest Expense. Interest expense increased 134%, or $18.8 million, for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2009, due to an increase in our outstanding debt balance in the current year coupled with higher rates of interest being incurred on our senior notes in the current year compared to interest rates on our credit facility borrowings in the prior year. On September 23, 2009, we issued $300 million of 8 1/4% Senior Notes due 2019. On April 5, 2010, we issued $200 million of 7 3/8% Senior Notes due 2020. On September 16, 2010, we issued $400 million of 7 1/8% Senior Notes due 2021. We recorded $26.6 million in interest expense on the outstanding senior notes for the nine months ended September 30, 2010. Including the interest on the senior notes, our weighted average interest rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 was 6.64% with a weighted average outstanding balance of $612.1 million compared to a weighted average interest rate of 2.98% and a weighted average outstanding balance of $558.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009.

Our average revolving credit facility balance decreased to $161.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 compared to $550.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009. The weighted average interest rate on our revolving credit facility borrowings was lower at 2.66% for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 compared to 2.90% for the same period in 2009. At September 30, 2010, we had no outstanding borrowings on our revolving credit facility.

Income Taxes. We recorded income tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 of $132.1 million compared to $11.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009. We provide for income taxes at a combined federal and state tax rate of approximately 38% after taking into account permanent taxable differences.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our primary sources of liquidity have been cash flows generated from operating activities, financing provided by our revolving credit facility and the issuance of senior notes.debt and equity securities. During the first ninethree months of 2010,2011, our crude oil prices were $19.11average realized sales price was $9.07 per barrelBoe higher than the first ninethree months of 2009, and we have seen our natural gas2010. The increase in realized commodity prices for the first nine months of 2010 increase 62% compared to the first nine months of 2009. The increased prices of crude oil and natural gas in the current year, coupled with our 31% increase in sales volumes, resulted in improved cash flows from operations and better liquidity. Further, our liquidity has improved at March 31, 2011 as we have more borrowing availability on our revolving credit facility as a result of refinancing our credit facility borrowings through the issuance and sale of common stock in March 2011 as discussed below under the headingSale of Common Stock.

At September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, we had approximately $149.5$477.4 million of cash and cash equivalents and approximately $747.7$747.6 million (after considering outstanding letters of credit) of net available liquidity under our revolving credit facility.facility (after considering outstanding letters of credit).

Cash Flows

Cash Flows from Operating Activities

Our net cash provided by operating activities was $495.3$195.6 million and $216.0$190.7 million for the ninethree months ended September 30,March 31, 2011 and 2010, and 2009, respectively. The increase in operating cash flows was primarily due to higher crude oil and natural gas revenues as a result of higher commodity prices and sales volumes in the current period.

Cash Flows from Investing Activities

During the ninethree months ended September 30,March 31, 2011 and 2010, and 2009, we had cash flows used in investing activities (excluding asset sales) of $747.6$377.5 million and $378.2$163.0 million, respectively, related to our capital program, inclusive of dry hole costs. The increase in our cash flows used in investing activities in 2011 was due to the current yearcontinued acceleration of our drilling program, primarily in the North Dakota Bakken field and Arkomathe Anadarko Woodford plays.play in Oklahoma.

Cash Flows from Financing Activities

Net cash provided by financing activities for the ninethree months ended September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 was $348.9$629.2 million and was mainly the result of the issuance and sale of the $200an aggregate 10,080,000 shares of our common stock in March 2011 for total net proceeds of approximately $659.3 million, of 2020 Notes in April 2010after deducting underwriting discounts and the issuance of the $400 million of 2021 Notes in September 2010offering-related expenses, along with borrowings on our credit facility, partially offset by amounts repaid under our credit facility. Net cash provided byused in financing activities of $159.5$28.3 million for the ninethree months ended September 30, 2009March 31, 2010 was mainly the result of amounts received from the issuance of the $300 million of 2019 Notes in September 2009 along with borrowings on our credit facility, partially offset by amounts repaid under our credit facility.

Future Sources of Financing

We believe that funds from operating cash flows, our remaining cash balance, and our revolving credit facility should be sufficient to meet our cash requirements inclusive of, but not limited to, normal operating needs, debt service obligations, planned capital expenditures, and commitments and contingencies for the next 12 months.

Based on our planned production growth and the existence of derivative contracts in place to limit the downside risk of adverse price movements associated with the forecasted sale of future production, we currently anticipate that we will be able to generate or obtain funds sufficient to meet our short-term and long-term cash requirements. We intend to finance our future capital expenditures primarily through cash flows from operations and through borrowings under our revolving credit facility, but may also include the issuance of debt or equity securities or the sale of assets. Furthermore, theThe issuance of additional debt may require that a portion of our cash flows from operations be used for the payment of interest and principal on our debt, thereby reducing our ability to use cash flows to fund working capital, capital expenditures and acquisitions. The issuance of additional equity securities could have a dilutive effect on the value of our common stock.

