Attached files

file filename
EX-10.5 - EXHIBIT 10.5 - IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLCv390934_ex10-5.htm
EX-23.2 - EXHIBIT 23.2 - IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLCv390934_ex23-2.htm
EX-1.1 - EXHIBIT 1.1 - IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLCv390934_ex1-1.htm
EX-23.3 - EXHIBIT 23.3 - IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLCv390934_ex23-3.htm
EX-4.3 - EXHIBIT 4.3 - IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLCv390934_ex4-3.htm
EX-23.1 - EXHIBIT 23.1 - IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLCv390934_ex23-1.htm
EX-4.4 - EXHIBIT 4.4 - IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLCv390934_ex4-4.htm
EX-5.1 - EXHIBIT 5.1 - IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLCv390934_ex5-1.htm
EX-4.2 - EXHIBIT 4.2 - IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLCv390934_ex4-2.htm

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 10, 2014

Registration No. 333-197257

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549



 

AMENDMENT NO. 3
TO
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933



 

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC

(to be converted as described herein to
a corporation named)

EMPIRE ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



 

   
Delaware   1311   20-4215632
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  (IRS Employer
Identification Number)

380 Southpointe Boulevard, Suite 130
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania 15317
(724) 483-2070

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)



 

Bruce W. McLeod
Chief Executive Officer
380 Southpointe Boulevard, Suite 130
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania 15317
(724) 483-2070

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
including area code, of agent for service
)



 

Copies to:

 
William H. Haddad, Esq.
Reed Smith LLP
599 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10022
(212) 521-5400
  Barry I. Grossman, Esq.
Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP
1345 Avenue of the Americas, 11th Floor
New York, New York 10105
(212) 370-1300


 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale of the securities to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box: x

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 
Large accelerated filer o   Accelerated filer o
Non-accelerated filer o (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)   Smaller reporting company x
 

 


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

   
Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered   Proposed Maximum Aggregate
Offering Price(1)(2)
  Amount of Registration Fee(3)
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share(4)   $ 17,250,000.00     $ 2,221.80  
Warrants to Purchase Common Stock(5)(6)            
Shares of Common Stock underlying Warrants(7)   $ 10,781,250.00     $ 1,388.63  
Representative's Warrants to Purchase Common Stock(6)            
Shares of Common Stock underlying Representative's Warrants(4)(8)   $ 937,500     $ 120.75  
Total   $ 29,109,375.00     $ 3,731.18  

(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(2) Includes the aggregate offering price of additional shares and/or warrants that the underwriters have the right to purchase from us, if any.
(3) The registrant previously paid the registration fee of $3,749.29 in connection with a prior filing of this Registration Statement.
(4) Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the securities being registered hereunder include such indeterminate number of additional securities as may be issued after the date hereof as a result of stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.
(5) The warrants to be issued to investors hereunder are included in the price of the Common Stock above.
(6) No registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(g) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(7) Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The warrants are exercisable at a per share exercise price equal to 125% of the public offering price. The proposed maximum aggregate public offering price of the warrants is $10,781,250, which is equal to 125% of $8,625,000 (50% of $17,250,000).
(8) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(g) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. We have agreed to issue warrants exercisable during the five-year period commencing on the six-month anniversary of the effective date of this registration statement and representing 5.0% of the shares issued in the offering to Maxim Group LLC for nominal consideration (the “Representative’s Warrants”), which are exercisable at a per share exercise price equal to 125% of the public offering price per share. As estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(g) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the proposed maximum aggregate offering price of the Representative’s Warrants is $937,500 which is equal to 125% of $750,000 (5.0% of $15,000,000). The issuance of the Representative’s warrants is being registered hereby. The shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants are also being registered on a delayed or continuous basis hereby. See “Underwriting.” The Common Stock underlying the Representative’s Warrants is being registered solely in connection with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations for Securities Act Sections, Question 139.05. No “offer” of such common stock exists as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the Securities Act because the Representative’s Warrants are not exercisable until six months following their issuance.

The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state or jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED OCTOBER 10, 2014

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

     Shares of Common Stock
Warrants to Purchase       Shares of Common Stock

[GRAPHIC MISSING]  



 

Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. is offering       shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and warrants to purchase    shares of common stock in a firm commitment underwritten public offering. Each share being offered will be accompanied by a warrant to purchase an additional 0.5 of a share. The warrants will have a per share exercise price of $      , 125% of the public offering price of the common stock. The warrants are exercisable immediately and will expire five years from the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The estimated initial public offering price for each share of common stock and accompanying warrant is between $     and $    . Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock or the warrants.

We have applied for the listing of our common stock on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “EEHI” and the listing of our warrants on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “EEHIW.” We make no representation that such application will be approved or that our common stock or warrants will trade on such market either now or at any time in the future.

     
  Per Share   Per Warrant   Total
Initial public offering price   $          $ 0.01     $       
Underwriting discounts and commissions(1)   $     $     $  
Proceeds to us (before expenses)   $     $     $  

(1) The underwriters will receive compensation in addition to the underwriting discounts and commissions. See “Underwriting” for a description of compensation payable to the underwriters in connection with this offering.

We have granted a 45-day option to the underwriters to purchase from us up to an additional        shares of our common stock and/or warrants to purchase      additional shares of common stock at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount.

We are an “emerging growth company” as that term is used in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 and, as such, may elect to comply with certain reduced reporting requirements for this preliminary prospectus and future filings. Please see “Prospectus Summary — Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company.”

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 17 of this prospectus for a discussion of information that should be carefully considered in connection with an investment in our securities.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed on the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The underwriters expect to deliver the securities to purchasers in the offering on or about            , 2014.

Sole Book-Running Manager

Maxim Group LLC

Prospectus dated            , 2014


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Total Company

YE13 Proved Reserves: 7,664 MBoe
Percent Oil: 74% (by value)
Acreage: 278,180 net acres
Avg. First Half of 2014 Daily Production: 1,269 Boe/d

[GRAPHIC MISSING]  


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY     1  
RISK FACTORS     17  
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INDUSTRY DATA     43  
USE OF PROCEEDS     45  
DIVIDEND POLICY     46  
CAPITALIZATION     47  
DILUTION     49  
SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA     51  
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS     53  
BUSINESS     77  
MANAGEMENT     94  
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION     99  
PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS     101  
CORPORATE REORGANIZATION     102  
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS     105  
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES     107  
SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE     111  
CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS     113  
UNDERWRITING     117  
LEGAL MATTERS     122  
EXPERTS     122  
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION     122  
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS     F-1  
ANNEX A: GLOSSARY OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS TERMS     A-1  

i


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus. Neither we nor any of the underwriters has authorized anyone to provide you with information different from, or in addition to, that contained in this prospectus or any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we may have referred you in connection with this offering. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. Neither we nor any of the underwriters is making an offer to sell or seeking offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where, or to any person to whom, the offer or sale is not permitted. The information in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or of any sale of shares of our common stock, and the information in any free writing prospectus that we may provide you in connection with this offering is accurate only as of the date of that free writing prospectus. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and future growth prospects may have changed since those dates.

This prospectus includes statistical and other industry and market data that we obtained from industry publications and research, surveys and studies conducted by third parties. Industry publications and third-party research, surveys and studies generally indicate that their information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, although they do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information. While we believe these industry publications and third-party research, surveys and studies are reliable, we have not independently verified such data.

For investors outside the United States: We have not and the underwriters have not done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the securities and the distribution of this prospectus outside the United States from sources believed to be reliable.

ii


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus and does not contain all of the information that you should consider in making your investment decision. Before investing in our securities, you should carefully read this entire prospectus, including our financial statements and the related notes and the information set forth under the headings “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” in each case included elsewhere in this prospectus. Unless otherwise stated or the context requires otherwise, references in this prospectus to “Empire,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our” refer to Empire Energy Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and, where appropriate, (i) Imperial Resources, LLC, its predecessor prior to the Corporate Reorganization (as defined herein), and (ii) its subsidiaries.

Our Company

We are an independent returns-focused exploration and production company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of conventional oil and natural gas reserves in the Kansas (Mid-Continent), New York and Pennsylvania (Appalachia) regions. We operate approximately 300 producing wells in the Mid-Continent and approximately 1,700 producing wells in the Appalachian Basin. Our drilling activity is currently focused on the Arbuckle and Lansing/Kansas City formations located in Central Kansas (Mid-Continent) and the Upper Devonian Bradford Group, which is an oil and liquids-rich producing formation located in Upstate New York (Appalachia). We also have a significant number of natural gas producing Medina formation development locations which are marginally economic at current natural gas prices. Additionally, we have significant acreage in the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale, value extraction from which is dependent upon the lifting of the New York moratorium on high volume hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) of horizontal wells. We intend to position ourselves to take advantage of our New York State shale resources if and when the moratorium is lifted.

We were founded in 2006 by a group of individuals with extensive experience in the oil and gas and finance industries. With an average of over 20 years of industry experience, our expanded management team has a proven track record of working as a team to acquire, develop and exploit oil and natural gas reserves in the Mid-Continent and Appalachian regions.

Our acreage position was 305,878 gross (278,180 net) acres at June 30, 2014, which we group into two primary areas based on geographic locations: Mid-Continent (sometimes also referred to as Mid-Con) and Appalachia, which are comprised of approximately 21,521 gross (16,571 net) acres and 284,537 gross (261,608 net) acres, respectively.

Since our inception, we have completed three significant acquisitions, four bolt-on acquisitions and one divestiture. In December 2006, the Company acquired for $9.4 million DK Gas, located in Hawthorn, Pennsylvania where the Company continues to maintain an operations facility today. The acquisition included approximately 150 operating gas wells and 6,000 leased acres in Jefferson, Clarion and Armstrong Counties in Pennsylvania. In December 2009, the Company purchased approximately 1,600 operating wells (predominantly gas) and 300,000 leased acres located in upstate New York from Range Resources Corporation for $38.0 million. The wells and leases are located in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Wyoming, Ontario, Seneca, Cayuga and Wayne Counties in New York and Erie County in Pennsylvania. The Company maintains an operations facility in Mayville, New York. In December 2010, the Company purchased approximately 300 operating wells (predominantly oil) and 22,000 leased acres located in central Kansas from Amadeus Petroleum for $55.9 million. The Company maintains operations facilities in Great Bend, Plainville, and Wichita, Kansas. With respect to the bolt-on acquisitions, the Company consummated one bolt-on acquisition in the Mid-Con region in June 2012 for $1.7 million and three bolt-on acquisitions in Appalachia in each of September 2011, April 2012 and August 2012 for an aggregate of $0.4 million. With respect to the divestiture, in 2010, the Company sold the deep drilling rights for the acreage acquired from DK Gas to a third party for $24.6 million.

From the time we began operations in December 2006 through June 30, 2014, we have drilled 38 gross operated vertical wells on our properties with an 84% success rate and we have drilled no horizontal wells.

In 2013, due to our strategy of building up cash reserves for potential proved developed producing (PDP) heavy acquisitions, our development capital was only approximately $1.3 million and we drilled a total of

1


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

7 gross (6 net) wells. In 2014, we plan to invest at least $5.0 million of development capital to drill 21 gross (20 net) wells. Following this offering, we would seek to increase the investment of wells drilled in 2014 by at least $2.5 million, which should result in the drilling of an additional 8 gross (5 net) wells.

The following chart shows our average net daily production for each quarter from the fourth quarter of 2006 until the fourth quarter of 2013, which shows an uptrend after acquisitions completed in each of December 2006, December 2009 and December 2010.

Average Daily Production

[GRAPHIC MISSING]  

The following table provides a summary of our acreage, average working interest, producing wells, drilling locations, years of drilling inventory, our average net daily production for the six months ended June 30, 2014, projected 2014 gross and net wells drilled and projected 2014 drilling and completion capital budget as of December 31, 2013 (not taking into account the proceeds from this offering).

                         
  Acreage(1)   Average Working Interest   Producing Wells   Identified Drilling Locations(2)   Drilling Inventory Years(3)   June 2014 YTD
Average Net Daily Production
    2014 Projected Wells Drilled   2014 Projected D&C Capex Budget
($ mm)
  Gross   Net   Gross   Net   Gross   Net   Gross   Net
Mid-Con     21,521       16,571       77 %      294       226       127       90       13       437       Boe       10       6     $ 3.6  
Appalachia     284,357       261,608       92 %      1,750       1,610       38       26       3       4,952       Mcfe       11       10       1.4  
Total     305,878       278,180       91 %      2,044       1,836       165       116       8       1,262       Boe       21       16     $ 5.0  

(1) Mid-Con acreage is 98% oil-related. Appalachian acreage is 99% natural gas-related, although the 2014 drilling program relates to one Bass Island Reef (NY) oil well and at least ten Upper Devonian Bradford Group oil and liquids rich wells.
(2) Based on our reserve reports as of December 31, 2013, we had 165 gross (116 net) locations. Please see “Business — Oil and Natural Gas Reserves — Determination of Identified Drilling Locations” for more information regarding the process and criteria through which these drilling locations were identified. The reserve report of LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd. as of December 31, 2013 identified 28 PUD drilling locations in Kansas, of which 17 were identified to be drilled in 2014. Due to recent lease acquisitions and additional information (a geologic evaluation prepared by an outside consultant and the presence of off-setting production), as of July 1, 2014, we have elected to drill six PUDs, one possible and three probable locations in Kansas. One of these PUDs was found to be a dry hole. As a result of this dry hole, the stice #10 well is on hold until further seismic testing can be completed. If the seismic

2


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

testing is found to be satisfactory, the well will be drilled in 2015. If the seismic testing is found to be unsatisfactory, the PUD will be removed from the reserve report. The reserves on this drilling location amount to 15,802 net Bbls and a PV 10 of $490,507. Another PUD location will be drilled in 2014 to take the place of the PUD on hold. In New York, all of the acreage was acquired after the Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. reserve report was calculated and, therefore, the 11 drilling locations are not part of such reserve report. The drilling locations on which we actually drill will depend on the availability of capital, regulatory approval, commodity prices, costs, actual drilling results and other factors. Please see “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Business — Our gross identified drilling locations are scheduled out over a number of years, making them susceptible to uncertainties that could materially alter the occurrence or timing of their drilling. In addition, we may not be able to raise the substantial amount of capital that would be necessary to drill our identified drilling locations.”
(3) Calculated by dividing our gross identified drilling locations by the number of wells we expect to drill in 2014.

The following table provides a summary of our drilling results (gross and net) for the first half of 2014 and for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011.

               
  Six Months Ended
June 30, 2014
  2013   2012   2011
     Gross   Net   Gross   Net   Gross   Net   Gross   Net
Exploratory Wells:
                                                                       
Productive     3       3                                      
Dry     1       1       2       2       3       2              
Total Exploratory     4       4       2       2       3       2              
Development Wells:
                                                                       
Productive                 5       4       4       3       7       6  
Dry                                                
Total Development                 5       4       4       3       7       6  
Total Wells:
                                                                       
Productive     3       3       5       4       4       3       7       6  
Dry     1       1       2       2       3       2              
Total     4       4       7       6       7       5       7       6  

Our estimate of proved reserves is prepared by Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. for Appalachia and LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd. for Mid-Con. As of January 1, 2014, we had 7.7 MBoe of proved reserves, of which by value 74% was oil and 26% was natural gas. As of January 1, 2014, the PV-10 of our proved reserves was approximately $102.5 million, 94% of which was attributed to proved developed reserves. The following table provides information regarding our reserves and production by area as of January 1, 2014, except as otherwise noted below:

         
                                                    Estimated Total Proved Reserves and Production
     2013
     Reserves   Production
Region   Oil (MBbls)   Natural Gas (MMcf)   Total
(MBoe)
  PV-10(1)
(in thousands)
  Average Net Daily Production (Boe/D)
Reserve Category
                                            
Proved Developed:
                                            
Mid-Con     2,599       235       2,638     $ 63,361       447  
Appalachia     61       27,098       4,577       26,357       896  
Undeveloped:
                                            
Mid-Con     427       130       449       12,784        
Appalachia                              
Total Proved     3,087       27,463       7,664     $ 102,502       1,343  

3


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(1) PV-10 is derived from the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows, which is the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure. PV-10 is a computation of the standardized measure on a pre-tax basis. PV-10 is equal to the standardized measure at the applicable date, before deducting future income taxes, discounted at 10%. We believe that the presentation of PV-10 is relevant and useful to investors because it presents the discounted future net cash flows attributable to our estimated net proved reserves prior to taking into account future corporate income taxes, and it is a useful measure for evaluating the relative monetary significance of our oil and natural gas properties. Further, investors may utilize the measure as a basis for comparison of the relative size and value of our reserves to other companies. We use this measure when assessing the potential return on investment related to our oil and natural gas properties. PV-10, however, is not a substitute for the standardized measure. Our PV-10 measure and the standardized measure do not purport to present the fair value of our oil and natural gas reserves.

The following table provides a reconciliation of PV-10 to the standardized measure for our proved reserves at December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011:

     
  Historical
as of December 31,
     2013   2012   2011
       (In thousands)
 
PV-10   $ 102,502     $ 114,351     $ 124,944  
Present value of future income taxes discounted at 10%     25,625       39,223       37,912  
Standardized Measure(1)   $ 76,877     $ 75,128     $ 87,032  

(1) Standardized measure is calculated in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 932, Extractive Activities — Oil and Gas.

Of the more than 2,000 producing wells in the Mid-Con and Appalachian Basins, many of these wells have participating partners, referred to as Working Interest (WI) owners, which were owners prior to our purchase of the particular assets. The rights and obligations of both parties are clearly defined, governed and protected by a Joint Operating Agreement (JOA). Each WI owner participates financially in a well based on their percentage ownership and pays their proportionate share of the costs to drill and operate the well. Their Net Revenue Interest is their WI percentage less their proportionate share of any royalties. We and the existing partners continue to live within the conditions of these JOAs, to prudently produce, develop and operate the asset in a manner that is mutually beneficial to all parties. To date, there have been no disagreements or litigation concerning JOA operations, and none are anticipated.

Competitive Strengths

We possess a number of competitive strengths that we believe will help us to successfully execute our business strategies, including:

High caliber management team with substantial technical and operational expertise.  Our management team has an average of over 20 years of industry experience. We believe our management and technical team is one of our principal competitive strengths due to our team's industry experience and history of working together in the identification, execution and integration of acquisitions, cost efficient management of profitable, large scale drilling programs and disciplined allocation of capital focused on rates of return.
Long lived assets with low development and production risk generates consistent cash flow.  Wells in the Mid-Con and Appalachian have a low development risk and maintain consistent production for a 30 to 40 year time frame. Our natural gas wells are located near end-user markets and consistently receive premium prices over wells located on the Gulf coast and require little maintenance, thus generating consistent cash flows.
High quality asset base with significant oil exposure in the Mid-Con.  We have intentionally focused on crude oil opportunities to benefit from the relative disparity between oil and natural gas prices on an energy-equivalent basis, which has persisted over the last several years and which we

4


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

expect to continue in the future. By value, approximately 74% of our proved reserves is from oil as of December 31, 2013, and 65% of our daily production for the year ended December 31, 2013 was from oil.
Attractive returns on relatively low risk, 3D seismic generated oil drilling targets in the Mid-Continent basin.  Based on our own drilling experience and wells drilled by the previous owners, a typical Arbuckle well is expected to produce a gross EUR of 20.7 MBbls of oil, an internal rate of return of 66%, with an initial production rate of 642Bbl/month and a well cost of $350,000. The economics are based on the April 28, 2014 NYMEX price strip, and costs based on the Company’s experience with new wells. This excludes any up-hole producing formations (Lansing/Kansas City).
Large, concentrated acreage position with significant operational control in Appalachia.  We currently have 232,010 acres in the Marcellus Shale and 141,521 acres in the Utica Shale, 87% of which is held by production. Horizontal drilling and fracking technology has continued to advance in other parts of the Marcellus and Utica Shales, resulting in increased EURs and reduced well costs in the shale industry. Fracking has proven to be very successful in major shale plays in the Marcellus and Utica Shales in nearby States of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. As a result of the New York fracking moratorium, the Company has not been able to develop the most lucrative aspects of its holdings.
Access to multiple takeaway pipelines.  We have the ability to move natural gas to several different pipelines depending upon demand, capacity, and price in order to maximize revenue. Demand for natural gas in local markets is seasonal. When demand is low in these markets, we are able to move gas to interstate markets, thus avoiding the necessity to shut in our wells.

Business Strategies

We maintain a disciplined and analytical approach to investing in which we seek to direct capital in a manner that will maximize our rates of return as we develop our extensive resource base. Key elements of our strategy are:

Grow reserves, production and cash flow with low-risk vertical drilling.  We have considerable experience managing drilling programs and intend to efficiently develop our acreage position to maximize the value of our resource base. In the Mid-Con by utilizing 3D seismic we are able to accurately generate oil drilling targets. Over 2013 we undertook several 3D seismic programs on existing and new acreage acquired in previous years and commenced investment in a new drilling program. During 2013 we invested $1.3 million of development capital and drilled five gross (four net) development wells and two gross (2.0 net) exploration wells, the latter of which were dry holes. Based on our own development drilling experience, a generic Arbuckle well at a well cost of $350,000 is expected to produce an internal rate of return of around 66% with an initial gross production rate of 642 Bbl/month. This excludes any reserves and production for up-hole producing formations (such as the Lansing/Kansas City formations).
Evaluate and pursue oil-weighted acquisitions where we can add value through our technical expertise and knowledge of the Mid-Con basin.  We have experience acquiring and developing oil-weighted properties in the Mid-Con region, and we expect to continue to selectively acquire additional properties in the Mid-Con region that meet our rate-of-return objectives. We believe our experience as a leading operator and our infrastructure footprint in the Mid-Con region provide us with a competitive advantage in successfully executing and integrating acquisitions.
Continuously improve capital and operating efficiency.  We continuously focus on optimizing the development of our resource base by seeking ways to maximize our recovery per well relative to the cost incurred and to minimize our operating cost per Mcfe produced. We apply an analytical approach to track and monitor the effectiveness of our drilling and completion techniques and service providers. Additionally, we seek to build infrastructure that allows us to achieve economies of scale and reduce operating costs. Specifically, we purchased 166 miles of gathering lines in

5


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

New York to enhance our New York gas production. We continue to identify opportunities to increase our pipeline networks in New York to ensure transportation cost control and taps into alternative pipeline networks.
Strategic natural gas production, pipeline and acreage acquisition in Appalachia.  We have experience acquiring and operating natural gas gathering and transportation pipelines in New York and Pennsylvania. We believe that any consolidation of existing conventional gas producers in Appalachia may provide opportunities for us to acquire assets providing our required rate-of-return gas production objectives as well as providing control over the transportation of our own gas to either regional utilities or major pipeline taps.
Maintain a disciplined, growth-oriented financial strategy.  We intend to fund our growth predominantly with internally generated cash flows while maintaining ample liquidity and access to capital markets. Substantially all of our lease terms allow us to allocate capital among projects in a manner that optimizes both costs and returns, resulting in a highly efficient drilling program. In addition, these terms allow us to adjust our capital spending depending on commodity prices and market conditions. We expect our cash flows from operating activities, availability under our credit agreement and the net proceeds of this offering to be sufficient to fund our capital expenditures and other obligations necessary to execute our business plan in 2014. Furthermore, for future PDP heavy acquisitions, we plan to hedge a significant portion of known production in order to stabilize our cash flows and maintain liquidity. This will allow us to sustain a planned debt repayment program and allow a consistent drilling program, with hedging of new production based on circumstances at the time, thereby preserving operational efficiencies that help us achieve our targeted rates of return.
Monetize our New York land holdings if the New York fracking moratorium is lifted.  We currently have 232,010 acres in the Marcellus Shale and 141,521 acres in the Utica Shale. Horizontal drilling and fracking technology has continued to advance in other parts of the Marcellus and Utica Shales, resulting in increased EURs and reduced well costs. Fracking has proven to be very successful in major shale plays in the Marcellus and Utica Shales in nearby States of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. As a result of the New York fracking moratorium, the Company has not been able to develop the most lucrative aspects of its holdings.

Recent Developments

Our Capital Restructuring Program.  Pursuant to a plan of conversion, as soon as practicable after the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, Imperial Resources, LLC (“Imperial”) will file a certificate of conversion, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is part (the “Certificate of Conversion”), with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, pursuant to which Imperial will convert into a Delaware corporation and continue in the name of Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. (the “Corporate Reorganization”). Upon the filing of the Certificate of Conversion, the sole membership percentage interest of Empire Energy Group Limited (“Empire Energy Group“) in Imperial issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Corporate Reorganization will be converted automatically into 9,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01, with such shares of common stock having the respective rights, preferences and privileges set forth in the certificate of incorporation of the Company, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The membership percentage interest outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the conversion shall be converted automatically, without any action on the part of the holder thereof, into validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of the Company’s common stock.

Third Quarter 2014 Drilling and Production.  We plan to complete 12 gross Upper Devonian Bradford Group (NY) oil and liquids rich wells in the Appalachian Basin, in addition to two gross oil wells being drilled in the Mid-Con as operator. We expect production in the Mid-Con to be relatively flat in the third quarter, compared to the second quarter. We expect increases to begin to occur at the beginning of the fourth quarter as these projects come on stream. We expect production in the Appalachian Basin to maintain second quarter levels.

