ITEM 1.
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
Introduction
We are an
independent crude oil and natural gas production company, based in Fort Worth,
Texas. We are focused on acquiring
undervalued properties, located primarily in Texas and Oklahoma that feature
enhanced recovery opportunities. Our
strategy is to acquire mature oil fields with established reserves that have
declined to marginal production levels, but possess significant remaining
upside exploitation potential, and implement various secondary and tertiary
enhanced oil recovery operations, including water and chemical floods, infill
drilling and recompletions of existing wells. We were organized under the laws
of the State of Delaware on May 29, 2003 as Huron Ventures, Inc. We did not
conduct any business operations as Huron Ventures, Inc. Prior to the Davenport Merger, as discussed
below, Huron Ventures was inactive with no significant operations.
On July 2, 2004, we acquired 100% of the outstanding common of
Ladder Companies, Inc. (d/b/a Ladder Energy Company), a Delaware corporation,
and Tri-Flow, Inc., an Oklahoma corporation, in consideration for approximately
$2.2 million, net of operating income.
On September 14, 2004, we acquired oil and gas producing leases
from the Nowata Oil Properties LLC for $2.5 million. These two acquisitions are discussed in
greater detail in Item 6 Plan of
Operation.
Davenport Merger
Transaction Summary
On May 28,
2004, we entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger with our wholly owned
subsidiary, Davenport Acquisition Corp., an Oklahoma corporation, Davenport
Field Unit, Inc., a Texas corporation, the shareholders of Davenport Field
Unit, Cano Energy Corporation, a Texas corporation, and Big Sky Management
Ltd., our principal stockholder (the Merger Agreement). Our CEO, S. Jeffrey Johnson, is a principal
shareholder in Cano Energy Corporation.
Under the terms of the
Merger Agreement, we acquired 100% of Davenport Field Units outstanding common
stock in exchange for the issuance by us of 5,165,000 shares of our common
stock to the Davenport Field Unit shareholders.
Additionally we agreed to place the sum of $1,650,000 into escrow to be
disbursed approximately as follows: (1) $428,015 to Cano Energy Corporation on
account of costs associated with the Davenport Property (described below); (2)
$355,646 in connection with a note that we assumed held by Bluebonnet Resources
Corporation; and (3) $866,339 to field improvements and drilling on the
Davenport Property. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement we agreed to
pay $150,000 cash as directed by the Davenport Shareholders. This
$150,000 is included in the sum of $1,650,000 that we placed in escrow.
Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, we changed our name to Cano
Petroleum, Inc. on June 3, 2004.
The
Davenport Field Unit shareholders comprise seven individuals who are now
employed by Cano. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the 5,165,000 shares of
common stock were placed in escrow. The
shares will vest to the individuals based on a combination of continued
employment (compensation shares) and achieving certain performance goals
during the next two years (performance shares). The compensation shares amounted to 2,659,975
shares and the performance shares amounted to 2,505,025 shares. Any shares that are not released from escrow
will be returned to Treasury Stock.
Davenport
Field Unit Operations
Davenport
Field Units sole assets consist of a 100% working interest and a 65% net
revenue interest in certain oil, gas and mineral leasehold estates and personal
property related such leasehold estates located in Lincoln County, Oklahoma
covering approximately 2,178 acres (the Davenport Property). Davenport
Field Unit sells the production from its wells to one independent third party
purchaser. We are paid at the prevailing posted price for Oklahoma sweet crude
oil plus a bonus payment less certain marketing fees. We periodically review
the price paid by our purchaser by comparing to other purchasers in the same
area to ensure we receive a fair price for the crude oil
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production. Due to the
number of possible purchasers, management does not believe that the loss of
this purchaser would pose a significant risk to the continuity of Davenport
Field Units operations. Davenport Field Unit does not maintain significant
inventories.
Davenport
Property History
The Davenport Property is a mature oil field that has previously
undergone waterflood operations. The field containing the Davenport Property
was discovered in 1924. Waterflood operations were commenced in 1950. The
initial well and subsequent three-year development, consisting of approximately
180 wells on 10-acre spacing, was the work of Magnolia Petroleum, one of the
predecessors to ExxonMobil Corp.
Over the next twenty-five years, these 180 wells produced approximately
12,000,000 barrels of oil. The individual leases were then unitized in
March of 1950 to form the Davenport Property for the purpose of
implementing a secondary recovery project (waterflood).
The waterflood operation accounted for an additional 10,000,000 barrels
of oil production (bringing the total production of the field to 22,000,000
barrels of oil). The flood operated with no significant improvements being made
after 1963. Uneconomic wells were plugged and abandoned, leaving only 62
wellbores today.
