DVN, §1A diff (2017 → 2018)

Item 1A. Risk Factors Our business and operations, and our industry in general, are subject to a variety of risks. The risks described below may not be the only risks we face, as our business and operations may also be subject to risks that we do not yet know of, or that we currently believe are immaterial. If any of the following risks should occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity could be materially and adversely impacted. As a result, holders of our securities could lose part or all of their investment in Devon. Volatile Oil, Gas and NGL Prices Significantly Impact our Business Our financial condition, results of operations and the value of our properties are highly dependent on the general supply and demand for oil, gas and NGLs, which impact the prices we ultimately realize on our sales of these commodities. Historically, market prices and our realized prices have been volatile. For example, over the last five years, NYMEX WTI oil and NYMEX Henry Hub prices ranged from a high of over $100 per Bbl and $6 per MMBtu, respectively, to a low of under $27 per Bbl and $1.70 per MMBtu, respectively. Such volatility is likely to continue in the future due to numerous factors beyond our control, including, but not limited to: • the domestic and worldwide supply of and demand for oil, gas and NGLs; • volatility and trading patterns in the commodity-futures markets; • conservation and environmental protection efforts; • production levels of members of OPEC, Russia or other producing countries; • geopolitical risks, including political and civil unrest in the Middle East, Africa and South America; • adverse weather conditions and natural disasters, such as tornadoes, earthquakes and hurricanes; • regional pricing differentials, including in Canada, the Delaware Basin and other areas of our operations; • differing quality of production, including NGL content of gas produced; • the level of imports and exports of oil, gas and NGLs and the level of global oil, gas and NGL inventories; • the price and availability of alternative fuels; • technological advances affecting energy consumption and production; • the overall economic environment; • changes in trade relations and policies, including the imposition of tariffs by the U.S. or China; and • other governmental regulations and taxes. The differential between WTI and Western Canadian Select, a benchmark for the Canadian oil market, recently expanded, widening to nearly $46 per barrel in November 2018. As a result, our Canadian heavy oil unhedged realized price for the fourth quarter was near zero. This negatively affected our results of operations in 2018, and a sustained weakness or further deterioration in differentials or commodity prices could materially and adversely impact our business by resulting in, or exacerbating, the following effects: • reducing the amount of oil, bitumen, gas and NGLs that we can produce economically; • limiting our financial flexibility, liquidity and access to sources of capital, such as equity and debt; • reducing our revenues, operating cash flows and profitability; • causing us to decrease our capital expenditures or maintain reduced capital spending for an extended period, resulting in lower future production of oil, gas and NGLs; and • reducing the carrying value of our properties, resulting in noncash write-downs. Estimates of Oil, Gas and NGL Reserves Are Uncertain and May Be Subject to Revision The process of estimating oil, gas and NGL reserves is complex and requires significant judgment in the evaluation of available geological, engineering and economic data for each reservoir, particularly for new discoveries. Because of the high degree of judgment involved, different reserve engineers may develop different estimates of reserve quantities and related revenue based on the same data. In addition, the reserve estimates for a given reservoir may change substantially over time as a result of several factors, including additional development and appraisal activity, the viability of production under varying economic conditions, including commodity price declines, and variations in production levels and associated costs. Consequently, material revisions to existing reserve estimates may occur as a result of changes in any of these factors. Such revisions to proved reserves could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and the value of our properties, as well as the estimates of our future net revenue and profitability. Our policies and internal controls related to estimating and recording reserves are included in “Items 1 and 2. Business and Properties” of this report. Discoveries or Acquisitions of Reserves Are Needed to Avoid a Material Decline in Reserves and Production The production rates from oil and gas properties generally decline as reserves are depleted, while related per unit production costs generally increase due to decreasing reservoir pressures and other factors. Therefore, our estimated proved reserves and future oil, gas and NGL production will decline materially as reserves are produced unless we conduct successful exploration and development activities, such as identifying additional producing zones in existing wells, utilizing secondary or tertiary recovery techniques or acquiring additional properties containing proved reserves. Consequently, our future oil, gas and NGL production and related per unit production costs are highly dependent upon our level of success in finding or acquiring additional reserves. Our Operations Are Uncertain and Involve Substantial Costs and Risks Our operating activities are subject to numerous costs and risks, including the risk that we will not encounter