6


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Risks Related to Our Business

Our business is subject to numerous risks, as more fully described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” immediately following this prospectus summary. You should read and carefully consider these risks, together with all of the other information in this prospectus, including the financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before deciding whether to invest in our common stock. If any of the risks discussed in this prospectus actually occur, our business, financial condition, operating results or cash flows could be materially adversely affected.

Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company

We qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012. As an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of specified reduced disclosure and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. See “Risk Factors — For as long as we are an emerging growth company, we will not be required to comply with certain requirements, including those relating to accounting standards and disclosure about our executive compensation, that apply to other public companies.” These provisions include:

only two years of audited financial statements in addition to any required unaudited interim financial statements with correspondingly reduced “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” disclosure;
reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements;
no non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements;
waiver of the compliance with any new requirements adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or the “PCAOB”; and
exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting.

We may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these exemptions. We have also taken advantage of reduced reporting requirements in this prospectus. Accordingly, the information contained herein may be different than the information you receive from other public companies in which you hold stock.

We have elected to use the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards under Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act. This election allows us to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until those standards apply to private companies. As a result of this election, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates.

We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.0 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeded $700.0 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period.

We refer to the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 in this prospectus as the “JOBS Act,” and references in this prospectus to “emerging growth company” have the meaning associated with it in the JOBS Act.

Notwithstanding the above, we are also currently a “smaller reporting company” meaning that we are not an investment company, an asset-backed issuer, or a majority-owned subsidiary of a parent company that is not a smaller reporting company and have a public float of less than $75 million and annual revenues of less than $50 million during the most recently completed fiscal year. In the event that we are still considered a smaller reporting company, at such time that we cease being an emerging growth company, the disclosure we will be required to provide in our Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings will increase, but will still be less than it would be if we were not considered either an emerging growth company or a smaller reporting company. Specifically, similar to emerging growth companies, smaller reporting companies are able to provide simplified executive compensation disclosures in their filings; are exempt from the provisions of

7


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requiring that independent registered public accounting firms provide an attestation report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting; and have certain other decreased disclosure obligations in their SEC filings, including, among other things, only being required to provide two years of audited financial statements in annual reports.

Corporate Reorganization

Prior to the completion of the Corporate Reorganization, Imperial is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Empire Energy Group, a corporation listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under the symbol “EEG,” and its American Depository Receipts (“ADRs”) are traded on the OTCQX under the symbol “EEGNY”. While Empire Energy Group will continue to have its ADRs traded on the OTCQX, we desire to separate the U.S. operating assets from the large scale Australian frontier exploration assets and benefit from increased liquidity in the U.S. markets by listing separately on The NASDAQ Capital Market (“NASDAQ”).

The diagram below sets forth our simplified organizational structure prior to the Corporate Reorganization:

[GRAPHIC MISSING]  

Pursuant to a plan of conversion, as soon as practicable after the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, Imperial will file a Certificate of Conversion, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, pursuant to which Imperial will convert into a Delaware corporation and continue in the name of Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. Upon the filing of the Certificate of Conversion and without any action on the part of the holder, the sole membership percentage interest in Imperial issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Corporate Reorganization held by Empire Energy Group will be converted automatically into 9,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01, with such shares of

8


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

common stock having the respective rights, preferences and privileges set forth in the certificate of incorporation of the Company, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

The certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Company after the Corporate Reorganization will contain customary provisions for public companies.

The diagram below sets forth our simplified organizational structure after the Corporate Reorganization and this offering. This chart is provided for illustrative purposes only and does not represent all legal entities affiliated with us. The ownership percentages after this offering are based on an estimated valuation of the Company using an assumed initial public offering price of $     per share and accompanying warrant, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and assuming that (i) the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares and/or warrants is not exercised and (ii) neither the warrants offered hereby in this offering nor the Representative’s Warrants are exercised.

[GRAPHIC MISSING]  

(1) Will include 1,000,000 shares, representing approximately 8% of the issued and outstanding common stock, to be beneficially owned by Macquarie Americas Corp. in connection with the exercise of its warrant. See “Principal Stockholders” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions — Warrant.”

Corporate Information

Our principal executive offices are located at 380 Southpointe Boulevard, Suite 130, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania 15317, and our telephone number is (724) 483-2070. Our website is www.empireenergygroup.net. We expect to make our periodic reports and other information filed with or furnished to the SEC available free of charge through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports and other information are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. The information contained in, or otherwise accessible through, our website or any other website does not constitute a part of this prospectus.

9


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE OFFERING

Securities offered:    
         shares of our common stock, together with warrants to purchase      shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $     per share.
Common stock to be outstanding after the offering(1):    
         shares (     shares if the warrants are exercised in full).
Description of warrants:    
    The warrants will have a per share exercise price equal to 125% of the public offering price of the common stock. The warrants will be immediately exercisable and will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the fifth anniversary date of the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
Underwriters’ over-allotment option:    
    The Underwriting Agreement provides that we grant to Maxim Group LLC, the sole book-running manager of the offering, an option, exercisable within 45 days after the closing of this offering, to acquire up to an additional      shares and/or additional warrants to purchase up to an additional      shares of our common stock, solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments.
Use of proceeds:    
    We currently expect to use the net proceeds from this offering for future acquisitions and drilling, to fund a portion of our capital expenditure plan and for general corporate purposes. Pending such usage, we expect to invest the proceeds in short-term interest-bearing instruments. See “Use of Proceeds” below.
Dividend policy:    
    We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock. In addition, certain of our debt instruments place restrictions on our ability to pay cash dividends. See “Dividend Policy.”
Risk factors:    
    You should carefully read and consider the information set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” and all other information set forth in this prospectus before deciding to invest in our securities.
Lock-up:    
    We, our directors, executive officers and certain of our existing stockholders have agreed with the underwriters not to offer, issue, sell, contract to sell, encumber, grant any option for the sale of or otherwise dispose of any of our securities for a period of 180 days from the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, subject to certain exceptions. See “Underwriting” for more information.
Listing and trading symbol:    
    We have applied for listing of our common stock on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “EEHI” and our warrants on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “EEHIW.”

(1) The number of shares of our common stock that will be outstanding immediately after this offering is based on 9,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company outstanding as of            , 2014 as if the membership interest percentage outstanding as of such date was converted pursuant to the Corporate Reorganization, and excludes the following:

10


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

          shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our post-offering stock incentive plans;
up to      additional shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option;
1,000,000 shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrant held by Macquarie Americas Corp.;
       shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants offered hereby in this offering; and
     shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants upon completion of this offering.

Except for historical financial information or as otherwise indicated herein, all information in this prospectus, including the number of shares that will be outstanding after this offering, assumes or gives effect to:

no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase up to        additional shares of our common stock and/or warrants to purchase      additional shares from us in this offering;
no exercise of the warrant held by Macquarie Americas Corp.;
no exercise of the warrants offered hereby;
no exercise of the Representative’s Warrants; and
our Corporate Reorganization in connection with this offering.

11


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

The following table summarizes the historical consolidated balance sheet data, statements of operations data and statements of cash flows data (i) as of and for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2013 derived from, and qualified by reference to, the audited consolidated financial statements of Imperial included elsewhere in this prospectus, and (ii) as of and for the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2014 derived from, and qualified by reference to, the unaudited consolidated financial statements of Imperial included elsewhere in this prospectus. The financial data of Imperial, a holding company, are inclusive of its wholly owned subsidiaries Empire Energy USA, LLC and Empire Energy E&P, LLC. The summary financial data presented below should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto and “Selected Historical Consolidated Financial Data,” “Capitalization” and “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

The summary unaudited pro forma consolidated balance sheet data as of June 30, 2014 and the statements of operations data and statements of cash flows data for the year ended December 31, 2013 and the six months ended June 30, 2014 have been prepared to give pro forma effect to (i) the Corporate Reorganization, pursuant to which Imperial will be converted into the Company and its only direct holdings will be Empire Energy USA, LLC, and (ii) this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering as if they had been completed as of January 1, 2013 or 2014, as applicable. The summary unaudited pro forma consolidated financial data are presented for informational purposes only and should not be considered indicative of actual results of operations that would have been achieved had the Corporate Reorganization and this offering been consummated on the dates indicated, and do not purport to be indicative of statements of financial position or results of operations as of any further date or for any future period.

           
  Imperial Resources, LLC
(Actual)
  Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. (Pro Forma)
     Six Months
Ended
June 30,
  Year Ended
December 31,
  Six Months Ended
June 30,
  Year Ended December 31,
     2014   2013   2013   2012   2014   2013
     (Unaudited)             (Unaudited)
(in thousands)
                                                     
Statements of operations data:
                                                     
Revenues:
                                                     
Oil and gas sales   $ 11,700     $ 11,640     $ 22,842     $ 22,013     $ 11,700     $ 22,842  
Well operations service fees     435       503       909       548       435       909  
Oil and natural gas price risk management income, net     194       1,315       2,135       4,259       194       2,135  
Total revenues     12,330       13,457       25,886       26,820       12,330       25,886  
Operating expenses:
                                                     
Cost of oil and gas sales     3,312       3,044       6,218       6,209       3,312       6,218  
Ad valorem and production tax     374       758       1,163       858       374       1,163  
Cost of well operation services     2,103       1,939       3,949       3,637       2,103       3,949  
Exploratory dry hole costs     45       26       729       197       45       729  
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     2,558       2,747       5,854       5,420       2,558       5,854  
General and administrative(1)     1,748       1,917       3,463       3,431       1,144       2,270  
Expiration costs     56       97       152       1,027       56       152  
Total operating expenses     10,197       10,528       21,528       20,779       9,593       20,335  
Operating income     2,133       2,929       4,358       6,041       2,737       5,551  
Interest expense     (1,391 )      (3,004 )      (4,381 )      (8,827 )      (1,391 )      (4,381 ) 
Other income     154       206       (257 )      399       154       (257 ) 
Gain (loss) on disposal of property and equipment     736             (28 )      (164 )      736       (28 ) 
Other expense     (566 )      (50 )      429       (476 )            429  
Income tax (expense) benefit     (376 )      (9 )      (30 )      2,188       (590 )      (326 ) 
Net income (loss)   $ 690     $ 72     $ 91     $ (839 )    $ 1,081     $ 988  

12


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(1) Includes Imperial Resources expenses of $0.6 million and $0.7 million for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and $1.2 million and $1.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, which will no longer be incurred after the offering.

           
  Imperial Resources, LLC
(Actual)
  Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. (Pro Forma)
     Six Months
Ended
June 30,
  Year Ended
December 31,
  Six Months Ended
June 30,
  Year Ended December 31,
     2014   2013   2013   2012   2014   2013
     (Unaudited)             (Unaudited)
(in thousands)
                                                     
Net cash provided by (used in):
                                                     
Operating activities   $ 2,054     $ 3,828     $ 9,224     $ 15,794                    
Investing activities     525       (1,028 )      (3,162 )      (4,246 )                   
Financing activities     (624 )      (4,094 )      (8,226 )      (8,745 )                   
Other financial data (unaudited):
                                                     
Adjusted EBITDAX(1)(2)   $ 4,370     $ 5,907     $ 11,175     $ 12,608     $ 4,975     $ 12,368  
Earnings per unit — basic                           $ 0.09     $ 0.09  
Earnings per unit — diluted                             0.09       0.09  

     
  Imperial Resources, LLC
(Actual)
June 30, 2014
  Imperial Resources, LLC
(Actual)
December 31, 2013
  Empire Energy Holdings, Inc.
(Pro Forma)
June 30, 2014
(in thousands)
                          
Balance sheet data (at period end):
                          
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 4,074     $ 2,118     $ 21,546  
Land, property and equipment, net     95,125       97,518       95,125  
Total assets     112,191       113,606       129,663  
Total long-term debt, including current portion     48,892       49,846       48,892  
Total equity     40,942       42,273       58,414  

(1) Adjusted EBITDAX is a non-GAAP financial measure. For a definition of Adjusted EBITDAX and a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDAX to net income (loss), see “— Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below.
(2) Includes Imperial Resources expenses of $0.6 million and $0.7 million for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and $1.2 million and $1.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, which will no longer be incurred after the offering. These amounts have been removed from the pro forma EBITDAX balances.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Adjusted EBITDAX is a supplemental non-GAAP financial measure that is used by management and external users of our consolidated financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, lenders and rating agencies.

We define Adjusted EBITDAX as net income (loss) before interest expense or interest income; income taxes; write-down of abandoned leases; impairments; depreciation, depletion and amortization; amortization of deferred financing costs; equity in (income) loss in a joint venture; non-cash compensation expense; gain from sale of interest in gas properties; and exploration expenses. Adjusted EBITDAX is not a measure of net income as determined by United States generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP.

Management believes Adjusted EBITDAX is useful because it allows them to more effectively evaluate our operating performance and compare the results of our operations from period to period and against our peers without regard to our financing methods or capital structure. We exclude the items listed above from net income in arriving at Adjusted EBITDAX because these amounts can vary substantially from company to company within our industry depending upon accounting methods and book values of assets, capital structures

13


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

and the method by which the assets were acquired. Adjusted EBITDAX should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income as determined in accordance with GAAP or as an indicator of our operating performance or liquidity. Certain items excluded from Adjusted EBITDAX are significant components in understanding and assessing a company’s financial performance, such as a company’s cost of capital and tax structure, as well as the historic costs of depreciable assets, none of which are components of Adjusted EBITDAX. Our computations of Adjusted EBITDAX may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. We believe that Adjusted EBITDAX is a widely followed measure of operating performance and may also be used by investors to measure our ability to meet debt service requirements.

The following tables present a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure of Adjusted EBITDAX to the GAAP financial measure of net income (loss).

           
     Imperial Resources, LLC   Empire Energy Holdings, Inc.
(Pro Forma)
     Six Months Ended
June 30,
  Year Ended
December 31,
  Six Months Ended
June 30,
  Year Ended December 31,
     2014   2013   2013   2012   2014   2013
     (Unaudited)             (Unaudited)
(in thousands)
                             
Consolidated net income (loss)   $ 690     $ 72     $ 91     $ (839 )    $ 1,081     $ 988  
Income tax expense (benefit)     376       9       30       (2,188 )      590       326  
Interest expense     1,228       2,236       3,496       4,750       1,228       3,496  
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     2,558       2,747       5,854       5,420       2,558       5,854  
Exploratory dry hole costs     45       26       729       197       45       729  
Discount on debt     81       544       579       2,971       81       579  
Amortization of deferred financing costs     82       223       305       1,106       82       305  
Equity income in joint ventures     (9 )      (46 )      (86 )            (9 )      (86 ) 
Write-down on abandoned leases     56       97       152       1,027       56       152  
(Gain) loss on disposal of property and equipment     (736 )            28       164       (736 )      28  
Interest income     (1 )      (1 )      (3 )      (6 )      (1 )      (3 ) 
Adjusted EBITDAX   $ 4,370     $ 5,907     $ 11,175     $ 12,608     $ 4,975     $ 12,368  
(1) Includes Imperial Resources expenses of $0.6 million and $0.7 million for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and $1.2 million and $1.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, which will no longer be incurred after the offering. These amounts have been removed from the pro forma EBITDAX balances.

14


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUMMARY RESERVE AND OPERATING DATA

The tables present, as of the dates indicated, summary data with respect to our estimated net proved oil and natural gas reserves and operating data.

The reserve estimates attributable to our properties at December 31, 2013 and 2012 presented in the table below are based on a reserve report prepared by Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. for Appalachia and LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd. for Mid-Con. All of these reserve estimates were prepared in accordance with the SEC's rules regarding oil and natural gas reserve reporting that are currently in effect. The following tables also contain summary unaudited information regarding production and sales of oil and natural gas with respect to such properties. For more information about our proved reserves as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, please read Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc.’s and LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd.’s reports, which have been filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Please read “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Business — Oil and Natural Gas Reserves” in evaluating the material presented below.

   
  As of December 31,
     2013   2012
Reserve Data
                 
Estimated proved reserves(1):
                 
Oil (MBbls)     3,087       3,370  
Natural gas (MMcf)     27,463       34,730  
Total estimated proved reserves (MBoe)     7,664       9,159  
Proved developed reserves (MBoe)     7,215       8,571  
% proved developed reserves     94 %      94 % 
Proved undeveloped reserves (MBoe)     449       588  
PV-10 of proved reserves(2) (in thousands)   $ 102,502     $ 114,351  
Present value of future income taxes discounted at 10% (in thousands)     25,625       39,223  
Standardized Measure (in thousands)   $ 76,877     $ 75,128  

(1) Our estimated net proved reserves were determined using a 12-month average price for oil and natural gas. The prices used in our reserve reports yield weighted average wellhead prices, which are based on index prices and adjusted for energy content, transportation fees and regional price differentials. The index prices and the equivalent wellhead prices are shown in the table below.
(2) PV-10 is a non-GAAP financial measure. For a definition of PV-10 and a reconciliation of PV-10 to the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows, see the Estimated Total Proved Reserves and Production table in “Prospectus Summary — Our Company” on page 3.

       
  Oil   Natural gas
Mid-Con   Index Price
(per Bbl)
  Weighted Average Wellhead Price
(per Bbl)
  Index Price
(per MMBtu)
  Weighted Average Wellhead Price
(per Mcf)
December 31, 2013   $ 96.94     $ 91.44     $ 3.67     $ 4.81  
December 31, 2012     93.19       82.55       3.56       6.67  

       
  Oil   Natural gas
Appalachia   Index Price
(per Bbl)
  Weighted Average Wellhead Price (per Bbl)   Index Price
(per MMBtu)
  Weighted Average Wellhead Price
(per Mcf)
December 31, 2013   $ 96.78     $ 96.78     $ 3.67     $ 3.92  
December 31, 2012     88.91       85.62       3.46       5.26  

15


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Production, Revenues and Price History

The following table sets forth information regarding production, revenues and realized prices, and production costs for the year ended December 31, 2013 and for the six months ended June 30, 2014. Revenues in the following table do not include well operations service fees although these fees are included in revenues as disclosed in the financial statements of Imperial included elsewhere in this prospectus.

   
  For the Year Ended December 31, 2013   For the
Six Months Ended
June 30,
2014
       (Unaudited)
Revenues (in thousands):
                 
Oil and gas sales   $ 22,842     $ 11,700  
Well operations service fees     909       435  
Oil and natural gas price risk management income, net     2,135       194  
Total revenues   $ 25,886     $ 12,330  
Production and operating data:
                 
Net production volumes:
                 
Oil (MBbls)     165       79  
Natural gas (MMcf)     1,954       897  
Total (MBoe)     490       228  
Average daily production volume:
                 
Oil (Bbls/D)     451       439  
Natural gas (Mcf/D)     5,354       4,982  
Combined (Boe/D)     1,343       1,269  
Average realized price before effects of hedges:(1)
                 
Oil ($/Bbl)   $ 92.85     $ 97.17  
Natural gas ($/Mcf)     3.87       4.49  
Combined ($/Boe)     46.59       51.22  
Average realized price after effects of hedges:(1)
                 
Oil ($/Bbl)   $ 86.53     $ 89.96  
Natural gas ($/Mcf)     5.50       5.34  
Combined ($/Boe)     50.95       52.07  
Operating expenses (per Boe):
                 
Production:
                 
Cost of oil and gas sales   $ 12.68     $ 14.50  
Ad valorem and production tax     2.38       1.64  
Cost of well operation services     8.05       9.21  
Exploratory dry hole costs     1.49       0.20  
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     11.94       11.20  
General and administrative     7.06       7.65  

(1) Average prices shown in the table reflect prices both before and after the effects of our realized commodity hedging transactions. Our calculation of such effects includes both realized gains or losses on cash settlements for commodity derivative transactions.
(2) General and administrative expenses do not include additional expenses we would have incurred as a result of being a public company.

16


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully the specific risk factors described below in addition to the other information contained in this prospectus, including our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in the prospectus, before making your investment decision. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects could be materially and adversely affected. This could cause the trading price of our securities to decline and you could lose all or part of your investment. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements made throughout this prospectus as a result of different factors, including the risks described below.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

Natural gas, NGL and oil prices are volatile. A substantial or extended decline in commodity prices may adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations and our ability to meet our capital expenditure obligations and financial commitments.

The prices we receive for our natural gas, NGL and oil production will heavily influence our revenue, operating results profitability, access to capital, future rate of growth and carrying value of our properties. Natural gas, NGLs and oil are commodities and, therefore, their prices are subject to wide fluctuations in response to relatively minor changes in supply and demand. Historically, the commodities market has been volatile. This market 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:

worldwide and regional economic conditions impacting the global supply of and demand for natural gas, NGLs and oil;
the price and quantity of imports of foreign natural gas, including liquefied natural gas;
political conditions in or affecting other producing countries, including conflicts in the Middle East, Africa, South America and Russia;
the level of global exploration and production;
the level of global inventories;
prevailing prices on local price indexes in the areas in which we operate and expectations about future commodity prices;
the proximity, capacity, cost and availability of gathering and transportation facilities, and other factors that result in differentials to benchmark prices;
localized and global supply and demand fundamentals and transportation availability;
severe weather conditions;
natural disasters;
technological advances affecting energy consumption;
the cost of exploring for, developing, producing and transporting reserves;
speculative trading in natural gas and crude oil derivative contracts;
the price and availability of competitors’ supplies of natural gas and oil and alternative fuels; and
domestic, local and foreign governmental regulation and taxes.

Furthermore, the worldwide financial and credit crisis in recent years has reduced the availability of liquidity and credit to fund the continuation and expansion of industrial business operations worldwide resulting in a slowdown in economic activity and recession in parts of the world. This has reduced worldwide demand for energy and resulted in lower natural gas, NGL and oil prices.

17


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

In addition, all of our natural gas production is sold to purchasers under contracts with market-based prices based on New York Mercantile Exchange (“NYMEX”) Henry Hub prices. The actual prices realized from the sale of natural gas differ from the quoted NYMEX Henry Hub price as a result of location differentials. Location differentials to NYMEX Henry Hub prices, also known as basis differential, result from variances in regional natural gas prices compared to NYMEX Henry Hub prices as a result of regional supply and demand factors. We may experience differentials to NYMEX Henry Hub prices in the future, which may be material.

Also, all of our oil production is sold to purchasers under contracts with market-based prices based on NYMEX — WTI prices. The actual prices realized from the sale of oil differ from the quoted NYMEX — WTI price as a result of location and specific gravity differentials. These differentials to NYMEX — WTI prices, also known as basis differential, result from variances in regional oil prices compared to NYMEX — WTI prices as a result of regional supply and demand factors. We may experience differentials to NYMEX — WTI prices in the future, which may be material.

Lower commodity prices and negative increases in our differentials will 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 natural gas, NGLs and oil that we can produce economically.

If commodity prices further decrease or our negative differentials further increase, a significant portion of our 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, a substantial or extended decline in commodity prices or an increase in our negative differentials may materially and adversely affect our future business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity or ability to finance planned capital expenditures.

Our development and exploration projects require substantial capital expenditures. We may be unable to obtain required capital or financing on satisfactory terms, which could lead to a decline in our natural gas reserves.

We make and expect to continue to make substantial capital expenditures for the development and acquisition of oil and natural gas reserves. In 2014, we plan to invest at least $5.0 million in our operations, including $3.6 million for drilling and completion of oil targets in the Mid-Con and $1.4 million for drilling and completion of newly identified oil targets in Appalachia. Our capital budget excludes acquisitions for which we have unutilized revolving and term loan credit facilities availability of up to $160 million, subject to lender approval. We expect to fund our 2014 capital expenditures with cash generated by operations, borrowings under our revolving credit facility and a portion of the net proceeds of this offering. Our 2014 capital expenditure budget also assumes that utilization of around $10 million availability of borrowing base under our revolving credit facility. If our lenders do not make available additional capacity under our borrowing base or other credit facilities available for acquisitions we may seek alternate debt financing or reduce our capital expenditures. In addition, a portion of our 2014 capital budget is projected to be financed with cash flows from operations derived from wells drilled on drilling locations not associated with proved reserves in our 2014 reserve report (see “Recent Developments — Third Quarter 2014 Drilling and Production”). The failure to achieve projected production and cash flows from operations from such wells could result in a reduction to our 2014 capital budget. The actual amount and timing of our future capital expenditures may differ materially from our estimates as a result of, among other things, oil or natural gas prices, actual drilling results, the availability of drilling rigs and other services and equipment, and regulatory, technological and competitive developments. A reduction in oil or natural gas prices from current levels may result in a decrease in our actual capital expenditures, which would negatively impact our ability to grow production. We intend to finance our future capital expenditures primarily through cash flow from operations and through borrowings under our revolving credit facilities; however, our financing needs may require us to alter or increase our capitalization substantially through the issuance of debt or equity securities or the sale of assets. The issuance of additional indebtedness would require that a portion of our cash flow from operations be used for the payment of interest and principal on our indebtedness, thereby reducing our ability to use cash flow from operations to fund working capital, capital expenditures and acquisitions.

18


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Our cash flow from operations and access to capital is subject to a number of variables, including:

our proved reserves;
the level of hydrocarbons we are able to produce from existing wells;
the prices at which our production is sold;
our ability to acquire, locate and produce new reserves;
the levels of our operating expenses; and
our ability to borrow under either our revolving credit or term loan facilities.

