LLEX Lilis Energy Inc

RISK FACTORS

Investing in our shares of common stock involves significant risks, including the potential loss of all or part of your investment. These risks could materially affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and cause a decline in the market price of our shares. You should carefully consider all of the risks described in this prospectus, in addition to the other information contained in this prospectus, before you make an investment in our common stock. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also adversely affect our business. In addition to other matters identified or described by us from time to time in filings with the SEC, there are several important factors that could cause our future results to differ materially from historical results or trends, results anticipated or planned by us, or results that are reflected from time to time in any forward-looking statement. Some of these important factors, but not necessarily all important factors, include the following:

Risks Relating to Our Business

If we are not able to continue to access additional capital in significant amounts, we may not be able to continue to develop our current prospects and properties, or we may forfeit our interest in certain prospects and we may not be able to continue to operate our business.

We need significant capital to continue to operate our properties and continue operations. In the near term, we intend to finance our capital expenditures with cash flow from operations, funds draw under our First Lien Term Loan and Second Lien Term Loan, and future issuance of debt and/or equity securities. Our cash flow from operations and access to capital is subject to a number of variables, including:

Our operations and other capital resources may not provide cash in sufficient amounts to maintain planned or future levels of capital expenditures. Further, our actual capital expenditures in 2017 could exceed our capital expenditure budget. In the event our capital expenditure requirements at any time are greater than the amount of capital we have available, we could be required to seek additional sources of capital, which may include refinancing existing debt, joint venture partnerships, production payment financings, sales of non-core property assets, offerings of debt or equity securities or other means. We may not be able to obtain debt or equity financing on terms favorable, or at all.

If we are unable to fund our capital requirements, we may be required to curtail our operations relating to the exploration and development of our prospects, which in turn could lead to a possible loss of properties and a decline in our oil and natural gas reserves, or may be otherwise unable to implement their development plan, complete acquisitions or otherwise take advantage of business opportunities or respond to competitive pressures, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our production, revenues and results of operations. In addition, a delay in or the failure to complete proposed or future infrastructure projects could delay or eliminate potential efficiencies and related cost savings. The occurrence of such events may prevent us from continuing to operate our business and our common stock and preferred stock may not have any value.

We have substantial liquidity needs and may be required to seek additional financing to fund our 2017 capital budget.  If we are unable to obtain financing on satisfactory terms or maintain adequate liquidity, our ability to fund our capital budget, replace our proved reserves or to maintain production levels and generate revenue will be limited.

Our principal sources of liquidity historically have been equity contributions, borrowings under our credit facilities, net cash provided by operating activities, and net proceeds from the issuance of preferred stock. Our capital program may require additional financing above the level of cash generated by our operations to fund growth.  If our expected cash flow from operations decreases as a result of lower commodity prices or otherwise, our ability to expend the capital necessary to replace our proved reserves, maintain our leasehold acreage or maintain production may be limited, resulting in decreased production and proved reserves over time.

We may face uncertainty regarding the adequacy of our liquidity and capital resources to fund our 2017 capital budget.  Our liquidity, including our ability to meet our ongoing operational obligations, is dependent upon, among other things: (i) our ability to maintain adequate cash on hand, including our ability to access additional financing, and (ii) our ability to generate cash flow from operations.  Our ability to maintain adequate liquidity depends in part upon industry conditions and general economic, financial, competitive, regulatory and other factors beyond our control.  We can provide no assurance that additional financing will be available or, if available, offered to us on acceptable terms. 

Oil, NGL and natural gas prices are volatile and have declined significantly from levels experienced in recent years. If commodity prices experience a further, substantial decline, our operations, financial condition, and level of expenditures for the development of our oil, NGL, and natural gas reserves may be materially and adversely affected.

The prices we receive for our oil, NGLs, and natural gas production heavily influence our revenue, operating results, profitability, access to capital, future rate of growth and carrying value of our properties. Oil, NGLs, and natural gas are commodities, and, therefore, their prices are subject to wide fluctuations in response to relatively minor changes in supply and demand. Historically, the commodities markets have been volatile, and these markets will likely continue to be volatile in the future. If the prices of oil, NGLs, and natural gas experience a further, substantial decline, our operations, financial condition and level of expenditures for the development of our oil, NGLs, and natural gas reserves may be materially and adversely affected. The prices we receive for our production, and the levels of our production, depend on numerous factors beyond our control and include the following:

Lower commodity prices may reduce our cash flows and borrowing ability. We may be unable to obtain needed capital or financing on satisfactory terms, which could lead to a decline in our reserves as existing reserves are depleted. Lower commodity prices may also reduce the amount of oil, NGLs, and natural gas that we can produce economically, and a significant portion of our exploitation, development and exploration projects could become uneconomic. This may result in our having to make significant downward adjustments to our estimated proved reserves. As a result, if commodity prices remain depressed for a lengthy period of time or experience a further substantial or extended decline, our future business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, or ability to finance planned capital expenditures may be materially and adversely affected.

Our level of indebtedness could adversely affect our ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations, limit our ability to react to changes in the economy or our industry and prevent us from meeting our obligations under our indebtedness.

On September 29, 2016, we entered into the First Lien Credit Agreement, as subsequently amended on April 24, 2017, and April 26, 2017,that currently provides for an 18-month senior secured term loan with an aggregate principal amount of $15 million outstanding as of April 26, 2017. Additionally, on April 26, 2017, we entered into the Second Lien Credit Agreement, that provides for a four year second lien secured term loan with an aggregate principal amount of $80 million outstanding as of April 26, 2017, and under which we may borrow up to an aggregate principal amount of $45 million. Our degree of leverage could have important consequences, including the following:

We may incur additional debt, including secured indebtedness, or issue preferred stock in order to maintain adequate liquidity and develop and acquire properties to the extent desired. A higher level of indebtedness and/or preferred stock increases the risk that we may default on our obligations. Our ability to meet our debt obligations and to reduce our level of indebtedness depends on our future performance. General economic conditions, natural gas and oil prices and financial, business and other factors affect our operations and our future performance. Many of these factors are beyond our control. Factors that will affect our ability to raise cash through an offering of our capital stock or a refinancing of our debt include financial market conditions, the value of our assets, the number of shares of capital stock we have authorized, unissued and unreserved and our performance at the time we need capital.

Each of the First Lien Credit Agreement and Second Lien Credit Agreement, guaranteed and further secured by substantially all our assets, contain restrictive covenants that may limit our ability to respond to changes in market conditions or pursue business opportunities.

Each of the First Lien Credit Agreement and Second Lien Credit Agreement contain restrictive covenants that limit our ability to, among other things:

The requirement that we comply with these provisions may materially adversely affect our ability to react to changes in market conditions, take advantage of business opportunities we believe to be desirable, obtain future financing, fund needed capital expenditures or withstand a continuing or future downturn in our business.

We may from time to time enter into alternative or additional debt agreements that contain covenant restrictions that may prevent us from taking actions that we believe would be in the best interest of our business, may require us to sell assets or take other actions to reduce indebtedness to meet such covenants, and may make it difficult for us to successfully execute our business strategy or effectively compete with companies that are not similarly restricted.

Our disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting may not detect errors or potential acts of fraud.

Our management does not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls will prevent all possible errors and all fraud. 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 being met. In addition, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls are evaluated relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of our controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected. The design of any system of controls is based in part upon the likelihood of future events, and any design may not succeed in achieving its intended goals under all potential future conditions. Over time, a control may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or the degree of compliance with our policies or procedures may deteriorate. Because of inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur without detection.

Failure to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting may have an adverse effect on our stock price.

Pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC to implement Section 404, our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of our financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, we are required to conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework of internal control issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“2013 COSO Framework”). Because of its inherent limitations, internal controls over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. In addition, projections of any evaluation effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies and procedures may deteriorate.

Through September 30, 2016, management had concluded that its internal control over financial reporting was not effective. During the fourth quarter of 2016, we completed our remediation efforts, but we may discover additional areas of our internal control over financial reporting in the future which may require improvement. If we are unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective in any future period, or if our auditors are unable to express an opinion on the effectiveness of our internal controls, we could lose investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which could have an adverse effect on our stock price.

