nfx8k-092711.htm




UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
_____________________________
 
FORM 8-K
_____________________________
 
 
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):   September 27, 2011
 
_____________________________

NEWFIELD EXPLORATION COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
_____________________________
 

Delaware
1-12534
72-1133047
(State or other jurisdiction
(Commission File Number)
(I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation)
  
Identification No.)


4 Waterway Square Place, Suite 100
The Woodlands, Texas 77380
(Address of principal executive offices)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (281) 210-5100
 
(not applicable)
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

o
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 


 
 
 
 

Item 7.01                        Regulation FD Disclosure

In a press release issued on September 27, 2011, Newfield Exploration Company (“Newfield”) announced a proposed public offering of Senior Notes due 2022 (the “Notes Offering”). A copy of the publication is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1.

The information in Item 7.01 of this Current Report, including the exhibit attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section. The information in Item 7.01 of this Current Report shall not be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as otherwise expressly stated in such filing.

Item 8.01                        Other Events

Outstanding Borrowings. In connection with the Notes Offering referenced above, Newfield has filed a prospectus supplement with the Securities and Exchange Commission today (the “prospectus supplement”), disclosing that, as of September 26, 2011, Newfield had approximately $865.5 million of outstanding borrowings under its credit arrangements, leaving available capacity under its credit arrangements of approximately $519.5 million.

Update to Risk Factors.  In connection with the Notes Offering, Newfield disclosed certain risk factors relating to Newfield’s business and industry that are being presented to potential investors in the prospectus supplement. These risk factors are generally an update of, and a supplement to, the risk factors included in Newfield’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010. The risk factors updated in the prospectus supplement are set forth below.  Unless otherwise mentioned or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this Current Report on Form 8-K to “we,” “us,” “our” or similar references means Newfield and its consolidated subsidiaries.

There is limited transportation and refining capacity for our black and yellow wax crude oil, which may limit our ability to sell our current production or to increase our production in the Uinta Basin.
 
Most of the crude oil we produce in the Uinta Basin is known as “black wax” or “yellow wax” because it has higher paraffin content than crude oil found in most other major North American basins. Due to its wax content, it must remain heated during shipping, so our transportation options are limited. Currently, the oil is transported by truck to refiners in the Salt Lake City area. We currently have agreements in place with area refiners that secure base load sales of substantially all of our expected production in the Uinta Basin through the end of 2012. An extended loss of any of our largest purchasers could have a material adverse effect on us because there are limited purchasers of our black and yellow wax crude. We continue to work with refiners to expand the market for our existing wax crude oil production and to secure additional capacity to allow for production growth. However, without additional refining capacity, our ability to increase production from the field may be limited.
 
We are subject to complex laws and regulatory actions that can affect the cost, manner or feasibility of doing business.
 
Existing and potential regulatory actions could increase our costs and reduce our liquidity, delay our operations or otherwise alter the way we conduct our business. Exploration and development and the production and sale of oil and gas are subject to extensive federal, state, local and international regulation. We may be required to make large expenditures to comply with environmental and other governmental regulations. Matters subject to regulation include:
 
·  
the amounts and types of substances and materials that may be released into the environment;
 
·  
response to unexpected releases to the environment;
 
·  
reports and permits concerning exploration, drilling, production and other operations;
 
·  
the spacing of wells;
 
·  
unitization and pooling of properties;
 
·  
calculating royalties on oil and gas produced under federal and state leases; and
 
·  
taxation.
 
Under these laws, we could be liable for personal injuries, property damage, oil spills, discharge of hazardous materials, remediation and clean-up costs, natural resource damages and other environmental damages. We also could be required to install expensive pollution control measures or limit or cease activities on lands located within wilderness, wetlands or other environmentally or politically sensitive areas. Failure to comply with these laws also may result in the suspension or termination of our operations and subject us to administrative, civil and criminal penalties as well as the imposition of corrective action orders. Any such liabilities, penalties, suspensions, terminations or regulatory changes could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
 
 
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In addition, changes to existing regulations or the adoption of new regulations may unfavorably impact us, our suppliers or our customers. For example, governments around the world have become increasingly focused on climate change matters. In December 2009, the EPA issued a final rule that the current and projected concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations, and that certain greenhouse gases from new motor vehicles and motor vehicle engines contribute to the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and hence to the threat of climate change. This finding allowed the EPA to proceed with the rulemaking process to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. The EPA has adopted two sets of rules regulating GHG emissions under the Clean Air Act, one of which requires a reduction in emissions of GHGs from motor vehicles and the other of which regulates emissions of GHGs from certain large stationary sources, effective January 2, 2011, which could require greenhouse emission controls for those sources. The EPA has also adopted rules requiring the reporting of GHG emissions from specified large GHG emission sources in the United States on an annual basis, beginning in 2011 for emissions occurring after January 1, 2010, as well as from certain onshore oil and natural gas production, processing, transmission, storage and distribution facilities on an annual basis, beginning in 2012 for emissions occurring in 2011. The new regulations could impact certain facilities in which we have interests (legal, equitable, operated or non-operated) by increasing the regulatory reporting requirements.
 