If our revenues or the borrowing base under our credit facilities decrease as a result of lower oil or natural gas prices, operating difficulties, declines in reserves or for any other reason, we may have limited ability to obtain the capital necessary to sustain our operations at current levels. If additional capital is needed, we may not be able to obtain debt or equity financing on terms acceptable to us, if at all. If cash flow generated by our operations or available borrowings under our credit facilities are not sufficient to meet our capital requirements, the failure to obtain additional financing could result in a curtailment of our operations relating to development of our properties, which in turn could lead to a decline in our reserves and production, and could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Drilling for and producing oil and natural gas are high-risk activities with many uncertainties that could result in a total loss of investment or otherwise adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our future financial condition and results of operations will depend on the success of our development and acquisition activities, which are subject to numerous risks beyond our control, including the risk that drilling will not result in commercially viable natural gas production, that we will not recover all or any portion of our investment in such wells or that various characteristics of the well will cause us to plug or abandon the well prior to producing in commercially viable quantities.

Our decisions to purchase, explore or develop prospects or properties will depend in part on the evaluation of data obtained through geophysical and geological analyses, production data and engineering studies, the results of which are often inconclusive or subject to varying interpretations. For a discussion of the uncertainty involved in these processes, see “— Reserve estimates depend on many assumptions that may turn out to be inaccurate. Any material inaccuracies in reserve estimates or underlying assumptions will materially affect the quantities and present value of our reserves.” In addition, our cost of drilling, completing and operating wells is often uncertain before drilling commences.

Further, many factors may curtail, delay or cancel our scheduled drilling projects, including the following:

delays imposed by or resulting from compliance with regulatory requirements including limitations resulting from wastewater disposal, discharge of greenhouse gases, and limitations on fracking;
pressure or irregularities in geological formations;
equipment failures, accidents or other unexpected operational events;
inability to deliver produced oil to a refinery;
lack of available gathering facilities or delays in construction of gathering facilities;
lack of available capacity on interconnecting transmission pipelines;
adverse weather conditions, such as blizzards and ice storms;
issues related to compliance with environmental regulations;

19


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

environmental hazards, such as natural gas leaks, oil spills, pipeline and tank ruptures, encountering naturally occurring radioactive materials, and unauthorized discharges of brine, well stimulation and completion fluids, toxic gases or other pollutants into the surface and subsurface environment;
declines in oil or natural gas prices;
limited availability of financing at acceptable terms;
title problems; and
limitations in the market for oil, natural gas or any other derivatives.

Any of these risks can cause substantial losses, including personal injury or loss of life, damage to or destruction of property, natural resources and equipment, pollution, environmental contamination or loss of wells and other regulatory penalties.

We have incurred losses from operations for various periods since our inception and may do so in the future.

We have incurred non-cash net losses for various periods since our inception. Our development of and participation in an increasingly larger number of prospects has required and will continue to require substantial capital expenditures. The uncertainty and factors described throughout this “Risk Factors” section may impede our ability to economically find, develop and acquire oil or natural gas reserves. As a result, we may not be able to sustain profitability or positive cash flows from operating activities in the future, which could adversely affect the trading price of our common stock.

We may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service all of our indebtedness and may be forced to take other actions to satisfy our obligations under applicable debt instruments, which may not be successful. In addition, any significant reduction in our borrowing base under the Revolver as a result of the periodic borrowing base redeterminations or otherwise may negatively impact our ability to fund our operations.

Our ability to make scheduled payments on or to refinance our indebtedness obligations, including our $50.0 million secured revolving credit facility (the “Revolver”) and our $150.0 million acquisition and development term credit facility (the “Term Facility”), depends on our financial condition and operating performance, which are subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and certain financial, business and other factors beyond our control. We may not be able to maintain a level of cash flows from operating activities sufficient to permit us to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness.

If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund debt service obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay investments and capital expenditures, sell assets, seek additional capital or restructure or refinance indebtedness. Our ability to restructure or refinance indebtedness will depend on the condition of the capital markets and our financial condition at such time. Any refinancing of indebtedness could be at higher interest rates and may require us to comply with more onerous covenants, which could further restrict business operations. The terms of existing or future debt instruments may restrict us from adopting some of these alternatives. In addition, any failure to make payments of interest and principal on outstanding indebtedness on a timely basis would likely result in a reduction of our credit rating, which could harm our ability to incur additional indebtedness. In the absence of sufficient cash flows and capital resources, we could face substantial liquidity problems and might be required to dispose of material assets or operations to meet debt service and other obligations. The Revolver currently restricts our ability to dispose of assets and our use of the proceeds from such disposition. We may not be able to consummate those dispositions, and the proceeds of any such disposition may not be adequate to meet any debt service obligations then due. These alternative measures may not be successful and may not permit us to meet scheduled debt service obligations.

The Revolver limits the amounts we can borrow up to a borrowing base amount, which the lender, in its sole discretion, determines on a semi-annual basis based upon projected revenues from the natural gas properties securing our loan. The lender can unilaterally adjust the borrowing base and the borrowings permitted to be outstanding under the Revolver. Any increase in the borrowing base requires the consent of the lender. The additional borrowing base availability under the Revolver is currently $10.0 million. Our next

20


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

scheduled borrowing base redetermination is expected to occur in February 2016 or immediately after any acquisition that we may make. In the future, we may not be able to access adequate funding under the Revolver if the lender does not agree to an increase, or if the lender determines that the borrowing base should be lowered. The borrowing base may be lowered due to declines in commodity prices, issuance of new indebtedness, the outcome of a subsequent borrowing base redetermination or an unwillingness or inability on the part of lending counterparties to meet their funding obligations and the inability of other lenders to provide additional funding to cover the defaulting lender’s portion. Outstanding borrowings in excess of the borrowing base must be repaid, or we must pledge other natural gas properties as additional collateral after applicable grace periods. As a result, we may be unable to implement our drilling and development plan, make acquisitions or otherwise carry out business plans, which would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations and impair our ability to service our indebtedness. We do not currently have any substantial unpledged properties, and we may not have the financial resources in the future to make mandatory principal prepayments required under the Revolver.

Insufficient takeaway capacity in the Appalachian Basin could cause significant fluctuations in our realized natural gas prices.

Although additional Appalachian Basin takeaway capacity has been added in 2012 and 2013, we do not believe the existing and expected capacity will be sufficient to keep pace with the increased production caused by accelerated drilling in the area. If we develop our potential natural gas resources and are unable to secure additional gathering and compression capacity and long-term firm takeaway capacity on major pipelines that are in existence or currently under construction in our core operating area to accommodate our growing production and to manage basis differentials, it could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Restrictions in our existing and future debt agreements could limit our growth and our ability to engage in certain activities.

The Revolver and the Term Facility each contain a number of significant covenants (in addition to covenants restricting the incurrence of additional indebtedness), including restrictive covenants that may limit our ability to, among other things:

sell assets;
make loans to others;
make investments;
enter into mergers;
make certain payments;
hedge future production or interest rates;
incur liens;
engage in certain other transactions without the prior consent of the lender; and
pay dividends.

In addition, our credit facilities require us to maintain certain financial ratios or to reduce our indebtedness if we are unable to comply with such ratios. As of June 30, 2014, we are in compliance with our financial covenants; however, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to comply with such terms at all times in the future. Any failure to comply with the conditions and covenants in our financing agreements that is not waived by our lender or otherwise cured could lead to a termination of our facilities, acceleration of all amounts due under such facilities, or trigger cross-default provisions under other financing arrangements. These restrictions may limit our ability to obtain future financings to withstand a future downturn in our business or the economy in general, or to otherwise conduct necessary corporate activities. We may also be prevented from taking advantage of business opportunities that arise because of the limitations that the restrictive covenants under our credit facilities impose on us. While we intend to obtain consent from the lender to the Company regarding this offering, we do not have consent yet and we cannot guarantee that such

21


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

consent will be received. Failure to obtain consent from the lender to the Company may result in a breach under our financing documents, which may have a material adverse impact on us.

Reserve estimates depend on many assumptions that may turn out to be inaccurate. Any material inaccuracies in reserve estimates or underlying assumptions will materially affect the quantities and present value of our reserves.

The process of estimating oil and natural gas reserves is complex. It requires interpretations of available technical data and many assumptions, including assumptions relating to current and future economic conditions and commodity prices. Any significant inaccuracies in these interpretations or assumptions could materially affect the estimated quantities and present value of our reserves.

In order to prepare reserve estimates, we must project production rates and timing of development expenditures. We must also 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 natural gas prices, drilling and operating expenses, capital expenditures, taxes and availability of funds.

Actual future production, oil and natural gas prices, revenues, taxes, development expenditures, operating expenses and quantities of recoverable natural gas reserves will vary from our estimates. As a substantial portion of our reserve estimates are made without the benefit of a lengthy production history, any significant variance from the above assumption could materially affect the estimated quantities and present value of our reserves. In addition, we may adjust reserve estimates to reflect production history, results of exploration and development, existing commodity prices and other factors, many of which are beyond our control.

You should not assume that the present value of future net revenues from our reserves is the current market value of our estimated natural gas reserves. We generally base the estimated discounted future net cash flows from reserves on prices and costs on the date of the estimate. Actual future prices and costs may differ materially from those used in the present value estimate.

Reserve estimates for fields that do not have a lengthy production history are less reliable than estimates for fields with lengthy production histories. Less production history may contribute to less accurate estimates of reserves, future production rates and the timing of development expenditures. A material and adverse variance of actual production, revenues and expenditures from those underlying reserve estimates would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our gross identified drilling locations are scheduled out over a number of years, making them susceptible to uncertainties that could materially alter the occurrence or timing of their drilling. In addition, we may not be able to raise the substantial amount of capital that would be necessary to drill our identified drilling locations.

Our management team has specifically identified and scheduled certain well locations as an estimation of our future multi-year drilling activities on our existing acreage. These well locations represent a significant part of our growth strategy. Our ability to drill and develop these locations depends on a number of uncertainties, including natural gas and oil prices, the availability and cost of capital, drilling and production costs, availability of drilling services and equipment, drilling results, lease expirations, gathering system and pipeline transportation constraints, access to and availability of water sourcing and distribution systems, regulatory approvals and other factors. Because of these uncertain factors, we do not know if the numerous drilling locations we have identified will ever be drilled or if we will be able to produce natural gas or oil from these or any other identified drilling locations. In addition, unless production is established within the spacing units covering the undeveloped acres on which some of the potential locations are obtained, the leases for such acreage will expire. Further, certain of the horizontal wells we intend to drill in the future may require unitization with adjacent leaseholds controlled by third parties. If these third parties are unwilling to unitize such leaseholds with ours, this may limit the total locations we can drill. As such, our actual drilling activities may materially differ from those presently identified.

We are continually seeking to increase our stock of drilling locations through either lease acquisition or an ongoing seismic program. As of June 30, 2014, we had 165 gross (116 net) identified drilling locations. As

22


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

a result of the limitations described above, we may be unable to drill many of our identified drilling locations. In addition, we will require significant additional capital over a prolonged period in order to pursue the development of these locations, and we may not be able to raise or generate the capital required to do so. Any drilling activities we are able to conduct on these potential locations may not be successful or result in our ability to add additional proved reserves to our overall proved reserves or may result in a downward revision of our estimated proved reserves, which could have a material adverse effect on our future business and results of operations.

The standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows from our proved reserves will not be the same as the current market value of our estimated oil and natural gas reserves.

You should not assume that the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows from our proved reserves is the current market value of our estimated oil and natural gas reserves. In accordance with SEC requirements in effect at December 31, 2012 and 2013, we based the discounted future net cash flows from our proved reserves on the 12-month first-day-of-the-month oil and natural gas average prices without giving effect to derivative transactions. Actual future net cash flows from our oil and natural gas properties will be affected by factors such as:

actual prices we receive for oil and natural gas;
actual cost of development and production expenditures;
the amount and timing of actual production; and
changes in governmental regulations or taxation.

The timing of both our production and our incurrence of expenses in connection with the development and production of oil and natural gas properties will affect the timing and amount of actual future net revenues from proved reserves, and thus their actual present value. In addition, the 10% discount factor we use when calculating standardized measure 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. As a limited liability company, our predecessor was not subject to federal taxation. Accordingly, our standardized measure does not provide for federal corporate income taxes because taxable income was passed through to its members. As a corporation, we will be treated as a taxable entity for federal income tax purposes and our future income taxes will be dependent on our future taxable income. Actual future prices and costs may differ materially from those used in the present value estimates included in this prospectus which could have a material effect on the value of our reserves.

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

Leases in the Mid-Con and Appalachian Basin are particularly vulnerable to title deficiencies due the long history of land ownership in the area, resulting in extensive and complex chains of title. In the course of acquiring the rights to develop oil and natural gas, it is standard procedure for us and the lessor to execute a lease agreement with payment subject to title verification. In most cases, we incur the expense of retaining lawyers to verify the rightful owners of the oil and gas interests prior to payment of such lease payment to the lessor. There is no certainty, however, that a lessor has valid title to their lease’s oil and gas interests. In those cases, such leases are generally voided and payment is not remitted to the lessor. As such, title failures may result in fewer net acres to us. Prior to the drilling of an oil or natural gas well, however, it is the normal practice in our industry for the person or company acting as the operator of the well to obtain a preliminary title review to ensure there are no obvious defects in title to the well. Frequently, as a result of such examinations, certain curative work must be done to correct defects in the marketability of the title, and such curative work entails expense. Our failure to cure any title defects may delay or prevent us from utilizing the associated mineral interest, which may adversely impact our ability in the future to increase production and reserves. Accordingly, undeveloped 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.

23


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The development of our estimated proved undeveloped reserves may take longer and may require higher levels of capital expenditures than we currently anticipate. Therefore, our estimated proved undeveloped reserves may not be ultimately developed or produced.

At January 1, 2014, approximately 6% of our total estimated proved reserves were classified as proved undeveloped. Our approximately 449 MBoe of estimated proved undeveloped reserves will require an estimated $10.0 million of development capital. Development of these undeveloped reserves may take longer and require higher levels of capital expenditures than we currently anticipate. Delays in the development of our reserves, increases in costs to drill and develop such reserves, or decreases in commodity prices will reduce the PV-10 value of our estimated proved undeveloped reserves and future net revenues estimated for such reserves and may result in some projects becoming uneconomic. In addition, delays in the development of reserves could cause us to have to reclassify our proved undeveloped reserves as unproved reserves.

If commodity prices decrease to a level such that our future undiscounted cash flows from our properties are less than their carrying value for a significant period of time, we will be required to take write-downs of the carrying values of our properties.

Accounting rules require that we periodically review the carrying value of our properties for possible impairment. Based on specific market factors and circumstances at the time of prospective impairment reviews, and the continuing evaluation of development plans, production data, economics and other factors, we may be required to write down the carrying value of our properties. A write-down constitutes a non-cash charge to earnings. We may incur impairment charges in the future, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations for the periods in which such charges are taken.

Unless we replace our reserves with new reserves and develop those reserves, our reserves and production will decline, which would adversely affect our future cash flows and results of operations.

Producing oil and natural gas reservoirs generally are characterized by declining production rates that vary depending upon reservoir characteristics and other factors. Unless we conduct successful ongoing development and exploration activities or continually acquire properties containing proved reserves, our proved reserves will decline as those reserves are produced. Our future natural gas reserves and production, and therefore our future cash flow and results of operations, are highly dependent on our success in efficiently developing and exploiting our current reserves and economically finding or acquiring additional recoverable reserves. We may not be able to develop, find or acquire sufficient additional reserves to replace our current and future production. If we are unable to replace our current and future production, the value of our reserves will decrease, and our business, financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected.

Conservation measures and technological advances could reduce demand for oil and natural gas.

Fuel conservation measures, alternative fuel requirements, increasing consumer demand for alternatives to oil and natural gas, technological advances in fuel economy and energy generation devices could reduce demand for oil and natural gas. The impact of the changing demand for oil and gas services and products may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our derivative activities could result in financial losses or could reduce our earnings. In certain circumstances, we may have to purchase commodities on the open market or make cash payments under our hedging arrangements and these payments could be significant and expose us to other risks.

To achieve more predictable cash flows and reduce our exposure to adverse fluctuations in the prices of oil or natural gas, we enter into derivative instrument contracts for a significant portion of our oil and natural gas production, including fixed-price swaps. As of December 1, 2013, we had entered into natural gas hedging contracts through December 2018 covering a total of approximately 4.9 Bcf (or approximately 58%) of our projected natural gas production at amounts ranging from $4.365 to $6.30 per MMBtu and oil hedging contracts through December 2017 covering a total of 285 MBbls (or approximately 53%) of our projected oil production at prices ranging from $85.23 to $90.00 per Bbl. For the period from January 1, 2014 until December 31, 2014, we have hedged approximately 1.3 Bcf (or approximately 67%) of our projected natural gas production at amounts ranging from $5.27 to $6.30 per MMBtu and 105 MBbls (or approximately 70%) of projected oil production at $90.00 per Bbl. Accordingly, our earnings may fluctuate significantly as a result of changes in fair value of our derivative instruments.

24


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

If our production is less than the volume commitments under our hedging arrangements, or if natural gas or oil prices exceed the price at which we have hedged our commodities, there may be an obligation to make cash payments to our hedge counterparties or purchase the volume difference at market prices, which could, in certain circumstances, be significant and expose us to the risk of financial loss. Derivative instruments also expose us to the risk of financial loss in some circumstances, including when there is an increase in the differential between the underlying price in the derivative instrument and actual prices received or there are issues with regard to legal enforceability of such instruments.

The use of derivatives may, in some cases, require the posting of cash collateral with counterparties. Derivatives we have currently entered into do not require cash collateral. If we enter into derivative instruments that require cash collateral and commodity prices or interest rates change in a manner adverse to us, our cash otherwise available for use in our operations would be reduced which could limit our ability to make future capital expenditures and make payments on our indebtedness, and which could also limit the size of our borrowing base. Future collateral requirements will depend on arrangements with our counterparties, highly volatile oil and natural gas prices and interest rates. Our hedging transactions expose us to risk of financial loss if a counter-party fails to perform under a derivative contract. Disruptions in the financial markets could lead to sudden decreases in a counter-party’s liquidity, which could make them unable to perform under the terms of the derivative contract and we may not be able to realize the benefit of the derivative contract. As of June 30, 2014, the estimated fair value of our commodity derivative contracts was approximately $1.4 million. Any default by the counterparty to these derivative contracts, the lender to the Company, when they become due would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, derivative arrangements could limit the benefit we would receive from increases in the prices for oil and natural gas, which could also have an adverse effect on our financial condition.

The inability of our significant customers, on which we depend due to the small number of significant customers, to meet their obligations to us may adversely affect our financial results.

In addition to credit risk related to receivables from commodity derivative contracts, our principal exposures to credit risk are through joint interest receivables ($0.4 million at December 31, 2013) and the sale of our oil and natural gas production ($3.3 million in receivables at December 31, 2013), which we market predominantly to a single oil refinery and to a to a natural gas marketing company, respectively. Joint interest receivables arise from billing entities who own partial interest in the wells we operate. These entities participate in our wells primarily based on their ownership in leased properties on which we wish to drill. We can do very little to choose who participates in our wells. We are also subject to credit risk due to concentration of our oil and natural gas receivables with an oil refinery and a natural gas marketing company. The largest purchaser of our oil during the six months ended June 30, 2014 purchased approximately 98% of our operated production and the largest purchaser of our natural gas during the six months ended June 30, 2014 purchased approximately 74% of our operated production. We do not require our customers to post collateral. The inability or failure of our significant customers to meet their obligations to us or their insolvency or liquidation may adversely affect our financial results.

Our operations are subject to governmental laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment, which may expose us to significant costs and liabilities that could exceed current expectations.

Substantial costs, liabilities, delays and other significant issues could arise from environmental laws and regulations inherent in drilling and well completion, gathering, transportation, and storage, and we may incur substantial costs and liabilities in the performance of these types of operations. Our operations are subject to extensive federal, regional, state and local laws and regulations governing environmental protection, the discharge of materials into the environment and the security of chemical and industrial facilities. These laws include:

Clean Air Act (“CAA”) and analogous state law, which impose obligations related to air emissions;
Clean Water Act (“CWA”), and analogous state law, which regulate discharge of wastewaters and storm water from some our facilities into state and federal waters, including wetlands;

25


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”), and analogous state law, which regulate the cleanup of hazardous substances that may have been released at properties currently or previously owned or operated by us or locations to which we have sent wastes for disposal;
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”), and analogous state law, which impose requirements for the handling and discharge of any solid and hazardous waste from our facilities; and
Oil Pollution Act (“OPA”) of 1990, which requires oil storage facilities and vessels to submit to the federal government plans detailing how they will respond to large discharges, requires updates to technology and equipment, regulates above ground storage tanks and sets forth liability for spills by responsible parties.

Various governmental authorities, including the EPA, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and analogous state agencies and tribal governments, have the power to enforce compliance with these laws and regulations and the permits issued under them, oftentimes requiring difficult and costly actions. Failure to comply with these laws, regulations and permits may result in the assessment of administrative, civil and criminal penalties, the imposition of remedial obligations, the imposition of stricter conditions on or revocation of permits, the issuance of injunctions limiting or preventing some or all of our operations, delays in granting permits and cancellation of leases.

There is inherent risk of the incurrence of environmental costs and liabilities in our business, some of which may be material, due to the handling of our products as they are gathered, transported, processed and stored, air emissions related to our operations, historical industry operations, and water and waste disposal practices. Joint and several, strict liability may be incurred without regard to fault under certain environmental laws and regulations, including CERCLA, RCRA and analogous state laws, for the remediation of contaminated areas and in connection with spills or releases of natural gas, oil and wastes on, under, or from our properties and facilities. Private parties may have the right to pursue legal actions to enforce compliance as well as to seek damages for non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations or for personal injury or property damage arising from our operations. Some sites at which we operate may be located near current or former third-party oil and natural gas operations or facilities, and there is a risk that contamination has migrated from those sites to ours. In addition, increasingly strict laws, regulations and enforcement policies could materially increase our compliance costs and the cost of any remediation that may become necessary. Our insurance may not cover all environmental risks and costs or may not provide sufficient coverage if an environmental claim is made against us.

In March 2010, the EPA announced its National Enforcement Initiatives for 2011 to 2013, which includes “Assuring Energy Extraction Activities Comply with Environmental Laws.” According to the EPA’s website, “some techniques for natural gas extraction pose a significant risk to public health and the environment.” To address these concerns, the EPA’s goal is to “address incidences of noncompliance from natural gas extraction and production activities that may cause or contribute to significant harm to public health and/or the environment.” This initiative could involve a large scale investigation of our facilities and processes, and could lead to potential enforcement actions, penalties or injunctive relief against us.

Our business may be adversely affected by increased costs due to stricter pollution control equipment requirements or liabilities resulting from non-compliance with required operating or other regulatory permits. Also, we might not be able to obtain or maintain from time to time all required environmental regulatory approvals for our operations. If there is a delay in obtaining any required environmental regulatory approvals, or if we fail to obtain and comply with them, the operation or construction of our facilities could be prevented or become subject to additional costs.

We are generally responsible for all liabilities associated with the environmental condition of our facilities and assets, whether acquired or developed, regardless of when the liabilities arose and whether they are known or unknown. In connection with certain acquisitions and divestitures, we could acquire, or be required to provide indemnification against, environmental liabilities that could expose us to material losses, which may not be covered by insurance. In addition, the steps we could be required to take to bring certain

26


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

facilities into compliance could be prohibitively expensive, and we might be required to shut down, divest or alter the operation of those facilities, which might cause us to incur losses.

We make assumptions and develop expectations about possible expenditures related to environmental conditions based on current laws and regulations and current interpretations of those laws and regulations. If the interpretation of laws or regulations, or the laws and regulations themselves, change, our assumptions may change, and new capital costs may be incurred to comply with such changes. In addition, new environmental laws and regulations might adversely affect our products and activities, including drilling, processing, storage and transportation, as well as waste management and air emissions. For instance, federal and state agencies could impose additional safety requirements, any of which could affect our profitability. Further, new environmental laws and regulations might adversely affect our customers, which in turn could affect our profitability.

Changes in laws or government regulations regarding fracking could increase our costs of doing business, limit the areas in which we can operate and reduce our oil and natural gas production, which could adversely impact our business.

Fracking is an important and common practice that is used to stimulate production of natural gas and/or oil from dense subsurface rock formations. Fracking involves the injection of water, sand or alternative proppant and chemicals under pressure into target geological formations to fracture the surrounding rock and stimulate production. Recently, there has been increased public concern regarding an alleged potential for fracking to adversely affect drinking water supplies, and proposals have been made to enact separate federal, state and local legislation that would increase the regulatory burden imposed on fracking. The Safe Drinking Water Act (“SDWA”) regulates the underground injection of substances through the Underground Injection Control (“UIC”) program and exempts fracking from the definition of “underground injection.” Congress has in recent legislative sessions considered legislation to amend the SDWA, including legislation that would repeal the exemption for fracking from the definition of “underground injection” and require federal permitting and regulatory control of fracking, as well as require disclosure of the chemical constituents of the fluids used in the fracturing process. The U.S. Congress may consider similar SDWA legislation in the future.