If oil or natural gas prices decrease or exploration and development efforts are unsuccessful, wells in progress are deemed unsuccessful, or major tracts of undeveloped acreage expire, or other similar adverse events occur, we may be required to write-down the carrying value of our developed properties.

We use the full cost method of accounting whereby all costs related to the acquisition and development of oil and natural gas properties are capitalized into a single cost center referred to as a full cost pool. These costs include land acquisition costs, geological and geophysical expenses, carrying charges on non-producing properties, costs of drilling wells, completing productive wells, or plugging and abandoning non-productive wells, costs related to expired leases, or leases underlying producing and non-producing wells, and overhead charges directly related to acquisition and exploration activities. Under the full cost method of accounting, capitalized oil and natural gas property that comprise the full cost pool, less accumulated depletion and net of deferred income taxes, may not exceed an amount equal to the present value, discounted at 10%, of estimated future net revenues from proved oil and natural gas reserves. This ceiling test is performed at least quarterly. Should the capitalized costs of the full cost pool exceed this ceiling, we would recognize an impairment expense. We recognized an impairment expense of approximately $4.7 million and $24.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. At December 31, 2016, the Company’s estimates of discounted future cash flows indicated that the carrying amounts were not expected to be recovered due to a decrease in proved reserves. During 2016, commodity prices continued to trade in a low range. With low commodity prices sustained for the majority of 2016, some of our properties became uneconomic triggering impairment charge of $4.7 million at December 31, 2016. The impairment charge of $24.5 million in 2015 was due to the lower commodity prices and lack of capital to develop our undeveloped oil and gas properties. Future write-downs could occur for numerous reasons, including, but not limited to continued reductions in oil and gas prices that lower the estimate of future net revenues from proved oil and natural gas reserves, revisions to reserve estimates, or from the addition of non-productive capitalized costs that would be transferred to the amortization base subject to DD&A and the ceiling test that does not result in a corresponding increase in oil and gas reserves. Impairments of plugging and abandonment of wells in progress are other areas where costs may be capitalized into the full cost pool, without any corresponding increase in reserve values; as such, these situations could result in future additional impairment expenses.

If commodity prices stay at current levels or decline further, we could incur full cost ceiling impairments in future quarters. Because the ceiling calculation uses rolling 12-month average commodity prices, the effect of lower quarter-over-quarter prices in 2016 compared to 2015 is a lower ceiling value each quarter. This may result in ongoing impairments each quarter until prices stabilize or improve. Impairment charges would not affect cash flow from operating activities, but would adversely affect our net income and stockholders’ equity.

Our estimated reserves are based on many assumptions that may prove inaccurate. Any significant inaccuracies in these reserve estimates or underlying assumptions will materially affect the quantities and present value of our reserves.

No one can measure underground accumulations of oil and natural gas in an exact way. Oil and natural gas reserve engineering requires subjective estimates of underground accumulations of oil and natural gas and assumptions concerning future oil and natural gas prices, production levels, and operating and development costs. As a result, estimated quantities of proved reserves and projections of future production rates and the timing of development expenditures may prove to be inaccurate. Any material inaccuracies in these reserve estimates or underlying assumptions will materially affect the quantities and present value of our reserves which could adversely affect business, results of operations, financial condition and our ability to make cash distributions to shareholders.

In order to prepare estimates, we must project production rates and the timing of development expenditures and analyze available geological, geophysical, production and engineering data. The extent, quality and reliability of this data can vary. The process also requires economic assumptions about matters such as oil and natural gas prices, drilling and operating expenses, capital expenditures, taxes and availability of funds. Although the reserve information contained herein is reviewed by independent reserve engineers, estimates of oil and natural gas reserves are inherently imprecise.

Further, the present value of future net cash flows from proved reserves may not be the current market value of estimated oil and natural gas reserves. In accordance with SEC requirements, we based the estimated discounted future net cash flows from proved reserves on the 12-month average oil and gas index prices, calculated as the un-weighted arithmetic average for the first-day-of-the-month price for each month and costs in effect on the date of the estimate, holding the prices and costs constant throughout the life of the properties.

Actual future prices and costs may differ materially from those used in the net present value estimate, and future net present value estimates using then current prices and costs may be significantly less than the current estimate. In addition, the 10% discount factor we used when calculating discounted future net cash flows for reporting requirements in compliance with the FASB in Accounting Standards Codification, which is referred to as ASC 932 may not be the most appropriate discount factor based on interest rates in effect from time to time and risks associated with us or the oil and natural gas industry in general.

Oil and natural gas prices are highly volatile, and our revenue, profitability, cash flow, future growth and ability to borrow funds or obtain additional capital, as well as the carrying value of our properties, are substantially dependent on prevailing prices of oil and natural gas.

Historically, the markets for oil and natural gas have been volatile. These markets will likely continue to be volatile in the future. The prices we receive for our production and the levels of our production depend on numerous factors beyond our control. These factors include the following:

Volatile oil and natural gas prices make it difficult to estimate the value of producing properties for acquisition and often cause disruption in the market for oil and natural gas producing properties, as buyers and sellers have difficulty agreeing on such value. Price volatility also makes it difficult to budget for and project the return on acquisitions and development and exploitation projects.

Our revenues, operating results, profitability and future rate of growth depend primarily upon the prices we receive for oil and, to a lesser extent, natural gas that we sell. Prices also affect the amount of cash flow available for capital expenditures and our ability to borrow money or raise additional capital. In addition, we may need to record asset carrying value write-downs if prices fall. A significant decline in the prices of natural gas or oil could adversely affect our financial position, financial results, cash flows, access to capital and ability to grow.

Hedging transactions may limit our potential gains or result in losses .

In order to manage our exposure to price risks in the marketing of our oil and natural gas, from time to time, we may enter into derivative contracts that economically hedge our oil and gas price on a portion of our production. These contracts may limit our potential gains if oil and natural gas prices were to rise substantially over the price established by the contract. In addition, such transactions may expose us to the risk of financial loss in certain circumstances, including instances in which:

Hedging transactions we may enter into may not adequately protect us from declines in the prices of oil and natural gas. In addition, the counterparties under any future derivatives contracts may fail to fulfill their contractual obligations to us. As of December 31, 2016, we had no hedging agreements in place.

Our identified drilling locations are scheduled out over several years, making them susceptible to uncertainties that could materially alter the occurrence or timing of our drilling.

Our management has specifically identified and scheduled drilling locations as an estimation of future multi-year drilling activities on existing acreage. These scheduled drilling locations represent a significant component of our growth strategy. Our ability to drill and develop these locations depends on a number of uncertainties, including oil and natural gas prices, the availability of capital, costs, drilling results, regulatory approvals and other factors. Because of these uncertainties, we do not know if the potential drilling locations previously identified will ever be drilled or if we will be able to produce oil or natural gas from these or any other potential drilling locations. As such, actual drilling activities may materially differ from those presently identified, which could adversely affect our business.

Drilling for oil and natural gas is a speculative activity and involves numerous risks and substantial and uncertain costs that could adversely affect us.

Our success will depend on the success of our drilling program. There is no way to predict in advance of drilling and testing whether any particular prospect will yield oil or natural gas in sufficient quantities to recover drilling or completion costs or to be economically viable. The use of seismic data and other technologies and the study of producing fields in the same area will not enable us to know conclusively prior to drilling whether oil or natural gas will be present or, if present, whether oil or natural gas will be present in commercial quantities. Analogies drawn from available data from other wells, more fully explored prospects or producing fields may not be applicable to current drilling prospects.