commercially productive oil or gas reservoirs. Drilling for oil, gas and NGLs can be unprofitable, not only from dry holes, but from productive wells that do not return a profit because of insufficient revenue from production or high costs. Substantial costs are required to locate, acquire and develop oil and gas properties, and we are often uncertain as to the amount and timing of those costs. Our cost of drilling, completing, equipping and operating wells is often uncertain before drilling commences. Declines in commodity prices and overruns in budgeted expenditures are common risks that can make a particular project uneconomic or less economic than forecasted. While both exploratory and developmental drilling activities involve these risks, exploratory drilling involves greater risks of dry holes or failure to find commercial quantities of hydrocarbons. In addition, our oil and gas properties can become damaged, our operations may be curtailed, delayed or canceled and the costs of such operations may increase as a result of a variety of factors, including, but not limited to: • unexpected drilling conditions, pressure conditions or irregularities in reservoir formations; • equipment failures or accidents; • fires, explosions, blowouts, cratering or loss of well control, as well as the mishandling or underground migration of fluids and chemicals; • adverse weather conditions and natural disasters, such as tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes and extreme temperatures; • issues with title or in receiving governmental permits or approvals; • restricted takeaway capacity for our production, including due to inadequate midstream infrastructure or constrained downstream markets; • environmental hazards or liabilities; • restrictions in access to, or disposal of, water used or produced in drilling and completion operations; and • shortages or delays in the availability of services or delivery of equipment. The occurrence of one or more of these factors could result in a partial or total loss of our investment in a particular property, as well as significant liabilities. Moreover, certain of these events could result in environmental pollution and impact to third parties, including persons living in proximity to our operations, our employees and employees of our contractors, leading to possible injuries, death or significant damage to property and natural resources. In addition, we rely on our employees, consultants and sub-contractors to conduct our operations in compliance with applicable laws and standards. Any violation of such laws or standards by these individuals, whether through negligence, harassment, discrimination or other misconduct, could result in significant liability for us and adversely affect our business. For example, negligent operations by employees could result in serious injury, death or property damage, and sexual harassment or racial and gender discrimination could result in legal claims and reputational harm. We Are Subject to Extensive Governmental Regulation, Which Can Change and Could Adversely Impact Our Business Our operations are subject to extensive federal, state, provincial, tribal, local and other laws, rules and regulations, including with respect to environmental matters, worker health and safety, wildlife conservation, the gathering and transportation of oil, gas and NGLs, conservation policies, reporting obligations, royalty payments, unclaimed property and the imposition of taxes. Such regulations include requirements for permits to drill and to conduct other operations and for provision of financial assurances (such as bonds) covering drilling, completion and well operations and decommissioning obligations. If permits are not issued, or if unfavorable restrictions or conditions are imposed on our drilling or completion activities, we may not be able to conduct our operations as planned. In addition, we may be required to make large expenditures to comply with applicable governmental laws, rules, regulations, permits or orders. For example, certain regulations require the plugging and abandonment of wells and removal of production facilities by current and former operators, which may result in significant costs associated with the removal of tangible equipment and other restorative actions at the end of operations. In addition, changes in public policy have affected, and in the future could further affect, our operations. Regulatory and public policy developments could, among other things, restrict production levels, impose price controls, change environmental protection requirements and increase taxes, royalties and other amounts payable to governments or governmental agencies. Our operating and other compliance costs could increase further if existing laws and regulations are revised or reinterpreted or if new laws and regulations become applicable to our operations. In addition, changes in public policy may indirectly impact our operations by, among other things, increasing the cost of supplies and equipment and fostering general economic uncertainty. For example, changes in U.S. trade relations, particularly the imposition of tariffs by the U.S. and China, may increase the cost of materials we or our vendors use, thereby increasing our operating expense. Although we are unable to predict changes to existing laws and regulations, such changes could significantly impact our profitability, financial condition and liquidity, particularly changes related to hydraulic fracturing, pipeline safety, seismic activity and income taxes, as discussed below. Hydraulic Fracturing - In recent years, the EPA has made proposals that subject hydraulic fracturing to further regulation and that could potentially