In addition, EPA has asserted federal regulatory authority pursuant to the SDWA over certain fracking activities involving the use of diesel fuels and published draft permitting guidance in May 2012 addressing the performance of such activities using diesel fuels in those states where EPA is the permitting authority. On May 9, 2014, EPA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) under Section 8 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) seeking public comment on the types of chemical information that could be reported and disclosed under TSCA, and the approaches to obtain this information on chemicals and mixtures used in hydraulic fracturing activities, including non-regulatory approaches. Comments must be submitted on or before September 18, 2014. Further, on October 21, 2011, the EPA announced its intention to propose federal Clean Water Act regulations by 2014 governing wastewater discharges from fracking and certain other natural gas operations. In addition, the U.S. Department of the Interior published a revised proposed rule on May 16, 2013, that would update existing regulation of fracking activities on federal lands, including requirements for chemical disclosure, well bore integrity and handling of flowback water. The revised proposed rule was subject to an extended 90-day public comment period, which ended on August 23, 2013. The final rule has not yet been promulgated.

Presently, fracking is regulated primarily at the state level, typically by state oil and natural gas commissions and similar agencies. Along with several other states, Pennsylvania (where we conduct operations) has adopted laws and proposed regulations that require oil and natural gas operators to disclose chemical ingredients and water volumes used to frack wells, in addition to more stringent well construction and monitoring requirements. The chemical ingredient information is generally available to the public via online databases, and this may bring more public scrutiny to fracking operations. In addition, local governments may also adopt ordinances within their jurisdictions regulating the time, place and manner of drilling activities in general or fracking activities in particular or prohibit the performance of well drilling in general or fracking in particular. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, in Robinson Township v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, recently limited the ability to regulate such ordinances from a state-wide level, as well as the ability to require the enactment of local ordinances aiding drilling activities. Following this decision, local governments in Pennsylvania may increasingly adopt ordinances relating to drilling and fracking activities,

27


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

especially within residential areas. If new or more stringent federal, state, or local legal restrictions relating to the fracking 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.

The EPA is conducting a study of the potential impacts of fracking activities on drinking water. The EPA issued a Progress Report in December 2012 and a draft final report is anticipated by 2014 for peer review and public comment. The final report has not yet been issued. As part of this study, the EPA requested that certain companies provide them with information concerning the chemicals used in the fracking process. This study or other studies may be undertaken by the EPA or other governmental authorities, and depending on their results, could spur initiatives to regulate fracking under the SDWA or otherwise. If new federal, state or local laws or regulations that significantly restrict fracking are adopted, such legal requirements could result in delays, eliminate certain drilling and injection activities and make it more difficult or costly for our customers to perform fracturing. Any such regulations limiting or prohibiting fracking could reduce oil and natural gas exploration and production activities by our customers and, therefore, adversely affect our business. Such laws or regulations could also materially increase our costs of compliance and doing business by more strictly regulating how fracking wastes are handled or disposed.

We currently own substantial property in New York State and we cannot assure when, or if, the New York State’s Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (“SGEIS”) will be finally issued, the issuance of which is required in order for us to begin high volumes fracking of horizontal wells.

Value extraction from the Company’s Marcellus and Utica Shale play in New York is dependent on final SGEIS issuance that would allow high volume fracking of horizontal wells. There was some anticipation that the SGEIS would be issued in February 2013. However, there has been further delay in the issuance. Also, the New York State Court of Appeals has ruled that municipalities in New York may ban hydrofracturing and other activities relating to producing oil and gas, which could preclude economic production of oil and gas from the Marcellus and Utica Shales (and other formations) those municipalities which enact such bans.

On February 12, 2013, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (“DEC”) was advised by the New York State Department of Health (“DOH”) that they would need “a few more weeks” to complete their health review of the proposed SGEIS. Issuance of the final SGEIS is contingent upon a determination that the SGEIS has adequately addressed health concerns. After issuance of the SGEIS, the DEC can accept and process fracking permit applications ten days thereafter.

Fracking technology has continued to advance in other parts of the Marcellus and Utica Shales, resulting in increased EURs and reduced well costs in the shale industry. Fracking has proven to be very successful in major shale plays in the Marcellus and Utica Shales in nearby States of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. As a result of the New York moratorium, the Company has not been able to develop the most lucrative aspects of its holdings.

Even once the SGEIS is finally issued, projects of the scale that the Company holds, approximately 222,000 gross acres of shale development, will require significant capital investment. Consequently, the Company would seek to work with partners on the development of these assets, following initial de-risking phase.

Oil and natural gas producers’ operations, especially those using fracking, are substantially dependent on the availability of water. Restrictions on the ability to obtain water may impact our operations.

Water is an essential component of oil and natural gas production during the drilling, and in particular, fracking, process. Our inability to locate sufficient amounts of water, or dispose of or recycle water used in our exploration and production operations, could adversely impact our operations.

Moreover, the imposition of new environmental initiatives and regulations could include restrictions on our ability to conduct certain operations such as fracking or disposal of waste, including, but not limited to, produced water, drilling fluids and other wastes associated with the exploration, development or production of natural gas. The CWA imposes restrictions and strict controls regarding the discharge of produced waters and other natural gas and oil waste into navigable waters. Permits must be obtained to discharge pollutants to

28


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

waters and to conduct construction activities in waters and wetlands. The CWA and similar state laws provide for civil, criminal and administrative penalties for any unauthorized discharges of pollutants and unauthorized discharges of reportable quantities of oil and other hazardous substances. State and federal discharge regulations prohibit the discharge of produced water and sand, drilling fluids, drill cuttings and certain other substances related to the natural gas and oil industry into coastal waters. Specific to Pennsylvania, sending wastewater to POTWs requires certain levels of pretreatment that may effectively prohibit such disposal as a disposal option and our continued ability to use injection wells as a disposal option not only will depend on federal or state regulations but also on whether available injection wells have sufficient storage capacities. The EPA has also adopted regulations requiring certain natural gas and oil exploration and production facilities to obtain permits for storm water discharges. Compliance with current and future environmental regulations and permit requirements governing the withdrawal, storage and use of surface water or groundwater necessary for fracking of wells may increase our operating costs and cause delays, interruptions or termination of our operations, the extent of which cannot be predicted.

We are subject to risks associated with climate change.

There is a growing belief that emissions of greenhouse gases (“GHGs”) may be linked to climate change. Climate change and the costs that may be associated with its impacts and the regulation of GHGs have the potential to affect our business in many ways, including negatively impacting the costs we incur in providing our products and services, the demand for and consumption of our products and services (due to change in both costs and weather patterns), and the economic health of the regions in which we operate, all of which can create financial risks. In addition, legislative and regulatory responses related to GHGs and climate change creates the potential for financial risk. The U.S. Congress has previously considered legislation related to GHG emissions. There have also been international efforts seeking legally binding reductions in emissions of GHGs. In addition, increased public awareness and concern may result in more state, regional and/or federal requirements to reduce or mitigate GHG emissions.

On September 22, 2009, the EPA finalized a GHG reporting rule that requires large sources of GHG emissions to monitor, maintain records on, and annually report their GHG emissions beginning January 1, 2010. The rule applies primarily to large facilities emitting 25,000 metric tons or more of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e) emissions per year and to most upstream suppliers of fossil fuels, as well as manufacturers of vehicles and engines. Subsequently, on November 8, 2010, the EPA issued GHG monitoring and reporting regulations that went into effect on December 30, 2010, specifically for oil and natural gas facilities, including onshore and offshore oil and natural gas production facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons or more of CO2e per year. The rule requires reporting of GHG emissions by regulated facilities to the EPA by March 2012 for emissions during 2011 and annually thereafter. The EPA also issued a final rule that makes certain stationary sources and newer modification projects subject to permitting requirements for GHG emissions, beginning in 2011, under the CAA. Under a phased-in approach, for most purposes, new permitting provisions are required for new facilities that emit 100,000 tons per year or more of CO2e and existing facilities that make changes increasing emissions of CO2e by 75,000 metric tons. The EPA has indicated in rulemakings that it may further reduce these regulatory thresholds in the future, making additional sources subject to permitting.

29


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The recent actions of the EPA and the passage of any federal or state climate change laws or regulations could result in increased costs to (i) operate and maintain our facilities, (ii) install new emission controls on our facilities and (iii) administer and manage any GHG emissions program. If we are unable to recover or pass through a significant level of our costs related to complying with climate change regulatory requirements imposed on us, it could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. To the extent financial markets view climate change and GHG emissions as a financial risk, this could negatively impact our cost of and access to capital. Legislation or regulations that may be adopted to address climate change could also affect the markets for our products by making our products more or less desirable than competing sources of energy.

We may incur substantial losses and be subject to substantial liability claims as a result of our operations. Additionally, we may not be insured for, or our insurance may be inadequate to protect us against, these risks.

Our oil and natural gas exploration and production activities are subject to all of the operating risks associated with drilling for and producing natural gas, including the possibility of:

environmental hazards, such as uncontrollable releases of oil, natural gas, brine, well fluids, toxic gas or other pollution into the environment, including groundwater, air and shoreline contamination;
abnormally pressured formations;
mechanical difficulties, such as stuck oilfield drilling and service tools and casing collapse;
fires, explosions and ruptures of pipelines;
personal injuries and death;
natural disasters; and
terrorist attacks targeting natural gas and oil related facilities and infrastructure.

Any of these risks could adversely affect our ability to conduct operations or result in substantial loss to us as a result of claims for:

injury or loss of life;
damage to and destruction of property, natural resources and equipment;
pollution and other environmental damage;
regulatory investigations and penalties;
suspension of our operations; and
repair and remediation costs.

In accordance with what we believe to be customary industry practice, we maintain insurance against some, but not all, of our business risks. Our insurance may not be adequate to cover any losses or liabilities we may suffer. Also, insurance may no longer be available to us or, if it is, its availability may be at premium levels that do not justify its purchase. The occurrence of a significant uninsured claim, a claim in excess of the insurance coverage limits maintained by us or a claim at a time when we are not able to obtain liability insurance could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct normal business operations and on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. In addition, we may not be able to secure additional insurance or bonding that might be required by new governmental regulations. This may cause us to restrict our operations, which might severely impact our financial condition. We may also be liable for environmental damage caused by previous owners of properties purchased by us, which liabilities may not be covered by insurance.

Since fracking activities are a part of our operations, they are covered by our insurance against claims made for bodily injury, property damage and clean-up costs stemming from a sudden and accidental pollution event. However, we may not have coverage if we are unaware of the pollution event and unable to report the “occurrence” to our insurance company within the time frame required under our insurance policy. We have

30


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

no coverage for gradual, long-term pollution events. In addition, these policies do not provide coverage for all liabilities, and we cannot assure you that the insurance coverage will be adequate to cover claims that may arise, or that we will be able to maintain adequate insurance at rates we consider reasonable. A loss not fully covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We may elect not to obtain insurance for any or all of these risks if we believe that the cost of available insurance is excessive relative to the risks presented. In addition, pollution and environmental risks generally are not fully insurable. The occurrence of an event that is not fully covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Properties that we decide to drill may not yield natural gas, NGLs or oil in commercially viable quantities.

Properties that we decide to drill that do not yield natural gas, NGLs or oil in commercially viable quantities will adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. Our project areas are in various stages of development, ranging from project areas with current drilling or production activity to project areas that consist of recently acquired leasehold acreage or that have limited drilling or production history. If the wells in the process of being completed do not produce sufficient revenues to return a profit or if we drill dry holes in the future, our business may be materially affected. In addition, there is no way to predict in advance of drilling and testing whether any particular prospect will yield natural gas, NGLs or oil in sufficient quantities to recover drilling or completion costs or to be economically viable. The use of micro-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 natural gas, NGLs or oil will be present or, if present, whether natural gas, NGLs or oil will be present in commercial quantities. We cannot assure you that the analogies we draw from available data from other wells, more fully explored prospects or producing fields will be applicable to our drilling prospects. Further, our drilling operations may be curtailed, delayed or cancelled as a result of numerous factors, including:

unexpected drilling conditions;
title problems;
pressure or lost circulation in formations;
equipment failure or accidents;
adverse weather conditions;
compliance with environmental and other governmental or contractual requirements; and
increase in the cost of, shortages or delays in the availability of, electricity, supplies, materials, drilling or workover rigs, equipment and services.

We may be unable to make attractive acquisitions or successfully integrate acquired businesses, and any inability to do so may disrupt our business and hinder our ability to grow.

In the future we may make acquisitions of businesses that complement or expand our current business. We may not be able to identify attractive acquisition opportunities. Even if we do identify attractive acquisition opportunities, we may not be able to complete the acquisition or do so on commercially acceptable terms.

The success of any completed acquisition will depend on our ability to integrate effectively the acquired business into our existing operations. The process of integrating acquired businesses may involve unforeseen difficulties and may require a disproportionate amount of our managerial and financial resources. In addition, possible future acquisitions may be larger and for purchase prices significantly higher than those paid for earlier acquisitions. No assurance can be given that we will be able to identify additional suitable acquisition opportunities, negotiate acceptable terms, obtain financing for acquisitions on acceptable terms or successfully acquire identified targets. Our failure to achieve consolidation savings, to integrate the acquired businesses and assets into our existing operations successfully or to minimize any unforeseen operational difficulties could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

31


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

In addition, our credit facilities impose certain limitations on our ability to enter into mergers or combination transactions. Our credit facilities also limit our ability to incur certain indebtedness, which could indirectly limit our ability to engage in acquisitions of businesses.

Market conditions or operational impediments may hinder our access to natural gas, NGL or oil markets or delay our production.

Market conditions or the unavailability of satisfactory natural gas, NGL or oil transportation arrangements may hinder our access to markets or delay our production. The availability of a ready market for our production depends on a number of factors, including the demand for and supply of natural gas, NGLs or oil and the proximity of reserves to pipelines and terminal facilities. Our ability to market our production depends in substantial part on the availability and capacity of gathering systems, pipelines and processing facilities owned and operated by third parties. Our failure to obtain such services on acceptable terms could materially harm our business. We may be required to shut in wells due to lack of a market or inadequacy or unavailability of natural gas, NGL or oil pipeline or gathering system capacity. In addition, if quality specifications for the third-party pipelines with which we connect change so as to restrict our ability to transport product, our access to markets could be impeded. If our production becomes shut in for any of these or other reasons, we would be unable to realize revenue from those wells until other arrangements were made to deliver the products to market.

We are subject to complex federal, state, local and other laws and regulations that could adversely affect the cost, manner or feasibility of conducting our operations or expose us to significant liabilities.

Our oil and natural gas exploration, production and transportation operations are subject to complex and stringent laws and regulations. In order to conduct our operations in compliance with these laws and regulations, we must obtain and maintain numerous permits, approvals and certificates from various federal, state and local governmental authorities. We may incur substantial costs in order to maintain compliance with these existing laws and regulations. In addition, our costs of compliance may increase if existing laws and regulations are revised or reinterpreted, or if new laws and regulations become applicable to our operations. Such costs could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our business is subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations as interpreted and enforced by governmental authorities possessing jurisdiction over various aspects of the exploration for, and the production and transportation of, oil, natural gas and NGLs. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations, including any evolving interpretation and enforcement by governmental authorities, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Changes to existing or new regulations may unfavorably impact us, could result in increased operating costs and have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Such potential regulations could increase our operating costs, reduce our liquidity, delay or halt our operations or otherwise alter the way we conduct our business, which could in turn have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Further, the discharges of oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids and other pollutants into the air, soil or water may give rise to significant liabilities on our part to the government and third parties. See “Business — Regulation of Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health Matters” for a further description of laws and regulations that affect us.

The unavailability or high cost of additional drilling rigs, equipment, supplies, personnel and oilfield services could adversely affect our ability to execute our exploration and development plans within our budget and on a timely basis.

The demand for qualified and experienced field personnel to drill wells and conduct field operations, geologists, geophysicists, engineers and other professionals in the oil and natural gas industry can fluctuate significantly, often in correlation with natural gas and oil prices, causing periodic shortages. Certain of the rigs performing work for us do so on a well-by-well basis and can refuse to provide such services at the conclusion of drilling on the current well. Historically, there have been shortages of drilling and workover rigs, pipe and other equipment as demand for rigs and equipment has increased along with the number of wells being drilled. We cannot predict whether these conditions will exist in the future and, if so, what their

32


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

timing and duration will be. Such shortages could delay or cause us to incur significant expenditures that are not provided for in our capital budget, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

A change in the jurisdictional characterization of some of our assets by federal, state or local regulatory agencies or a change in policy by those agencies may result in increased regulation of our assets, which may cause our revenues to decline and operating expenses to increase.

Section 1(b) of the Natural Gas Act of 1938 (“NGA”) exempts natural gas gathering facilities from regulation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”), as a natural gas company under the NGA. We believe that the natural gas pipelines in our gathering systems meet the traditional tests FERC has used to establish a pipeline’s status as a gatherer not subject to regulation as a natural gas company. However, the distinction between FERC-regulated transmission services and federally unregulated gathering services is the subject of ongoing litigation, so the classification and regulation of our gathering facilities are subject to change based on future determinations by FERC, the courts or Congress. If the FERC were to consider the status of an individual facility and determine that the facility and/or services provided by it are not exempt from FERC regulation, the rates for, and terms and conditions of services provided by such facility would be subject to regulation by the FERC. Such regulation could decrease revenues, increase operating costs, and depending upon the facility in question, could adversely affect our results of operations and cash flows. In addition, if any of our facilities were found to have provided services or otherwise operated in violation of the NGA, this could result in the imposition of civil penalties as well as a requirement to disgorge charges collected for such service in excess of the cost-based rate established by the FERC.

State regulation of gathering facilities generally includes various safety, environmental and, in some circumstances, nondiscriminatory take requirements and complaint-based rate regulation. We cannot predict what new or different regulations federal and state regulatory agencies may adopt, or what effect subsequent regulation may have on our activities. Such regulations may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, result of operations and cash flows.

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

Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, or EPAct 2005, FERC has civil penalty authority under the 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 systems have not been regulated by FERC as a natural gas company under the NGA, we are required to report aggregate volumes of natural gas purchased or sold at wholesale to the extent such transactions utilize, contribute to, or may contribute to the formation of price indices. In addition, Congress may enact legislation or FERC may adopt regulations that may subject certain of our otherwise non-FERC jurisdictional facilities to further regulation. Failure to comply with those regulations in the future could subject us to civil penalty liability.

Competition in the oil and natural gas industry is intense, making it more difficult for us to acquire properties, market natural gas and secure trained personnel.

Our ability to acquire additional prospects and to find and develop reserves in the future will depend on our ability to evaluate and select suitable properties and to consummate transactions in a highly competitive environment for acquiring properties, marketing oil or natural gas and securing trained personnel. Also, there is substantial competition for capital available for investment in the oil and natural gas industry. Many of our competitors possess and employ financial, technical and personnel resources substantially greater than ours. Those companies may be able to pay more for productive oil or natural gas properties and exploratory prospects and to evaluate, bid for and purchase a greater number of properties and prospects than our financial or personnel resources permit. In addition, other companies may be able to offer better compensation packages to attract and retain qualified personnel than we are able to offer. The cost to attract and retain qualified personnel has increased over the past three years due to competition and may increase substantially in the future. We may not be able to compete successfully in the future in acquiring prospective reserves, developing reserves, marketing hydrocarbons, attracting and retaining quality personnel and raising additional capital, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

33


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The loss of senior management or technical personnel could adversely affect operations.

We depend on the services of our senior management and technical personnel. We do not maintain, nor do we plan to obtain, any insurance against the loss of any of these individuals. The loss of the services of our senior management or technical personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are susceptible to the potential difficulties associated with rapid growth and expansion and have a limited operating history.

We have grown rapidly over the last several years. Our management believes that our future success depends on our ability to manage the rapid growth that we have experienced and the demands from increased responsibility on management personnel. The following factors could present difficulties:

increased responsibilities for our executive level personnel;
increased administrative burden;
increased capital requirements; and
increased organizational challenges common to large, expansive operations.

Our operating results could be adversely affected if we do not successfully manage these potential difficulties. The historical financial information incorporated herein is not necessarily indicative of the results that may be realized in the future. In addition, our operating history is limited and the results from our current producing wells are not necessarily indicative of success from our future drilling operations.

Seasonal weather conditions and regulations adversely affect our ability to conduct drilling activities in some of the areas where we operate.

Oil and natural gas operations in our operating areas can be adversely affected by seasonal weather conditions and regulations designed to protect various wildlife. This limits our ability to operate in those areas and can intensify competition during those months for drilling rigs, oilfield equipment, services, supplies and qualified personnel, which may lead to periodic shortages. These constraints and the resulting shortages or high costs could delay our operations and materially increase our operating and capital costs.

Increases in interest rates and the lack of availability of capital could adversely affect our business.

Our business and operating results can be harmed by factors such as the availability, terms of and cost of capital, increases in interest rates or a reduction in credit rating. These changes could cause our cost of doing business to increase, limit our ability to pursue acquisition opportunities, reduce cash flow used for drilling and place us at a competitive disadvantage. Recent and continuing disruptions and volatility in the global financial markets may lead to a contraction in credit availability impacting our ability to finance our operations. We require continued access to capital. A significant reduction in cash flows from operations or the availability of credit could materially and adversely affect our ability to achieve our planned growth and operating results.

We may be subject to risks in connection with acquisitions of properties.

The successful acquisition of producing properties requires an assessment of several factors, including:

recoverable reserves;
future natural gas, NGL or oil prices and their applicable differentials;
operating costs; and
potential environmental and other liabilities.

The accuracy of these assessments is inherently uncertain. In connection with these assessments, we perform a review of the subject properties that we believe to be generally consistent with industry practices. Our review will not reveal all existing or potential problems nor will it permit us to become sufficiently

34


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

familiar with the properties to fully assess their deficiencies and capabilities. Inspections may not always be performed 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, 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.

The enactment of derivatives legislation, and the promulgation of regulations pursuant thereto, could have an adverse effect on our ability to use derivative instruments to hedge risks associated with our business.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), enacted on July 21, 2010, establishes federal oversight and regulation of the over-the-counter derivatives market and entities, such as us, that participate in that market. The Dodd-Frank Act requires the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and the SEC to promulgate rules and regulations implementing the Dodd-Frank Act. Although the CFTC has finalized some regulations, including critical rulemakings on the definition of “swap,” “swap dealer,” and “major swap participant”, others remain to be finalized and it is not possible at this time to predict when this will be accomplished.

The Dodd-Frank Act authorized the CFTC to establish rules and regulations setting position limits for certain futures and option contracts in the major energy markets and for swaps that are their economic equivalents. The CFTC’s initial position limits rules were vacated by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in September 2012. However, on November 5, 2013, the CFTC proposed new rules that would place limits on positions in certain core futures and equivalent swaps contracts for or linked to certain physical commodities, subject to exceptions for certain bona fide hedging transactions. As these new position limit rules are not yet final, the impact of those provisions on us is uncertain at this time.

The CFTC has designated certain interest rate swaps and credit default swaps for mandatory clearing. The CFTC has not yet proposed rules designating any other classes of swaps, including physical commodity swaps, for mandatory clearing. Although we expect to qualify for the end-user exception from the mandatory clearing and trade execution requirements for swaps entered to hedge its commercial risks, the application of the mandatory clearing and trade execution requirements to other market participants, such as swap dealers, may change the cost and availability of the swaps that we use for hedging. In addition, for un-cleared swaps, the CFTC or federal banking regulators may require end-users to enter into credit support documentation and/or post initial and variation margin. Posting of collateral could impact liquidity and reduce our cash available for capital expenditures, therefore reducing our ability to execute hedges to reduce risk and protect cash flows. The proposed margin rules are not yet final, and therefore the impact of those provisions to us is uncertain at this time.

The Dodd-Frank Act and regulations may also require the counterparties to our derivative instruments to spin off some of their derivatives activities to separate entities, which may not be as creditworthy as the current counterparties. The Dodd-Frank Act and regulations could significantly increase the cost of derivative contracts, materially alter the terms of derivative contracts, reduce the availability of derivatives to protect against risks we encounter, and reduce our ability to monetize or restructure our existing derivative contracts. If we reduce our use of derivatives as a result of the Dodd-Frank Act and regulations, our results of operations may become more volatile and our cash flows may be less predictable, which could adversely affect our ability to plan for and fund capital expenditures.

Finally, the Dodd-Frank Act was intended, in part, to reduce the volatility of oil and natural gas prices, which some legislators attributed to speculative trading in derivatives and commodity instruments related to oil and natural gas. Our revenues could therefore be adversely affected if a consequence of the Dodd-Frank Act and regulations is lower commodity prices.

Any of these consequences could have a material and adverse effect on us, our financial condition or our results of operations.

35


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Certain federal income tax deductions currently available with respect to natural gas and oil exploration and development may be eliminated, and additional state taxes on natural gas extraction may be imposed, as a result of future legislation.

The Fiscal Year 2014 Budget proposed by the President recommends the elimination of certain key U.S. federal income tax incentives currently available to oil and gas exploration and production companies, and legislation has been introduced in Congress that would implement many of these proposals. Such changes include, but are not limited to, (i) the repeal of the percentage depletion allowance for oil and 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 for oil and gas production; and (iv) an extension of the amortization period for certain geological and geophysical expenditures. It is unclear, however, whether any such changes will be enacted or how soon such changes could be effective.

The passage of this legislation or any other similar change in U.S. federal income tax law could eliminate or postpone certain tax deductions that are currently available with respect to natural gas and oil exploration and development, and any such change could negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations.