The budgeted costs of planning, drilling, completing and operating wells are often exceeded and such costs can increase significantly due to various complications that may arise during the drilling and operating processes. Before a well is spud, we may incur significant geological and geophysical (seismic) costs, which are incurred whether a well eventually produces commercial quantities of hydrocarbons, or is drilled at all. Exploration wells endure a much greater risk of loss than development wells. If actual drilling and development costs are significantly more than the current estimated costs, we may not be able to continue operations as proposed and could be forced to modify drilling plans accordingly. Drilling for oil and natural gas involves numerous risks, including the risk that no commercially productive natural gas or oil reservoirs will be discovered. The cost of drilling, completing, and operating wells is substantial and uncertain, and drilling operations may be curtailed, delayed, or canceled as a result of a variety of factors beyond our control, including:

If we decide to drill a certain location, there is a risk that (i) no commercially productive oil or natural gas reservoirs will be found or produced, or (ii) we may drill or participate in new wells that are not productive or drill wells that are productive, but that do not produce sufficient net revenues to return a profit after drilling, operating and other costs. A productive well may become uneconomical if water or other deleterious substances are encountered which impair or prevent the production of oil and/or natural gas from the well. Our overall drilling success rate or drilling success rate for activity within a particular project area may decline. Unsuccessful drilling activities could result in a significant decline in production and revenues and materially harm operations and financial condition by reducing available cash and resources. Even if sufficient amounts of oil or natural gas exist, we may damage the potentially productive hydrocarbon-bearing formation or experience mechanical difficulties while drilling or completing the well, resulting in a reduction in production and reserves from the well or abandonment of the well.

Financial difficulties encountered by our oil and natural gas purchasers, third party operators or other third parties could decrease cash flow from operations and adversely affect exploration and development activities.

We derive essentially all of our revenues from the sale of our oil and natural gas to unaffiliated third party purchasers, independent marketing companies and mid-stream companies. Any delays in payments from such purchasers caused by financial problems encountered by them will have an immediate negative effect on our results of operations and cash flows.

Liquidity and cash flow problems encountered by our working interest co-owners or the third-party operators of our non-operated properties may prevent or delay the drilling of a well or the development of a project. Our working interest co-owners may be unwilling or unable to pay their share of the costs of projects as they become due. In the case of a working interest owner, we could be required to pay the working interest owner’s share of the project costs.

Prospects in which we decide to participate may not yield oil or natural gas in commercially viable quantities or quantities sufficient to meet our targeted rate of return.

A prospect is a property in which we own an interest and contains what we believe, based on available reservoir, seismic and/or geological information, to be indications of commercial oil or natural gas. Our prospects are in various stages of evaluation, ranging from a prospect that is ready to be drilled to a prospect that will require substantial additional technical assessment, data acquisition and/or seismic data processing and interpretation. There is no definitive method to predict in advance of drilling and testing and wider-scale development whether any particular prospect will yield oil or natural gas in sufficient quantities to be economically viable. The use of reservoir, geologic and seismic data and other technologies and the study of producing fields in the same area will not enable us to know conclusively prior to drilling whether oil or natural gas will be present or, if present, whether oil or natural gas will be present in commercial quantities. The analysis we perform using data from other wells, more fully explored prospects or producing fields may not be useful in predicting the characteristics and potential reserves associated with our drilling prospects.

Our industry is highly competitive, which may adversely affect our performance, including our ability to participate in ready to drill prospects in our core areas .

We operate in a highly competitive environment. In addition to capital, the principal resources necessary for the exploration and production of oil and natural gas are:

We must compete for such resources with both major oil and natural gas companies and independent operators. Virtually all of these competitors have financial and other resources substantially greater than ours. Such capital, materials and resources may not be available when needed. If we are unable to access capital, material and resources when needed, we risk suffering numerous consequences, including:

Seismic studies do not guarantee that hydrocarbons are present or, if present, will produce in economic quantities.

We may use seismic studies to assist with assessing prospective drilling opportunities on current properties, as well as on properties that we may acquire. Such seismic studies are merely an interpretive tool and do not necessarily guarantee that hydrocarbons are present or if present will produce in economic quantities.

Properties that we acquire may not produce oil or natural gas as projected, and we may be unable to determine reserve potential, identify liabilities associated with the properties or obtain protection from sellers against them, which could cause us to incur losses.

One of our growth strategies is to pursue selective acquisitions of undeveloped acreage potentially containing oil and natural gas reserves. If we choose to pursue an acquisition, we will perform a review of the target properties; however, these reviews are inherently incomplete as they are based on the quality, availability and interpretation of the reviewed data, the acumen and the assumptions of the evaluation personnel. Generally, it is not feasible to review in depth every individual property, well, facility and/or file involved in each acquisition. Even a detailed review of records and properties may not necessarily reveal existing or potential problems, nor will it permit a buyer to become sufficiently familiar with the properties to assess fully their deficiencies and potential. We may not perform an inspection on every well, and environmental problems, such as groundwater contamination, are not necessarily observable even when an inspection is undertaken. Even when problems are identified, we may not be able to obtain effective contractual protection against all or part of those problems, and we may assume environmental and other risks and liabilities in connection with the acquired properties. If we acquire properties with risks or liabilities that were unknown or not assessed correctly, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected as claims are settled and cleanup costs related to these liabilities are incurred.

We may incur losses or costs as a result of title deficiencies in the properties in which we invest.

If an examination of the title history of a property that we purchased reveals an oil and natural gas lease has been purchased in error from a person who is not the owner of the mineral interest desired, our interest would be worthless. In such an instance, the amount paid for such oil and natural gas lease as well as any royalties paid pursuant to the terms of the lease prior to the discovery of the title defect would be lost.

Prior to the drilling of an oil and natural gas well, however, it is the normal practice in the oil and natural gas industry for the operator of the well to obtain a preliminary title review of the spacing unit within which the proposed oil and natural gas well is to be drilled to ensure there are no obvious deficiencies in title to the well. Frequently, as a result of such examinations, certain curative work must be done to correct deficiencies in the marketability of the title, and such curative work entails expense. Failure to cure any title defects may adversely impact our ability in the future to increase production and reserves. In the future, we may suffer a monetary loss from title defects or title failure. Additionally, unproved and unevaluated acreage has greater risk of title defects than developed acreage. If there are any title defects or defects in assignment of leasehold rights in properties in which we hold an interest, we will suffer a financial loss which could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our operational risk is concentrated due to our reliance on a small number of wells, operators and oil and gas purchasers.

We have concentrated operational risks both in terms of producing oil and gas properties, the operators we use and in the purchasers of our oil and gas production. An operational failure by an operator, the decline of production from a property and the termination of a contractual agreement with an operator or purchaser could have a material negative impact on our company. Our properties are located in areas where we have multiple markets for our oil and gas. As such, the loss of any single purchaser will not have a material impact with our ability to sell our oil and gas.

We may not be the operator on all of our drilling locations, and, therefore, we may not be able to control the timing of exploration or development efforts, associated costs, or the rate of production of any non-operated assets.

Currently, we are the operator of our Delaware assets. However, as we carry out our exploration and development programs, we may enter into arrangements with respect to existing or future drilling locations that result in a greater proportion of locations being operated by others. As a result, we may have limited ability to exercise influence over the operations of the drilling locations operated by our partners. Dependence on the operator could prevent us from realizing target returns for those locations. The success and timing of exploration and development activities operated by our partners will depend on a number of factors that will be largely outside of our control, including:

This limited ability to exercise control over the operations of some of drilling locations may cause a material adverse effect on results of operations and financial condition.

The marketability of our production is dependent upon transportation and processing facilities over which we may have no control.

The marketability of our production depends in part upon the availability, proximity and capacity of pipelines, natural gas gathering systems, rail service, and processing facilities in addition to competing oil and gas production available to third-party purchasers. We deliver crude oil and natural gas produced from these areas through trucking, gathering systems and pipelines, some of which we do not own. The lack of availability of capacity on third-party systems and facilities could reduce the price offered for our production or result in the shut-in of producing wells or the delay or discontinuance of development plans for properties. Although we have some contractual control over the transportation of our production through firm transportation arrangements, third-party systems and facilities may be temporarily unavailable due to market conditions or mechanical reliability or other reasons, including adverse weather conditions or work-loads. Activist or other efforts may delay or halt the construction of additional pipelines or facilities. Third-party systems and facilities may not be available to us in the future at a price that is acceptable to us. Any significant change in market factors or other conditions affecting these infrastructure systems and facilities, as well as any delays in constructing new infrastructure systems and facilities, could delay production, thereby harming our business and, in turn, our results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition.

Our success is influenced by oil, natural gas, and NGL prices in the specific areas where we operate, and these prices may be lower than prices at major markets.

Regional natural gas, condensate, oil and NGLs prices may move independently of broad industry price trends. Because some of our operations are located outside major markets, we are directly impacted by regional prices regardless of Henry Hub, WTI or other major market pricing.