In addition, the U.S. Congress has from time to time considered adopting legislation to reduce emissions of GHGs, and almost one-half of the states have already taken legal measures to reduce emissions of GHGs primarily through the planned development of GHG emission inventories and/or regional GHG cap and trade programs. Any such legislation or regulatory programs could also increase the cost of consuming, and thereby reduce demand for, the oil and natural gas that is produced.
 
Further, the U.S. Congress has previously proposed legislation that would directly impact our industry, covering areas such as emission reporting and reductions, and the regulation of over-the-counter commodity hedging activities. Similarly, in response to the 2010 Macondo incident in the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. Congress was considering a number of legislative proposals relating to the upstream oil and gas industry both onshore and offshore that could result in significant additional laws or regulations governing our operations in the United States, including a proposal to raise or eliminate the cap on liability for oil spill cleanups under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.
 
These and other potential regulations, if introduced and passed in Congress, could increase our costs, reduce our liquidity, delay our operations or otherwise alter the way we conduct our business, negatively impacting our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. See also “—The potential adoption of federal, state and local legislative and regulatory initiatives related to hydraulic fracturing could result in operating restrictions or delays in the completion of oil and gas wells.”
 
Although it is not possible at this time to predict whether proposed legislation or regulations will be adopted as initially written, if at all, or how legislation or new regulation that may be adopted would impact our business, any such future laws and regulations could result in increased compliance costs or additional operating restrictions. Additional costs or operating restrictions associated with legislation or regulations could have a material adverse effect on our operating results and cash flows, in addition to the demand for the natural gas and other hydrocarbon products that we produce.
 
The potential adoption of federal and state legislative and regulatory initiatives related to hydraulic fracturing could result in operating restrictions or delays in the completion of oil and gas wells.
 
Hydraulic fracturing is an essential and common practice in the oil and gas industry used to stimulate production of natural gas and/or oil from dense subsurface rock formations. We routinely apply hydraulic-fracturing techniques on almost all of our U.S. onshore oil and natural gas properties, including our unconventional resource plays in the Woodford Shale of Oklahoma, the Granite Wash of Texas and Oklahoma, the Uinta Basin of Utah and the Eagle Ford and Pearsall Shales of southwest Texas, which represented approximately 82% of our proved reserves and approximately 90% of our probable reserves at year-end 2010. Hydraulic fracturing involves using water, sand, and certain chemicals to fracture the hydrocarbon-bearing rock formation to allow flow of hydrocarbons into the wellbore. The process is typically regulated by state oil and natural-gas commissions; however, the EPA has asserted federal regulatory authority over certain hydraulic-fracturing activities involving diesel under the Safe Drinking Water Act and has begun the process of drafting guidance documents related to this newly asserted regulatory authority. In addition, legislation has been introduced before Congress, called the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act, to provide for federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing and to require disclosure of the chemicals used in the hydraulic-fracturing process.
 
Certain states in which we operate, including Colorado, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wyoming, have adopted, and other states are considering adopting, regulations that could impose more stringent permitting, public disclosure, and well construction requirements on hydraulic-fracturing operations or otherwise seek to ban fracturing activities altogether. For example, Texas adopted a law in June 2011 requiring disclosure to the Railroad Commission of Texas (RCT) and the public of certain information regarding the components used in the hydraulic-fracturing process. In addition to state laws, local land use restrictions, such as city ordinances, may restrict or prohibit the performance of well drilling in general and/or hydraulic fracturing in particular. In the event state, local, or municipal legal restrictions are adopted in areas where we are currently conducting, or in the future plan to conduct operations, we may incur additional costs to comply with such requirements that may be significant in nature, experience delays or curtailment in the pursuit of exploration, development, or production activities, and perhaps even be precluded from the drilling of wells.
 
 
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There are certain governmental reviews either underway or being proposed that focus on environmental aspects of hydraulic-fracturing practices. The White House Council on Environmental Quality is coordinating an administration-wide review of hydraulic-fracturing practices, and a committee of the United States House of Representatives has conducted an investigation of hydraulic-fracturing practices. Furthermore, a number of federal agencies are analyzing, or have been requested to review, a variety of environmental issues associated with hydraulic fracturing. The EPA has commenced a study of the potential environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water and groundwater, with initial results expected to be available by late 2012 and final results by 2014. In addition, the U.S. Department of Energy is conducting an investigation into practices the agency could recommend to better protect the environment from drilling using hydraulic-fracturing completion methods. Also, the U.S. Department of the Interior is considering disclosure requirements or other mandates for hydraulic fracturing on federal lands.
 
