1.  ORGANIZATION AND ACCOUNTING POLICIES 

VAALCO Energy, Inc. (together with its consolidated subsidiaries “we”, “us”, “our”, “VAALCO,” or the “Company”) is a Houston, Texas based independent energy company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and production of crude oil. As operator, we have production operations and conduct exploration activities in Gabon, West Africa. As non-operator, we have opportunities to participate in development and exploration activities in Equatorial Guinea, West Africa. As discussed further in Note 4 below, we have discontinued operations associated with our activities in Angola, West Africa.

Our consolidated subsidiaries are VAALCO Gabon (Etame), Inc., VAALCO Production (Gabon), Inc., VAALCO Gabon S.A., VAALCO Angola (Kwanza), Inc., VAALCO UK (North Sea), Ltd., VAALCO International, Inc., VAALCO Energy (EG), Inc., VAALCO Energy Mauritius (EG) Limited and VAALCO Energy (USA), Inc.

These condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited, but in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of results for the interim periods presented. All adjustments are of a normal recurring nature unless disclosed otherwise. Interim period results are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full year.

These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and do not include all the information and disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for complete financial statements. They should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, which includes a summary of the significant accounting policies.

Reclassifications – Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts to conform to the current period presentation related to the adoption of  Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash (“ASU 2016-18”) and related to reclassifying material and supplies to prepayments and other.  These reclassifications did not affect our consolidated financial results.  See Note 2 – New Accounting Standards for further information associated with ASU 2016-18.

Restricted cash and abandonment funding – Restricted cash includes cash that is contractually restricted. Restricted cash is classified as a current or non-current asset based on its designated purpose and time duration. Current amounts in restricted cash at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 each include an escrow amount representing bank guarantees for customs clearance in Gabon. Long term amounts at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 include a charter payment escrow for the floating, production, storage and offloading vessel (“FPSO”) offshore Gabon as discussed in Note 10.

We invest restricted and excess cash in certificates of deposit and commercial paper issued by banks with maturities typically not exceeding 90 days.

Bad debts – Quarterly, we evaluate our accounts receivable balances to confirm collectability. When collectability is in doubt, we record an allowance against the accounts receivable, purchases of production and a corresponding income charge for bad debts, which appears in the “Bad debt expense (recovery) and other” line item of the condensed consolidated statements of operations. The majority of our accounts receivable balances are with our joint venture partners and the government of Gabon for reimbursable Value-Added Tax (“VAT”). Collection efforts, including remedies provided for in the contracts, are pursued to collect overdue amounts owed to us. Portions of our costs in Gabon (including our VAT receivable) are denominated in the local currency of Gabon, the Central African CFA Franc (“XAF”). As of March 31, 2018, the outstanding VAT receivable balance, excluding the allowance for bad debt, was approximately XAF 21.1 billion (XAF 7.1 billion, net to VAALCO).  As of March 31, 2018, the exchange rate was XAF 532.4 = $1.00.

In June 2016, we entered into an agreement with the government of Gabon to receive payments related to the outstanding VAT receivable balance, of XAF16.3 billion (XAF 4.9 billion, net to VAALCO) representing the outstanding balance as of December 31, 2015, in thirty-six monthly installments of $0.3 million, net to VAALCO.  Since signing the agreement, we have received one payment of $0.3 million, net to VAALCO, in July 2016 and one payment in March 2018 of $0.3 million, net to VAALCO. We are in discussions with the Gabonese government regarding the timing of payments.  

For the three months ended March 31, 2018, we recorded a net recovery of $0.1 million related to the allowance for bad debt for VAT for which the government of Gabon has not reimbursed us.  For the three months ended March 31, 2017, we recorded an allowance of $0.1 million.  The receivable amount, net of allowances, is reported as a non-current asset in the “Value added tax and other receivables” line item in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Because both the VAT receivable and the related allowances are denominated in XAF, the exchange rate revaluation of these balances into U.S. dollars at the end of each reporting period also has an impact on profit/loss. Such foreign currency gains (losses) are reported separately in the “Other, net” line item of the condensed consolidated statements of operations.

The following table provides a rollforward of the aggregate allowance:









Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities – We use derivative financial instruments to achieve a more predictable cash flow from oil production by reducing our exposure to price fluctuations. Our derivative instruments had expired as of December 31, 2017.

We record balances resulting from commodity risk management activities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets as either assets or liabilities measured at fair value. Gains and losses from the change in fair value of derivative instruments and cash settlements on commodity derivatives are presented in the “Other, net” line item located within the “Other income (expense)” section of the condensed consolidated statements of operations.  During the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, we recorded a loss from change in fair value of $0.0 million and $0.2 million, respectively.  

Fair Value – Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or the price paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Inputs used in determining fair value are characterized according to a hierarchy that prioritizes those inputs based on the degree to which they are observable. The three input levels of the fair-value hierarchy are as follows:

Level 1 – Inputs represent quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (for example, exchange-traded commodity derivatives).

Level 2 – Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly (for example, quoted market prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets or quoted market prices for identical assets or liabilities in markets not considered to be active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, or market-corroborated inputs).

Level 3 – Inputs that are not observable from objective sources, such as internally developed assumptions used in pricing an asset or liability (for example, an estimate of future cash flows used in our internally developed present value of future cash flows model that underlies the fair-value measurement).

Fair value of financial instruments – Our current assets and liabilities include financial instruments such as cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts receivable, derivative assets, accounts payable and guarantee. As discussed further above, derivative assets and liabilities are measured and reported at fair value each period with changes in fair value recognized in net income. With respect to our other financial instruments included in current assets and liabilities, the carrying value of each financial instrument approximates fair value primarily due to the short-term maturity of these instruments. The carrying value of our long-term debt approximates fair value, as the interest rates are adjusted based on market rates currently in effect.  There were no transfers between levels at March 31, 2018 or December 31, 2017.

Foreign currency transactions – The U.S. dollar is the functional currency of our foreign operating subsidiaries. Gains and losses on foreign currency transactions are included in income. Within the condensed consolidated statements of operations line item “Other income (expense)—Other, net,” we recognized gains on foreign currency transactions of $0.1 million and $0.1 million during the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.