Unless we find new oil and gas reserves to replace actual production, our reserves and production will decline, which would materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Producing oil and gas reservoirs generally are characterized by declining production rates and depletion that vary depending upon reservoir characteristics subsurface and surface pressures and other factors. Thus, our future oil and gas reserves and production and, therefore, our cash flow and revenue are highly dependent on our success in efficiently obtaining additional reserves. We may not be able to develop, find or acquire reserves to replace our current and future production at costs or other terms acceptable to us, or at all, in which case our business, financial condition and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.

Part of our strategy involves drilling in existing or emerging unconventional shale plays using available horizontal drilling and completion techniques. The results of our planned exploratory and development drilling in these plays are subject to drilling and completion execution risks and drilling results may not meet our economic expectations for reserves or production. As a result, we may incur material write-downs and the value of our undeveloped acreage could decline if drilling results are unsuccessful.

Unconventional operations involve utilizing drilling and completion techniques as developed by us and our service providers. Risks that we face while drilling include, but are not limited to, not reaching the desired objective due to drilling problems, not landing our wellbore in the desired drilling zone or specific target, staying in the desired drilling zone while drilling horizontally through the formation, running our casing the entire length of the wellbore and being able to run tools and other equipment consistently through the horizontal wellbore. Risks that we face while completing our wells include, but are not limited to, mechanical integrity, being able to hydraulic fracture stimulate the planned number of stages, being able to run tools the entire length of the wellbore during completion operations, proper design and engineering versus reservoir parameters, and successfully cleaning out the wellbore after completion of the final fracture stimulation stage.

Our experience with horizontal well applications utilizing the latest drilling and completion techniques specifically in the formations where we are currently operating is limited; however, we contract with local experts in the area to design, plan and conduct our drilling and completion operations. Ultimately, the success of these drilling and completion techniques can only be developed over time as more wells are drilled and production profiles are established over a sufficiently long time period. If our drilling results are less than anticipated or we are unable to execute our drilling program because of capital constraints, lease expirations, access to gathering systems and limited takeaway capacity or otherwise, and/or natural gas and oil prices decline, the return on our investment in these areas may not be as attractive as we anticipate and we could incur material write-downs of undeveloped properties and the value of our undeveloped acreage could decline in the future.

The unavailability or high cost of drilling rigs, equipment supplies or personnel could adversely affect our ability to execute our exploration and development plans.

The oil and gas industry is cyclical and, from time to time, there are shortages of drilling rigs, equipment, supplies or qualified personnel. During these periods, the costs of and demand for rigs, equipment and supplies may increase substantially and their availability may be limited. In addition, the demand for, and wage rates of, qualified personnel, including drilling rig crews, may rise as the number of rigs in service increases. The higher prices of oil and gas during the last several years have increased activity which has resulted in shortages of drilling rigs, equipment and personnel, which have resulted in increased costs and delays in the areas where we operate. If drilling rigs, equipment, supplies or qualified personnel are unavailable to us due to excessive costs or demand or otherwise, our ability to execute our exploration and development plans could be materially and adversely affected and, as a result, our financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

Terrorist attacks aimed at energy operations could adversely affect our business.

The continued threat of terrorism and the impact of military and other government action have led and may lead to further increased volatility in prices for oil and natural gas and could affect these commodity markets or the financial markets used by us. In addition, the U.S. government has issued warnings that energy assets may be a future target of terrorist organizations. These developments have subjected oil and natural gas operations to increased risks. Any future terrorist attack on our facilities, customer facilities, the infrastructure depended upon for transportation of products, and, in some cases, those of other energy companies, could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We are exposed to operating hazards and uninsured risks.

Our operations are subject to the risks inherent in the oil and natural gas industry, including the risks of:

These events may result in substantial losses to our company from:

We maintain insurance against some, but not all, of these risks. Our insurance may not be adequate to cover these losses or liabilities. We do not carry business interruption insurance. Losses and liabilities arising from uninsured or underinsured events may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and operations.

The producing wells in which we have an interest occasionally experience reduced or terminated production. These curtailments can result from mechanical failures, contract terms, pipeline and processing plant interruptions, market conditions, operator priorities, and weather conditions. These curtailments can last from a few days to many months, any of which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations.

We may not have enough insurance to cover all of the risks faced and operators of prospects in which we participate may not maintain or may fail to obtain adequate insurance.

In accordance with customary industry practices, we maintain insurance coverage against some, but not all, potential losses in order to protect against the risks faced. We do not carry business interruption insurance. We may elect not to carry insurance if management believes that the cost of available insurance is excessive relative to the risks presented. In addition, we cannot insure fully against pollution and environmental risks. The occurrence of an event not fully covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. The impact of natural disasters or weather events in the areas where we operate has resulted in escalating insurance costs and less favorable coverage terms.

Oil and natural gas operations are subject to particular hazards incident to the drilling and production of oil and natural gas, such as blowouts, cratering, explosions, uncontrollable flows of oil, natural gas or well fluids, fires and pollution and other environmental risks. These hazards can cause personal injury and loss of life, severe damage to and destruction of property and equipment, pollution or environmental damage and suspension of operation. We do not operate all of the properties in which we hold an interest. In the projects in which we own a non-operating interest directly, the operator for the prospect maintains insurance of various types to cover operations with policy limits and retention liability customary in the industry. We believe the coverage and types of insurance are adequate. The occurrence of a significant adverse event that is not fully covered by insurance could result in the loss of our total investment in a particular prospect which could have a material adverse effect on financial condition and results of operations.

Failure to adequately protect critical data and technology systems could materially affect our operations .

Information technology solution failures, network disruptions and breaches of data security could disrupt our operations by causing delays or cancellation of customer orders, impeding processing of transactions and reporting financial results, resulting in the unintentional disclosure of customer, employee or our information, or damage to our reputation. A system failure or data security breach could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

We may not be able to keep pace with technological developments in the industry.

The oil and natural gas industry is characterized by rapid and significant technological advancements and introductions of new products and services using new technologies. As others use or develop new technologies, we may be placed at a competitive disadvantage or competitive pressures may force us to implement those new technologies at substantial costs. In addition, other oil and natural gas companies may have greater financial, technical, and personnel resources that allow them to enjoy technological advantages and may in the future allow them to implement new technologies before we are in a position to do so. We may not be able to respond to these competitive pressures and implement new technologies on a timely basis or at an acceptable cost. If one or more of the technologies used now or in the future were to become obsolete or if we are unable to use the most advanced commercially available technology, the business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

We have limited management and staff and will be dependent upon partnering arrangements.

As of April26, 2017, we had twenty two full-time employees and one part-time employee. We leverage the services of independent consultants and contractors to perform various professional services, including engineering, oil and gas well planning and supervision, and land, legal, environmental and tax services. We also pursue alliances with partners in the areas of geological and geophysical services and prospect generation, evaluation and prospect leasing. Our dependence on third-party consultants and service providers creates a number of risks, including but not limited to:

If we experience significant delays in obtaining the services of such third parties or poor performance by such parties, our results of operations and stock price could be materially adversely affected.

Our business may suffer with the loss of key personnel.

We depend to a large extent on the services of certain key management personnel, including Abraham Mirman, our Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers and key employees. These individuals have extensive experience and expertise in evaluating and analyzing producing oil and natural gas properties and drilling prospects, maximizing production from oil and natural gas properties, marketing oil and natural gas production and developing and executing financing and hedging strategies. The loss of any of these individuals could have a material adverse effect on operations. We do not maintain key-man life insurance with respect to any of our employees. Our success will be dependent on our ability to continue to employ and retain skilled technical personnel.

We have an active board of directors that meets several times throughout the year and is intimately involved in the business and the determination of various operational strategies. Members of our board of directors work closely with management to identify potential prospects, acquisitions and areas for further development. If any directors resign or become unable to continue in their present role, it may be difficult to find replacements with the same knowledge and experience and as a result, operations may be adversely affected.

We may be subject to risks in connection with acquisitions, and the integration of significant acquisitions may be difficult.  