Additionally, certain members of the Congress have called upon the U.S. Government Accountability Office to investigate how hydraulic fracturing might adversely affect water resources, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate the natural-gas industry and any possible misleading of investors or the public regarding the economic feasibility of pursuing natural-gas deposits in shales by means of hydraulic fracturing, and the U.S. Energy Information Administration to provide a better understanding of that agency’s estimates regarding natural-gas reserves, including reserves from shale formations, as well as uncertainties associated with those estimates. These on-going or proposed studies, depending on their degree of pursuit and any meaningful results obtained, could spur initiatives to further regulate hydraulic fracturing under the Safe Drinking Water Act or other regulatory mechanism.
 
Further, on July 28, 2011, the EPA issued proposed rules that would subject all oil and gas operations (production, processing, transmission, storage and distribution) to regulation under the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPS) programs. The EPA proposed rules also include NSPS standards for completions of hydraulically fractured gas wells. These standards include the reduced emission completion (REC) techniques developed in EPA’s Natural Gas STAR program along with pit flaring of gas not sent to the gathering line. The standards would be applicable to newly drilled and fractured wells as well as existing wells that are refractured. Further, the proposed regulations under NESHAPS include maximum achievable control technology (MACT) standards for those glycol dehydrators and storage vessels at major sources of hazardous air pollutants not currently subject to MACT standards.  We are currently researching the effect these proposed rules could have on our business.  Final action on the proposed rules is expected no later than February 28, 2012.
 
Increased regulation and attention given to the hydraulic fracturing process could lead to greater opposition, including litigation, to oil and gas production activities using hydraulic fracturing techniques. Additional legislation or regulation could also lead to operational delays or increased operating costs in the production of oil and natural gas, including from the developing shale plays, or could make it more difficult to perform hydraulic fracturing. The adoption of any federal, state or local laws or the implementation of regulations regarding hydraulic fracturing could potentially cause a decrease in the completion of new oil and gas wells, increased compliance costs and time, which could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
 
Certain U.S. federal income tax deductions currently available with respect to oil and natural gas exploration and production may be eliminated as a result of future legislation.
 
On September 12, 2011, President Obama sent to Congress a legislative package that includes proposed legislation that, if enacted into law, would eliminate certain key U.S. federal income tax incentives currently available to oil and natural gas exploration and production companies.  These changes include, among other proposals:
 
•        the repeal of the percentage depletion allowance for oil and natural gas properties;
 
•        the elimination of current deductions for intangible drilling and development costs;
 
•        the elimination of the deduction for certain domestic production activities; and
 
•        an extension of the amortization period for certain geological and geophysical expenditures.
 
These proposals also were included in President Obama’s Proposed Fiscal Year 2012 Budget.  It is unclear whether these or similar changes will be enacted.  The passage of this legislation or any similar changes in U.S. federal income tax laws could eliminate or postpone certain tax deductions that are currently available with respect to oil and natural gas exploration and development.  Any such changes could have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
 
The oil and gas business involves many operating risks that can cause substantial losses.
 
Our oil and gas exploration and production activities are subject to all of the operating risks associated with drilling for and producing oil and gas, including the risk of:
 
•        fires and explosions;
 
•        blow-outs;
 
•        uncontrollable or unknown flows of oil, gas, or well fluids;
 
 
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•        pipe or cement failures and casing collapses;
 
•        pipeline ruptures;
 
•        adverse weather conditions or natural disasters;
 
•        discharges of toxic gases;
 
•        build up of naturally occurring radioactive materials;
 
•        vandalism; and
 
•        environmental damages caused by previous owners of property we purchase and lease.
 
If any of these events occur, we could incur substantial losses as a result of:
 
•        injury or loss of life;
 
•        severe damage or destruction of property and equipment, and oil and gas reservoirs;
 
•        pollution and other environmental damage;
 
•        investigatory and clean-up responsibilities;
 
•        regulatory investigation and penalties or lawsuits;
 
•        suspension of our operations; and
 
•        repairs to resume operations.
 
Further, offshore and deepwater operations are subject to a variety of additional operating risks, such as capsizing, collisions and damage or loss from hurricanes or other adverse weather conditions. These conditions could cause substantial damage to facilities and interrupt production. In addition, some of our offshore operations, and most of our deepwater and international operations, are dependent upon the availability, proximity and capacity of pipelines, natural gas gathering systems and processing facilities that we do not own. Necessary infrastructures have been in the past, and may be in the future, temporarily unavailable due to adverse weather conditions or other reasons, or they may not be available to us in the future on acceptable terms or at all.
 