Sale of Common Stock

On March 9, 2011, we and certain selling shareholders completed a public offering of an aggregate of 10,000,000 shares of our common stock, including 9,170,000 shares issued and sold by us and 830,000 shares sold by the selling

shareholders, at a price of $68.00 per share ($65.45 per share, net of the underwriting discount). Our net proceeds from the offering amounted to approximately $599.8 million after deducting the underwriting discount and offering-related expenses. We did not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling shareholders. In connection with the offering, we granted the underwriters a 30-day overallotment option to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 shares of common stock at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount, to cover overallotments, if any.

On March 25, 2011, we completed the sale of an additional 910,000 shares of our common stock at a price of $68.00 per share ($65.45 per share, net of the underwriting discount) in connection with the underwriters’ partial exercise of the overallotment option. We received additional net proceeds of approximately $59.5 million, after deducting the underwriting discount, from the partial exercise of the overallotment option. The selling shareholders did not participate in the partial exercise of the overallotment option.

After deducting underwriting discounts and offering-related expenses, we received total net proceeds from the offering of approximately $659.3 million, a portion of which was used to repay all amounts outstanding under our revolving credit facility. The remaining net proceeds, the remaining portion of which is reflected in “Cash and cash equivalents” in the condensed consolidated balance sheet at March 31, 2011, are expected to be used to accelerate our multi-year drilling program by funding our increased 2011 capital budget.

Revolving Credit Facility

On June 30, 2010, we entered intoWe have an amended and restated revolving credit agreement. The restated credit agreement amended and restated our previous credit agreement to, among other things:

Increase the maximum size of theexisting revolving credit facility to $2.5 billion from $750 million;

Maintainwith aggregate lender commitments under the revolving credit facility oftotaling $750 million whichand a current borrowing base of $1.5 billion, subject to semi-annual redetermination. The aggregate commitment level may be increased at our option from time to time (provided there exists no default)default exists) up to the lesser of $2.5 billion or the borrowing base then in effect;

Increaseeffect. Borrowings under the facility bear interest, payable quarterly, at a rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) for one, two, three or six months, as elected by the Company, plus a margin ranging from 175 to 275 basis points, depending on the percentage of the borrowing base from $1.0 billion to $1.3 billion, subject to semi-annual redetermination;

Modifyutilized, or the applicable margin for Eurodollar andlead bank’s reference rate advances. Eurodollar margins range(prime) plus a margin ranging from 1.75%75 to 2.75% and reference rate margins range from 0.75% to 1.75% based on the amount of total outstanding borrowings in relation to the borrowing base; and175 basis points.

Extend the maturity of the revolvingThe commitments under our credit facility, from April 12, 2011 towhich matures on July 1, 2015.

Our amended credit facility is backed by2015, are from a syndicate of 14 banks.banks and financial institutions. We believe that each member of the current syndicate of banks has the capability to fund up to their commitments.its commitment. If one or more banks should not be able tolenders cannot fund theirits commitment, we maywould not have the full availability of the $750 million commitment.

We had no outstanding borrowings under our credit facility at September 30, 2010March 31, 2011 and $226.0$30.0 million outstanding at December 31, 2009.2010. As of September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, we had $747.7$747.6 million of borrowing availability under our credit facility (after considering outstanding letters of credit). On September 16, 2010,As previously discussed, we issued $400 millionand sold an aggregate 10,080,000 shares of the 2021 Notesour common stock in March 2011 and received total net proceeds of approximately $393.0$659.3 million after deducting initial purchasers’ fees.underwriting discounts and offering-related expenses. The net proceeds were used to repay all borrowings then outstanding under our credit facility, which had a balance prior to payoff of $182$155 million. Prior to payoff, weighted average outstanding borrowings under our credit facility amounted to $170.0 million during the third quarter of 2010. As of November 1, 2010,May 2, 2011, we continuecontinued to have no outstanding borrowings and $747.7$747.6 million of borrowing availability under our credit facility.

Our credit facility contains restrictive covenants that may limit our ability to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness, sell assets, make loans to others, make investments, enter into mergers, change material contracts, incur liens and engage in certain other transactions without the prior consent of the lenders. Our credit agreement also contains requirements that we maintain a current ratio of not less than 1.0 to 1.0 and a ratio of total funded debt to EBITDAX of no greater than 3.75 to 1.0. As defined by our credit agreement, the current ratio represents our ratio of current assets to current liabilities, inclusive of available borrowing capacity under the credit agreement and exclusive of current balances associated with derivative contracts and asset retirement obligations. EBITDAX represents earnings before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion, property impairments, exploration expenses, unrealized derivative gains and losses and non-cash equity compensation expense. EBITDAX is not a measure of net income or cash flows as determined by U.S. GAAP. A reconciliation of net income to EBITDAX is provided subsequently under the captionNon-GAAP Financial Measures. The total funded debt to EBITDAX ratio represents the sum of outstanding borrowings and letters of credit under our revolving credit facility plus our senior note obligations, divided by total EBITDAX for the most recent four quarters. We were in compliance with these covenants at March 31, 2011 and we expect to maintain compliance for at least the next 12 months. We do not believe the restrictive covenants will limit, or are reasonably likely to limit, our ability to undertake additional debt or equity financing to a material extent.