Our business strategy is based on our ability to acquire additional reserves, properties, prospects and leaseholds.  The successful acquisition of producing properties requires an assessment of several factors, including:

The accuracy of these assessments is inherently uncertain.  In connection with these assessments, we perform a review of the subject properties.  Our review will not reveal all existing or potential problems nor will it permit us to become sufficiently familiar with the properties to fully assess their deficiencies and potential recoverable reserves. Inspections may not always be performed on every well, and environmental problems are not necessarily observable even when an inspection is undertaken.  Even when problems are identified, the seller may be unwilling or unable to provide effective contractual protection against all or part of the problems.  We often are not entitled to contractual indemnification for environmental liabilities and acquire properties on an “as is” basis.

Significant acquisitions and other strategic transactions may involve other risks, including:

The process of integrating operations could cause an interruption of, or loss of momentum in, the activities of our business.  Members of our senior management and other staff may be required to devote considerable amounts of time to this integration process, which will decrease the time they will have to manage our business.   If our senior management and staff are not able to effectively manage the integration process, or if any significant business activities are interrupted as a result of the integration process, our business could suffer.

We may have difficulty managing growth in our business, which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.   

Significant growth in the size and scope of our operations would place a strain on our financial, technical, operational and management resources.  The failure to continue to upgrade our technical, administrative, operating and financial staff and control systems or the occurrences of unexpected expansion difficulties, including the failure to recruit and retain experienced managers, geologists, engineers and other professionals in the oil and gas industry could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to timely execute our business plan.

We may face difficulties in securing and operating under authorizations and permits to drill, complete or operate our wells.

The recent growth in oil and gas exploration in the United States has drawn intense scrutiny from environmental and community interest groups, regulatory agencies and other governmental entities. As a result, we may face significant opposition to, or increased regulation of, our operations, that may make it difficult or impossible to obtain permits and other needed authorizations to drill, complete or operate, result in operational delays, or otherwise make oil and gas exploration more costly or difficult than in other countries.

Our producing properties are located in the Permian Basin of West Texas, making us vulnerable to risks associated with operating in one major geographic area.

Our producing properties are geographically concentrated in the Delaware Basin in Reeves, Winkler and Loving Counties, West Texas and Lea County, New Mexico. Although these areas are well-established oilfield infrastructures, as a result of this concentration, we may be disproportionately exposed to the impact of regional supply and demand factors, delays or interruptions of production from wells in this area caused by governmental regulation, adverse weather conditions including natural disasters, processing or transportation capacity constraints, availability of equipment, facilities, personnel or services market limitations or interruption of the processing or transportation of oil, natural gas or natural gas liquids. In addition, the effect of fluctuations on supply and demand may become more pronounced within specific geographic oil and natural gas producing areas such as the Permian Basin, which may cause these conditions to occur with greater frequency or magnify the effects of these conditions. Due to the concentrated nature of our portfolio of properties, a number of our properties could experience any of the same conditions at the same time, resulting in a relatively greater impact on our results of operations than they might have on other companies that have a more diversified portfolio of properties. Such delays or interruptions could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

We operate in areas of high industry activity, which may affect our ability to hire, train or retain qualified personnel needed to manage and operate our assets.

Our operations and drilling activity are concentrated in the Permian Basin in West Texas, an area in which industry activity has remained relatively steady despite the recent downturn in commodity prices. As a result, demand for qualified personnel in this area, and the cost to attract and retain such personnel, has continued to be competitive, and would be expected to increase substantially in the future if commodity prices rebound. Moreover, our competitors may be able to offer better compensation packages to attract and retain qualified personnel than we are able to offer.

Any delay or inability to secure the personnel necessary for us to continue or complete our current and planned development activities could result in oil and gas production volumes being below our forecasted volumes. In addition, any such negative effect on production volumes, or significant increases in costs, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, liquidity and financial condition.

Our operations are substantially dependent on the availability of water. Restrictions on our ability to obtain water may have an adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Water is an essential component of deep shale oil and natural gas production during both the drilling and hydraulic fracturing processes. Historically, we have been able to purchase water from local land owners for use in our operations. However, Texas has endured severe drought conditions over the past several years. These drought conditions have led governmental authorities to restrict the use of water subject to their jurisdiction for hydraulic fracturing to protect local water supplies. If we are unable to obtain water to use in our operations from local sources, we may be unable to produce oil and natural gas economically, which could have an adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Risks Relating to the Oil and Gas Industry

Legislative and regulatory initiatives related to global warming and climate change could have an adverse effect on our operations and the demand for oil and natural gas.

In December 2009, the EPA determined that emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and other “greenhouse gases” present an endangerment to public health and the environment because emissions of such gases are, according to the EPA, contributing to warming of the earth’s atmosphere and other climatic changes. Based on these findings, the EPA, under the Clean Air Act, has begun adopting and implementing regulations to restrict emissions of greenhouse gases. Relatively recently, the EPA adopted two sets of rules regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, one of which requires a reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases from motor vehicles and the other of which regulates emissions of greenhouse gases from certain large stationary sources. The EPA has also adopted rules requiring the reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from specified large greenhouse gas emission sources in the United States on an annual basis, including petroleum refineries, as well as certain onshore oil and natural gas production facilities.

Also, on May 12, 2016, EPA issued regulations (effective August 2, 2016) that build on the 40 C.F.R. Part 60, Subpart OOOO (NSPS OOOO) standards by directly regulating methane and VOC emissions from various types of new and modified oil and gas sources. Some of those sources are already regulated under NSPS OOOO, while others, like hydraulically fractured oil wells, pneumatic pumps, and certain equipment and components at compressor stations, are covered for the first time. On March 10, 2016, moreover, the EPA announced that it is moving towards issuing performance standards for methane emissions from existing oil and gas sources. The agency said that it will “begin with a formal process ( i.e. , an Information Collection Request) to require companies operating existing oil and gas sources to provide information to assist in the development of comprehensive regulations to reduce methane emissions.” On November 10, 2016, the EPA issued the Information Collection Request (“ICR”) and explained that “[r]ecipients of the operator survey (also referred to as Part 1) will have 60 days after receiving the ICR to complete the survey and submit it to EPA….Recipients of the more detailed facility survey (also referred to as Part 2) will have 180 days after receiving the ICR to complete that survey and submit it to the agency.”

In June 2014, the United States Supreme Court’s holding in Utility Air Regulatory Group v. EPA upheld a portion of EPA’s greenhouse gas (“GHG”) stationary source permitting program, but also invalidated a portion of it. The Court held that stationary sources already subject to the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (“PSD”) or Title V permitting programs for non-GHG criteria pollutants remain subject to GHG Best Available Control Technology and major source permitting requirements, but ruled that sources cannot be subject to the PSD or Title V major source permitting programs based solely on GHG emission levels. As a result, on August 12, 2015, the EPA eliminated from its PSD and Title V regulations the provisions that subjected sources to the PSD or Title V programs based solely on GHG emission levels. The EPA likewise said that it will “further revise the PSD and Title V regulations in a separate rulemaking to fully implement” the Utility Air Regulatory Group judgment. On October 3, 2016, EPA published a proposed rulemaking for that purpose. The Utility Air Regulatory Group judgment does not prevent states from considering and adopting state-only major source permitting requirements based solely on GHG emission levels.

In addition, the U.S. Congress has from time to time considered adopting legislation to reduce GHG emissions and almost one-half of the states have already taken legal measures to reduce GHG emissions, primarily through the planned development of GHG emission inventories and/or regional GHG cap and trade programs. Most of these GHG cap and trade programs work by requiring major sources of emissions, such as electric power plants, or major producers of fuels, such as refineries and gas processing plants, to acquire and surrender emission allowances. The number of allowances available for purchase is reduced each year in an effort to achieve the overall GHG emission reduction goal.

The adoption of legislation or regulatory programs to reduce GHG emissions could require us to incur increased operating costs, such as costs to purchase and operate emissions control systems, to acquire emissions allowances or comply with new regulatory or reporting requirements. Any such legislation or regulatory programs could also increase the cost of consuming, and thereby reduce demand for, the oil, NGLs, and natural gas we produce. Consequently, legislation and regulatory programs to reduce GHG emissions could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Finally, it should be noted that some scientists have concluded that increasing concentrations of GHG in the Earth’s atmosphere may produce climate changes that have significant physical effects, such as increased frequency and severity of storms, droughts, and floods and other climatic events. If any such effects were to occur, they could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Federal and state legislative and regulatory initiatives relating to hydraulic fracturing could result in increased costs and additional operating restrictions or delays in the completion of oil and natural gas wells.