restrict the practice of hydraulic fracturing. For example, the EPA has issued final regulations under the federal Clean Air Act establishing performance standards for oil and gas activities, including standards for the capture of air emissions released during hydraulic fracturing, and finalized in 2016 regulations that prohibit the discharge of wastewater from hydraulic fracturing operations to publicly owned wastewater treatment plants. The EPA also released a study in 2016 finding that certain aspects of hydraulic fracturing, such as water withdrawals and wastewater management practices, could result in impacts to water resources, although the report did not identify a direct link between hydraulic fracturing and impacts to groundwater resources. The BLM previously finalized regulations to regulate hydraulic fracturing on federal lands, but subsequently issued a repeal of those regulations in 2017. Several states in which we operate have already adopted and more states are considering adopting laws or regulations that require disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing and impose more stringent permitting, disclosure and well-construction requirements on hydraulic fracturing operations. In addition, some states and municipalities have significantly limited drilling activities or hydraulic fracturing or are considering doing so or banning the practice altogether. Although it is not possible at this time to predict the final outcome of these proposals, any new federal, state or local restrictions on hydraulic fracturing that may be imposed in areas in which we conduct business could potentially result in increased compliance costs, delays in development or restrictions on our operations. Pipeline Safety - The pipeline assets in which we own interests, are subject to stringent and complex regulations related to pipeline safety and integrity management. The PHMSA has established a series of rules that require pipeline operators to develop and implement integrity management programs for gas, NGL and condensate transmission pipelines as well as certain low stress pipelines and gathering lines transporting hazardous liquids, such as oil, that, in the event of a failure, could affect “high consequence areas.” Additional action by PHMSA with respect to pipeline integrity management requirements may occur in the future. For example, in 2016 PHMSA proposed new rules for gas pipelines that extend pipeline safety programs beyond high consequence areas to newly proposed “moderate consequence areas” and would also impose more rigorous testing and reporting requirements on such pipelines. To date, no further action has been taken. PHMSA has announced its intent to address the 2016 proposed rules for gas pipelines through three separate final rulemakings in 2019. More recently, in January 2017, PHMSA finalized regulations for hazardous liquid pipelines that significantly extend and expand the reach of certain PHMSA integrity management requirements (i.e., periodic assessments, leak detection and repairs), regardless of the pipeline’s proximity to a high consequence area. The final rule also imposes new reporting requirements for certain unregulated pipelines, including all hazardous liquid gathering lines. Following the change in presidential administrations, implementation of this rule was delayed, but the final rule is expected to be published in the Federal Register and become effective during the first half of 2019. At this time, we cannot predict the cost of such requirements, but they could be significant. Moreover, violations of pipeline safety regulations can result in the imposition of significant penalties. Seismic Activity - Earthquakes in northern and central Oklahoma and elsewhere have prompted concerns about seismic activity and possible relationships with the energy industry. Legislative and regulatory initiatives intended to address these concerns may result in additional levels of regulation or other requirements that could lead to operational delays, increase our operating and compliance costs or otherwise adversely affect our operations. In addition, we are currently defending against certain third-party lawsuits and could be subject to additional claims, seeking alleged property damages or other remedies as a result of alleged induced seismic activity in our areas of operation. Changes to Tax Laws - We are subject to U.S. federal income tax as well as income or capital taxes in various state and foreign jurisdictions, and our operating cash flow is sensitive to the amount of income taxes we must pay. In the jurisdictions in which we operate, income taxes are assessed on our earnings after consideration of all allowable deductions and credits. Changes in the types of earnings that are subject to income tax, the types of costs that are considered allowable deductions or the rates assessed on our taxable earnings would all impact our income taxes and resulting operating cash flow. Concerns About Climate Change and Related Regulatory, Social and Market Actions May Adversely Affect Our Business Continuing and increasing political and social attention to the issue of climate change has resulted in legislative, regulatory and other initiatives, including international agreements, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide and methane. Policy makers at both the U.S. federal and state levels have introduced legislation and proposed new regulations designed to quantify and limit the emission of greenhouse gases. For example, both the EPA and the BLM have issued regulations for the control of methane emissions, which also include leak detection and repair requirements, for the oil and gas industry. Following the change in