In the future, we may not be able to access adequate funding under our credit facility as a result of (i) a decrease in our borrowing base due to the outcome of a subsequent borrowing base redetermination, or (ii) an unwillingness or inability

on the part of our lending counterparties to meet their funding obligations. We expect the next borrowing base redetermination to occur in the fourthsecond quarter of 2010.2011. Declines in commodity prices could result in a determination to lower the borrowing base in the future and, in such case, we could be required to repay any indebtedness in excess of the borrowing base.

Our credit agreement contains certain restrictive covenants including a requirement that we maintain a current ratio of not less than 1.0 to 1.0 (representing current assets less current liabilities inclusive of available borrowing capacity under the credit agreement and exclusive of current balances associated with derivative contracts and asset retirement obligations) and a ratio of total funded debt to EBITDAX of no greater than 3.75 to 1.0. We were in compliance with all covenants at September 30, 2010 and we expect to maintain compliance for at least the next 12 months. We do not believe the restrictive covenants will materially limit our ability to undertake additional debt or equity financing.

If we are unable to access funding when needed on acceptable terms, we may not be able to fully implement our business plans, complete new property acquisitions to replace our reserves, take advantage of business opportunities, respond to competitive pressures, or refinance our debt obligations as they come due, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial results.

Issuances of Long-Term Debt

On September 23, 2009, we issued $300 million of 8 1/4% Senior Notes due 2019 and received net proceeds of approximately $289.7 million after deducting the initial purchasers’ discounts and fees. On April 5, 2010, we issued $200 million of 7 3/8% Senior Notes due 2020 and received net proceeds of approximately $194.2 million after deducting the initial purchasers’ discounts and fees. The net proceeds from these offerings were used to repay a portion of the borrowings then outstanding under our revolving credit facility that were incurred to fund capital expenditures. On September 16, 2010, we issued $400 million of 7 1/8% Senior Notes due 2021 and received net proceeds of approximately $393.0 million after deducting initial purchasers’ fees. The net proceeds were used to repay the remaining borrowings outstanding under the revolving credit facility that were incurred to fund capital expenditures and to increase cash balances to fund a portion of our 2010 capital program.

The 2019 Notes, 2020 Notes, and 2021 Notes (together, the “Notes”) will mature on October 1, 2019, October 1, 2020, and April 1, 2021, respectively. Interest on the Notes is payable semi-annually on April 1 and October 1 of each year, with interest on the 2021 Notes commencing on April 1, 2011. We have the option to redeem all or a portion of the 2019 Notes, 2020 Notes, and 2021 Notes at any time on or after October 1, 2014, October 1, 2015, and April 1, 2016, respectively, at the redemption prices specified in the Notes’ respective indentures (together, the “Indentures”) plus accrued and unpaid interest. We may also redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a “make-whole” redemption price specified in the Indentures, plus accrued and unpaid interest, at any time prior to October 1, 2014, October 1, 2015, and April 1, 2016 for the 2019 Notes, 2020 Notes, and 2021 Notes, respectively. In addition, we may redeem up to 35% of the 2019 Notes, 2020 Notes, and 2021 Notes prior to October 1, 2012, October 1, 2013, and April 1, 2014, respectively, under certain circumstances with the net cash proceeds from certain equity offerings. Currently, we have no plans or intentions of exercising an early redemption option on the Notes. The Notes are not subject to any mandatory redemption or sinking fund requirements.

The Indentures contain certain restrictions on our ability to incur additional debt, pay dividends on our common stock, make certain investments, create certain liens on assets, engage in certain transactions with affiliates, transfer or sell certain assets, consolidate or merge, or sell substantially all of our assets. These covenants are subject to a number of important exceptions and qualifications. We were in compliance with these covenants as of September 30, 2010 and expect to maintain compliance for at least the next 12 months. We do not believe the restrictive covenants will materially limit our ability to undertake additional debt or equity financing. Our subsidiary, which currently has no independent assets or operations, fully and unconditionally guarantees the Notes.

Registration Statement Filing

On July 16, 2010, we filed a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 pursuant to which we may offer from time to time one or more series of debt or equity securities. We may issue additional long-term debt and equity securities from time to time when market conditions are favorable and when the need arises. The nature, amounts, terms, and timing of such financing arrangements, and the related impact on our financial position, results of operations, and liquidity are currently indeterminable. The issuance of additional equity securities could have a dilutive effect on the value of our common stock.

Derivative Activities

As part of our risk management program, we hedge a portion of our anticipated future crude oil and natural gas production for the next 12-42 months to achieve more predictable cash flows and to reduce our exposure to fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas prices. Reducing our exposure to price volatility helps ensure that we have adequate funds available for our capital program. Our decision on the quantity and price at which we choose to hedge our future production is based in part on our view of current and future market conditions and our desire to have the cash flows needed to fund the development of our inventory of undeveloped crude oil and natural gas reserves in conjunction with our growth strategy. While the use of these hedging arrangements limits the downside risk of adverse price movements, their use also may limitlimits future revenues from favorable price movements. The useSubstantially all of our hedging transactions also involvesare settled based upon reported settlement prices on the risk thatNYMEX.