State legislators are exploring ways to ensure that communities are reimbursed for the impact that natural gas development may have on infrastructure. A primary approach has been to impose taxes and fees on the extraction, production, and sale of natural gas and oil. These “severance” taxes — taxes applied to materials severed from the ground — tax the extraction or production of oil, gas, and other natural resources. Thirty-two states currently produce natural gas, with Texas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, and Oklahoma ranking as the top five producers in 2012. Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania are the only natural gas producers without a severance tax.

Pennsylvania, the largest U.S. natural gas producer, does not impose a severance tax. Instead, it levies an impact fee on every unconventional (horizontal) gas well in the state, regardless of the volume produced. Studies by the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center estimate that the impact fee will generate $237 to $261 million by 2015, compared to an estimated $650 million from a four percent tax on production value.

The risk that Pennsylvania and New York may enact such legislation in the future and that other states may increase the severance tax in the future exists.

Risks Related to the Offering and our Securities

The requirements of being a public company, including compliance with the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act and the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, may strain our resources, increase our costs and distract management, and we may be unable to comply with these requirements in a timely or cost-effective manner.

As a public company, we will need to comply with new laws, regulations and requirements, certain corporate governance provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, related regulations of the SEC and the requirements of The NASDAQ Capital Market (“NASDAQ”), with which we are not required to comply as a private company. Complying with these statutes, regulations and requirements will occupy a significant amount of time of our board of directors and management and will significantly increase our costs and expenses. We will need to:

institute a more comprehensive compliance function;
comply with rules promulgated by NASDAQ;
continue to prepare and distribute periodic public reports in compliance with our obligations under the federal securities laws;
establish new internal policies, such as those relating to insider trading; and
involve and retain to a greater degree outside counsel and accountants in the above activities.

Furthermore, while we generally must comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, we are not required to have our independent registered public

36


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

accounting firm attest to the effectiveness of our internal controls until our first annual report subsequent to our ceasing to be an “emerging growth company” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act. Accordingly, we may not be required to have our independent registered public accounting firm attest to the effectiveness of our internal controls until as late as our annual report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019. Once it is required to do so, our independent registered public accounting firm may issue a report that is adverse in the event it is not satisfied with the level at which our controls are documented, designed, operated or reviewed. Compliance with these requirements may strain our resources, increase our costs and distract management and we may be unable to comply with these requirements in a timely or cost-effective manner.

In addition, we expect that being a public company subject to these rules and regulations may make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance and we may be required to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. As a result, it may be more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified individuals to serve on our board of directors or as executive officers. We are currently evaluating these rules, and we cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we may incur or the timing of such costs.

There are inherent limitations in all control systems, and misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.

We are not currently required to comply with the SEC’s rules implementing Section 404 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002, and are therefore not required to make a formal assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting for that purpose. Upon becoming a publicly traded company, we will be required to comply with the SEC’s rules implementing Sections 302 and 404 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002, which will require our management to certify financial and other information in our quarterly and annual reports and provide an annual management report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. The internal control provisions of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 require us to identify material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting, which is a process to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Our management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, does not expect that our internal controls and disclosure controls will prevent all 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 met. In addition, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints and the benefit of controls must be relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, in our company have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur because of simple errors or mistakes. Further, controls can be circumvented by individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more persons, or by management override of the controls. The design of any system of controls is also based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions. Over time, a control may be inadequate because of changes in conditions, such as growth of the company or increased transaction volume, or the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Because of inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.

In addition, discovery and disclosure of a material weakness, by definition, could have a material adverse impact on our financial statements. Such an occurrence could discourage certain customers or suppliers from doing business with us, cause downgrades in our future debt ratings leading to higher borrowing costs and affect how our stock trades. This could in turn negatively affect our ability to access public debt or equity markets for capital.

37


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The initial public offering price of our common stock and warrants may not be indicative of the market price of our common stock and warrants after this offering. In addition, an active, liquid and orderly trading market for our common stock and warrants may not develop or be maintained, and our stock price may be volatile.

Prior to this offering, none of our securities were traded on any market. An active, liquid and orderly trading market for our common stock and warrants may not develop or be maintained after this offering. Active, liquid and orderly trading markets usually result in less price volatility and more efficiency in carrying out investors’ purchase and sale orders. The market price of our common stock and warrants could vary significantly as a result of a number of factors, some of which are beyond our control. In the event of a drop in the market price of our common stock or warrants, you could lose a substantial part or all of your investment. The initial public offering price will be negotiated between us and representatives of the underwriters, based on numerous factors which we discuss in “Underwriting,” and may not be indicative of the market price of our common stock and warrants after this offering. Consequently, you may not be able to sell shares of our common stock or warrants at prices equal to or greater than the price paid by you in this offering, or at all.

The following factors could affect the price of our securities:

our operating and financial performance and drilling locations, including reserve estimates;
quarterly variations in the rate of growth of our financial indicators, such as net income per share, net income and revenues;
the public reaction to our press releases, our other public announcements and our filings with the SEC;
strategic actions by our competitors;
our failure to meet revenue, reserves or earnings estimates by research analysts or other investors;
changes in revenue or earnings estimates, or changes in recommendations or withdrawal of research coverage, by equity research analysts;
speculation in the press or investment community;
the failure of research analysts to cover our securities;
sales of our securities by us or our stockholders, or the perception that such sales may occur;
changes in accounting principles, policies, guidance, interpretations or standards;
additions or departures of key management personnel;
actions by our stockholders;
general market conditions, including fluctuations in commodity prices;
domestic and international economic, legal and regulatory factors unrelated to our performance; and
the realization of any risks describes under this “Risk Factors” section.

The stock markets in general have experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the trading price of our securities. Securities class action litigation has often been instituted against companies following periods of volatility in the overall market and in the market price of a company’s securities. Such litigation, if instituted against us, could result in very substantial costs, divert our management’s attention and resources and harm our business, operating results and financial condition.

Empire Energy Group will hold a substantial majority of our common stock.

Immediately following the completion of this offering and assuming the exercise of Macquarie Americas Corp. of its warrant, Empire Energy Group will hold approximately 72% of our common stock. Empire Energy Group will have the voting power to elect all of the members of our board of directors and thereby

38


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

control our management and affairs. In addition, it will be able to determine the outcome of all matters requiring stockholder approval, including mergers and other material transactions, and will be able to cause or prevent a change in the composition of our board of directors or a change in control of our company that could deprive our stockholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their common stock as part of a sale of our company. The existence of significant stockholders may also have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers, delaying or preventing changes in control or changes in management, or limiting the ability of our other stockholders to approve transactions that they may deem to be in the best interests of our company.

So long as Empire Energy Group continues to control a significant amount of our common stock, it will continue to be able to strongly influence all matters requiring stockholder approval, regardless of whether or not other stockholders believe that a potential transaction is in their own best interests. In any of these matters, the interest of Empire Energy Group may differ or conflict with the interests of our other stockholders. Moreover, this concentration of stock ownership may also adversely affect the trading price of our securities to the extent investors perceive a disadvantage in owning securities of a company with a controlling stockholder.

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as well as Delaware law, contain provisions that could discourage acquisition bids or merger proposals, which may adversely affect the market price of our securities.

The certificate of incorporation that we will adopt in connection with the Corporate Reorganization authorizes our board of directors to issue preferred stock without stockholder approval. If our board of directors elects to issue preferred stock, it could be more difficult for a third party to acquire us. In addition, some provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire control of us, even if the change of control would be beneficial to our stockholders, including:

limitations on the removal of directors;
limitations on the ability of our stockholders to call special meetings;
establishing advance notice provisions for stockholder proposals and nominations for elections to the board of directors to be acted upon at meetings of stockholders; and
providing that the board of directors is expressly authorized to adopt, or to alter or repeal our bylaws.

Investors in this offering will experience immediate and substantial dilution of $     per share.

Based on an assumed initial public offering price of $    per share (the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover of this prospectus), and an offering price of $0.01 per warrant, purchasers of our common stock in this offering will experience an immediate and substantial dilution of $    per share in the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of common stock from the initial public offering price, and our as adjusted net tangible book value as of June 30, 2014 on a pro forma basis would be $    per share. This dilution is due in large part to earlier investors having paid substantially less than the initial public offering price when they purchased their shares. In addition, in the past, we issued warrants to acquire shares of common stock. To the extent that these warrants are ultimately exercised, you will sustain additional future dilution. See “Dilution.”

We may invest or spend the proceeds of this offering in ways with which you may not agree or in ways which may not yield a return.

A portion of the net proceeds from this offering are expected to be used to fund a portion of our acquisition or capital expenditure plans. Our management will have considerable discretion in the application of the net proceeds, and you will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately. The net proceeds may be used for corporate purposes that do not increase our operating results or market value. Until the net proceeds are used, they may be placed in investments that do not produce significant income or that may lose value.

39


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

We do not intend to pay dividends on our common stock, and our credit facilities place certain restrictions on our ability to do so. Consequently, your only opportunity to achieve a return on your investment is if the price of our common stock or warrants appreciates.

We do not plan to declare dividends on shares of our common stock in the foreseeable future. Additionally, our credit facilities place certain restrictions on our ability to pay cash dividends. Consequently, your only opportunity to achieve a return on your investment in us will be if you sell your common stock or warrants at a price greater than you paid for it. There is no guarantee that the price of our common stock or warrants that will prevail in the market will ever exceed the price that you pay in this offering.

Future sales of our securities in the public market could reduce the trading price of our securities, and any additional capital raised by us through the sale of equity or convertible securities may dilute your ownership in us.

We may sell additional securities in subsequent public offerings. We may also issue additional shares of common stock or convertible securities. After the completion of this offering, we will have      outstanding shares of common stock and outstanding warrants to purchase      shares of common stock. The number of shares includes      shares that we are selling in this offering and      shares that we may sell in this offering if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares is fully exercised, which may be resold immediately in the public market. Following the completion of this offering, assuming an initial public offering price equal to the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover of this prospectus and no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares, Empire Energy Group will own      shares of our common stock, or approximately     % of our total outstanding shares, all of which are restricted from immediate resale under the federal securities laws and are subject to the lock-up agreements with the underwriters described in “Underwriting” but may be sold into the market in the future. Certain employees will be subject to restrictions on the sale of their shares for 180 days after the date of this prospectus; however, after such period, and subject to compliance with the Securities Act or exemptions therefrom, these employees may sell such shares into the public market. See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale”.

Following this offering, we intend to file a registration statement with the SEC on Form S-8 providing for the registration of      shares of our common stock issued or reserved for issuance under our post-offering stock incentive plan. Subject to the satisfaction of vesting conditions, the expiration of lock-up agreements and the requirements of Rule 144, shares registered under the registration statement on Form S-8 will be available for resale immediately in the public market without restriction.

We cannot predict the size of future issuances of our common stock or securities convertible into common stock or the effect, if any, that future issuances and sales of our securities will have on the market price of our common stock. Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock (including shares issued in connection with an acquisition), or the perception that such sales could occur, may adversely affect prevailing market prices of our securities.

Holders of warrants will have no rights as common stockholders with respect to such warrants until such holders exercise their warrants and acquire our common stock.

Until holders of warrants acquire shares of our common stock upon exercise of the warrants, holders of warrants will have no rights with respect to the shares of our common stock underlying such warrants. Upon exercise of the warrants, the holders will be entitled to exercise the rights of a common stockholder only as to matters for which the record date occurs after the exercise date.

The underwriters of this offering may waive or release parties to the lock-up agreements entered into in connection with this offering, which could adversely affect the price of our securities.

We, Empire Energy Group, the lender to the Company, all of our directors and executive officers and certain of our employees have entered into lock-up agreements with respect to their common stock, pursuant to which they are subject to certain resale restrictions for a period of 180 days following the effectiveness date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Maxim Group LLC, at any time and without notice, may release all or any portion of the common stock subject to the foregoing lock-up

40


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

agreements. If the restrictions under the lock-up agreements are waived, then common stock will be available for sale into the public markets, which could cause the market price of our securities to decline and impair our ability to raise capital.

We expect to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NASDAQ rules and, as a result, will qualify for and could rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements.

Upon completion of this offering, Empire Energy Group will beneficially control a majority of the voting power of all classes of our outstanding voting stock. As a result, we expect to be a controlled company within the meaning of the NASDAQ corporate governance standards. Under the NASDAQ rules, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power for the election of directors is held by another person or group of persons acting together is a controlled company and may elect not to comply with certain NASDAQ corporate governance requirements, including the requirements that:

a majority of the board of directors consist of independent directors;
the nominating and governance committee be composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities;
the compensation committee be composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities; and
there be an annual performance evaluation of the nominating and governance and compensation committees.

These requirements will not apply to us as long as we remain a controlled company. Following this offering, we may utilize some or all of these exemptions. Accordingly, you may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of the The NASDAQ Capital Market. See “Management.”

For as long as we are an emerging growth company, we will not be required to comply with certain reporting requirements, including those relating to accounting standards and disclosure about our executive compensation, that apply to other public companies.

In April 2012, President Obama signed into law the JOBS Act. We are classified as an “emerging growth company” under the JOBS Act. For as long as we are an emerging growth company, which may be up to five full fiscal years, unlike other public companies, we will not be required to, among other things, (1) provide an auditor’s attestation report on management’s assessment of the effectiveness of our system of internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, (2) comply with any new requirements adopted by the PCAOB requiring mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report in which the auditor would be required to provide additional information about the audit and the financial statements of the issuer, (3) provide certain disclosure regarding executive compensation required of larger public companies or (4) hold nonbinding advisory votes on executive compensation. We will remain an emerging growth company for up to five years, although we will lose that status sooner if we have more than $1.0 billion of revenues in a fiscal year, have more than $700 million in market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates, or issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period.

Pursuant to Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act, as an emerging growth company, we are able to use the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards.

Pursuant to the Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act, for as long as the Company is an “emerging growth company” we are exempted from adopting new or revised accounting standards that are effective for public companies and may instead wait until the effective dates for private companies to adopt such standards unless we opt out of this exemption. We have not elected to opt out of this exemption and, as a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates.

We may issue preferred stock whose terms could adversely affect the voting power or value of our common stock.

Our certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue, without the approval of our stockholders, one or more classes or series of preferred stock having such designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights,

41


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

including preferences over our common stock respecting dividends and distributions, as our board of directors may determine. The terms of one or more classes or series of preferred stock could adversely impact the voting power or value of our common stock. For example, we might grant holders of preferred stock the right to elect some number of our directors in all events or on the happening of specified events or the right to veto specified transactions. Similarly, the repurchase or redemption rights or liquidation preferences we might assign to holders of preferred stock could affect the residual value of the common stock.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, if they adversely change their recommendations regarding our common stock or if our operating results do not meet their expectations, our stock price could decline.

The trading market for our securities will be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us or our business. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline. Moreover, if one or more of the analysts who cover our company downgrades our common stock or if our operating results do not meet their expectations, our stock price could decline.

Our certificate of incorporation will designate the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents.

Our certificate of incorporation will provide that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, employees or agents to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each such case subject to such Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of, and consented to, the provisions of our certificate of incorporation described in the preceding sentence. This choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and such persons. Alternatively, if a court were to find these provisions of our certificate of incorporation inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

42


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
AND INDUSTRY DATA

The information in this prospectus includes “forward-looking statements.” All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this prospectus, regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. When used in this prospectus, the words “could,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions about future events and are based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements described under the heading “Risk Factors” included in this prospectus. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current belief, based on currently available information, as to the outcome and timing of future events.

Forward-looking statements may include statements about our:

business strategy;
reserves;
financial strategy, liquidity and capital required for our development program;
realized natural gas, NGL and oil prices;
timing and amount of future production of natural gas, NGLs and oil, including with respect to the timing and results of initial wells in the Utica Shale;
hedging strategy and results;
future drilling plans;
competition and government regulations;
pending legal or environmental matters;
marketing of natural gas, NGLs and oil;
leasehold or business acquisitions;
costs of developing our properties and conducting our gathering and other midstream operations;
general economic conditions;
credit markets;
uncertainty regarding our future operating results; and
plans, objectives, expectations and intentions contained in this prospectus that are not historical.

We caution you that these forward-looking statements are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control, incident to the exploration for and development, production, gathering and sale of natural gas, NGLs and oil. These risks include, but are not limited to, commodity price volatility, inflation, lack of availability of drilling and production equipment and services, environmental risks, drilling and other operating risks, regulatory changes, the uncertainty inherent in estimating natural gas reserves and in projecting future rates of production, cash flow and access to capital, the timing of development expenditures, and the other risks described under “Risk Factors” in this prospectus.

Reserve engineering is a process of estimating underground accumulations of natural gas, NGLs and oil that cannot be measured in an exact way. The accuracy of any reserve estimate depends on the quality of available data, the interpretation of such data and price and cost assumptions made by reserve engineers. In addition, the results of drilling, testing and production activities may justify revisions of estimates that were

43


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

made previously. If significant, such revisions would change the schedule of any further production and development drilling. Accordingly, reserve estimates may differ significantly from the quantities of natural gas, and NGLs and oil that are ultimately recovered.

Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this prospectus occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements.

All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this prospectus are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that we or persons acting on our behalf may issue.

Except as otherwise required by applicable law, we disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this prospectus.

This prospectus also includes statistical and other industry and market data that we obtained from industry publications and research, surveys and studies conducted by third parties. Industry publications and third party research, surveys and studies generally indicate that their information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, although they do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information. While we believe these industry publications and third party research, surveys and studies are reliable, we have not independently verified such data.

44


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds to us from our issuance and sale of securities in this offering will be approximately $     million (or approximately $     million if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full), assuming an initial public offering price of $     per share and accompanying warrant, which is the midpoint of the price range listed on the cover page of this prospectus, and $0.01 per corresponding warrant after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by us. If all of the warrants issued in this offering are exercised for cash, then we will receive an additional $    million of proceeds. It is possible that the warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis or expire prior to being exercised, in which case we will not receive any additional proceeds.

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $     per share and accompanying warrant would increase (decrease) our net proceeds from this offering by approximately $     million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by us.

The principal purposes of this offering are to increase our capitalization and financial flexibility, create a public market for our common stock and warrants and enable access to the public equity markets for us and our stockholders. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including working capital, operating expenses and capital expenditures. We estimate that we will use the net proceeds from this offering as follows:

approximately $     million for drilling;
approximately $     million for future acquisitions;
approximately $     million for general capital expenditures(1); and
approximately $     million for general corporate purposes.

(1) General capital expenditures shall include computers, leasehold improvements, gathering systems, and equipment.

Investors are cautioned, however, that expenditures may vary substantially from these uses. Investors will be relying on the judgment of our management, who will have broad discretion regarding the application of the proceeds of this offering. We are reserving the right to change our use of proceeds. The overall corporate strategy is to develop our existing assets through our drilling program and to acquire producing assets with development opportunities (“New Assets”). If any New Assets are identified that meet our acquisition metrics, we may reallocate proceeds from this offering to acquire New Assets. The amounts and timing of our actual expenditures will depend upon numerous factors, including the amount of cash generated by our operations, the amount of competition and other operational factors. We may find it necessary or advisable to use portions of the proceeds from this offering for other purposes.

From time to time, we evaluate these and other factors and we anticipate continuing to make such evaluations to determine if the existing allocation of resources, including the proceeds of this offering, is being optimized. Circumstances that may give rise to a change in the use of proceeds include:

a change in the size of this offering;
a change in our acquisition plan or strategy;
technical delays;
delays or difficulties with our capital expenditure plan;
the availability and operating cost of drilling rigs;
oil and gas pricing;
cost of oil and gas extraction;
availability and market for existing production;
failure to achieve sales as anticipated; and
the availability of other sources of cash, including cash flow from operations and new bank debt financing arrangements, if any.

45


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pending our use of the net proceeds from this offering, we intend to invest the net proceeds in a variety of capital preservation investments, including short-term, investment grade, interest bearing instruments and U.S. government securities.

DIVIDEND POLICY

We do not anticipate declaring or paying any cash dividends to holders of our common stock in the foreseeable future. We currently intend to retain future earnings, if any, to finance the growth of our business. Our future dividend policy is within the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon then-existing conditions, including our results of operations, financial condition, capital requirements, investment opportunities, statutory restrictions on our ability to pay dividends and other factors our board of directors may deem relevant. In addition, certain of our debt instruments place restrictions on our ability to pay cash dividends.

46


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth the cash and capitalization as of June 30, 2014 of:

Imperial on an actual basis; and
the Company on a pro forma basis to give effect to (i) the reorganization transactions described under “Corporate Reorganization” and, in connection therewith, the conversion of the outstanding percentage interest issued and outstanding immediately prior to the conversion into an aggregate of 9,000,000 shares of common stock and (ii) the sale of shares of our common stock in the offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $      per share and accompanying warrants (which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus) at an initial public offering price of $0.01 per warrant in this offering, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

This table should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, “Use of Proceeds” and our historical audited and unaudited consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

   
  As of June 30, 2014
  Actual   Pro Forma(5)
  Imperial Resources, LLC   Empire Energy Holdings, Inc.
  (Unaudited)
(in thousands)
           
Cash and cash equivalents(1)   $ 4,074     $ 21,546  
Current portion of long-term debt     28       28  
Long-term debt
           
Long-term debt(2)     37,837       37,837  
Line of credit(3)     3,000       3,000  
Related party payable(4)     8,028       8,028  
Total long-term debt     48,864       48,864  
Total long-term debt, including current portion     48,892       48,892  
Equity:
           
Common stock, $0.01 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized (pro forma);      shares issued and outstanding (pro forma)           24  
Additional paid in capital           17,448  
Issued capital     29,794       29,794  
Retained earnings     7,287       7,287  
Accumulated other comprehensive income     448       448  
Warrants     3,413       3,413  
Total equity     40,942       58,414  
Total capitalization   $ 89,834     $ 107,306  

(1) As of June 30, 2014, we had cash and cash equivalents of $4.1 million.
(2) As of June 30, 2014, we had $37.8 million in outstanding borrowings under our term credit facility, which matures in February, 2016 and bears interest at a variable rate, which was approximately 4.87% as of June 30, 2014. This amount is net of discounts on debt of $0.3 million.
(3) As of June 30, 2014, we had $3.0 million in outstanding borrowings under our revolving credit facility, which matures in February, 2016 and bears interest at a variable rate, which was approximately 2.69% as of June 30, 2014.
(4) As of June 30, 2014, we had $8.0 million debt due to Empire Energy Group, our parent company.

47


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(5) The pro forma information is illustrative only and following the completion of this offering will be adjusted based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing.

A $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $     per share and accompanying warrant, which is the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover of this prospectus, would increase or decrease each of cash and cash equivalents, total equity and total capitalization on a pro forma basis by approximately $     million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We may also increase or decrease the number of shares and warrants we are offering. Each increase of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares and corresponding number of warrants offered by us at an assumed offering price of $     per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus, would increase each of our pro forma cash and cash equivalents, total equity and total capitalization by approximately $     million. Similarly, each decrease of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares and corresponding number of warrants offered by us, at an assumed offering price of $     per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus, would decrease each of our pro forma cash and cash equivalents, total equity and total capitalization by approximately $     million.

The number of shares of our common stock that will be outstanding immediately after this offering is based on 9,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company outstanding as of          , 2014 as if the membership interest percentage outstanding as of such date was converted pursuant to the Corporate Reorganization, and excludes the following:

        shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our post-offering stock incentive plans;
up to      additional shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option;
1,000,000 shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrant held by Macquarie Americas Corp.;
       shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants offered hereby in this offering; and
     shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants upon completion of this offering.

48


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DILUTION

If you invest in our securities in this offering, your ownership interest will be immediately and substantially diluted to the extent of the difference between the public offering price per share of our common stock and our pro forma net tangible book value per share of our common stock after giving effect to this offering.

Our historical net tangible book value as of June 30, 2014 was $    . Historical net tangible book value per share as of June 30, 2014 has not been provided due to the fact that at June 30, 2014 we were a limited liability company and did not have shares of common stock outstanding.

Our pro forma net tangible book value as of June 30, 2014 was $    , or $     per share of our common stock. Pro forma net tangible book value per share represents the amount of our total tangible assets less our total liabilities, divided by the pro forma number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2014 (with the number of shares of common stock calculated as if the membership interest percentage outstanding as of June 30, 2014 was converted pursuant to the Corporate Reorganization).

After giving effect to the sale of      shares of common stock and      warrants in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price of $      per share (which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus) and $0.01 per warrant, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses payable by us, our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value at June 30, 2014 would have been approximately $    , or $     per share. This represents an immediate increase in pro forma net tangible book value of approximately $     per share to our existing stockholders, and an immediate dilution of $     per share to investors purchasing securities in this offering.

Dilution in pro forma net tangible book value per share represents the difference between the amount per share paid by purchasers of our securities in this offering and the pro forma net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after this offering.

