Item 1A. Risk Factors
We are in the oil business and we expect to incur operating losses for the foreseeable future.
We have no way to evaluate the likelihood that our business will be successful. We have earned minimal revenues as of the date of this quarterly report. Potential investors should be aware of the difficulties normally encountered by exploration companies and the high rate of failure of such enterprises. The likelihood of success must be considered in light of the problems, expenses, difficulties, complications and delays encountered in connection with the exploration and development of the properties that we plan to undertake. These potential problems include, but are not limited to, unanticipated problems relating to exploration, and additional costs and expenses that may exceed current estimates. Prior to completion of our exploration stage, we anticipate that we will incur increased operating expenses without greatly increasing our revenues. We expect to incur significant losses into the foreseeable future. We recognize that if production is not forthcoming, we will not be able to continue business operations. There is no history upon which to base any assumption as to the likelihood that we will prove successful, and it is doubtful that we will generate significant revenues to achieve profitable operations. If we are unsuccessful in addressing these risks, our business will most likely fail.
We have yet to earn significant revenue to achieve profitability and our ability to sustain our operations is dependent on our ability to raise additional financing to complete our program if warranted. As a result, our accountant believes there is substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
We have accrued accumulated net losses of $5,745,934 for the period from inception (April 11, 2005) to December 31, 2013 which increased based upon the recording of the black sholes calculation on the conversion of the note resulting in a liability. Our future is dependent upon our ability to obtain financing and upon future profitable operations from the development of our business. These factors raise substantial doubt that we will be able to continue as a going concern. Our independent auditors, has expressed substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. This opinion could materially limit our ability to raise additional funds by issuing new debt or equity securities or otherwise. If we fail to raise sufficient capital when needed, we will not be able to complete our business plan. As a result we may have to liquidate our business and you may lose your investment. You should consider our auditor's comments when determining if an investment in our company is suitable.
Because of the unique difficulties and uncertainties inherent in oil and gas ventures, we face a high risk of business failure.
You should be aware of the difficulties normally encountered by exploration companies and the high rate of failure of such enterprises. The likelihood of success must be considered in light of the problems, expenses, difficulties, complications and delays encountered in connection with the exploration and development of the properties that we plan to undertake. These potential problems include, but are not limited to, unanticipated problems relating to exploration, and additional costs and expenses that may exceed current estimates. If the results of our development program do not reveal viable commercialization options, we may decide to abandon our claim and acquire new claims. Our ability to acquire additional claims will be dependent upon our possessing adequate capital resources when needed. If no funding is available, we may be forced to abandon our operations.
Because of the inherent dangers involved in oil and gas operations, there is a risk that we may incur liability or damages as we conduct our business.
The extracting of oil and gas involves numerous hazards. As a result, we may become subject to liability for such hazards, including pollution, cave-ins and other hazards against which we cannot insure or against which we may elect not to insure. At the present time we have no insurance to cover against these hazards. The payment of such liabilities may result in our inability to complete our planned program and/or obtain additional financing to fund our program.
As we undertake development of our properties, we will be subject to compliance with government regulation that may increase the anticipated cost of our program.
There are several governmental regulations that materially restrict oil extraction. We will be subject to regulations and laws as we carry out our program. We may be required to obtain work permits, post bonds and perform remediation work for any physical disturbance to the area in order to comply with these laws. The cost of complying with permit and regulatory environment laws will be greater because the impact on the project area is greater. Permits and regulations will control all aspects of the production program if the project continues to that stage. Examples of regulatory requirements can include:
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(a)
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Water discharge will have to meet drinking water standards;
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(b)
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Dust generation will have to be minimal or otherwise re-mediated;
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(c)
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Dumping of material on the surface will have to be re-contoured and re-vegetated with natural vegetation;
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(d)
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An assessment of all material to be left on the surface will need to be environmentally benign;
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(e)
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Ground water will have to be monitored for any potential contaminants;
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(f)
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The socio-economic impact of the project will have to be evaluated and if deemed negative, will have to be remediated; and
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There is a risk that new regulations could increase our costs of doing business and prevent us from carrying out our exploration program. We will also have to sustain the cost of reclamation and environmental remediation for all exploration work undertaken. Both reclamation and environmental remediation refer to putting disturbed ground back as close to its original state as possible. Other potential pollution or damage must be cleaned-up and renewed along standard guidelines outlined in the usual permits. Reclamation is the process of bringing the land back to its natural state after completion of exploration activities. Environmental remediation refers to the physical activity of taking steps to remediate, or remedy, any environmental damage caused. The amount of these costs is not known at this time as we do not know the extent of the exploration program that will be undertaken beyond completion of the recommended work program. If remediation costs exceed our cash reserves we may be unable to complete our exploration program and have to abandon our operations.