We have hedged a significant portion of our forecasted production through 2013. Please seeNote 4. Derivative InstrumentsinNotes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion of the counterparties will be unableaccounting applicable to meetour derivative instruments, a listing of open contracts at March 31, 2011 and the financial terms of such transactions. Our derivative contracts are with multiple counterparties to minimize our exposure to credit risk with any individual counterparty.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2010, we realized gains on crude oil and natural gas derivatives of $29.4 million and reported an unrealized non-cash mark-to-market gain on derivatives of $28.2 million. Theestimated fair value of our derivative instruments at September 30, 2010 was a net assetthose contracts as of $26.1 million.that date.

Future Capital Requirements

Capital Expenditures

We evaluate opportunities to purchase or sell crude oil and natural gas properties and could participate as a buyer or seller of properties at various times. We seek acquisitions that utilize our technical expertise or offer opportunities to expand our existing core areas. Acquisition expenditures are not budgeted.

In July 2010,March 2011, our Board of Directors increased our 20102011 capital expenditures budget to $1.3$1.75 billion to further accelerate our drilling program and to increase our acreage positions in strategic U.S. shaleresource plays. Our previous 20102011 capital expenditures budget was $850 million.$1.36 billion.

Our 2011 planned capital expenditures are expected to be allocated as follows:

   Amount 
   in millions 

Exploration and development drilling

  $1,521.5  

Land costs

   114.1  

Capital facilities, workovers and re-completions

   91.8  

Seismic

   15.0  

Vehicles, computers and other equipment

   7.6  
     

Total

  $1,750.0  

During the first ninethree months of 2010,2011, we participated in the completion of 23392 gross (80.2(31.1 net) wells and invested a total of $866.1$412.8 million (including increases in accruals for capital expenditures of $115.4$31.1 million and $3.1$4.3 million of seismic costs) in our capital program as shown in the following table.

in millions

  Amount 

Exploration and development drilling

  $519.5  

Land costs

   291.2  

Capital facilities, workovers and re-completions

   22.6  

Vehicles, computers and other equipment

   20.5  

Acquisition of producing properties

   7.3  

Seismic

   3.1  

Dry holes

   1.9  
     

Total

  $866.1  

The revised 2010 capital expenditures budget of $1.3 billion primarily focuses on increased development in the Bakken shale of North Dakota and Montana, the Anadarko Woodford shale in western Oklahoma and the Niobrara shale in Colorado and Wyoming.

   Amount 
   in millions 

Exploration and development drilling

  $327.8  

Land costs

   44.4  

Capital facilities, workovers and re-completions

   5.4  

Buildings, vehicles, computers and other equipment

   29.4  

Acquisition of producing properties

   —    

Seismic

   4.3  

Dry holes

   1.5  
     

Total

  $412.8  

In October 2010, our Board of Directors approved aOur 2011 capital expenditures budget of $1.36 billion. Our 2011 planned capital expenditures are expected to be allocated as follows:

in millions

  Amount 

Exploration and development drilling

  $1,135  

Land costs

   117  

Capital facilities, workovers and re-completions

   92  

Seismic

   15  

Vehicles, computers and other equipment

   5  
     

Total

  $1,364  

The 2011 capital expenditures budget of $1.36$1.75 billion will continue to focus primarily on increased development in the Bakken shale of North Dakota Bakken field and Montana, the Anadarko Woodford shaleplay in western Oklahoma and the Niobrara shale in Colorado and Wyoming.Oklahoma.

Although we cannot provide any assurance, assuming successful implementation of our strategy, including the future development of our proved reserves and realization of our cash flows as anticipated, we believe that our remaining cash balance, cash flows from operations and available borrowing capacity under our revolving credit facility will be sufficient to fund our 2010 and 2011 capital budgets.budget. The actual amount and timing of our capital expenditures may differ materially from our estimates as a result of, among other things, available cash flows, actual drilling results, the availability of drilling rigs and other services and equipment, and regulatory, technological and competitive developments.

Commitments

As of September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, we had various drilling rig contracts with various terms extending through June 2012. These contracts were entered into in the normalordinary course of business to ensure rig availability to allow us to execute our business objectives in our key strategic plays. These drilling commitments are not recorded in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. Future drilling commitments as of September 30, 2010 are $3.1March 31, 2011 total approximately $65 million, for contracts that expire in 2010, $45.8of which $57 million is for contracts that expire in 2011 and $21.4$8 million is for contracts that expire in 2012.

OnIn August 20, 2010, we entered into an agreement with a third party towhereby the third party will provide, on a take-or-pay basis, hydraulic fracturing services and related equipment to service certain of our properties in North Dakota and Montana. The arrangement has a term of three years, beginning in SeptemberOctober 2010, with two one-year extensions available to us at our discretion. Pursuant to the take-or-pay arrangement, we will pay a fixed rate per day for a minimum number of days per calendar quarter over the three-year term regardless of whether or not the services are provided. Fixed commitments amount to $4.9 million per quarter, or $19.5 million annually, for total future commitments of $58.5 million over the three-year term. Future commitments remaining at March 31, 2011 amount to $48.7 million. The commitments under this arrangement are not recorded in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.