The following table illustrates the per share dilution to investors purchasing shares in the offering:

   
Assumed initial public offering price per share            $       
Pro forma net tangible book value per share as of June 30, 2014, before giving effect to this offering            $       
Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to new investors in this offering                  
Pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering                 
Dilution per share to new investors         $       

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $     per share and accompanying warrant would increase (decrease) the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value by $     , the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share by $     per share and accompanying warrant, and the dilution in pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share to new investors in this offering by $     per share and accompanying warrant, assuming that the number of shares and warrants offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The information above assumes that the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option or the Representative’s Warrants. If the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full, the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value will increase to $     per share and accompanying warrant, representing an immediate increase in pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value to existing stockholders of $     per share and accompanying warrant and an immediate dilution of $     per share and accompanying warrant to new investors in this offering. If any shares are issued upon exercise of outstanding options or warrants, new investors will experience further dilution.

The following table summarizes, on a pro forma as adjusted basis as of June 30, 2014, the differences between the number of shares of common stock purchased from us, the total consideration and the average

49


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

price per share paid by existing stockholders and by new investors participating in this offering, at an assumed initial public offering price of $     per share and accompanying warrant, the midpoint of the estimated price range shown on the cover page of this prospectus.

         
  Shares Purchased   Total Consideration   Average Price Per Share
     Number   Percentage   Amount   Percentage
Existing stockholders                     $                   $       
New investors
                                            
Total              100 %    $       100 %    $  

The number of shares of our common stock that will be outstanding immediately after this offering is based on 9,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company outstanding as of             , 2014 as if the membership interest percentage outstanding as such date was converted pursuant to the Corporate Reorganization, and excludes the following:

shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our post-offering stock incentive plans;
up to      additional shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option;
1,000,000 shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrant held by Macquarie Americas Corp.;
       shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants offered in this offering; and
      shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants upon completion of this offering.

If the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full, the number of shares held by new investors will increase to     , or      % of the total number of shares of common stock outstanding after this offering, and the shares held by existing stockholders will be             but the percentage of shares held by existing stockholders will decrease to      % of the total shares outstanding.

To the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised, any warrants or options are granted and exercised or existing warrants (including the Representative’s Warrants) or options are exercised, there will be further dilution to new investors.

50


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

The following selected historical consolidated balance sheet data, statements of operations data and statements of cash flows data (i) as of and for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2013 are derived from, and qualified by reference to, the audited consolidated financial statements of Imperial included elsewhere in this prospectus, and (ii) as of and for the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2014 are derived from, and qualified by reference to, the unaudited consolidated financial statements of Imperial included elsewhere in this prospectus. The financial data of Imperial, a holding company, are inclusive of its wholly owned subsidiaries Empire Energy USA, LLC and Empire Energy E&P, LLC. The selected financial data presented below should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto, as well as “Capitalization” and “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Our historical results of operations are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for any future periods.

The selected unaudited pro forma consolidated balance sheet data as of June 30, 2014 and the statements of operations data and statements of cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2013 and the six months ended June 30, 2014 has been prepared to give pro forma effect to (i) the Corporate Reorganization, pursuant to which Imperial will be converted into the Company and its only direct holdings will be Empire Energy USA, LLC, and (ii) this offering and the application of the net proceeds from this offering as if they had been completed as of January 1, 2013 or 2014, as applicable. The selected unaudited pro forma consolidated financial data are presented for informational purposes only and should not be considered indicative of actual results of operations that would have been achieved had the Corporate Reorganization and this offering been consummated on the dates indicated, and do not purport to be indicative of statements of financial position or results of operations as of any further date or for any future period.

           
  Imperial Resources, LLC
(Actual)
  Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. (Pro Forma)
     Six Months
Ended
June 30,
  Year Ended
December 31,
  Six Months Ended
June 30,
  Year Ended December 31,
     2014   2013   2013   2012   2014   2013
     (Unaudited)             (Unaudited)
(in thousands)
                                                     
Statements of operations data:
                                                     
Revenues:
                                                     
Oil and gas sales   $ 11,700     $ 11,640     $ 22,842     $ 22,013     $ 11,700     $ 22,842  
Well operations service fees     435       503       909       548       435       909  
Oil and natural gas price risk management income, net     194       1,315       2,135       4,259       194       2,135  
Total revenues     12,330       13,457       25,886       26,820       12,330       25,886  
Operating expenses:
                                                     
Cost of oil and gas sales     3,312       3,044       6,218       6,209       3,312       6,218  
Ad valorem and production tax     374       758       1,163       858       374       1,163  
Cost of well operation services     2,103       1,939       3,949       3,637       2,103       3,949  
Exploratory dry hole costs     45       26       729       197       45       729  
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     2,558       2,747       5,854       5,420       2,558       5,854  
General and administrative(1)     1,748       1,917       3,463       3,431       1,144       2,270  
Expiration costs     56       97       152       1,027       56       152  
Total operating expenses     10,197       10,528       21,528       20,779       9,593       20,335  
Operating income     2,133       2,929       4,358       6,041       2,737       5,551  
Interest expense     (1,391 )      (3,004 )      (4,381 )      (8,827 )      (1,391 )      (4,381 ) 
Other income     154       206       (257 )      399       154       (257 ) 
Gain (loss) on disposal of property and equipment     736             (28 )      (164 )      736       (28 ) 
Other expense     (566 )      (50 )      429       (476 )            429  
Income tax (expense) benefit     (376 )      (9 )      (30 )      2,188       (590 )      (326 ) 
Net income (loss)   $ 690     $ 72     $ 91     $ (839 )    $ 1,081     $ 988  

51


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(1) Includes Imperial Resources expenses of $0.6 million and $0.7 million for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and $1.2 million and $1.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, which will no longer be incurred after the offering.

           
  Imperial Resources, LLC
(Actual)
  Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. (Pro Forma)
     Six Months
Ended
June 30,
  Year Ended
December 31,
  Six Months Ended
June 30,
  Year Ended December 31,
     2014   2013   2013   2012   2014   2013
     (Unaudited)             (Unaudited)
(in thousands)
                                                     
Net cash provided by (used in):
                                                     
Operating activities   $ 2,054     $ 3,828     $ 9,224     $ 15,794                    
Investing activities     525       (1,028 )      (3,162 )      (4,246 )                   
Financing activities     (624 )      (4,094 )      (8,226 )      (8,745 )                   
Other financial data (unaudited):
                                                     
Adjusted EBITDAX(1)   $ 4,370     $ 5,907     $ 11,175     $ 12,608     $ 4,975     $ 12,368  
Earnings per unit — basic                           $ 0.09     $ 0.09  
Earnings per unit — diluted                             0.09       0.09  

     
  Imperial Resources, LLC
(Actual)
June 30, 2014
  Imperial Resources, LLC
(Actual)
December 31, 2013
  Empire Energy Holdings, Inc.
(Pro Forma)
June 30, 2014
(in thousands)
                 
Balance sheet data (at period end):
                 
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 4,074     $ 2,118     $ 21,546  
Land, property and equipment, net     95,125       97,518       95,125  
Total assets     112,191       113,606       129,663  
Total long-term debt, including current portion     48,892       49,846       48,892  
Total equity     40,942       42,273       58,414  

(1) Adjusted EBITDAX is a Non-GAAP “Financial Measures”. For a definition of Adjusted EBITDAX and a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDAX to net income (loss), see “Summary Consolidated Financial Data” below.
(2) Includes Imperial Resources expenses of $0.6 million and $0.7 million for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and $1.2 million and $1.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, which will no longer be incurred after the offering. These amounts have been removed from the pro forma EBITDAX balances.

52


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. The following discussion contains “forward-looking statements” that reflect our future plans, estimates, beliefs and expected performance. We caution that assumptions, expectations, projections, intentions, or beliefs about future events may, and often do, vary from actual results and the differences can be material. Some of the key factors which could cause actual results to vary from our expectations include changes in natural gas prices, the timing of planned capital expenditures, availability of acquisitions, uncertainties in estimating proved reserves and forecasting production results, operational factors affecting the commencement or maintenance of producing wells, the condition of the capital markets generally, as well as our ability to access them, and uncertainties regarding environmental regulations or litigation and other legal or regulatory developments affecting our business, as well as those factors discussed below and elsewhere in this prospectus, all of which are difficult to predict. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed may not occur. See “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Industry Data.” Also, see the risk factors and other cautionary statements described under the heading “Risk Factors” included elsewhere in this prospectus. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law. Unless otherwise indicated, the information presented in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” does not give pro forma effect to our corporate reorganization described in “Corporate Reorganization” and “— Formation of Empire Energy Holdings, Inc.”

Overview

We are an independent returns-focused exploration and production company focused on the acquisition, development and exploitation of conventional oil and natural gas reserves in the Kansas (Mid-Continent), New York and Pennsylvania (Appalachia). We operate approximately 300 wells in the Mid-Continent and approximately 1,700 wells in the Appalachian Basin. Our drilling activity is currently focused on the low-risk vertical oil development of the Arbuckle and Lansing/Kansas City formations located in Central Kansas (Mid-Continent) where a typical Arbuckle well at a well cost of $350,000 is expected to produce an internal rate of return of around 66% with an initial gross production rate of 642 Bbl/month. This excludes any reserves and production for up-hole producing formations (such as the Lansing/Kansas City formations). In Upstate New York (Appalachia) we are targeting the Upper Devonian Bradford Group formation oil production. Although in Appalachia we mainly produce natural gas from the Medina formation at current gas prices development of these formations is breakeven. We are a returns-focused organization and have targeted these oil formations in Kansas and New York.

We were founded in 2006 by a group of individuals with extensive experience in the oil and gas and finance industries. As we have grown we have been able to attract additional experienced operating and financial personal. With an average of over 20 years of industry experience, our management team has a proven track record of working as a team to acquire, develop and exploit oil and natural gas reserves in the Mid-Continent and Appalachian regions. Our strategy is to: (i) develop assets where we are the operator and have high revenue interests; and (ii) to acquire producing assets with additional development opportunity, with a focus on accretive acquisitions in regions in which we are already operating, again where we are the operator. This enables us to control the pace of development and allocation of our capital resources. As at June 30, 2014, we operated approximately 99% of our developed acreage with an average working interest of 91%.

Our acreage position was 305,878 gross (278,180 net) acres at June 30, 2014, which we group into two primary areas based on geographic locations — Mid-Continent and Appalachia.

53


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The following table summarizes our leasehold position by primary geographic area as of June 30, 2014:

   
  Gross   Net
Mid-Continent     21,521       16,571  
Appalachia     284,357       261,608  
Total     305,878       278,180  

Since our inception, we have completed three significant acquisitions, four bolt-on acquisitions and one divestiture. In December 2006, the Company acquired DK Gas for $9.2 million. Located in Hawthorn, Pennsylvania the Company continues to maintain an operations facility today, with 150 operating gas wells and 6,000 leased acres in Jefferson, Clarion and Armstrong Counties in Pennsylvania. In December 2009, the Company purchased approximately 1,600 operating wells (predominantly gas) and 300,000 leased acres located in upstate New York from Range Resources Corporation for $38.0 million. The wells and leases are located in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Wyoming, Ontario, Seneca, Cayuga and Wayne Counties in New York and Erie County Pennsylvania. The Company maintains an operations facility in Mayville, New York. In December 2010, the Company purchased approximately 300 operating wells (predominantly oil) and 22,000 leased acres located in central Kansas from Amadeus Petroleum for $56.6 million. The Company maintains operations facilities in Great Bend, Plainville, and Wichita, Kansas. With respect to the divestiture, in 2010, the Company sold the deep drilling rights for the acreage acquired from DK Gas to a third party for $24.6 million.

From the time we began operations in December 2006 through June 30, 2014, we have drilled 38 gross operated vertical wells on our properties with an 84% success rate and we have drilled no horizontal wells.

In 2013, due to our strategy of building up cash reserves for potential proved developed producing (PDP) heavy acquisitions, our development capital was only approximately $1.3 million and we drilled a total of 7 gross (6 net) wells. In 2014, we plan to invest at least $5.0 million of development capital to drill 21 gross (20 net) wells.

Our estimate of proved reserves is prepared by Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. for Appalachia and LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd. for Mid-Con. As of January 1, 2014, we had 7.7 MBoe of proved reserves, of which 39% was oil and 61% was natural gas. As of January 1, 2014, the PV-10 of our proved reserves was approximately $102.5 million, 88% of which was attributed to proved developed reserves. The following table provides information regarding our reserves and production by area as of January 1, 2014, except as otherwise noted below:

         
                                                    Estimated Total Proved Reserves and Production
     2013
     Reserves   Production
Region   Oil (MBbls)   Natural Gas (MMcf)   Total
(MBoe)
  PV-10(1)
(in thousands)
  Average Net Daily Production (Boe/D)
Reserve Category
                                            
Proved Developed:
                                            
Mid-Con     2,599       235       2,638     $ 63,361       447  
Appalachia     61       27,098       4,577       26,357       896  
Undeveloped:
                                            
Mid-Con     427       130       449       12,784        
Appalachia                              
Total Proved     3,087       27,463       7,664     $ 102,502       1,343  

(1) PV-10 is a non-GAAP financial measure. For a definition of PV-10 and a reconciliation of PV-10 to the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows, see the Estimated Total Proved Reserves and Production table in “Prospectus Summary — Our Company” on page 1.

We derive substantially all of our revenues from the sale of oil and natural gas that is produced from our interests in properties located in the Mid-Con and in the Appalachian Basin. Our revenues, cash flow from operations and future growth depend substantially on factors beyond our control, such as economic, political and regulatory developments and competition from other sources of energy. Oil and natural gas prices have

54


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

historically been volatile and may fluctuate widely in the future due to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, prevailing economic conditions, supply and demand of hydrocarbons in the marketplace and geopolitical events such as wars or natural disasters. Sustained periods of low oil or natural gas prices could materially and adversely affect our financial condition, our results of operations, the quantities of natural gas that we can economically produce and our ability to access capital.

We use NYMEX commodity contracts to manage and reduce price volatility and other market risks associated with our oil and natural gas production. These arrangements are structured to reduce our exposure to commodity price decreases, but they can also limit the benefit we might otherwise receive from commodity price increases. We have currently sold oil and natural gas NYMEX contracts at a fixed price. The prices contained in these derivative contracts are based on NYMEX WTI prices for oil and NYMEX Henry Hub prices for natural gas. The NYMEX prices are widely used benchmark for the pricing of oil and natural gas in the United States. The actual prices realized from the sale of natural gas differ from the quoted NYMEX prices as a result of location differentials. Location differentials to NYMEX prices, also known as basis differential, result from variances in regional oil or natural gas prices compared to NYMEX prices as a result of regional supply and demand factors. Historically, we have not hedged basis differentials associated with our oil or natural gas production. We have elected to designate our current portfolio of commodity derivative contracts as hedges for accounting purposes. Therefore only cash settlements are recognized as earnings. All other changes in fair value of these derivative instruments are recognized as Cumulative Other Comprehensive Income on the Balance Sheet. Please read “— Commodity Hedging Activities” for additional discussion of our commodity derivative contracts.

Like other businesses engaged in the exploration and production of oil and natural gas, we face the challenge of natural production declines. As initial reservoir pressures are depleted, oil and natural gas production from a given well naturally decreases. Thus, an oil and natural gas exploration and production company depletes part of its asset base with each unit of oil or natural gas it produces. We attempt to overcome this natural decline by drilling to find additional reserves and acquiring more reserves than we produce. Our future growth will depend on our ability to enhance production levels from our existing reserves and to continue to add reserves in excess of production in a cost effective manner. Our ability to make capital expenditures to increase production from our existing reserves and to add reserves through drilling is dependent on our capital resources and can be limited by many factors, including our ability to access capital in a cost effective manner and to timely obtain drilling permits and regulatory approvals.

Our financial condition and results of operations, including the growth of production, cash flows and reserves, are driven by several factors, including:

success in drilling new wells;
oil or natural gas prices;
the availability of attractive acquisition opportunities and our ability to execute them;
the amount of capital we invest in the leasing and development of our properties;
facility or equipment availability and unexpected downtime;
delays imposed by or resulting from compliance with regulatory requirements; and
the rate at which production volumes on our wells naturally decline.

Formation of Empire Energy Holdings, Inc.

Pursuant to a plan of conversion, as soon as practicable after the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, Imperial will file a certificate of conversion, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is part (the “Certificate of Conversion”), with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, pursuant to which Imperial will convert into a Delaware corporation and continue in the name of Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. (“Corporate Reorganization”). Upon the filing of the Certificate of Conversion, the sole membership percentage interest of Empire Energy Group Limited (“Empire Energy Group”) in Imperial issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Corporate Reorganization will be converted automatically into 9,000,000 shares of common stock

55


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

of the Company, par value $0.01, with such shares of common stock having the respective rights, preferences and privileges set forth in the restated certificate of incorporation of the Company, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The membership percentage interest outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the conversion shall be converted automatically, without any action on the part of the holder thereof, into validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of the Company’s common stock.

The financial data of Imperial, a holding company, are inclusive of its wholly-owned subsidiaries Empire Energy USA, LLC and Empire Energy E&P, LLC and are included in this prospectus in this discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations.

Factors That Significantly Affect Comparability of Our Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Our historical financial condition and results of operations for the periods presented may not be comparable, either from period to period or going forward, for the following reasons:

Public Company Expenses.  Upon completion of this offering, we expect to incur direct, incremental general and administrative (“G&A”) expenses as a result of being a publicly traded company, including, but not limited to, costs associated with annual and quarterly reports to stockholders, tax return preparation, independent auditor fees, investor relations activities, registrar and transfer agent fees, incremental director and officer liability insurance costs and independent director compensation. We estimate these direct, incremental G&A expenses will be approximately $0.5 million per year. These direct, incremental G&A expenses are not included in our historical results of operations.

Income Taxes.  Imperial, our accounting predecessor, is a limited liability company taxed as a C Corporation for federal and state income taxes, subject to federal and state income taxes at statutory rates. Accordingly, a provision for federal and state income taxes has been provided.

Financing Arrangements.

Imperial, through Empire Energy E&P, LLC and Empire Energy USA, LLC, maintains a facility consisting of the following, which was extended in 2013 to mature in February 2016 with the same terms:

A $50.0 million revolving line-of-credit facility (the “Revolver”) was used to refinance existing debt and to undertake future acquisitions. The Revolver is subject to a borrowing base consistent with normal and customary oil and gas lending practices of the bank. The borrowing base limit at the time of the extension was $3.0 million and is re-determined from time to time in accordance with the Revolver. With only $3.0 million currently drawn on the Revolver we have additional borrowing base availability under the Revolver of $10.0 million. Interest accrues on the outstanding borrowings at rate options selected by the Company and based on the prime lending rate (3.25% at June 30, 2014) or the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (60-Day LIBOR) (0.19325% at June 30, 2014) plus 2.5%. At June 30, 2014, the Company’s rate option was LIBOR. At the last review of the Revolver by the lender in February 2014, there is additional borrowing base availability under the Revolver of around $10.0 million. However, the borrowing base limit changes with operations and opportunities; and
A $150.0 million acquisition and development term credit facility (the “Term Facility”) was used to refinance an existing facility, undertake acquisitions and support capital expenditures under an agreed development plan for oil and gas properties and services companies in the United States. Drawdown on the Term Facility is based on predefined benchmarks. Interest accrues on the outstanding borrowings at rate options selected by the Company and based on the prime lending rate (3.25% at June 30, 2014) or the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (60-Day LIBOR) (0.19325% at June 30, 2014) plus 4% for Tranches A-1, A-2 and B, 4.5% for Tranche C-2 and 5% for Tranche C-1. At June 30, 2014, the Company’s rate option was LIBOR.

Loans under the facilities are secured by the assets of the Company. Under the terms of the facilities, the Company is required to maintain financial ratios customary for the oil and gas industry. Beginning in

56


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

March 2008, the Company started to repay the facilities monthly to the extent of an applicable percentage of net operating cash flow and capital transactions. The Revolver and Term Facility loans are guaranteed by Empire Energy Group.

Imperial has a related party payable with Empire Energy Group. The outstanding balance on this line is $8.0 million at June 30, 2014.

Revenue

We market our oil and natural gas production to a variety of purchasers based on regional pricing. The relative prices of oil and natural gas are determined by the factors impacting global and regional supply and demand dynamics, such as economic conditions, production levels, weather cycles and other events. In addition, relative prices are heavily influenced by product quality and location relative to consuming and refining markets. To mitigate the potential negative impact on our cash flow caused by changes in oil and natural gas prices, we have entered into financial commodity derivative contracts in the form of NYMEX based futures contracts for approximately 70% of our future oil and natural gas production when management believes that favorable future prices can be secured.

Oil.  The NYMEX-WTI futures price is a widely used benchmark in the pricing of domestic and imported oil in the United States. The actual prices realized from the sale of oil differ from the quoted NYMEX-WTI price as a result of quality and location differentials. Quality differentials to NYMEX-WTI prices result from the fact that crude oils differ from one another in their molecular makeup, which plays an important part in their refining and subsequent sale as petroleum products. Among other things, there are two characteristics that commonly drive quality differentials: (1) the oil’s American Petroleum Institute, or API, gravity and (2) the oil’s percentage of sulfur content by weight. In general, lighter oil (with higher API gravity) produces a larger number of lighter products, such as gasoline, which have higher resale value and, therefore, normally sells at a higher price than heavier oil. Oil with low sulfur content (“sweet” oil) is less expensive to refine and, as a result, normally sells at a higher price than high sulfur-content oil (“sour” oil). Our oil is Kansas Mid-grade which is considered “sour”.

Location differentials to NYMEX-WTI prices result from variances in transportation costs based on the produced oil’s proximity to the major consuming and refining markets to which it is ultimately delivered. Oil that is produced close to major consuming and refining markets, such as near Cushing, Oklahoma, is in higher demand as compared to oil that is produced farther from such markets. Consequently, oil that is produced close to major consuming and refining markets normally realizes a higher price (i.e., a lower location differential to NYMEX-WTI).

The oil produced from our properties is a combination of sweet and sour oil, varying by location. We sell our oil at the NYMEX-WTI price, which is adjusted for quality and transportation differential, depending primarily on location and purchaser. The differential varies, but our oil normally sells at a discount to the NYMEX-WTI price.

Natural Gas.  The NYMEX-Henry Hub price of natural gas is a widely used benchmark for the pricing of natural gas in the United States. Similar to oil, the actual prices realized from the sale of natural gas differ from the quoted NYMEX-Henry Hub price as a result of quality and location differentials. Quality differentials to NYMEX-Henry Hub prices result from: (1) the Btu content of natural gas, which measures its heating value, and (2) the percentage of sulfur, CO and other inert content by volume. Wet natural gas with a high Btu content sells at a premium to low Btu content dry natural gas because it yields a greater quantity of NGLs. Natural gas with low sulfur and CO content sells at a premium to natural gas with high sulfur and CO content because of the added cost to separate the sulfur and CO from the natural gas to render it marketable. All of the Company’s natural gas production is dry and is generally sold based on NYMEX-Henry Hub prices plus a differential in the region from which it is produced.

Location differentials to NYMEX-Henry Hub prices result from variances in transportation costs based on the natural gas’ proximity to the major consuming markets to which it is ultimately delivered. Also affecting the differential is the processing fee deduction retained by the natural gas processing plant generally in the form of percentage of proceeds. Generally, these differentials have historically been at a premium to

57


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NYMEX-Henry Hub natural gas prices. Because of the increase in shale gas production the location differentials are currently at a discount to NYMEX-Henry Hub natural gas prices.

       
  Six Months Ended June 30,   Year Ended
December 31,
     2014   2013   2013   2012
Oil
                                   
NYMEX WTI High   $ 107.26     $ 99.44     $ 110.53     $ 109.77  
NYMEX WTI Low     91.66       86.68       86.68       77.69  
Differential to Average NYMEX WTI     (3.67 )      (6.11 )      (5.20 )      (5.68 ) 
Natural Gas
                                   
NYMEX Henry Hub High   $ 6.15     $ 4.41     $ 4.46     $ 3.90  
NYMEX Henry Hub Low     4.01       3.11       3.11       1.90  
Differential to Average NYMEX Henry Hub     (0.16 )      0.46       0.14       0.06  

We sell substantially all of our oil and natural gas to two customers. In 2013, sales to Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing, LLC comprised 95% of our oil sales, and sales to National Fuel Resources, Inc. comprised 81% of our natural gas sales. If any significant customer decided to stop purchasing oil and natural gas from us, our revenues could decline and our operating results and financial condition could be harmed. However, based on the current demand for oil and natural gas, and the availability of other purchasers, we believe that the loss of any one or all of our significant customers would not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations, as crude oil and natural gas are fungible products with well-established markets and numerous purchasers.

Principal Components of our Cost Structure

Cost of oil and gas sales.  These are the day to day operating costs incurred to maintain production of our natural gas and oil producing wells. Such costs include produced water disposal, maintenance and repairs and production. Cost levels for these expenses can vary based on supply and demand for services.
Ad valorem and production taxes.  Kansas imposes an ad valorem tax based on the property valuation of oil and gas wells. Certain local taxing authorities in New York impose an ad valorem tax based on production. Kansas also imposes an excise tax upon the production of oil and gas.
Cost of well operations.  These costs include labor and fringe benefits, vehicle expenses, supplies and other field costs incurred to operate our wells.
Exploratory dry hole costs.  These include geological and geophysical costs, seismic costs and delay rental payments.
Depreciation, depletion and amortization.  Depreciation, depletion and amortization (“DD&A”) includes the systematic expensing of the capitalized costs incurred to acquire, explore and develop natural gas. As a “successful efforts” company, we capitalize all costs associated with our acquisition and development efforts and all successful exploration efforts and allocate these costs to each unit of production using the units of production method.
General and administrative expense.  We expect that we will incur additional general and administrative expenses as a result of being a publicly-traded company. Please see “— Factors That Significantly Affect Comparability of Our Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Public Company Expenses.”
Expiration costs.  These write-downs include the cost of expensing certain lease acquisition costs associated with properties that we no longer expect to drill and therefore have allowed to expire.
Interest expense.  We have financed property acquisitions with borrowings under our revolving credit facility and term loan. As a result, we incur interest expense that is affected by the level of acquisition activities, as well as fluctuations in interest rates and our financing decisions. We will likely continue to incur significant interest expense as we continue to grow.
Income tax expense.  Imperial, our accounting predecessor, is a limited liability company taxed as a C Corporation for federal and state income taxes, subject to federal and income taxes at a statutory rates. Accordingly, a provision for federal and state income taxes has been provided.