In connection with our operations, we generally require our contractors, which includes the contractor, its parent, subsidiaries and affiliate companies, its subcontractors, their agents, employees, directors and officers, to agree to indemnify us for injuries and deaths of their employees, contractors and subcontractors and any property damage suffered by the contractors. There may be times, however, that we are required to indemnify our contractors for injuries and other losses resulting from the events described above, which indemnification claims could result in substantial losses to us.
 
The occurrence of any of the foregoing events and any costs or liabilities incurred as a result of such events, if uninsured or in excess of our insurance coverage or not indemnified, could reduce revenue and the funds available to us for our exploration, exploitation, development and production activities and could, in turn, have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.  See also “ ―We may not be insured against all of the operating risks to which our business is exposed.”
 
We may not be insured against all of the operating risks to which our business is exposed.
 
Our operations are subject to all of the risks normally incident to the exploration for and the production of oil and gas, such as well blowouts, explosions, oil spills, releases of gas or well fluids, fires, pollution and adverse weather conditions, which could result in substantial losses to us.  See also “ ―The oil and gas business involves many operating risks that can cause substantial losses.”  We maintain insurance against many, but not all, potential losses or liabilities arising from our operations in accordance with what we believe are customary industry practices and in amounts and at costs that we believe to be prudent and commercially practicable.  Our insurance includes deductibles that must be met prior to recovery, as well as sub-limits and/or self-insurance.  Additionally, our insurance is subject to exclusions and limitations.  Our insurance does not cover every potential risk associated with our operations, including the potential loss of significant revenues. We can provide no assurance that our insurance coverage will adequately protect us against liability from all potential consequences, damages and losses.
 
We currently have insurance policies covering our onshore and offshore operations that include coverage for general liability, excess liability, physical damage to our oil and gas properties, operational control of wells, oil pollution, third-party liability, workers’ compensation and employers’ liability and other coverages. Consistent with insurance coverage generally available to the industry, our insurance policies provide limited coverage for losses or liabilities relating to pollution, with broader coverage for sudden and accidental occurrences. For example, we maintain operators extra expense coverage provided by third-party insurers for obligations, expenses or claims that we may incur from a sudden incident that results in negative environmental effects, including obligations, expenses or claims related to seepage and pollution, cleanup and containment, evacuation expenses and control of the well (subject to policy terms and conditions).  In the specific event of a well blowout or out-of-control well resulting in negative environmental effects, such operators extra expense coverage would be our primary source of coverage, with the general liability and excess liability coverage referenced above also providing certain coverage.
 
 
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  In the event we make a claim under our insurance policies, we will be subject to the credit risk of the insurers. Volatility and disruption in the financial and credit markets may adversely affect the credit quality of our insurers and impact their ability to pay claims.
 
Further, we may elect not to obtain insurance if we believe that the cost of available insurance is excessive relative to the risks presented. Some forms of insurance may become unavailable in the future or unavailable on terms that we believe are economically acceptable.  No assurance can be given that we will be able to maintain insurance in the future at rates that we consider reasonable and we may elect to maintain minimal or no insurance coverage.  If we incur substantial liability from a significant event and the damages are not covered by insurance or are in excess of policy limits, then we would have lower revenues and funds available to us for our operations, that could, in turn, have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
This Current Report on Form 8-K may include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this report, including statements regarding the consummation of the Notes Offering, estimated or anticipated operating and financial data, planned capital expenditures, future drilling plans and programs, expected production rates, the availability and sources of capital resources to fund capital expenditures, estimates of proved reserves and the estimated present value of such reserves, our financing plans and our business strategy and other plans and objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. Although Newfield believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements are based upon assumptions and anticipated results that are subject to numerous uncertainties. Actual results may vary significantly from those anticipated due to many factors, including oil and gas prices; general economic, financial, industry or business conditions; the impact of governmental regulations; the availability and cost of capital to fund our operations and business strategies; the ability and willingness of current or potential lenders, hedging contract counterparties, customers, and working interest owners to fulfill their obligations to us or to enter into transactions with us in the future on terms that are acceptable to us; the availability of refining capacity for the crude oil we produce from our Monument Butte field; drilling results; the prices of goods and services; the availability of drilling rigs and other support services; labor conditions; severe weather conditions (such as hurricanes); and the other factors affecting our business described below. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Unless legally required, Newfield undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements attributable to our Company are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
 

Item 9.01                      Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d)
Exhibits
     
 
99.1
Press Release regarding Notes Offering issued by Newfield Exploration Company on September 27, 2011
     
     

 
  

 
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SIGNATURES


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 hereunto duly authorized.


 
NEWFIELD EXPLORATION COMPANY
     
     
Date:   September 27, 2011
By:
/s/ Brian L. Rickmers
   
Brian L. Rickmers
   
Controller
 
 
 
 
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Exhibit Index

Exhibit No.
  
 Description
99.1
  
Press Release regarding Notes Offering issued by Newfield Exploration Company on September 27, 2011
     
     

 
 
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