In 2010, the Company signed a throughput and deficiency agreement with a third party crude oil pipeline company committing to ship 10,000 barrels of crude oil per day for five years at a tariff of $1.85 per barrel. The third party system is scheduled to commence operations late in the second quarter of 2011. The Company will use this system to move some of its North region crude oil to market.

We believe that our cash flows from operations, our remaining cash balance, and available borrowing capacity under our revolving credit facility will be sufficient to satisfy the above commitments.

Corporate Relocation

On March 21, 2011, we announced plans to relocate our corporate headquarters from Enid, Oklahoma to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The move is a key element of our growth strategy of tripling our production and reserves between 2009 and 2014. The relocation is expected to provide more convenient access to our operations across the country, to our business partners and to an expanded pool of technical talent. The transition is expected to be completed during 2012. In connection with the relocation, we acquired an office building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in March 2011 for approximately $22.9 million to serve as our new headquarters. Currently, the relocation is in the preliminary stages and no significant restructuring costs or liabilities have been incurred or recognized as of March 31, 2011. We are not currently able to reasonably estimate the costs to be incurred in 2011 or 2012 in connection with the relocation, but we do not expect such costs to have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Critical Accounting Policies

There has been no change in our critical accounting policies from those disclosed in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009.2010.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

Various accounting standards and interpretations have been issued with effective dates in 2011. We have evaluated the recently issued accounting pronouncements that are effective in 2011 and believe that none of them will have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows when adopted.

Further, we are closely monitoring the joint standard-setting efforts of the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the International Accounting Standards Board. There are a large number of pending accounting standards that are being targeted for completion in 2011 and beyond, including, but not limited to, standards relating to revenue recognition, accounting for leases, fair value measurements, accounting for financial instruments, balance sheet offsetting, disclosure of loss contingencies and financial statement presentation. Because these pending standards have not yet been finalized, at this time we are not able to determine the potential future impact that these standards will have, if any, on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

EBITDAX represents earnings before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion, property impairments, exploration expenses, unrealized derivative gains and losses, and non-cash equity compensation expense. EBITDAX is not a measure of net income or cash flows as determined by U.S. GAAP. Management believes EBITDAX is useful because it allows them to more effectively evaluate our operating performance and compare the results of our operations from period to period without regard to our financing methods or capital structure. We exclude the items listed above from net income in arriving at EBITDAX because these amounts can vary substantially from company to company within our industry depending upon accounting methods and book values of assets, capital structures and the method by which the assets were acquired. EBITDAX should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income or cash flows as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP or as an indicator of a company’s operating performance or liquidity. Certain items excluded from EBITDAX are significant components in understanding and assessing a company’s financial performance, such as a company’s cost of capital and tax structure, as well as the historic costs of depreciable assets, none of which are components of EBITDAX. Our computations of EBITDAX may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. We believe that EBITDAX is a widely followed measure of operating performance and may also be used by investors to measure our ability to meet future debt service requirements, if any. Our revolving credit facility requires that we maintain a total funded debt to EBITDAX ratio of no greater than 3.75 to 1.0 on a rolling four-quarter basis. This ratio represents the sum of outstanding borrowings and letters of credit under our revolving credit facility plus our senior note obligations, divided by total EBITDAX for the most recent four quarters. We were in compliance with this covenant at September 30, 2010.March 31, 2011. A violation of this covenant in the future could result in a default under our revolving credit facility. In the event of such default, the lenders under our revolving credit facility could elect to terminate their commitments thereunder, cease making further loans, and could declare all outstanding amounts, together with accrued interest, to be due and payable. If the indebtedness under our revolving credit facility were to be accelerated, our assets may not be sufficient to repay in full such indebtedness. Our revolving credit facility defines EBITDAX consistently with the definition of EBITDAX utilized and presented by us. The following table isprovides a reconciliation of our net income to EBITDAX.EBITDAX for the periods presented.

 

  Three months ended September 30,   Nine months ended September 30,   Three months ended March 31, 

in thousands

  2010   2009   2010 2009 

Net income

  $39,077    $34,929    $213,283   $21,824  
  2011 2010 
  in thousands 

Net income (loss)

  $(137,201 $72,465  

Interest expense

   12,612     4,763     32,875    14,073     18,971    8,360  

Provision for income taxes

   24,904     19,788     132,071    11,780  

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

   (84,154  44,410  

Depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion

   62,918     51,030     174,327    154,875     75,650    52,587  

Property impairments

   14,698     11,791     49,387    70,491     20,848    15,175  

Exploration expenses

   3,530     1,077     7,585    9,726     6,812    1,786  

Unrealized derivative (gain) loss

   36,552     2,105     (28,162  1,215  

Unrealized losses (gains) on derivatives

   364,087    (22,052

Non-cash equity compensation

   2,626     3,172     8,596    8,594     3,642    2,852  
                      

EBITDAX

  $196,917    $128,655    $589,962   $292,578    $268,655   $175,583  

ITEM 3.ITEM 3.Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

GeneralGeneral.