58


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

How We Evaluate Our Operations

In evaluating our financial results, we focus on production, revenues, per unit cash production, G&A and our Adjusted EBITDAX. We define Adjusted EBITDAX as net income (loss) before interest expense or interest income; income taxes; write-down of abandoned leases; impairments; depreciation, depletion and amortization; amortization of deferred financing costs; equity in (income) loss in a joint venture; non-cash compensation expense; gain from sale of interest in gas properties; and exploration expenses. Adjusted EBITDAX is not a measure of net income as determined by United States generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP.

Management believes that the presentation of our Adjusted EBITDAX provides information useful in assessing our financial condition and results of operations and that Adjusted EBITDAX is a widely accepted financial indicator of a company’s results of operations.

Adjusted EBITDAX may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies and should be considered in conjunction with net income (loss) and other performance measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, such as operating income or cash flows from operating activities. Adjusted EBITDAX has important limitations as an analytical tool because it excludes certain items that affect net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders. Adjusted EBITDAX should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for an analysis of our results as reported under GAAP.

We also evaluate our rates of return on invested capital in our wells. We believe the quality of our assets combined with our technical and managerial expertise can generate attractive rates of return as we develop our core acreage position in Mid-Con and Appalachia. Additionally, by focusing on concentrated acreage positions, we can build and own centralized midstream infrastructure, including low- and high-pressure gathering lines, compression facilities, which enable us to reduce reliance on third-party operators, minimize costs and increase our returns.

We measure the expected return of our wells based on return on investment (ROI) based on investment costs, anticipated flow rates, and projected sales prices, and lifting costs. To maintain positive internal cash flow, our plans are to drill low cost, low risk vertical wells that have a short payback period. If the New York fracking moratorium is lifted, our plans would be to drill horizontal wells based on ROI.

Results of Operations

Six Months Ended June 30, 2014 Compared to Six Months Ended June 30, 2013

The following tables set forth selected operating data for the six months ended June 30, 2014 compared to the six months ended June 30, 2013:

       
  Six Months Ended June 30,   Increase/(Decrease)
     2014   2013   $   %
     (Unaudited)          
(in thousands, except percentages)
                                   
Statement of Operations Data:
                                   
Revenues:
                                   
Oil and gas sales   $ 11,700     $ 11,640     $ 61       1 % 
Well operations service fees     435       503       (68 )      (13 )% 
Oil and natural gas price risk management income, net     194       1,315       (1,120 )      (85 )% 
Total revenues     12,330       13,457       (1,127 )      (8 )% 
Operating expenses:
                                   
Cost of oil and gas sales     3,312       3,044       267       9 % 
Ad valorem and production tax     374       758       (384 )      (51 )% 
Cost of well operation services     2,103       1,939       165       8 % 
Exploratory dry hole costs     45       26       19       74 % 

59


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

       
  Six Months Ended June 30,   Increase/(Decrease)
     2014   2013   $   %
     (Unaudited)          
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     2,558       2,747       (189 )      (7 )% 
General and administrative(1)     1,748       1,917       (169 )      (9 )% 
Expiration costs     56       97       (41 )      (42 )% 
Total operating expenses     10,197       10,528       (332 )      (3 )% 
Operating income     2,133       2,929       (796 )      (27 )% 
Interest expense     (1,391 )      (3,004 )      1,613       (54 )% 
Other income     154       206       (52 )      (25 )% 
Gain (loss) on disposal of property and equipment     736             736           
Other expense     (566 )      (50 )      (515 )      1,022 % 
Income tax (expense) benefit     (376 )      (9 )      (367 )      4,066 % 
Net income (loss)   $ 690     $ 72     $ 618       857 % 

(1) Includes Imperial Resources expenses of $0.6 million and $0.7 million for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, which will no longer be incurred after the offering.

       
  Six Months Ended June 30,   Increase/(Decrease)
     2014   2013   $   %
     (Unaudited)
Revenues (in thousands, except percentages):
                                   
Oil and gas sales   $ 11,700     $ 11,640     $ 61       1 % 
Well operations service fees     435       503       (68 )      (13 )% 
Oil and natural gas price risk management income, net     194       1,315       (1,120 )      (85 )% 
Total revenues   $ 12,330     $ 13,457     $ (1,127 )      (8 )% 
Average realized price before effects of hedges:(1)
                                   
Oil ($/Bbl)   $ 97.17     $ 88.15     $ 9.02       10 % 
Natural gas ($/Mcf)     4.49       4.22       0.27       6 % 
Combined ($/Boe)   $ 51.22     $ 46.94     $ 4.28       9 % 
Average realized price after effects of hedges:(1)
                                   
Oil ($/Bbl)   $ 89.96     $ 85.63     $ 4.33       5 % 
Natural gas ($/Mcf)     5.34       5.79       (0.45 )      (8 )% 
Combined ($/Boe)   $ 52.07     $ 52.24     $ (0.17 )      (0 )% 
Total production volumes:
                                   
Oil (MBbls)     79       85       (6 )      (7 )% 
Natural gas (MMcf)     897       976       (79 )      (8 )% 
Total (MBoe)     228       248       (20 )      (8 )% 
Average daily production volume:
                                   
Oil (Bbls/D)     439       474       (35 )      (7 )% 
Natural gas (Mcf/D)     4,982       5,421       (439 )      (8 )% 
Combined (Boe/d)     1,269       1,378       (109 )      (8 )% 

(1) Average prices shown in the table reflect prices both before and after the effects of our realized commodity hedging transactions. Our calculation of such effects includes both realized gains or losses on cash settlements for commodity derivative transactions.

60


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

       
  Six Months Ended June 30,   Increase/(Decrease)
     2014   2013   $   %
     (Unaudited)
Expenses (in thousands, except percentages):
                                   
Cost of oil and gas sales   $ 3,312     $ 3,044     $ 267       9 % 
Ad valorem and production tax     374       758       (384 )      (51 )% 
Cost of well operation services     2,103       1,939       165       8 % 
Exploratory dry hole costs     45       26       19       74 % 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     2,558       2,747       (189 )      (7 )% 
General and administrative(1)     1,748       1,917       (169 )      (9 )% 
Expiration costs     56       97       (41 )      (42 )% 
Total operating expenses     10,197       10,528       (332 )      (3 )% 
Interest expense     1,391       3,004       (1,613 )      (54 )% 
Total expenses   $ 11,587     $ 13,532     $ (1,945 )      (14 )% 
Expenses (per Boe):
                                   
Cost of oil and gas sales   $ 14.50     $ 12.28     $ 2.22       18 % 
Ad valorem and production tax     1.64       3.06       (1.42 )      (46 )% 
Cost of well operation services     9.21       7.82       1.39       18 % 
Exploratory dry hole costs     0.20       0.11       0.09       88 % 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     11.20       11.08       0.12       1 % 
General and administrative(1)     7.65       7.73       (0.08 )      (1 )% 
Expiration costs     0.25       0.39       (0.14 )      (37 )% 
Total operating expenses     44.64       42.46       2.18       5 % 
Interest expense     6.09       12.11       (6.02 )      (50 )% 
Total expenses   $ 50.72     $ 54.57     $ (3.85 )      (7 )% 

(1) Includes Imperial Resources expenses of $0.6 million and $0.7 million for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, which will no longer be incurred after the offering.

Revenues:

Oil and gas sales.  Oil revenue increased from $7.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2013 to $7.7 million for the same period in 2014. The $0.2 million increase was a result of a decrease in production of 6.0 Mbbls for the six month period ended June 30, 2014 compared to the prior year offset by a $9.02/Bbl increase in price. The decrease in production was a result of the natural decline in production. Gas revenue decreased of $0.1 million from $4.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2013 to $4.0 million for the same quarter in 2014 was a result of a 6%, or $0.27/Mcf, increase in average prices before the effect of hedges partially offset by a decrease in production of 79 MMcf compared to the prior year’s period. The decrease in production was a result of the seasonal decline in production.

Well operation service fees.  Well operation service fees decreased by $0.07 million due to a reduction in services provided.

Oil and natural gas price risk management income, net.  Gain on derivative instruments was $1.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2013 compared to $0.2 million for the same period in 2014, resulting in a $1.1 million decrease in gains in derivative instruments in 2014. The $0.2 million gain on settled derivatives contracts for the six months ended June 30, 2014 was comprised of a $0.6 million loss for oil contracts and a $0.8 million gain for gas contracts.

Expenses:

Cost of oil and gas sales.  The increase in these expenses from $3.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2013 to $3.3 million for the same period in 2014 was due to an increase in nonrecurring expenses.

Ad valorem and production tax.  The decrease in ad valorem and production tax from $0.8 million to $0.4 million is due to adjustments made in the six months ended June 30, 2013 to reflect actual payments made versus accurals.

Cost of well operation services.  The increase of $0.2 million from $1.9 million to $2.1 million was as a result of increased labor and insurance costs.

61


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Depreciation, depletion, and amortization.  The decrease of $0.2 million or $0.12/Boe was a result of a change in the method of accreting asset retirement obligations from straight-line to present value method.

General and administrative.  The decrease of $0.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2014 versus the same period in 2013 was primarily attributable to a decrease in professional service fees. G&A decreased from $7.73/Boe to $7.65/Boe.

Expiration costs.  Write downs of abandoned leases for the six months ended June 30, 2014 compared to the same period in 2013 decreased $0.04 million .

Interest expense.  Interest expense was $1.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2014 compared to $3.0 million for the same period in 2013, resulting in a decrease of $1.6 million in 2014 that was primarily attributable to lower levels of average borrowings outstanding and the reduction of deferred financing costs during the period.

Three Months Ended June 30, 2014 Compared to Three Months Ended June 30, 2013

The following tables set forth selected operating data for the three months ended June 30, 2014 compared to the three months ended June 30, 2013:

       
     Three Months Ended
June 30,
  Increase /
(Decrease)
     2014   2013   Amount   %
     (Unaudited)    
(in thousands, except percentages)
                                   
Statements of Operations Data:
                                   
Revenues:
                                   
Oil and gas sales   $ 6,087     $ 5,960     $ 127       2 % 
Well operations service fees     229       168       61       36 % 
Oil and natural gas price risk management income, net     82       763       (681 )      (89 )% 
Total revenues     6,399       6,891       (493 )      (7 )% 
Operating expenses:
                                   
Cost of oil and gas sales     1,695       947       749       79 % 
Ad valorem and production tax     276       225       51       23 % 
Cost of well operation services     1,037       976       60       6 % 
Exploratory dry hole costs     27       26       1       4 % 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     1,163       1,501       (338 )      (23 )% 
General and administrative(1)     1,154       1,279       (125 )      (10 )% 
Expiration costs     56       55       1       2 % 
Total operating expenses     5,408       5,008       400       8 % 
Operating income     991       1,883       (892 )      (47 )% 
Interest expense     (783 )      (1,763 )      980       (56 )% 
Other income     58       127       (69 )      (54 )% 
Gain (loss) on disposal of property and equipment     736             736        
Other expense     (245 )      (27 )      (218 )      797 % 
Income tax (expense) benefit     (265 )      (55 )      (210 )      381 % 
Net income (loss)   $ 492     $ 165     $ 327       199 % 

(1) Includes Imperial Resources expenses of $0.2 million and $0.2 million for the three month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, which will no longer be incurred after the offering.

62


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

       
  Three Months Ended
June 30,
  Increase /
(Decrease)
     2014   2013   Amount   %
     (Unaudited)    
Revenues (in thousands, except percentages)
                                   
Oil and gas sales   $ 6,087     $ 5,960     $ 127       2 % 
Well operations service fees     229       168       61       36 % 
Oil and natural gas price risk management income, net     82       763       (681 )      (89 )% 
Total revenues   $ 6,399     $ 6,891     $ (493 )      (7 )% 
Average realized price before effects of hedges:(1)
                                   
Oil ($/Bbl)   $ 102.63     $ 87.49     $ 15.15       17 % 
Natural gas ($/Mcf)     4.45       4.54       (0.10 )      (2 )% 
Combined ($/Boe)     52.37       47.36       5.01       11 % 
Average realized price after effects of hedges:(1)
                                   
Oil ($/Bbl)   $ 93.95     $ 84.64     $ 9.31       11 % 
Natural gas ($/Mcf)     5.36       6.30       (0.93 )      (15 )% 
Combined ($/Boe)     53.08       53.43       (0.35 )      (1 )% 
Total production volumes:
                                   
Oil (MBbls)     39       42       (3 )      (6 )% 
Natural gas (MMcf)     461       503       (42 )      (8 )% 
Combined (MBoe)     116       126       (10 )      (8 )% 
Average daily production volume:
                                   
Oil (Bbls/D)     437       467       (30 )      (6 )% 
Natural gas (Mcf/D)     5,127       5,589       (462 )      (8 )% 
Combined (Boe/D)     1,291       1,398       (107 )      (8 )% 

(1) Average prices shown in the table reflect prices both before and after the effects of our realized commodity hedging transactions. Our calculation of such effects included both realized gains or losses on cash settlements for commodity derivative transactions.

       
  Three Months Ended
June 30,
  Increase /
(Decrease)
     2014   2013   Amount   %
     (Unaudited)    
Expenses (in thousands, except percentages)
                                   
Cost of oil and gas sales   $ 1,695     $ 947     $ 749       79 % 
Ad valorem and production tax     276       225       51       23 % 
Cost of well operation services     1,037       976       60       6 % 
Exploratory dry hole costs     27       26       1       4 % 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     1,163       1,501       (338 )      (23 )% 
General and administrative(1)     1,154       1,279       (125 )      (10 )% 
Expiration costs     56       55       1       2 % 
Total operating expenses     5,408       5,008       400       8 % 
Interest expense     783       1,763       (980 )      (56 )% 
Total expenses   $ 6,191     $ 6,771     $ (580 )      (9 )% 

63


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

       
  Three Months Ended
June 30,
  Increase /
(Decrease)
     2014   2013   Amount   %
     (Unaudited)    
Expenses (per Boe):
                                   
Cost of oil and gas sales   $ 14.59     $ 7.52     $ 7.06       94 % 
Ad valorem and production tax     2.37       1.79       0.59       33 % 
Cost of well operation services     8.92       7.76       1.16       15 % 
Exploratory dry hole costs     0.23       0.21       0.03       12 % 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     10.01       11.93       (1.92 )      (16 )% 
General and administrative(1)     9.93       10.16       (0.23 )      (2 )% 
Expiration costs     0.48       0.43       0.05       11 % 
Total operating expenses     46.53       39.80       6.73       17 % 
Interest expense     6.73       14.01       (7.27 )      (52 )% 
Total expenses   $ 53.26     $ 53.81     $ (0.55 )      (1 )% 

(1) Includes Imperial Resources expenses of $0.2 million and $0.2 million for the three month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, which will no longer be incurred after the offering.

Revenues:

Oil and gas sales.  Oil revenue increased from $3.7 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 to $4.1 million for the same period in 2014. The $0.4 million increase was a result of a $15.15/Bbl increase in price partially offset by a decrease in production of 3.0 Mbbls for the three month period ended June 30, 2014 compared to the prior year’s period. The decrease in production was a result of the natural decline in production. Gas sales decreased $0.2 million from $2.3 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 to $2.1 million for the same quarter in 2014 was a result of a decrease in production of 42 MMcf compared to the prior year’s period and a 2%, or $0.10/Mcf decrease in the average price for natural gas. The decrease in production was a result of the natural decline in production.

Well operations service fee.  The increase of $0.06 million was as a result of increased services provided.

Oil and natural gas price risk management income, net.  Gain on derivative instruments was $0.8 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 compared to $0.1 million for the same period in 2014, resulting in a $0.7 million decrease in gains in derivative instruments in 2014. The $0.1 million gain on settled derivatives contracts for the quarter ended June 30, 2014 was comprised of a $0.3 million loss for oil contracts and a $0.4 million gain for gas contracts.

Operating Expenses:

Cost of oil and gas sales.  The increase in lease operating expenses from $1.0 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 to $1.7 million for the same period in 2014 was due to lower non-recurring repairs incurred in 2013. Expenses increased from $7.52/Boe to $14.59/Boe due to the increase in expenses and the decrease in production.

Ad valorem and production tax.  The increase in ad valorem and production tax from $0.2 million to $0.3 million in the three month period ended June 30, 2014 is due to actual payments made exceeding accruals.

Cost of well operation services.  The increase of $0.06 million was due to an increase in labor costs.

Depreciation, depletion, and amortization.  The decrease of $0.3 million or $1.92/Boe was a result of a change in the accretion of the asset retirement obligation from straight line to a present value method resulting in a $0.3 million reduction in the expense.

General and administrative.  The decrease of $0.1 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2014 versus the same period in 2013 was primarily attributable to a decrease in professional service fees. G&A decreased from $10.16/Boe to $9.93/Boe due to a decrease in expenses.

64


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Exploratory dry hole costs.  Write down of abandoned leases for the quarter ended June 30, 2014 was $0.056 million compared to $0.055 million for the same period in 2013.

Interest expense.  Interest expense was $0.8 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2014 compared to $1.8 million for the same period in 2013, resulting in a decrease of $1.0 million in 2014 that was primarily attributable to lower levels of average borrowings outstanding and the reduction of deferred financing costs during the period.

Year Ended December 31, 2013 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2012

The following tables set forth selected operating data for the year ended December 31, 2013 compared to the year ended December 31, 2012:

       
  Year Ended
December 31,
  Increase/(Decrease)
     2013   2012   $   %
(in thousands, except percentages)
                                   
Statement of Operations Data:
                                   
Revenues:
                                   
Oil and gas sales   $ 22,842     $ 22,013     $ 829       4 % 
Well operations service fees     909       548       361       66 % 
Oil and natural gas price risk management income, net     2,135       4,259       (2,124 )      (50 )% 
Total revenues     25,886       26,820       (934 )      (3 )% 
Operating expenses:
                                   
Cost of oil and gas sales     6,218       6,209       9       % 
Ad valorem and production tax     1,163       858       305       36 % 
Cost of well operation services     3,949       3,637       312       9 % 
Exploratory dry hole costs     729       197       532       270 % 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     5,854       5,420       434       8 % 
General and administrative(2)     3,463       3,431       32       1 % 
Expiration costs     152       1,027       (875 )      (85 )% 
Total operating expenses     21,528       20,779       749       4 % 
Operating income     4,358       6,041       (1,683 )      (28 )% 
Interest expense     (4,381 )      (8,827 )      4,446       (50 )% 
Other income     429       399       29       7 % 
Gain (loss) on disposal of property and equipment     (28 )      (164 )      136       (83 )% 
Other expense     (257 )      (476 )      219       (46 )% 
Income tax (expense) benefit     (30 )      2,188       (2,218 )      (101 )% 
Net income (loss)   $ 91     $ (839 )    $ 930       (111 )% 
Revenues (in thousands, except percentages):
                                   
Oil and gas sales   $ 22,842     $ 22,013     $ 829       4 % 
Well operations service fees     909       548       361       66 % 
Oil and natural gas price risk management income, net     2,135       4,259       (2,124 )      (50 )% 
Total revenues   $ 25,886     $ 26,820     $ (934 )      (3 )% 
Average realized price before effects of hedges:(1)
                                   
Oil ($/Bbl)   $ 92.85     $ 88.46     $ 4.39       5 % 
Natural gas ($/Mcf)     3.87       2.88       0.99       35 % 
Combined ($/Boe)   $ 46.59     $ 42.51     $ 4.08       10 % 
Average realized price after effects of hedges:(1)
                                   
Oil ($/Bbl)   $ 86.53     $ 85.13     $ 1.40       2 % 
Natural gas ($/Mcf)     5.50       5.31       0.19       4 % 
Combined ($/Boe)   $ 50.95     $ 50.74     $ 0.21       0 % 
Total production volumes:
                                   
Oil (MBbls)     165       184       (19 )      (10 )% 
Natural gas (MMcf)     1,954       2,005       (51 )      (3 )% 
Total (Boe)     490       518       (28 )      (5 )% 

65


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(1) Average prices shown in the table reflect prices both before and after the effects of our realized commodity hedging transactions. Our calculation of such effects includes both realized gains or losses on cash settlements for commodity derivative transactions.
(2) Includes Imperial Resources expenses of $1.2 million and $1.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, which will no longer be incurred after the offering.

       
  Year Ended
December 31,
  Increase/(Decrease)
     2013   2012   $   %
(in thousands, except percentages)
                                   
Expenses (in thousands, except percentages):
                                   
Cost of oil and gas sales   $ 6,218     $ 6,209     $ 9       % 
Ad valorem and production tax     1,163       858       305       36 % 
Cost of well operation services     3,949       3,637       312       9 % 
Exploratory dry hole costs     729       197       532       270 % 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     5,854       5,420       434       8 % 
General and administrative(1)     3,463       3,431       32       1 % 
Expiration costs     152       1,027       (875 )      (85 )% 
Total operating expenses     21,528       20,779       749       4 % 
Interest expense     4,381       8,827       (4,446 )      (50 )% 
Total expenses   $ 25,909     $ 29,606     $ (3,697 )      (12 )% 
Expenses (per Boe):
                                   
Cost of oil and gas sales   $ 12.68     $ 11.99     $ 0.69       6 % 
Ad valorem and production tax     2.38       1.64       0.71       43 % 
Cost of well operation services     8.05       7.02       1.03       15 % 
Exploratory dry hole costs     1.49       0.38       1.11       292 % 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     11.94       10.47       1.47       14 % 
General and administrative(1)     7.06       6.63       0.43       6 % 
Expiration costs     0.31       1.98       (1.67 )      (84 )% 
Total operating expenses     43.91       40.13       3.78       9 % 
Interest expense     8.94       17.05       (8.11 )      (48 )% 
Total expenses   $ 52.85     $ 57.18     $ (4.33 )      (8 )% 

(1) Includes Imperial Resources expenses of $1.2 million and $1.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, which will no longer be incurred after the offering.

Revenues:

Oil and gas sales.  Oil revenue decreased from $16.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2012 to $15.3 million in 2013. The $1.0 million decrease was a result of a decrease in production of 19 MBbls in 2013 compared to the prior year, partially offset by a 5% increase in average prices before the effect of hedges. The decrease in production was a result of the natural decline in production. Gas sales increased $1.8 million, from $5.8 million in 2012 to $7.6 million in 2013 as a result of a 35% increase in average prices before the effect of hedges partially offset by a decrease in production of 51 MMcf compared to the prior year. The decrease in production was a result of gathering line repairs during the summer months and the natural decline in production.

Well operations service fees.  The increase of $0.4 million was as a result of an increase in services provided.

Oil and natural gas price risk management income, net.  Gain on derivative instruments was $4.3 million in 2012 versus $2.1 million in 2013 resulting in a $2.1 million decrease in gains on settled

66


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

derivatives contracts in 2013. The gain on settled derivatives contracts in 2013 was comprised of $1.0 million loss for oil contracts offset by a $3.1 million gain for gas contracts.

Operating Expenses:

Cost of oil and gas sales.  There was an increase of $9,000 for the year ended December 31, 2013 versus the year ended December 31, 2012.

Ad valorem and production tax.  The increase in ad valorem and production tax from $0.9 million to $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2013 is due to actual payments made exceeding accurals.

Cost of well operations.  The increase of $0.3 million was as a result of a increase in labor and insurance costs.

Depreciation, depletion and amortization.  The increase of $0.4 million or $1.47/Boe was a result of higher average capitalized costs in 2013 compared to 2012.

General and administrative.  The increase of $0.03 million was primarily attributable to an increase in professional service fees.

Expiration costs.  The $0.2 million write-off in 2013 versus the write-off of $1.0 million in 2012 was attributable to our abandonment of certain leases that are outside our core areas of drilling focus.

Interest expense.  The decrease of $4.4 million in interest expense from $8.8 million in 2012 to $4.4 million in 2013 was primarily attributable to lower levels of average borrowings outstanding and the reduction of deferred financing costs during the 2013 period.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our primary sources of liquidity have been from our borrowings under bank credit facilities and our positive cash flow from operations. Our primary use of capital has been the acquisition and development of oil and natural gas properties. As we pursue reserve and production growth, we monitor which capital resources, including equity and debt financings, are available to us to meet our future financial obligations, planned capital expenditure activities and liquidity requirements. We also expect to fund a portion of these requirements with cash flow from operations as we continue to bring additional production online.