presidential administrations, however, the agencies have attempted to revise or rescind their previously issued methane standards. Litigation concerning these methane regulations and subsequent attempts to revise or rescind them is ongoing. Nevertheless, several states where we operate, including Wyoming, have already imposed venting and flaring limitations designed to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas exploration and production activities. With respect to more comprehensive regulation, federal and state initiatives to date have generally focused on the development of cap-and-trade or carbon tax programs. As generally proposed, a cap-and-trade program would cap overall greenhouse gas emissions on an economy-wide basis and require major sources of greenhouse gas emissions or major fuel producers to acquire and surrender emission allowances, while a carbon tax could impose taxes based on emissions from our operations and downstream uses of our products. In Canada, greenhouse gas emissions are also being addressed at both the federal and provincial level. Devon will continue to be subject to Alberta’s climate change laws and regulations until at least 2021. Those laws and regulations include a legislated oil sands emission limit, with forthcoming regulations involving methane emissions reduction targets. Beginning January 2019, the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act subjects all of Canada to a federal price on greenhouse gas emissions unless a province or territory has implemented a compliant carbon pricing regime. Litigation concerning the act is ongoing, and it is unclear how the act will ultimately treat provincial plans. In Alberta, large industrial emitters are subject to the Carbon Competitiveness Incentive Regulation (CCIR). The CCIR prices carbon, but provides cost protection to emission-intensive / trade-exposed industries, including Devon’s oil sands operations. The impact to our operations from these laws and regulations is expected to be minimal in the near term. Oil and gas facilities that are not subject to the CCIR are exempt from its economy-wide carbon levy until 2023. In addition to regulatory risk, other market and social initiatives resulting from the changing perception of climate change present risks for our business. For example, in an effort to promote a lower-carbon economy, there are various public and private initiatives subsidizing the development of alternative energy sources, including by mandating the use of specific fuels or technologies. These initiatives may reduce the competitiveness of carbon-based fuels, such as oil and gas. Moreover, certain financial institutions, funds and other sources of capital have begun restricting or eliminating their investment in oil and natural gas activities due to their concern regarding climate change. Such restrictions in capital could make it more difficult to secure funding to operate our business. Finally, governmental entities and other plaintiffs have brought, and may continue to bring, claims against us and other oil and gas companies for purported damages caused by the alleged effects of climate change. These and the other regulatory, social and market risks relating to climate change described above could result in unexpected costs, increase our operating expense and reduce the demand for our products, which in turn could lower the value of our reserves and have a material adverse effect on our profitability, financial condition and liquidity. Our Hedging Activities Limit Participation in Commodity Price Increases and Involve Other Risks We enter into financial derivative instruments with respect to a portion of our production to manage our exposure to oil, gas and NGL price volatility. To the extent that we engage in price risk management activities to protect ourselves from commodity price declines, we will be prevented from fully realizing the benefits of commodity price increases above the prices established by our hedging contracts. In addition, our hedging arrangements may expose us to the risk of financial loss in certain circumstances, including instances in which the contract counterparties fail to perform under the contracts. Moreover, as a result of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and other legislation, hedging transactions and many of our contract counterparties have become subject to increased governmental oversight and regulations in recent years. Although we cannot predict the ultimate impact of these laws and the related rulemaking, some of which is ongoing, existing or future regulations may adversely affect the cost and availability of our hedging arrangements, including by causing our contract counterparties, which are generally financial institutions and other market participants, to curtail or cease their derivatives activities. The Credit Risk of Our Counterparties Could Adversely Affect Us We enter into a variety of transactions that expose us to counterparty credit risk. For example, we have exposure to financial institutions and insurance companies through our hedging arrangements, our syndicated revolving credit facility and our insurance policies. Disruptions in the financial markets or otherwise may impact these counterparties and affect their ability to fulfill their existing obligations and their willingness to enter into future transactions with us. In addition, we are exposed to the risk of financial loss from trade, joint interest billing and other receivables. We sell our oil, gas and NGLs to a variety of purchasers, and, as an operator, we pay expenses and bill our non-operating partners for their respective share of costs. We also frequently look to buyers of oil and gas properties