Hydraulic fracturing is an important and common practice that is used to stimulate production of natural gas and/or oil from dense subsurface rock formations. The process involves the injection of water, sand and chemicals under pressure into the formation to fracture the surrounding rock and stimulate production by providing and linking up induced flow paths for the oil and/or gas contained in the rocks. We routinely use hydraulic fracturing techniques in many of our drilling and completion programs. The process is typically regulated by state oil and natural gas commissions, but the EPA, under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, has asserted federal regulatory authority over certain hydraulic fracturing activities involving diesel fuel.

The Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”), on March 20, 2015, issued its final regulations for hydraulic fracturing on federal and tribal lands. The new regulations require, among other things, disclosure of chemicals, annulus pressure monitoring, flow back and produced water management and storage, and more stringent well integrity measures associated with hydraulic fracturing operations on public land. On June 21, 2016, however, the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming enjoined BLM from enforcing the regulations, concluding that the agency lacked the authority to issue them. BLM appealed that decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. The appeal is pending.

In addition, on June 13, 2016, under the Clean Water Act, the EPA finalized a rule (effective August 29, 2016) that prohibits the discharge of oil and gas wastewaters to publicly-owned treatment works.

At the state level, several states have adopted or are considering legal requirements that could impose more stringent permitting, disclosure and well construction requirements on hydraulic fracturing activities. For example in May 2013, the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) adopted new rules governing well casing, cementing and other standards for ensuring that hydraulic fracturing operations do not contaminate nearby water resources. Local government also may seek to adopt ordinances within their jurisdictions regulating the time, place and manner of drilling activities in general or hydraulic fracturing activities in particular or prohibit the performance of well drilling in general or hydraulic fracturing in particular. We believe that we follow applicable standard industry practices and legal requirements for groundwater protection in our hydraulic fracturing activities. Nonetheless, if new or more stringent federal, state, or local legal restrictions relating to the hydraulic fracturing process are adopted in areas where we operate, we could incur potentially significant added costs to comply with such requirements, experience delays or curtailment in the pursuit of exploration, development, or production activities, and perhaps even be precluded from drilling wells.

While these state and local land use restrictions generally cover areas with little recent or ongoing oil and gas development, they could lead opponents of hydraulic fracturing to push for similar statewide regimes. If new or more stringent federal, state, or local legal restrictions relating to the hydraulic fracturing process are adopted in areas where we operate, we could incur potentially significant added costs to comply with such requirements, experience delays or curtailment in the pursuit of exploration, development, or production activities, and perhaps even be precluded from drilling wells.

A number of federal agencies are analyzing, or have been requested to review, environmental issues associated with hydraulic fracturing. The EPA, for example, recently completed a study of the potential environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water and groundwater. In June of 2015, the EPA released an “external review draft” of the study and, in it, said that shale development had not led to “widespread, systemic” problems with groundwater. On August 11, 2016, however, the EPA Science Advisory Board issued comments on the external review draft, finding that “the EPA did not support quantitatively its conclusion about lack of evidence for widespread, systemic impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources, and did not clearly describe the system(s) of interest (e.g., groundwater, surface water), the scale of impacts (i.e., local or regional), nor the definitions of ‘systemic’ and ‘widespread.’” In December of 2016, the EPA released the final version of the study, finding, among other things, that there are “certain conditions under which impacts from hydraulic fracturing activities can be more frequent or severe,” including “[i]njection of hydraulic fracturing fluids into wells with inadequate mechanical integrity, allowing gases or liquids to move to groundwater resources.” These types of studies, depending on their degree of pursuit and any meaningful results obtained, could spur initiatives to further regulate hydraulic fracturing under the SDWA or other regulatory mechanisms.

The EPA also issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking and undertook a public participation process under the Toxic Substances Control Act to seek comment on the information that should be reported or disclosed for hydraulic fracturing chemical substances and mixtures and the mechanisms for obtaining this information. Additionally, on January 7, 2015, several national environmental advocacy groups filed a lawsuit requesting that the EPA add the oil and gas extraction industry to the list of industries required to report releases of certain “toxic chemicals” under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act’s Toxics Release Inventory, or TRI, program. On October 22, 2015, the EPA took action on the Environmental Integrity Project’s October 24, 2012 petition to impose TRI reporting requirements on various oil and gas facilities. The EPA granted the petition in part, by agreeing to propose to add natural gas processing facilities to the scope of the TRI program, but rejected the rest of the petition. On December 15, 2015, in light of that decision, the environmental advocacy groups that had commenced the lawsuit opted to voluntarily dismiss it. On January 6, 2017, EPA issued a proposed rulemaking that would add natural gas processing facilities to the scope of the TRI program.

Current water regulation relating to hydraulic fracturing, particularly water source and groundwater regulation, could result in increased operational costs, operating restrictions and delays.

Hydraulic fracturing uses large amounts of water. It can require between three to five million gallons of water per horizontal well. We may face regulatory concerns in both the sourcing and the discharge of water used in hydraulic fracturing. In addition, hydraulic fracturing produces water discharges that must be treated and disposed of in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.

First, as to sourcing water for hydraulic fracturing, we will need to secure water from the local water supply or make alternative arrangements. In order to source water from the local water supply for hydraulic fracturing we may need to pay premium rates and be subject to a lower priority if the local area becomes subject to water restrictions. We may also seek water from alternative providers supporting the hydraulic fracturing industry. If we have an insufficient water supply, we will be unable to engage in hydraulic fracturing until such supply is located.

Second, hydraulic fracturing results in water discharges that must be treated and disposed of in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements. Environmental regulations governing the withdrawal, storage and use of surface water or groundwater necessary for hydraulic fracturing may increase operating costs and cause delays, interruptions or termination of operations, the extent of which cannot be predicted, all of which could have an adverse effect on operations and financial performance. Our ability to remove and dispose of water will affect production, and the cost of water treatment and disposal may affect profitability. The imposition of new environmental initiatives and regulations could also include restrictions on our ability to conduct hydraulic fracturing or disposal of produced water, drilling fluids and other substances associated with the exploration, development and production of gas and oil.

Future legislation may result in the elimination of certain U.S. federal income tax deductions currently available with respect to oil and natural gas exploration and production. Additionally, future federal or state legislation may impose new or increased taxes or fees on oil and natural gas extraction.

Potential legislation, if enacted into law, could make significant changes to U.S. federal and state income tax laws, including the elimination of certain key U.S. federal income tax incentives currently available to oil and gas exploration and production companies. These changes include, but are not limited to, (i) the repeal of the percentage depletion allowance for oil and natural gas properties; (ii) the elimination of current deductions for intangible drilling and development costs; (iii) the elimination of the deduction for certain U.S. production activities; and (iv) an extension of the amortization period for certain geological and geophysical expenditures. It is unclear whether these or similar changes will be enacted and, if enacted, how soon any such changes could become effective. The passage of this legislation or any other similar changes in U.S. federal and state income tax laws could eliminate or postpone certain tax deductions that are currently available with respect to oil and natural gas exploration and development, and any such change could negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, legislation could be enacted that increases the taxes states impose on oil and natural gas extraction.

Moreover, as part of the Budget of the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2017, there was a proposal to impose an “oil fee” of $10.25 on a per barrel equivalent of crude oil. This fee would be collected on domestically produced and imported petroleum products. The fee would be phased in evenly over five years, beginning October 1, 2016. The adoption of this, or similar proposals, could result in increased operating costs and/or reduced consumer demand for petroleum products, which in turn could affect the prices we receive for our oil. Any of these tax changes could have a material impact on our financial performance.

We are subject to numerous U.S. federal, state, local and other laws and regulations that can adversely affect the cost, manner or feasibility of doing business.