We believe that we can increase production and reserves at the
Davenport Field Unit by drilling new wells, recompleting existing wells, and
implementing modern secondary / tertiary oil recovery operations. We believe ample opportunity exists since no
improvements have been to the waterflood operations since 1963.
Growth Strategy
Increase Production and Reserves
Our growth strategy is to concentrate on the acquisition of mature
fields with established reserves that have declined to marginal production
levels, yet still possess significant remaining upside exploitation potential.
Our focus on mature fields reduces the risk of drilling dry holes. The properties we acquire provide
opportunities to increase production and reserves through the implementation of
mechanical and operational improvements, workovers, behind-pipe completions,
secondary recovery operations, new development wells and other development
activities. A principal component of our
strategy is to increase production and reserves through aggressive management
of operations and low-risk development. We believe that our principal
properties possess geologic and reservoir characteristics that make them well
suited for production increases through drilling and other development
programs. Additionally, we review operations and mechanical data on operated
properties to determine if actions can be taken to reduce operating costs or
increase production. Such actions include installing, repairing and upgrading
lifting equipment, redesigning downhole equipment to improve production from
different zones, modifying gathering and other surface facilities and
conducting restimulations and recompletions. We may also initiate, upgrade or
revise existing secondary recovery operations.
Drilling Evaluation
We are dedicated to the philosophy of buying long-lived assets in rich
basins with sufficient geological complexity to warrant the use of
technological improvements in drilling fluids, open-hole logging and
casing/cementing techniques. Modern drilling fluids, as well as the additives
now in use, reduce damage to producing reservoir rock and enhance production
and longevity. Our relationships with major service companies provide us
expertise in modern logging techniques and enables us to evaluate producing
zones concerning fluid content, rock type, porosity and permeability, which
adds significantly to our ability to improve production and reduce operating
costs. We have generated an inventory of potential development drilling
locations in both our Davenport Property and the Ladder properties. Our
drilling plans primarily depend on market prices of oil and the availability
and pricing of drilling equipment and supplies.
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Significant Opportunities
We believe significant opportunities exist to acquire mature fields
that have upside exploitation potential. Given the planned property
divestitures of major energy companies, we believe ample opportunities will exist
for larger strategic acquisitions to be made during 2004 and 2005. The major
energy companies are focusing their attention and resources toward the
discovery and development of large fields located outside the United States.
One reason for this is that the major energy companies have larger internal
overhead costs which prevent them from fully developing production from
existing, mature fields. These factors contribute ample opportunities for
smaller, independent companies, to purchase mature U.S. fields which have been
vacated by major energy companies.
Pursuit of Selective Complementary
Acquisitions
We seek to acquire long-lived producing properties with a high degree
of operating control that contain opportunities to profitably increase natural
gas and crude oil reserves and production levels through exploitation. Our
reservoir enhancement techniques include the implementation of technically
advanced reservoir management and long term cost improvement of field
operations. We target acreage that we believe will expose us to high potential
prospects located in areas that are geologically similar to neighboring areas
with large developed fields.
Disciplined Approach
We intend to target potential acquisition candidates in a disciplined
manner. We plan to focus on producing properties for which there is 50% or more
potential available through utilization of secondary and tertiary recovery
techniques. Other metrics that we
emphasize for acquisitions include rate of return and proven reserves. We are
seeking properties that have relatively long reserve lives and highly
predictable production profiles. We are seeking properties that have extensive
production histories and production enhancement opportunities. While the
properties may be geographically diversified, we intend to focus on producing
fields that are concentrated within adjacent areas, allowing for economies of
scale in production and cost-effective application of reservoir management
techniques gained from prior operations. Because the recent economics of oil
and gas have improved substantially, we expect our disciplined approach to keep
us grounded and prevent overpaying for acquisition and development
opportunities.
Prudent Use of Third Party Expertise
We plan to use our in-house expertise and employ independent engineers
and geologists to aid in evaluating the economic merits of drilling plans and
potential acquisitions. We believe that
the incremental cost of hiring independent engineering firms justifies the
expense because they provide a check and balance on our acquisition and
development plans. Further, employing
third party experts on a case-by-case basis enables us to keep our operating
overhead low and adhere to our commitment to keep fixed costs low.
Working Interest Operator
We intend to be the working interest operator in a high proportion of
our acquired and developed properties. This allows us to exercise more control
over expenses, capital allocation, and the timing of development and
exploitation activities in our fields. It also enables us to implement controls
over our costs to ensure prudent expenditures.
Competition
We face competition from other oil and gas companies in all aspects of
our business, including acquisition of producing properties and oil and gas
leases, and obtaining goods, services and labor. Many of our competitors have substantially
greater financial and other resources.