If access to our properties is restricted by inclement weather, we may be delayed in any future mining efforts.
It is possible that adverse weather could cause accessibility to our properties difficult and this would delay in our timetables.
Based on consumer demand, the growth and demand for any oil or gas we may recover from our claims may be slowed, resulting in reduced revenues to the company.
Our success will be dependent on the growth of demand for petroleum products. If consumer demand slows our revenues may be significantly affected. This could limit our ability to generate revenues and our financial condition and operating results may be harmed.
Because our current officers and directors have other business interests, they may not be able or willing to devote a sufficient amount of time to our business operations, causing our business to fail.
Our current officers and directors currently devotes up to 10 hours per week providing services to the company. While they presently possess adequate time to attend to our interest, it is possible that the demands on them from other obligations could increase, with the result that they would no longer be able to devote sufficient time to the management of our business. This could negatively impact our business development.
We may be unable to obtain additional capital that we may require to implement our business plan. This would restrict our ability to grow.
The proceeds from our private offerings completed in 2007 and funds borrowed since this private offering, provide us with a limited amount of working capital and is not sufficient to fund our proposed operations. We will require additional capital to continue to operate our business and our proposed operations. We may be unable to obtain additional capital as and when required.
Future acquisitions and future development, production and marketing activities, as well as our administrative requirements (such as salaries, insurance expenses and general overhead expenses, as well as legal compliance costs and accounting expenses) will require a substantial amount of additional capital and cash flow.
We may not be successful in locating suitable financing transactions in the time period required or at all, and we may not obtain the capital we require by other means. If we do not succeed in raising additional capital, the capital we have received to date may not be sufficient to fund our operations going forward without obtaining additional capital financing.
Any additional capital raised through the sale of equity may dilute your ownership percentage. This could also result in a decrease in the fair market value of our equity securities because our assets would be owned by a larger pool of outstanding equity. The terms of securities we issue in future capital transactions may be more favorable to our new investors, and may include preferences, superior voting rights and the issuance of warrants or other derivative securities, and issuances of incentive awards under equity employee incentive plans, which may have a further dilutive effect.
Our ability to obtain needed financing may be impaired by such factors as the capital markets (both generally and in the resource industry in particular), our status as a new enterprise without a demonstrated operating history, the location of our properties and the price of oil and gas on the commodities markets (which will impact the amount of asset-based financing available to us) or the retention or loss of key management. Further, if oil and gas prices on the commodities markets decrease, then our revenues will likely decrease, and such decreased revenues may increase our requirements for capital. If the amount of capital we are able to raise from financing activities is not sufficient to satisfy our capital needs, we may be required to cease our operations.
We may incur substantial costs in pursuing future capital financing, including investment banking fees, legal fees, accounting fees, securities law compliance fees, printing and distribution expenses and other costs. We may also be required to recognize non-cash expenses in connection with certain securities we may issue, such as convertible notes and warrants, which may adversely impact our financial condition.
Amendment to current laws and regulations governing our proposed operations could have a material adverse impact on our proposed business.