from us to perform certain obligations associated with the disposed assets, including the removal of production facilities and plugging and abandonment of wells. Certain of these counterparties may experience insolvency, liquidity problems or other issues and may not be able to meet their obligations and liabilities (including contingent liabilities) owed to, and assumed from, us, particularly during a depressed or volatile commodity price environment. Any such default by these counterparties may result in us being forced to cover the costs of those obligations and liabilities, which could adversely impact our financial results and condition. Our Debt May Limit Our Liquidity and Financial Flexibility, and Any Downgrade of Our Credit Rating Could Adversely Impact Us As of December 31, 2018, we had total indebtedness of $5.9 billion. Our indebtedness and other financial commitments have important consequences to our business, including, but not limited to: • requiring us to dedicate a portion of our cash flows from operations to debt service payments, thereby limiting our ability to fund working capital, capital expenditures, investments or acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; • increasing our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions, including low commodity price environments; and • limiting our ability to obtain additional financing due to higher costs and more restrictive covenants. In addition, we receive credit ratings from rating agencies in the U.S. with respect to our debt. Factors that may impact our credit ratings include, among others, debt levels, planned asset sales and purchases, liquidity, forecasted production growth and commodity prices. We are currently required to provide letters of credit or other assurances under certain of our contractual arrangements. Any credit downgrades could adversely impact our ability to access financing and trade credit, require us to provide additional letters of credit or other assurances under contractual arrangements and increase our interest rate under any credit facility borrowing as well as the cost of any other future debt. Environmental Matters and Related Costs Can Be Significant As an owner, lessee or operator of oil and gas properties, we are subject to various federal, state, provincial, tribal and local laws and regulations relating to discharge of materials into, and protection of, the environment. These laws and regulations may, among other things, impose liability on us for the cost of remediating pollution that results from our operations. Environmental laws may impose strict, joint and several liability, and failure to comply with environmental laws and regulations can result in the imposition of administrative, civil or criminal fines and penalties, as well as injunctions limiting operations in affected areas. Any future environmental costs of fulfilling our commitments to the environment are uncertain and will be governed by several factors, including future changes to regulatory requirements. Changes in or additions to public policy regarding the protection of the environment could have a significant impact on our operations and profitability. Cyber Attacks May Adversely Impact Our Operations Our business has become increasingly dependent on digital technologies, and we anticipate expanding our use of technology in our operations, including through process automation and data analytics. Concurrent with this growing dependence on technology is greater sensitivity to cyberattack activities, which have been increasing against our industry. Cyber attackers often attempt to gain unauthorized access to digital systems for purposes of misappropriating sensitive information, intellectual property or financial assets, corrupting data or causing operational disruptions. These attacks may be perpetrated by third parties or insiders. Techniques used in these attacks range from highly sophisticated efforts to electronically circumvent network security to more traditional intelligence gathering and social engineering aimed at obtaining information necessary to gain access. Cyber attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as by causing denial-of-service attacks. In addition, our vendors, midstream providers and other business partners may separately suffer disruptions or breaches from cyber attacks, which, in turn, could adversely impact our operations and compromise our information. Although we have not suffered material losses related to cyber attacks to date, if we were successfully attacked, we could incur substantial remediation and other costs or suffer other negative consequences, including litigation risks. Moreover, as the sophistication of cyber attacks continues to evolve, we may be required to expend significant additional resources to further enhance our digital security or to remediate vulnerabilities. Limited Control on Properties Operated by Others Certain of the properties in which we have an interest are operated by other companies and involve third-party working interest owners. We have limited influence and control over the operation or future development of such properties, including compliance with environmental, health and safety regulations or the amount and timing of required future capital expenditures. These limitations and our dependence on the operator and other working interest owners for these properties could result in unexpected future costs and delays, curtailments or cancellations of operations or future development, which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. Midstream Capacity Constraints and Interruptions Impact Commodity Sales We rely on midstream facilities and systems to process our gas