We are exposed to a variety of market risks including commodity price risk, credit risk and interest rate risk. We address these risks through a program of risk management which may include the use of derivative instruments.

Commodity Price Risk. Our primary market risk exposure is in the pricing applicable to our crude oil and natural gas production. Realized pricing is primarily driven by the prevailing worldwide price for crude oil and spot market prices applicable to our U.S. natural gas production. Pricing for crude oil and natural gas and crude oil production has been volatile and unpredictable for several years, and we expect this volatility to continue in the future. The prices we receive for production depend on many factors outside of our control, including volatility in the differences between product prices at sales points and the applicable index price.prices. Based on our average daily production for the ninethree months ended September 30, 2010,March 31, 2011, and excluding any effect of our derivative instruments in place, our annual revenue would increase or decrease by approximately $114.6$140.3 million for each $10.00 per barrel change in crude oil prices and $22.6$28.9 million for each $1.00 per MMBtuMcf change in natural gas prices.

To partially reduce price risk caused by these market fluctuations, we periodically hedge crude oil and natural gas prices through the utilization of derivatives, including zero-cost collars and fixed price contracts.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2010, we entered into several new swap and collar derivative contracts covering a portion of our anticipated crude oil and natural gas production as part of our risk management program and to provide greater certainty in our internally generated cash flows to support our capital expenditure program.

For the three months ended March 31, 2011, we realized a net loss on crude oil and natural gas derivatives of $5.2 million and reported an unrealized non-cash mark-to-market loss on derivatives of $364.1 million. The fair value of our derivative instruments at March 31, 2011 was a net liability of $532.4 million. An assumed increase in the forward commodity prices used in the March 31, 2011 valuation of our derivative instruments of $10.00 per barrel for crude oil and $1.00 per MMBtu for natural gas would increase our net derivative liability to approximately $892 million at March 31, 2011. Conversely, an assumed decrease in forward commodity prices of $10.00 per barrel for crude oil and $1.00 per MMBtu for natural gas would decrease our net derivative liability to approximately $188 million at March 31, 2011.

Throughout 2010 and 2011 2012 and 2013. The new contracts werewe entered into in the normal course of business and we expect to enter into additional similar contracts during the year. None of the new contracts have been designated for hedge accounting. SeeNote 5 – Derivative Contracts inNotes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding our swap and collar derivative contracts.

On July 21, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which, among other things, establishes federal oversight and regulation of the over-the-counter derivatives market and the entities that participate in that market. Significant regulations are required to be promulgated by the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission within 360 days from the date of enactment to implement the new legislation. The new legislation, to the extent applicable to us or our derivative counterparties, may result in increased costs and cash collateral requirements for the typesa series of derivative instruments, we useincluding fixed price swaps and zero-cost collars, to hedgereduce the uncertainty of future cash flows in order to underpin our capital expenditures and otherwise manageaccelerated drilling program over the next three years. The significant increase in the price of crude oil during the three months ended March 31, 2011 had an adverse impact on the fair value of our financial and commercial risks relatedderivative instruments, which resulted in the recognition of a $364.1 million unrealized mark-to-market loss on derivative instruments at March 31, 2011. The unrealized mark-to-market loss relates to fluctuations inderivative instruments with various terms that are scheduled to be realized over the period from April 2011 through December 2013. Over this period, actual realized derivative settlements may differ significantly, either positively or negatively, from the unrealized mark-to-market valuation at March 31, 2011. While the existence of historically high commodity prices andover a prolonged period could continue to have an adverse effectimpact on the fair value of our ability to hedge risks associated with our business. Manyderivative instruments and derivative settlements, such an adverse impact would be partially mitigated by increased cash flows from higher realized sales prices of crude oil and natural gas at the key concepts and processes under the Dodd-Frank Act are not defined and must be delineated by rules and regulations to be adopted by the applicable regulatory agencies. As a consequence, it is not possible at this time to predict the effects that the Dodd-Frank Act or the resulting rules and regulations may have on our hedging activities.wellhead.

Credit Risk. We monitor our risk of loss due to non-performance by counterparties of their contractual obligations. Our principal exposure to credit risk is through the sale of our crude oil and natural gas production, which we market to energy marketing companies, refineries and affiliates ($166.3266.6 million in receivables at September 30, 2010)March 31, 2011), our joint interest receivables ($210.0293.9 million at September 30, 2010)March 31, 2011), and counterparty credit risk associated with our derivative instruments.instrument receivables ($17.4 million at March 31, 2011).

We monitor our exposure to counterparties on crude oil and natural gas sales primarily by reviewing credit ratings, financial statements and payment history. We extend credit terms based on our evaluation of each counterparty’s credit worthiness. We have not generally required our counterparties to provide collateral to support crude oil and natural gas sales receivables owed to us. Historically, our credit losses on crude oil and natural gas sales receivables have been immaterial.