Our business will be subject to substantial regulation under state and federal laws relating to the exploration for, and the development, upgrading, marketing, pricing, taxation, and transportation of oil and other matters. Amendments to current laws and regulations governing operations and activities of resource operations could have a material adverse impact on our proposed business. In addition, there can be no assurance that income tax laws, royalty regulations and government incentive programs related to the resource industry generally, will not be changed in a manner which may adversely affect us and cause delays, inability to complete or abandonment of properties.
Permits, leases, licenses, and approvals are required from a variety of regulatory authorities at various stages of mining and extraction. There can be no assurance that the various government permits, leases, licenses and approvals sought will be granted to us or, if granted, will not be cancelled or will be renewed upon expiration.
Estimates of oil reserves that we may make may be inaccurate which could have a material adverse effect on us.
There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of oil resources, including many factors beyond our control, and no assurance can be given that expected levels of resources or recovery of oil will be realized. In general, estimates of recoverable oil resources are based upon a number of factors and assumptions made as of the date on which resource estimates are determined, such as geological and engineering estimates which have inherent uncertainties and the assumed effects of regulation by governmental agencies and estimates of future commodity prices and operating costs, all of which may vary considerably from actual results. All such estimates are, to some degree, uncertain and classifications of resources are only attempts to define the degree of uncertainty involved. For these reasons, estimates of the recoverable oil, the classification of such resources based on risk of recovery, prepared by different engineers or by the same engineers at different times, may vary substantially.
Abandonment and reclamation costs are unknown and may be substantial.
We will be responsible for compliance with terms and conditions of environmental and regulatory approvals and all laws and regulations regarding the abandonment of our properties and reclamation of lands at the end of their economic life, which abandonment and reclamation costs may be substantial. A breach of such legislation and/or regulations may result in the issuance of remedial orders, the suspension of approvals, or the imposition of fines and penalties, including an order for cessation of operations at the site until satisfactory remedies are made. It is not possible to estimate with certainty the abandonment and reclamation costs since they will be a function of regulatory requirements at the time.
Increases in our operating expenses will impact our operating results and financial conditions.
Extraction, development, production, marketing (including distribution costs) and regulatory compliance costs (including taxes) will substantially impact the net revenues we derive from oil that we produce. These costs are subject to fluctuations and variation in different locales in which we will operate, and we may not be able to predict or control these costs. If these costs exceed our expectations, this may adversely affect our results of operations. In addition, we may not be able to earn net revenue at our predicted levels, which may impact our ability to satisfy our obligations.
Penalties we may incur could impair our business.
Failure to comply with government regulations could subject us to civil and criminal penalties, could require us to forfeit property rights, and may affect the value of our assets. We may also be required to take corrective actions, such as installing additional equipment or taking other actions, each of which could require us to make substantial capital expenditures. We could also be required to indemnify our employees in connection with any expenses or liabilities that they may incur individually in connection with regulatory action against them. As a result, our future business prospects could deteriorate due to regulatory constraints, and our profitability could be impaired by our obligation to provide such indemnification to our employees.
Environmental risks may adversely affect our business.
Oil extraction operations present environmental risks and hazards and are subject to environmental regulation pursuant to a variety of federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Environmental legislation provides for, among other things, restrictions and prohibitions on spills, releases or emissions of various substances produced in association with resource operations. The legislation also requires that facility sites be operated, maintained, abandoned and reclaimed to the satisfaction of applicable regulatory authorities. Compliance with such legislation can require significant expenditures and a breach may result in the imposition of fines and penalties, some of which may be material. Environmental legislation is evolving in a manner we expect may result in stricter standards and enforcement, larger fines and liability and potentially increased capital expenditures and operating costs.
The discharge of pollutants into the air, soil or water may give rise to liabilities to governments and third parties and may require us to incur costs to remedy such discharges. The application of environmental laws to our business may cause us to curtail our production or increase the costs of our production, development or exploration activities.
Challenges to title to our properties may impact our financial condition.