production and to transport our oil, gas and NGL production to downstream markets. All or a portion of our production in one or more regions may be interrupted or shut in from time to time due to losing access to plants, pipelines or gathering systems. Such access could be lost due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to, weather conditions and natural disasters, accidents, field labor issues or strikes. Additionally, the midstream operators may be subject to constraints that limit their ability to construct, maintain or repair midstream facilities needed to process and transport our production. Such interruptions or constraints could negatively impact our production and associated profitability. Insurance Does Not Cover All Risks As discussed above, our business is hazardous and is subject to all of the operating risks normally associated with the exploration, development and production of oil, gas and NGLs. To mitigate financial losses resulting from these operational hazards, we maintain comprehensive general liability insurance, as well as insurance coverage against certain losses resulting from physical damages, loss of well control, business interruption and pollution events that are considered sudden and accidental. We also maintain workers’ compensation and employer’s liability insurance. However, our insurance coverage does not provide 100% reimbursement of potential losses resulting from these operational hazards. Additionally, we have limited or no insurance coverage for a variety of other risks, including pollution events that are considered gradual, war and political risks and fines or penalties assessed by governmental authorities. The occurrence of a significant event against which we are not fully insured could have a material adverse effect on our profitability, financial condition and liquidity. Competition for Assets, Materials, People and Capital Can Be Significant Strong competition exists in all sectors of the oil and gas industry. We compete with major integrated and independent oil and gas companies for the acquisition of oil and gas leases and properties. We also compete for the equipment and personnel required to explore, develop and operate properties. Typically, during times of rising commodity prices, drilling and operating costs will also increase. During these periods, there is often a shortage of drilling rigs and other oilfield services, which could adversely affect our ability to execute our development plans on a timely basis and within budget. Competition is also prevalent in the marketing of oil, gas and NGLs. Certain of our competitors have financial and other resources substantially greater than ours and may have established superior strategic long-term positions and relationships, including with respect to midstream take-away capacity. As a consequence, we may be at a competitive disadvantage in bidding for assets or services and accessing capital and downstream markets. In addition, many of our larger competitors may have a competitive advantage when responding to factors that affect demand for oil and gas production, such as changing worldwide price and production levels, the cost and availability of alternative fuels and the application of government regulations. Our Business Could Be Adversely Impacted by Investors Attempting to Effect Change Stockholder activism has been increasing in our industry, and investors may from time to time attempt to effect changes to our business or governance, whether by stockholder proposals, public campaigns, proxy solicitations or otherwise. Such actions could adversely impact our business by distracting our board of directors and employees from core business operations, requiring us to incur increased advisory fees and related costs, interfering with our ability to successfully execute on strategic transactions and plans and provoking perceived uncertainty about the future direction of our business. Such perceived uncertainty may, in turn, make it more difficult to retain employees and could result in significant fluctuation in the market price of our common stock. Our Acquisition and Divestiture Activities Involve Substantial Risks Our business depends, in part, on making acquisitions that complement or expand our current business and successfully integrating any acquired assets or businesses. If we are unable to make attractive acquisitions, our future growth could be limited. Furthermore, even if we do make acquisitions, they may not result in an increase in our cash flow from operations or otherwise result in the benefits anticipated due to various risks, including, but not limited to: • mistaken estimates or assumptions about reserves, potential drilling locations, revenues and costs, including synergies and the overall costs of equity or debt; • difficulties in integrating the operations, technologies, products and personnel of the acquired assets or business; and • unknown and unforeseen liabilities or other issues related to any acquisition for which contractual protections prove inadequate, including environmental liabilities and title defects. In addition, from time to time, we may sell or otherwise dispose of certain of our properties or businesses as a result of an evaluation of our asset portfolio and to help enhance our liquidity. These transactions also have inherent risks, including possible delays in closing, the risk of lower-than-expected sales proceeds for the disposed assets or business and potential post-closing claims for indemnification. Moreover, volatility in commodity prices may result in fewer potential bidders, unsuccessful sales efforts and a higher risk that buyers may seek to terminate a transaction prior to closing. Item 1B.