Factors that affect our ability to acquire producing properties include
available funds, available information about the property and our standards
established for minimum projected return on investment. Since we are focusing on acquiring mature
fields possessing large, underdeveloped reserves and have experience and
expertise in exploiting these reserves, we believe that we can effectively
compete in the market.
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Governmental Regulation
General
The oil and gas business is subject to broad federal and state laws
that are routinely under review for amendment or expansion. Various federal,
state and local departments and agencies empowered to administer these laws
have issued extensive rules and regulations binding on industry participants.
Many of these laws and regulations, particularly those affecting the
environment, have become more stringent in recent years, and some impose
penalties for noncompliance, creating the risk of greater liability on a larger
number of potentially responsible parties. The following discussion of the
regulation we encounter is summary in nature and is not intended to cover all
regulatory matters that could affect our operations.
State Regulation
We are subject to various regulation at the state and local levels.
Such regulation includes requirements for drilling permits, the method of
developing new fields, the spacing and operations of wells and waste
prevention. The production rate may be regulated and the maximum daily
production allowable from oil and gas wells may be established on a market
demand or conservation basis. These regulations may limit production by well
and the number of wells that can be drilled.
Federal Energy Bill
After failing to pass legislation in 2003, Congress is currently
considering a new energy bill. The potential effect of this legislation is
unknown, but it is expected to include certain tax incentives for oil and gas
producers.
Federal Regulation of Oil
Sales of crude oil, condensate and natural gas liquids are not
currently regulated and are made at market prices. The net price received from
the sale of these products is affected by market transportation costs. A
significant part of our oil production is transported by pipeline. Under rules
adopted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission effective
January 1995, interstate oil pipelines can change rates based on an inflation
index, though other rate mechanisms may be used in specific circumstances. To
date, these rules have had little effect on our oil transportation costs.
Environmental Regulation
Participants in the oil and gas industry are subject to numerous
federal, state and local laws and regulations designed to protect the
environment, including comprehensive regulations governing the treatment,
storage and disposal of hazardous wastes. We may be subject to liability for
violations of these laws and regulations. Liability for some of these
violations may be unlimited in cases of willful negligence or misconduct, and
there is no limit on liability for environmental clean-up costs or damages on
claims by the state or private parties. Under regulations adopted by the Environmental
Protection Agency and similar state agencies, producers must prepare and
implement spill prevention control and countermeasure plans to deal with the
possible discharge of oil into navigable waters. State and local permits or
approvals may also be needed for wastewater discharges and air pollutant
emissions. Violations of environment related lease conditions or environmental
permits can result in substantial civil and criminal penalties as well as
injunctions curtailing operations.
We conduct our drilling and
production activities to comply with all applicable environmental regulations,
permits and lease conditions, and we monitor subcontractors under our turnkey
drilling contracts for environment compliance. While we believe our operations
conform to those conditions, we remain at risk for inadvertent noncompliance,
conditions beyond our control and undetected conditions resulting from
activities by prior owners or operators of properties in which we own
interests. In any of those events, we could be exposed to liability for
clean-up costs or damages in excess of insurance coverage, and we could be
required to remove improperly disposed waste, remediate property contamination
or undertake plugging operations to prevent future contamination.
Our insurance policies provide for $1,000,000 general liability
coverage for bodily injury and property damage including
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pollution, underground
resources, blow out and cratering. In addition, we have $100,000 coverage for
our contractual obligations to our service contractors using their equipment
downhole. We have a Hired and Non-Owned Commercial Automobile liability limit
of $1,000,000. In addition, we have
secured a $5,000,000 umbrella coverage in excess of the general liability and
automobile liability.
Occupational Safety Regulations
We are subject to various federal and state laws and regulations
intended to promote occupational health and safety. Although all of our wells
are drilled by independent subcontractors under our footage or day rate
drilling contracts, we have adopted environmental and safety policies and
procedures designed to protect the safety of our own supervisory staff and to
monitor all subcontracted operations for compliance with applicable regulatory
requirements and lease conditions, including environmental and safety
compliance. This program includes regular field inspections of our drill sites
and producing wells by members of our operations staff and internal assessments
of our compliance procedures. We consider the cost of compliance a manageable
and necessary part of our business.
Federal, State or Native American Leases
Our operations on federal, state or Native American oil and gas leases
are subject to numerous restrictions, including nondiscrimination statutes.
Such operations must be conducted pursuant to certain on-site security
regulations and other permits and authorizations issued by the Bureau of Land
Management, Minerals Management Service and other agencies.
Employees
As of September 3 2004, we had 7 employees, all of whom are
full-time employees. None of our
employees are represented by a union. We
have never experienced an interruption in operations from any kind of labor
dispute, and we consider the working relationships among the members of our
staff to be excellent.