Our operations are subject to extensive federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the exploration, production and sale of oil and natural gas, and operating safety. Future laws or regulations, any adverse change in the interpretation of existing laws and regulations or our failure to comply with existing legal requirements may result in substantial penalties and harm to our business, results of operations and financial condition. We may be required to make large and unanticipated capital expenditures to comply with governmental regulations, such as:

Under these laws and regulations, we could be liable for:

Our operations could be significantly delayed or curtailed and our cost of operations could significantly increase as a result of regulatory requirements or restrictions. It is also possible that a portion of our oil and gas properties could be subject to eminent domain proceedings or other government takings for which we may not be adequately compensated. See “Business—Regulation of the Oil and Natural Gas Industry” for a more detailed description of regulatory laws covering our business.

Our operations may incur substantial expenses and resulting liabilities from compliance with environmental laws and regulations .

Our oil and natural gas operations are subject to stringent federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the release or disposal of materials into the environment or otherwise relating to environmental protection. These laws and regulations:

Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in:

Changes in environmental laws and regulations occur frequently and any changes that result in more stringent or costly waste handling, storage, transport, disposal or cleanup requirements could require us to make significant expenditures to reach and maintain compliance and may otherwise have a material adverse effect on our industry in general and on our own results of operations, competitive position or financial condition. Under these environmental laws and regulations, we could be held strictly liable for the removal or remediation of previously released materials or property contamination regardless of whether we were responsible for the release or contamination or if our operations met previous standards in the industry at the time they were performed. Our permits require that we report any incidents that cause or could cause environmental damages. See “Business— Regulation of the Oil and Natural Gas Industry” for a more detailed description of the environmental laws covering our business.

Should we fail to comply with all applicable regulatory agency administered statutes, rules, regulations and orders, we could be subject to substantial penalties and fines.

Under the Domenici-Barton Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has civil penalty authority under the National Geospacial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) to impose penalties for current violations of up to $1 million per day for each violation and disgorgement of profits associated with any violation. While our operations have not been regulated by FERC as a natural gas company under the NGA, FERC has adopted regulations that may subject certain of our otherwise non-FERC jurisdictional facilities to FERC annual reporting requirements. We also must comply with the anti-market manipulation rules enforced by FERC. Additional rules and legislation pertaining to those and other matters may be considered or adopted by FERC from time to time. Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission has regulations intended to prohibit market manipulation in the petroleum industry with authority to fine violators of the regulations civil penalties of up to $1 million per day, and the CFTC prohibits market manipulation in the markets regulated by the CFTC, including similar anti-manipulation authority with respect to crude oil swaps and futures contracts as that granted to the CFTC with respect to crude oil purchases and sales. The CFTC rules subject violators to a civil penalty of up to the greater of $1 million or triple the monetary gain to the person for each violation. Failure to comply with those regulations in the future could subject us to civil penalty liability, as described in “Business-Regulation of the Oil and Natural Gas Industry.”

Risks Relating to This Offering

If the selling stockholders sell a large number of shares all at once or in blocks, the market price of our shares would most likely decline.

The selling stockholders are offering up to 22,727,273 shares of our common stock through this prospectus. Should the selling stockholders decide to sell our shares at a price below the current market price at which they are quoted, such sales will cause that market price to decline. Moreover, we believe that the offer or sale of a large number of shares at any price may cause the market price to fall. A steep decline in the price of our common stock would adversely affect our ability to raise additional equity capital, and even if we were successful in raising such capital, the terms of such raise may be substantially dilutive to current stockholders.

If, and when, the shares of common stock underlying the Second Lien Term Loan Conversion and outstanding warrants are issued, our shareholders will experience immediate and substantial dilution in the book value of their investment.

As of April 26, 2017, we had 49,940,469 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, before giving effect to this offering. If, and when, the common stock being registered pursuant to this prospectus is issued upon the conversion of our Second Lien Term Loan as described in this offering and upon exercise of any outstanding warrants, the number of shares of our common stock issued and outstanding could increase by as much as 45.5%. Exercise of all or a portion of our other outstanding derivative securities could have a substantial and material dilutive effect on our existing stockholders and on our earnings per share. In addition, sale of such shares of common stock could have a materially adverse impact on the trading price of our common stock.

None of the proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock by the selling stockholders in this offering will be available to fund our operations or to pay dividends.

We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock by the selling stockholders in this offering. The selling stockholders will receive all proceeds from the sale of such shares. Consequently, none of the proceeds from such sale will be available to fund our operations, capital expenditures or acquisition opportunities or to pay dividends. See “Use of Proceeds” beginning on page 37.

Risks Relating to Our Securities

  There is a limited public market for our common stock and an active trading market or a specific share price may not be established or maintained.

On March 14, 2017, our common stock was recently relisted to The NASDAQ Capital Market and currently trades under the symbol “LLEX.” Trading activity in our common stock generally occurs in small volumes each day.  The value of our common stock could be affected by:

In a volatile market, you may experience wide fluctuations in the market price of our common stock.  These fluctuations may have an extremely negative effect on the market price of our common stock and may prevent you from obtaining a market price equal to your purchase price when you attempt to sell our common stock in the open market.  In these situations, you may be required either to sell at a market price which is lower than your purchase price, or to hold our common stock for a longer period of time than you planned.  An inactive market may also impair our ability to raise capital by selling shares of capital stock and may impair our ability to acquire other companies or oil and gas properties by using our common stock as consideration.

If we are not able to comply with the applicable continued listing requirements or standards of NASDAQ, NASDAQ could delist our common stock and our common stock may be deemed a “penny stock,” which would make it more difficult for our investors to sell their shares.

Prior February 11, 2016, our common stock traded on The NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “LLEX,” and from February 11, 2016 to May 26, 2016, our common stock traded on The NASDAQ Capital Market, or the NASDAQ, under the symbol “LLEX.” However, as a result of our inability to comply with the applicable continued listing requirements of NASDAQ, our common stock was delisted. From May 27, 2016 to March 13, 2017, our common stock was quoted on the OTCQB Venture Marketplace under the symbol “LLEX.” On March 14, 2017, our common stock was again listed on the NASDAQ. In order to maintain that listing, we must satisfy minimum financial and other continued listing requirements and standards, including those regarding director independence and independent committee requirements, minimum stockholders’ equity, minimum share price, and certain corporate governance requirements. There can be no assurances that we will be able to comply with the applicable listing standards.

In the event that our common stock is delisted from the NASDAQ Capital Market and is not eligible to be listed on another national securities exchange, trading of our common stock could be conducted in the over-the-counter market or on an electronic bulletin board established for unlisted securities such as the Pink Sheets or the OTCQB. In such event, it could become more difficult to dispose of, or obtain accurate price quotations for, our common stock, and there would likely also be a reduction in our coverage by securities analysts and the news media, which could cause the price of our common stock to decline further. Also, it may be difficult for us to raise additional capital if we are not listed on a major exchange.

In addition, unless our common stock is listed on a national securities exchange, such as NASDAQ, our common stock may be subject to the “penny stock” rules adopted under Section 15(g) of the Exchange Act. Sales and purchases of “penny stock” generally require more disclosures by broker-dealers and satisfaction of other administrative requirements. As a result, broker-dealers may be less willing to execute transactions in securities subject to the “penny stock” rules. This may make it more difficult for investors to dispose of our common stock and cause a decline in the market value of our stock. If we remain subject to the penny stock rules for any significant period, it could have an adverse effect on the market, if any, for our securities, and will find it more difficult to dispose of our securities.

If our common stock is not listed on a national securities exchange, compliance with applicable state securities laws may be required for subsequent offers, transfers and sales of the shares of common stock offered hereby.

The securities offered hereby are being offered pursuant to one or more exemptions from registration and qualification under applicable state securities laws. Because our common stock is listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market, we are not required to register or qualify in any state the subsequent offer, transfer or sale of the common stock. If our common stock is delisted from The NASDAQ Capital Market and is not eligible to be listed on another national securities exchange, subsequent transfers of the shares of our common stock offered hereby by U.S. holders may not be exempt from state securities laws. In such event, it will be the responsibility of the holder of shares or warrants to register or qualify the shares for any subsequent offer, transfer or sale in the United States or to determine that any such offer, transfer or sale is exempt under applicable state securities laws.

If an orderly and active trading market for our securities does not develop or is not sustained, the value and liquidity of your investment in our securities could be adversely affected.