Title to oil interests is often not capable of conclusive determination without incurring substantial expense. While we intend to make appropriate inquiries into the title of properties and other development rights we acquire, title defects may exist. In addition, we may be unable to obtain adequate insurance for title defects, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all. If title defects do exist, it is possible that we may lose all or a portion of our right, title and interests in and to the properties to which the title defects relate.
The limited trading of our common stock on the OTC Bulletin Board may impair your ability to sell your shares.
Therehave been thin volumes of trading of our common stock. The lack of trading of our common stock and the low volume of any future trading may impair your ability to sell your shares at the time you wish to sell them or at a price that you consider reasonable. Such factors may also impair our ability to raise capital by selling shares of capital stock and may impair our ability to acquire other companies or technologies by using common stock as consideration.
The market price of our common stock is likely to be highly volatile and subject to wide fluctuations.
Assuming we are able to establish an active trading market for our common stock, the market price of our common stock is likely to be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to a number of factors that are beyond our control, including:
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dilution caused by our issuance of additional shares of common stock and other forms of equity
securities, which we expect to make in connection with future capital financings to fund our operations
and growth, to attract and retain valuable personnel and in connection with future strategic partnerships
with other companies;
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announcements of acquisitions, reserve discoveries or other business initiatives by our competitors;
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fluctuations in revenue from our business as new reserves come to market;
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changes in the market for commodities or in the capital markets generally;
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quarterly variations in our revenues and operating expenses;
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changes in the valuation of similarly situated companies, both in our industry and in other industries;
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changes in analysts' estimates affecting us, our competitors or our industry;
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changes in the accounting methods used in or otherwise affecting our industry;
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additions and departures of key personnel;
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fluctuations in interest rates and the availability of capital in the capital markets; and
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These and other factors are largely beyond our control, and the impact of these risks, singly or in the aggregate, may result in material adverse changes to the market price of our common stock and our results of operations and financial condition.
Our operating results may fluctuate significantly and these fluctuations may cause our stock price to decline.
Our operating results will likely vary in the future primarily as the result of fluctuations in our revenues and operating expenses, expenses that we incur, the price of oil and gas in the commodities markets and other factors. If our results of operations do not meet the expectations of current or potential investors, the price of our common stock may decline.
We do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future.
We do not intend to declare dividends for the foreseeable future, as we anticipate that we will reinvest any future earnings in the development and growth of our business. Therefore, investors will not receive any funds unless they sell their common stock, and stockholders may be unable to sell their shares on favorable terms or at all. Investors cannot be assured of a positive return on investment or that they will not lose the entire amount of their investment in the common stock.
Applicable SEC rules governing the trading of "penny stocks" will limit the trading and liquidity of our common stock, which may affect the trading price of our common stock.
Our common stock is presently considered to be a "penny stock" and is subject to SEC rules and regulations which impose limitations upon the manner in which such shares may be publicly traded and regulate broker-dealer practices in connection with transactions in "penny stocks." Penny stocks generally are equity securities with a price of less than $5.00 (other than securities registered on certain national securities exchanges or quoted on the NASDAQ system, provided that current price and volume information with respect to transactions in such securities is provided by the exchange or system). The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, prior to a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from the rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document that provides information about penny stocks and the risks in the penny stock market. The broker-dealer must also provide the customer with current bid and offer quotations for the penny stock, the compensation of the broker-dealer and its salesperson in the transaction, and monthly account statements showing the market value of each penny stock held in the customer's account. In addition, the penny stock rules generally require that prior to a transaction in a penny stock, the broker-dealer make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive the purchaser's written agreement to the transaction. These disclosure requirements may have the effect of reducing the level of trading activity in the secondary market for a stock that becomes subject to the penny stock rules which may increase the difficulty investors may experience in attempting to liquidate such securities.
Forward-looking statements.
This Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. We use words such as anticipate, believe, plan, expect, future, intend and similar expressions to identify such forward-looking statements. You should not place too much reliance on these forward-looking statements. Our actual results are likely to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements for many reasons.