Joint interest receivables arise from billing entities who own a partial interest in the wells we operate. These entities participate in our wells primarily based on their ownership in leases included in units on which we wish to drill. We can do very little to choose who participates in our wells. In order to minimize our exposure to credit risk we request prepayment of drilling costs where it is allowed by contract or state law. For such

prepayments, a liability is recorded and subsequently reduced as the associated work is performed. This liability was $54.8 million and $13.5$57.6 million at September 30, 2010 and DecemberMarch 31, 2009, respectively,2011, which will be used to offset future capital costs when billed. In this manner, we reduce credit risk. We also have the right to place a lien on our co-owners interest in the well to redirect production proceeds in order to secure payment or, if necessary, foreclose on the interest. Historically, our credit losses on joint interest receivables have been immaterial.

Our use of derivative instruments involves the risk that our counterparties will be unable to meet their commitments under the arrangements. We manage this risk by using multiple counterparties who we consider to be financially strong in order to minimize our exposure to credit risk with any individual counterparty. Currently, all of our derivative contracts are with parties that are lenders (or affiliates of lenders) under our revolving credit agreement.

Interest Rate Risk. Our exposure to changes in interest rates relates primarily to variable-rate borrowings outstanding under our revolving credit facility. We manage our interest rate exposure by monitoring both the effects of market changes in interest rates and the proportion of our debt portfolio that is variable-rate versus fixed-rate debt. We may utilize interest rate derivatives to alter interest rate exposure in an attempt to reduce interest rate expense related to existing debt issues. Interest rate derivatives may be used solely to modify interest rate exposure and not to modify the overall leverage of the debt portfolio. We currently have no interest rate derivatives. We are exposed to changes in interest rates as a result of our credit facility. We had no revolving credit facility debt outstanding borrowings under our revolving credit facility at November 1, 2010.March 31, 2011 or May 2, 2011.

 

ITEM 4.ITEM 4.Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Based on management’s evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as of the end of the period covered by this report, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures (which are defined in rulesRules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) were effective as of September 30, 2010.March 31, 2011. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed by us in the reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures and is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time period in the rules and forms of the SEC.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

During the quarter ended September 30, 2010, we implemented a new Company-wide enterprise resource planning software system, SAP, to replace our previous system. The new SAP system became operational on July 1, 2010. The system implementation was undertaken to enhance our accounting and reporting procedures, provide more standardized and efficient business processes, and provide flexibility to adapt to the planned future growth of our Company. In conjunction with the SAP implementation, the Company modified the design, operation and documentation of its internal controls over financial reporting in the business processes impacted by the new system. Management believes these changes will maintain and strengthen our overall internal controls.

Except as described above,March 31, 2011, there were no other changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that occurred during our most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Inherent Limitations on Controls and Procedures

A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risks that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Accordingly, even an effective system of internal control will provide only reasonable assurance that the objectives of the internal control system are met.

PART II. Other Information

 

ITEM 1.ITEM 1.Legal Proceedings

From timeDuring the three months ended March 31, 2011, there have been no material changes with respect to time, we are a party to litigation or otherthe legal proceedings that we consider to be a part of the ordinary course ofpreviously disclosed in our business. We are currently involved in various legal proceedings which we do not expect to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.2010 Form 10-K. SeeNote 8.7. Commitments and ContingenciesinNotes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. of this Form 10-Q.

 

ITEM 1A.ITEM 1A.Risk Factors

Except as set forth below, thereThere have been no material changes in our risk factors from those disclosed in our Annual Report on2010 Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 that was filed with the SEC on February 26, 2010.25, 2011.

In addition to the information set forth in this Form 10-Q, you should carefully consider the factors discussed inPart I, Item 1A. Risk Factors in our 20092010 Form 10-K, which could materially affect our business, financial condition or future results. The risks described in this Form 10-Q and in our 20092010 Form 10-K are not the only risks facing our company.Company. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or future results.

The recent adoption of derivatives legislation by the United States Congress could have an adverse effect on our ability to use derivative instruments to reduce the effect of commodity price risk and other risks associated with our business.

We use derivative instruments to manage our commodity price risk. The United States Congress recently adopted the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (HR 4173), which, among other provisions, establishes federal oversight and regulation of the over-the-counter derivatives market and entities, such as us, that participate in that market. The new legislation was signed into law by President Obama on July 21, 2010 and requires the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) and the SEC to promulgate rules and regulations implementing the new legislation within 360 days from the date of enactment. The CFTC has also proposed regulations to set position limits for certain futures and option contracts in the major energy markets, although it is not possible at this time to predict whether or when the CFTC will adopt those rules or include comparable provisions in its rulemaking under the new legislation. The financial reform legislation may also require us to comply with margin requirements and with certain clearing and trade-execution requirements in connection with our derivative activities, although the application of those provisions to us is uncertain at this time. The financial reform legislation may also require the counterparties to our derivative instruments to spin off some of their derivatives activities to a separate entity, which may not be as creditworthy as the current counterparty.