Our common stock was recently relisted to The NASDAQ Capital Market on March 14, 2017. Nonetheless, an active or liquid market in our common stock or securities exercisable or convertible for our common stock does not currently exist and might not develop or, if it does develop, it might not be sustainable. If an active trading market for our common stock does not develop, you may not be able to sell all of your shares of common stock on short notice, and the sale of a large number of shares at one time could temporarily depress the market price. There also may be a wide spread between the bid and ask price for our common stock. When there is a wide spread between the bid and ask price, the price at which you may be able to sell our common stock may be significantly lower than the price at which you could buy it at that time. The last reported sale price of our common stock on The NASDAQ Capital Market on April 26, 2017 was $4.55 per share. The historic bid and ask quotations for our common stock, however, should not be viewed as an indicator of the current or historical market price for our common stock nor as an indicator of the market price for our common stock if our common stock were to be listed on a national securities exchange. The offering price for our securities as issued by us from time to time is determined through discussions between us and the prospective investor(s), with reference to the most recent closing price of our common stock on The NASDAQ Capital Market, and may vary from the market price of our securities following any offering. Further, our trading volume has been generally very limited.

If an active public market for our common stock develops, we expect the market price may be volatile, which may depress the market price of our securities and result in substantial losses to investors if they are unable to sell their securities at or above their purchase price.

If an active public market for our common stock develops, we expect the market price of our securities to fluctuate substantially for the foreseeable future, primarily due to a number of factors, including:

In addition, market prices of the securities of energy companies, particularly companies like ours without consistent revenues and earnings, have been highly volatile and may continue to be highly volatile in the future, some of which may be unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies.

Prior to March 14, 2017, our common stock was quoted on the OTCQB, which is often characterized by low trading volume and by wide fluctuations in trading prices due to many factors that may have little to do with our operations or business prospects. The availability of buyers and sellers represented by this volatility historically led to a market price for our common stock that was unrelated to operating performance. While our common stock is now listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market, many of these same forces and limitations may still impact our trading volumes and market price in the near term. Additionally, the sale or attempted sale of a large amount of common stock into the market may also have a significant impact on the trading price of our common stock.

Many of these factors are beyond our control and may decrease the market price of our common stock, regardless of our operating performance. In the past, securities class action litigation has often been brought against companies that experience high volatility in the market price of their securities. Whether or not meritorious, litigation brought against us could result in substantial costs, divert management’s attention and resources and harm our financial condition and results of operations. 

We may issue shares of our preferred stock with greater rights than our common stock.

Our articles of incorporation authorize our board of directors to issue one or more series of preferred stock and set the terms of the preferred stock without seeking any further approval from our shareholders. Any preferred stock that is issued may rank ahead of our common stock, in terms of dividends, liquidation rights and voting rights. We currently have two series of preferred stock issued and outstanding, both of which provide its holders with a liquidation preference and prohibit the payment of dividends on junior securities, including our Common Stock, amongst other preferences and rights.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock, or the perception that such sales might occur, could have an adverse effect on the price of our common stock.

As of April 26, 2017, 9 investors each hold more than 5% beneficial ownership of our common stock acquirable within 60 days, and together, hold beneficial ownership of approximately 80.7% of our common stock. Thus, any sales by our large investors of a substantial number of shares of our common stock into the public market, or the perception that such sales might occur, could have an adverse effect on the price of our common stock.

There may be future dilution of our common stock.

We have a significant amount of derivative securities outstanding, which upon exercise or conversion, would result in substantial dilution. For example, in addition to the shares underlying this offering upon the conversion of our Second Lien Term Loan, the exercise of outstanding warrants could result in the issuance of 12,384,832 shares of common stock. To the extent outstanding restricted stock units, warrants or options to purchase our common stock under our employee and director stock option plans are exercised, the price vesting triggers under the performance shares granted to our executive officers are satisfied, or additional shares of restricted stock are issued to our employees, holders of our Common Stock will experience dilution. Furthermore, if we sell additional equity or convertible debt securities, such sales could result in further dilution to our existing stockholders and cause the price of our outstanding securities to decline.  

We do not expect to pay dividends on our common stock.

We have never paid dividends with respect to our common stock, and we do not expect to pay any dividends, in cash or otherwise, in the foreseeable future. We intend to retain any earnings for use in our business. In addition, our Credit Agreement prohibits us from paying any dividends and the indenture governing our senior notes restricts our ability to pay dividends. In the future, we may agree to further restrictions. Any return to shareholders will therefore be limited to the appreciation of their stock.

Securities analysts may not initiate coverage of our shares or may issue negative reports, which may adversely affect the trading price of the shares.

Securities analysts may not provide research reports on our company. If securities analysts do not cover our company, this lack of coverage may adversely affect the trading price of our shares. The trading market for our shares will rely in part on the research and reports that securities analysts publish about us and our business. If one or more of the analysts who cover our company downgrades our shares, the trading price of our shares may decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases to cover our company, we could lose visibility in the market, which, in turn, could also cause the trading price of our shares to decline. Further, because of our small market capitalization, it may be difficult for us to attract securities analysts to cover our company, which could significantly and adversely affect the trading price of our shares.

The issuance and sale of common stock upon conversion of the Second Lien Term Loan and the exercise of warrants received in those transactions, may depress the market price of our common stock.

If the Second Lien Term Loan is converted , outstanding warrants are exercised, and sales of such securities take place, the price of our common stock may decline. In addition, the common stock issuable upon conversion of such securities may represent overhang that may also adversely affect the market price of our common stock. Overhang occurs when there is a greater supply of a company’s stock in the market than there is demand for that stock. When this happens the price of our company’s stock will decrease, and any additional shares which shareholders attempt to sell in the market will only further decrease the share price. If the share volume of our common stock cannot absorb converted shares sold by the former Series B preferred stock holders, then the value of our common stock will likely decrease.

Anti-takeover effects of certain provisions of Nevada state law hinder a potential takeover of our company.

Though not now, in the future we may become subject to Nevada’s control share law. A corporation is subject to Nevada’s control share law if it has more than 200 stockholders, at least 100 of whom are stockholders of record and residents of Nevada, and it does business in Nevada or through an affiliated corporation. The law focuses on the acquisition of a “controlling interest” which means the ownership of outstanding voting shares sufficient, but for the control share law, to enable the acquiring person to exercise the following proportions of the voting power of the corporation in the election of directors: (i) one-fifth or more but less than one-third, (ii) one-third or more but less than a majority, or (iii) a majority or more. The ability to exercise such voting power may be direct or indirect, as well as individual or in association with others.

The effect of the control share law is that the acquiring person, and those acting in association with it, obtains only such voting rights in the control shares as are conferred by a resolution of the stockholders of the corporation, approved at a special or annual meeting of stockholders. The control share law contemplates that voting rights will be considered only once by the other stockholders. Thus, there is no authority to strip voting rights from the control shares of an acquiring person once those rights have been approved. If the stockholders do not grant voting rights to the control shares acquired by an acquiring person, those shares do not become permanent non-voting shares. The acquiring person is free to sell its shares to others. If the buyers of those shares themselves do not acquire a controlling interest, their shares do not become governed by the control share law. If control shares are accorded full voting rights and the acquiring person has acquired control shares with a majority or more of the voting power, any stockholder of record, other than an acquiring person, who has not voted in favor of approval of voting rights is entitled to demand fair value for such stockholder’s shares. Nevada’s control share law may have the effect of discouraging takeovers of the corporation.

In addition to the control share law, Nevada has a business combination law which prohibits certain business combinations between Nevada corporations and “interested stockholders” for three years after the “interested stockholder” first becomes an “interested stockholder,” unless the corporation’s board of directors approves the combination in advance. For purposes of Nevada law, an “interested stockholder” is any person who is (i) the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of ten percent or more of the voting power of the outstanding voting shares of the corporation, or (ii) an affiliate or associate of the corporation and at any time within the three previous years was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of ten percent or more of the voting power of the then outstanding shares of the corporation. The definition of the term “business combination” is sufficiently broad to cover virtually any kind of transaction that would allow a potential acquirer to use the corporation’s assets to finance the acquisition or otherwise to benefit its own interests rather than the interests of the corporation and its other stockholders. The effect of Nevada’s business combination law is to potentially discourage parties interested in taking control of our company from doing so if it cannot obtain the approval of our Board of Directors.