The new legislation and any new regulations could significantly increase the cost of derivative contracts (including through requirements to post collateral, which could adversely affect our available liquidity), materially alter the terms of derivative contracts, reduce the availability of derivatives to protect against risks we encounter, reduce our ability to monetize or restructure existing derivative contracts, and increase our exposure to less creditworthy counterparties. If we reduce our use of derivatives as a result of the legislation and regulations, our results of operations may become more volatile and our cash flows may be less predictable. Finally, the legislation was intended, in part, to reduce the volatility of crude oil and natural gas prices, which some legislators attributed to speculative trading in derivatives and commodity instruments related to crude oil and natural gas. Our revenues could therefore be adversely affected if a consequence of the legislation and regulations is to lower commodity prices. Any of these consequences could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

ITEM 2.ITEM 2.Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

 

 (a)Not applicable.

 (b)Not applicable.

 

 (c)Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers.

The following table provides information about purchases of equity securities that are registered by us pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act during the quarter ended September 30, 2010:March 31, 2011:

 

Period

  (a) Total
number of
shares
purchased (1)
   (b)
Average price
paid per
share(2)
   (c ) Total number of
shares purchased as
part of publicly announced
plans or programs
   (d) Maximum number
of shares that may yet
be purchased under
the plans or program (3)
 

July 1, 2010 to July 31, 2010

   750    $43.57     —       —    

August 1, 2010 to August 31, 2010

   2,023    $47.62     —       —    

September 1, 2010 to September 30, 2010

   57,397    $44.26     —       —    
                    

Total

   60,170    $44.36     —       —    

Period

  Total
number of shares
purchased(1)
   Average price
paid per share (2)
   Total number of shares
purchased as part of
publicly announced
plans or programs
   Maximum number of
shares that may yet be
purchased under
the plans or program (3)
 

January 1, 2011 to January 31, 2011

   1,016    $57.40     —       —    

February 1, 2011 to February 28, 2011

   842    $66.65     —       —    

March 1, 2011 to March 31, 2011

   1,314    $70.91     —       —    
                    

Total

   3,172    $65.45     —       —    

 

(1)In connection with stock option exercises or restricted stock grants under ourthe Continental Resources, Inc. 2000 Stock Option Plan (“2000 Plan”) and ourthe Continental Resources, Inc. 2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan (“2005 Plan”), we adopted a policy that enables employees to surrender shares to cover their tax liability. The 2000 Plan was adopted in October 2000 and was terminated in November 2005. The 2005 Plan was adopted in October 2005 and expires in October 2015. All shares purchased above represent shares surrendered to cover tax liabilities. We paid the associated taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.

 

(2)The price paid per share was the closing price of our common stock on the date of exercise or the date the restrictions lapsed on such shares, as applicable.

 

(3)We are unable to determine at this time the total amount of securities or approximate dollar value of those securities that could potentially be surrendered to us pursuant to our policy that enables employees to surrender shares to cover their tax liability associated with the exercise of options or vesting of restrictions on shares under the 2000 Plan and 2005 Plan.

 

ITEM 3.ITEM 3.Defaults Upon Senior Securities

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 4.(Removed and Reserved)

 

ITEM 5.ITEM 5.Other Information

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 6.ITEM 6.Exhibits

The exhibits required to be filed pursuant to Item 601 of Regulation S-K are set forth in the Index to Exhibits accompanying this report and are incorporated herein by reference.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

 Continental Resources, Inc.CONTINENTAL RESOURCES, INC.
Date: NovemberMay 5, 20102011 By: 

/s/ John D. Hart

  John D. Hart
  

Sr. Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

(Duly Authorized Officer and Principal Financial Officer)

Index to Exhibits

 

  1.1Underwriting Agreement dated March 3, 2011 among Continental Resources, Inc., the Selling Shareholders and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representatives of the underwriters named therein, filed as Exhibit 1.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (Commission File No. 001-32886) filed March 9, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference.
  3.1 Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Continental Resources, Inc. filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (Commission File No. 001-328861)001-32886) filed May 22, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference.
  3.2 Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of Continental Resources, Inc. filed as Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (Commission File No. 001-328861)001-32886) filed May 22, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference.
  4.1Indenture dated as of September 16, 2010 among Continental Resources, Inc., Banner Pipeline Company, L.L.C. and Wilmington Trust FSB, as trustee, filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (Commission File No. 001-32886) filed September 17, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference.
  4.2Registration Rights Agreement dated as of September 16, 2010 among Continental Resources, Inc., Banner Pipeline Company, L.L.C. and the Initial Purchasers named therein, filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (Commission File No. 001-32886) filed September 17, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference.
10.1 Purchase AgreementAssignment of Membership Interest dated as of September 13, 2010 amongMarch 18, 2011 between Harold Hamm and Continental Resources, Inc., Banner Pipeline Company, L.L.C. and the Initial Purchasers named therein, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (Commission File No. 001-32886) filed September 14, 2010March 23, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference.
10.2*†Summary of Non-Employee Director Compensation as of March 31, 2011.
21*Subsidiaries of Continental Resources, Inc.
31.1* Certification of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (15 U.S.C. Section 7241).
31.2* Certification of the Company’s Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (15 U.S.C. Section 7241).
32** Certification of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (18 U.S.C. Section 1350).
101.INS** XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH** XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL** XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF** XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB** XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE** XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

 

*Filed herewith
**Furnished herewith
Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement filed pursuant to Item 601(b)(10)(iii) of Regulation S-K.

 

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