Our future success in growing proved reserves and production will be highly dependent on the capital resources available to us. We expect to fund our 2014 capital expenditures with cash generated by operations, borrowings under our revolving credit facility and a portion of the net proceeds of this offering. If our lenders do not increase our borrowing base, we may seek alternate debt financing or reduce our capital expenditures. The failure to achieve projected production and cash flows from operations from such wells could result in a reduction to our 2014 capital budget. Our 2014 capital budget may be further adjusted as business conditions warrant. The amount, timing and allocation of capital expenditures is largely discretionary and within our control. If oil or natural gas prices decline to levels below our acceptable levels, or costs increase to levels above our acceptable levels, we could choose to defer a significant portion of our budgeted capital expenditures until later periods to achieve the desired balance between sources and uses of liquidity and prioritize capital projects that we believe will have the highest expected rates of return and potential to generate near-term cash flow. We routinely monitor and adjust our capital expenditures in response to changes in commodity prices, availability of financing, drilling and acquisition costs, industry conditions, the timing of regulatory approvals, the availability of rigs, success or lack of success in drilling activities, contractual obligations, internally generated cash flow and other factors both within and outside our control.

We believe that operating cash flows, available borrowings under our revolving credit facility and the proceeds to us from this offering should be sufficient to meet our cash requirements, including normal operating needs, debt service obligations, capital expenditures, and commitments and contingencies. However, to the extent that we consider market conditions favorable, we may access the capital markets to raise capital from time to time to fund acquisitions, pay down our revolving credit facility and for general working capital purposes.

67


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Planned 2014 capital expenditures are not dependent on an increase in borrowing base. There already exists capacity under our existing facility, plus cash flow being generated to undertake the current 2014 development program. This may change if the Company wishes to undertake certain actions, such as an acquisition, for example.

See “Debt Agreements” below for additional details on our outstanding borrowings and available liquidity under our various financing arrangements.

Cash Flows

The following table summarizes our cash flows for the periods indicated:

       
  Six Months Ended June 30,   Year Ended
December 31,
     2014   2013   2013   2012
     (Unaudited)
(in thousands)
                                   
Net cash provided by (used in):
                                   
Operating activities   $ 2,054     $ 3,828     $ 9,224     $ 15,794  
Investing activities     525       (1,028 )      (3,162 )      (4,246 ) 
Financing activities     (624 )      (4,094 )      (8,226 )      (8,745 ) 
Net increase (decrease) in cash   $ 1,955     $ (1,294 )    $ (2,164 )    $ 2,803  

Cash Flow Provided by Operating Activities

Net cash provided by operating activities was $2.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2014, compared to $3.8 million of net cash provided by operating activities for the six month period ended June 30, 2013. The change in operating cash flow was primarily the result of a $2.1 million increase in net income offset by a $1.0 million increase in accounts receivables and a decrease in deferred taxes of $2.6 million.

For the full year 2013, net cash provided by operating activities was $9.2 million compared to net cash provided by operating activities of $15.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2012. The decrease in cash flow from operations for the year ended December 31, 2013 compared to 2012 was primarily due to a decrease in accounts payable and accrued liabilities.

Cash Flow Provided by (Used In) Investing Activities

During the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities were $0.5 million and $(1.0) million, respectively. The change was primarily related to the proceeds from the sale of 18 Kansas wells.

During the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, cash flows used in investing activities were $3.2 million and $4.2 million, respectively, primarily related to our capital expenditures for drilling, development and leasing activities.

Cash Flow Provided by Financing Activities

Net cash provided by financing activities was $0.6 million during the six months ended June 30, 2014, compared to $4.1 million used in financing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2013, and was the result of the reduction in repayments of debt borrowings in 2014. Additionally, there was a $1.0 million borrowing for the six months ended June 30, 2014.

Net cash used in financing activities of $8.2 million and $8.7 million during the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, was primarily the result of the repayment of debt borrowings.

Capital Resources

In 2014, we anticipate making capital expenditures for drilling excluding any acquisitions, of up to approximately $5.0 million. Based on expenditures to date and forecasted for the remainder of 2014, we expect to allocate 72% of our capital expenditures to the Mid-Con region and 28 percent to the Appalachian region. This allocation includes approximately 96% for drilling and completions, and the remainder for miscellaneous capital items. The forecast assumes we will have two rigs running in the Mid-Con and one rig running in the Appalachian region.

68


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Debt Agreements

The Company, through Empire Energy USA, LLC and Empire Energy E&P, LLC, maintains a facility consisting of the following, which was extended in 2013 to mature in February 2016 with the same terms:

A $50.0 million revolving line-of-credit facility (the “Revolver”) was used to refinance existing debt and to undertake future acquisitions. The Revolver is subject to a borrowing base consistent with normal and customary oil and gas lending practices of the bank. The borrowing base limit at the time of the extension was $3.0 million and is re-determined from time to time in accordance with the Revolver. With only $3.0 million currently drawn on the Revolver we have additional borrowing base availability under the Revolver of $10.0 million. Interest accrues on the outstanding borrowings at rate options selected by the Company and based on the prime lending rate (3.25% at June 30, 2014) or the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (60-Day LIBOR) (0.19325% at June 30, 2014) plus 2.5%. At June 30, 2014, the Company’s rate option was LIBOR. At the last review of the Revolver by the lender in February 2014, there is additional borrowing base availability under the Revolver of around $10.0 million. However, the borrowing base limit changes with operations and opportunities.

A $150.0 million acquisition and development term credit facility (the “Term Facility” and, together with the “Revolver”, the “Facilities”) was used to refinance an existing facility, undertake acquisitions and support capital expenditure under an agreed development plan for oil and gas properties and services companies in the United States. Drawdown on the Term Facility is based on predefined benchmarks. Interest accrues on the outstanding borrowings at rate options selected by the Company and based on the prime lending rate (3.25% at June 30, 2014) or the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (60-Day LIBOR) (0.19325% at June 30, 2014) plus 4% for Tranches A-1, A-2 and B, 4.5% for Tranche C-2 and 5% for Tranche C-1. At June 30, 2014, the Company’s rate option was LIBOR.

Loans under the Facilities are secured by the assets of the Company. Under terms of the Facilities, the Company is required to maintain financial ratios customary for the oil and gas industry. Beginning in March 2008, the Company started to repay the Facilities monthly to the extent of an applicable percentage of net operating cash flow and capital transactions. The Revolver and Term Facility are guaranteed by Empire Energy Group.

We do not currently have any derivatives in place to mitigate the effects of interest rate risk. We may implement an interest rate hedging strategy in the future.

The Facilities are secured by liens on substantially all of our properties and guarantees from our subsidiaries. The Facilities contain restrictive covenants that may limit our ability to, among other things:

incur additional indebtedness;
sell assets;
make loans to others;
make investments;
enter into mergers;
make or declare dividends;
hedge future production or interest rates;
incur liens; and
engage in certain other transactions without the prior consent of the lender.

The Facilities also require us to maintain the following four financial ratios, which are measured at the end of each calendar quarter:

a current ratio, which is the ratio of our consolidated current assets (includes unused commitment under the credit facility and excludes derivative assets) to our consolidated current liabilities, of not less than 1.0 at the end of each fiscal quarter thereafter;

69


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

a minimum interest coverage ratio, which is the ratio of consolidated EBITDAX based on the trailing twelve month period to consolidated interest expense, of not less than 3.0;
an asset coverage ratio, which is the ratio of the present value of our oil and gas reserves (discounted at 10% per annum) to the sum of all our secured debt of not less than 1.5 so long as any debt is outstanding under the term loan facility; and
a working capital ratio of not less than zero.

We were in compliance with such covenants and ratios as of June 30, 2014.

The Facilities also require us to comply with the following two negative covenants:

The Company shall not allow the cumulative Net Operating Cash Flow during any applicable period to fall below the amounts listed below.

 
Quarter Ending   Net Cumulative
Cash Flow (US$)
March 31, 2013   $ 2,627,000  
June 30, 2013   $ 5,201,000  
September 30, 2013   $ 7,740,000  
December 31, 2013   $ 10,211,000  
March 31, 2014   $ 12,544,000  
June 30, 2014   $ 14,863,000  
September 30, 2014   $ 17,163,000  
December 31, 2014   $ 19,415,000  
March 31, 2015   $ 21,372,000  
June 30, 2015   $ 23,329,000  
September 30, 2015   $ 25,286,000  
December 31, 2015   $ 27,243,000  
March 31, 2016   $ 28,687,000  
The Company shall not allow its Net Revenue Interest Hydrocarbon production sold to fall below the amounts listed below.

   
Quarter Ending   Net Revenue Interest Production Levels (mmcf)   Net Revenue Interest Production Levels (mbbl)
March 31, 2013     396       34  
June 30, 2013     791       67  
September 30, 2013     1,183       101  
December 31, 2013     1,570       133  
March 31, 2014     1,942       164  
June 30, 2014     2,313       195  
September 30, 2014     2,683       225  
December 31, 2014     3,048       255  
March 31, 2015     3,396       284  
June 30, 2015     3,744       313  
September 30, 2015     4,092       341  
December 31, 2015     4,440       370  
March 31, 2016     4,764       397  

The Company is in compliance with such negative covenants as of June 30, 2014.

70


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Commodity Hedging Activities

Our primary market risk exposure is in the prices we receive for our oil and natural gas production. Realized pricing is primarily driven by the NYMEX contract prices applicable to our oil and natural gas production. Pricing for oil and natural gas production have been volatile and unpredictable for several years, and we expect this volatility to continue in the future. The prices we receive for production depend on many factors outside of our control, including volatility in the differences between product prices at sales points and the applicable index price.

To mitigate the potential negative impact on our cash flow caused by changes in oil and natural gas prices, we have entered into financial commodity derivative contracts in the form of NYMEX based futures contracts for approximately 57% of our future oil and natural gas production when management believes that favorable future prices can be secured.

Our hedging activities are intended to support natural gas prices at targeted levels and to manage our exposure to natural gas price fluctuations. The counterparty is required to make a payment to us for the difference between the floor price specified in the contract and the settlement price, which is based on market prices on the settlement date, if the settlement price is below the floor price. We are required to make a payment to the counterparty for the difference between the ceiling price and the settlement price if the ceiling price is below the settlement price.

By using derivative instruments to hedge exposures to changes in commodity prices, we expose ourselves to the credit risk of our counterparties. Credit risk is the potential failure of the counterparty to perform under the terms of the derivative contract. When the fair value of a derivative contract is positive, the counterparty is expected to owe us, which creates credit risk. To minimize the credit risk in derivative instruments, it is our policy to enter into derivative contracts only with counterparties that are creditworthy financial institutions deemed by management as competent and competitive market makers. The creditworthiness of our counterparties is subject to periodic review. We have derivative instruments in place with the lender to the Company.

Contractual Obligations.  A summary of our contractual obligations as of June 30, 2014 is provided in the following table, which does not reflect this offering or the use of proceeds therefrom.

             
  Jul – Dec   Payments due by period
For the Years Ended December 31
     2014   2015   2016   2017   2018   Thereafter   Total
     (In thousands)
Line of Credit   $     $     $ 3,000     $     $     $     $ 3,000  
Long-term debt                 37,837                         37,837  
Related party payable                                   8,028       8,028  
Asset retirement obligation                                   8,246       8,246  
Current portion of long-term debt     17       11                               28  
     $ 17     $ 11     $ 40,837     $     $     $ 16,274     $ 57,139  

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

The discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of our financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Certain accounting policies involve judgments and uncertainties to such an extent that there is reasonable likelihood that materially different amounts could have been reported under different conditions, or if different assumptions had been used. We evaluate our estimates and assumptions on a regular basis. We base our estimates on historical experience and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates and assumptions used in preparation of our

71


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

consolidated financial statements. See Note 2 of the notes to the audited consolidated financial statements for an expanded discussion of our significant accounting policies and estimates made by management.

We qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 101 of the Jumpstart our Business Startups Act (“JOBS Act”) as we do not have more than $1,000,000,000 in annual gross revenue and did not have such amount as of December 31, 2013, our last fiscal year. We are electing to use the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards under Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act. As a result of this election, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates.

Sales of oil and natural gas are recognized when the product has been delivered to a custody transfer point, persuasive evidence of a sales arrangement exists, the rights and responsibility of ownership pass to the purchaser upon delivery, collection of revenue from the sale is reasonably assured, and the sales price is fixed or determinable. Natural gas is sold by the Company under contracts with terms ranging from one month up to the life of the well. Oil is sold by the Company under annually reviewed contracts. Virtually all of the Company contracts’ pricing provisions are tied to a market index with certain adjustments based on, among other factors, for natural gas whether a well delivers to a gathering or transmission line, quality of natural gas and prevailing supply and demand conditions, so that the price of the natural gas fluctuates to remain competitive with other available natural gas suppliers and for oil the API delivered at each sales point. As a result, the Company’s revenues from the sale of oil and natural gas will suffer if market prices decline and benefit if they increase. The Company believes that the pricing provisions both of its oil and natural gas contracts are customary in the industry. Because there are timing differences between the delivery of oil and natural gas and the Company’s receipt of a delivery statement, the Company has unbilled revenues. These revenues are accrued based upon volumetric data from the Company’s records and the Company’s estimates of the related transportation and compression fees, which are, in turn, based upon applicable product prices. The Company currently uses the “net-back” method of accounting for transportation arrangements of its natural gas and oil sales. The Company sells gas and oil at the wellhead and collects a price and recognizes revenues based on the wellhead sales price, since transportation costs downstream of the wellhead are incurred by the customers and reflected in the wellhead price.

Derivatives

The Company utilizes interest rate swap agreements and oil and gas forward contracts to manage the exposure to interest rate changes on certain variable rate credit agreements and price volatility, respectively. The Company recognizes its derivatives on the consolidated balance sheets at fair value at the end of each period. Changes in the fair value of the interest rate swaps oil and gas forward contracts that are designated and meet the required criteria for a cash flow hedge are reported in accumulated other comprehensive income.

Oil and Gas Properties

The Company uses the successful efforts method of accounting for oil and gas-producing activities. Costs to acquire mineral interests in oil and gas properties, drill and equip exploratory wells that find proved reserves, and drill and equip development wells and related asset retirement costs are capitalized. Depletion is based on cost less estimated salvage value using the unit-of-production method. The process of estimating and evaluating oil and gas reserves is complex, requiring significant decisions in the evaluation of geological, geophysical, engineering and economic data. Costs to drill exploratory wells that do not find proved reserves, geological and geophysical costs, and costs of carrying and retaining unproved properties are expensed.

Unproved oil or gas properties that are individually significant are periodically assessed for impairment of value, and a loss is recognized at the time of impairment by providing an impairment allowance. Capitalized costs of producing oil and gas properties and support equipment directly related to such properties, after considering estimated residual salvage values, are depreciated and depleted by the units of production method. Support equipment and other property and equipment not directly related to oil or gas properties are depreciated over their estimated useful lives.

Management’s estimates of proved reserves are based on quantities of oil and natural gas that engineering and geological analysis demonstrates, with reasonable certainty, to be recoverable from established reservoirs in the future under current operating and economic conditions. External engineers prepare the annual reserve

72


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

and economic evaluation of all properties on a well-by-well basis. Additionally, we adjust oil and natural gas reserves for major well rework or abandonment during the year as needed. The process of estimating and evaluating oil and natural gas reserves is complex, requiring significant decisions in the evaluation of available geological, geophysical, engineering, and economic data. The data for a given property may also change substantially over time as a result of numerous factors, including additional development activity, evolving production history and a continual reassessment of the viability of production under changing economic conditions. As a result, revisions in existing reserve estimates occur from time to time. Although every reasonable effort is made to ensure that reserve estimates represent our most accurate assessments possible, the subjective decisions and variances in available data for various properties increase the likelihood of significant changes in these estimates over time. Because estimates of reserves significantly affect our DD&A expense, a change in our estimated reserves could have a material effect on our net income or loss.

On the sale of an entire interest in an unproved property for cash, a gain or loss on the sale is recognized, taking into consideration the amount of any recorded impairment if the property had been assessed individually. If a partial interest in an unproved property is sold, the amount received is treated as a reduction of the cost of the interest retained unless the proceeds received are in excess of the cost basis which would result in gain on sale.

Oil and Natural Gas Reserves

Our estimates of proved reserves are based on the quantities of oil and natural gas, which, by analysis of geoscience and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be economically producible from a given date forward from known reservoirs under existing economic conditions and operating methods. Our independent petroleum engineers, Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. and LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd., prepare a reserve and economic evaluation of all of our properties on a well-by-well basis. The accuracy of reserve estimates is a function of the:

quality and quantity of available data;
interpretation of that data;
accuracy of various mandated economic assumptions; and
judgment of the independent reserve engineer.

Estimating reserves is subjective and actual quantities of oil and natural gas ultimately recovered can differ from estimates for many reasons. Future prices received for production and future production costs may vary, perhaps significantly, from the prices and costs assumed for purposes of calculating reserve estimates. We may not be able to develop proved reserves within the periods estimated. Actual production may not equal the estimated amounts used in the preparation of reserve projections. As these estimates change, calculated reserves change. Any change in reserves directly impacts our estimate of future cash flows from the property, the property's fair value and our DD&A rate.

Our independent petroleum engineers, Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. and LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd., estimate our proved reserves annually on December 1 and December 31, respectively. This results in a new DD&A rate which we use for the preceding fourth quarter after adjusting for fourth quarter production. We internally estimate reserve additions and reclassifications of reserves from unproved to proved at the end of the second and fourth quarters for use in determining a DD&A rate for the respective half year and year.

For a discussion of the preparation of reserve estimates, internal controls and qualification of responsible technical persons, see “Business — Our Properties — Oil & Natural Gas Reserves — Preparation of Reserve Estimates”, “— Internal Controls,” and “— Qualification of Responsible Technical Persons.”

Depletion

Capitalized amounts attributable to proved oil and gas properties are depleted by the unit-of-production method over proved reserves. Depletion of the costs of wells and related equipment and facilities, including capitalized asset retirement costs, is computed using proved developed reserves. The reserve base used to calculate DD&A for leasehold acquisition costs and the cost to acquire proved properties is the sum of proved developed reserves and proved undeveloped reserves.

73


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Asset Retirement Obligations

The Company accounts for its asset retirement obligations as required by the Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations topic of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (Codification), which requires that the fair value of an asset retirement obligation be recognized in the period in which it is incurred if a reasonable estimate of fair value can be made. The present value of the estimated asset retirement costs is capitalized as part of the carrying amount of the long-lived asset. For the Company, asset retirement obligations primarily relate to the plugging and abandonment of gas-producing facilities.

The estimated liability is based on historical experience in plugging and abandoning wells, estimated remaining lives of those wells based on reserve estimates, external estimates as to the cost to plug and abandon the wells in the future, and federal and state regulatory requirements. The liability is discounted using an assumed credit-adjusted, risk-free interest rate. Revisions to the liability could occur due to changes in estimates of plugging and abandonment costs or remaining lives of the wells, or if federal or state regulations enact new plugging and abandonment requirements.

Income Taxes

Imperial is a limited liability company taxed as a C Corporation for federal and state income tax purposes. The liability method is used to account for income taxes, which requires deferred taxes to be recorded at the statutory rate expected to be in effect when the taxes are paid. Deferred income taxes are provided for the tax effect of temporary differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements. Valuation allowances are provided for a deferred tax asset when it is more likely than not that the asset will not be realized. Income tax penalties and interest are included in the provision for income taxes.

Unproved Properties and Impairments

Unproved oil and gas properties that are individually significant are periodically assessed for impairment of value, and a loss is recognized at the time of impairment by providing an impairment allowance. Management determined that no impairment allowance was necessary at the end of 2013 and 2012. Long-lived assets to be held and used or disposed of other than by sale are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount might not be recoverable. When required, impairment losses on assets to be held and used or disposed of other than by sale are recognized based on the fair value of the asset. Long-lived assets to be disposed of by sale are reported at the lower of their carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell. As of 2013 and 2012, no impairment expense was recorded.

Internal Controls and Procedures

We are not currently required to comply with the SEC's rules implementing Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and are therefore not required to make a formal assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting for that purpose. Upon becoming a public company, we will be required to comply with the SEC's rules implementing Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which will require our management to certify financial and other information in our quarterly and annual reports and provide an annual management report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. We will not be required to make our first assessment of our internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 until the year following our first annual report required to be filed with the SEC.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Comprehensive Income (Topic 220):  Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. The amendments do not change the current requirements for reporting net income or other comprehensive income in financial statements. However, the amendments require an entity to provide information about the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component. In addition, an entity is required to present, either on the face of the statement where net income is presented or in the notes, significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by the respective line items of net income but only if the amount reclassified is required under U.S. GAAP to be reclassified to

74


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

net income in its entirety in the same reporting period. For other amounts that are not required under U.S. GAAP to be reclassified in their entirety to net income, an entity is required to cross-reference to other disclosures required under U.S. GAAP that provide additional detail about those amounts. The adoption of this topic had no impact on the Company.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure about Market Risk

The primary objective of the following information is to provide forward-looking quantitative and qualitative information about our potential exposure to market risk. The term “market risk” refers to the risk of loss arising from adverse changes in oil and natural gas prices and interest rates. The disclosures are not meant to be precise indicators of expected future losses, but rather indicators of reasonably possible losses. This forward-looking information provides indicators of how we view and manage our ongoing market risk exposures. All of our market risk sensitive instruments were entered into for hedging purposes, rather than for speculative trading.

Commodity price risk and hedges

For a discussion of how we use financial commodity derivative contracts to mitigate some of the potential negative impact on our cash flow caused by changes in oil and natural gas prices, see “— Commodity Hedging Activities.”

Interest rate risks

The Company maintains a facility consisting of the following, which was extended in 2013 to mature in February 2016 with the same terms:

A $50.0 million revolving line-of-credit facility (the “Revolver”) was used to refinance existing debt and to undertake future acquisitions. The Revolver is subject to a borrowing base consistent with normal and customary oil and gas lending practices of the bank. The borrowing base limit at the time of the extension was $3.0 million and is re-determined from time to time in accordance with the Revolver. With only $3.0 million currently drawn on the Revolver we have additional borrowing base availability under the Revolver of $10.0 million. Interest accrues on the outstanding borrowings at rate options selected by the Company and based on the prime lending rate (3.25% at June 30, 2014) or the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (60-Day LIBOR) (0.19325% at June 30, 2014) plus 2.5%. At June 30, 2014, the Company’s rate option was LIBOR.

A $150.0 million acquisition and development term credit facility (Term Facility) was used to refinance an existing facility, undertake acquisitions and support capital expenditure under an agreed development plan for oil and gas properties and services companies in the United States. Drawdown on the Term Facility is based on predefined benchmarks. Interest accrues on the outstanding borrowings at rate options selected by the Company and based on the prime lending rate (3.25% at June 30, 2014) or the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (60-Day LIBOR) (0.19325% at June 30, 2014) plus 4% for Tranches A-1, A-2 and B, 4.5% for Tranche C-2 and 5% for Tranche C-1. At June 30, 2014, the Company’s rate option was LIBOR.

Loans under the facilities are secured by the assets of the Company. Under terms of the facilities, the Company is required to maintain financial ratios customary for the oil and gas industry. Beginning in March 2008, the Company started to repay the facilities monthly to the extent of an applicable percentage of net operating cash flow and capital transactions. The Revolver and Term loans are guaranteed by Empire Energy Group.

Imperial has a related party payable with Empire Energy Group. The outstanding balance on this line is $8.0 million at June 30, 2014.

We do not currently have any derivatives in place to mitigate the effects of interest rate risk. We may implement an interest rate hedging strategy in the future.

Counterparty and customer credit risk

Our principal exposures to credit risk are through joint interest receivables ($0.4 million at June 30, 2014) and the sale of our oil and natural gas production ($3.3 million in receivables at June 30, 2014). We market a majority of our production to a single oil refinery and to a single natural gas marketing company.

75


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Joint interest receivables arise from billing entities who own partial interest in the wells we operate. These entities participate in our wells primarily based on their ownership in leases on which we wish to drill. We are also subject to credit risk due to concentration of our oil and natural gas receivables with two natural gas marketing companies. We do not require our customers to post collateral. The inability or failure of our significant customers to meet their obligations to us or their insolvency or liquidation may adversely affect our financial results.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We do not currently have any off-balance sheet arrangements.

76


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BUSINESS

Unless the context indicates or otherwise requires, the estimated proved reserve information and other operating data included in this prospectus reflects the combination of our estimated proved reserve information and production data. The estimated proved reserve information for our properties contained in this prospectus are based on reserve reports relating thereto prepared by the independent petroleum engineers of Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. for Appalachia and LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd. for Mid-Continent. We refer to these reports collectively as our “reserve reports.”

Our Company

We are an independent returns-focused exploration and production company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of conventional oil and natural gas reserves in the Kansas (Mid-Continent), New York and Pennsylvania (Appalachia) regions. We operate approximately 300 producing wells in the Mid-Continent and approximately 1,700 producing wells in the Appalachian Basin. Our drilling activity is currently focused on the Arbuckle and Lansing/Kansas City formations located in Central Kansas (Mid-Continent) and the Upper Devonian Bradford Group, which is an oil and liquids-rich producing formation located in Upstate New York (Appalachia). We also have a significant number of natural gas producing Medina formation development locations which are marginally economic at current natural gas prices. Additionally, we have significant acreage in the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale, value extraction from which is dependent upon the lifting of the New York moratorium on high volume fracking of horizontal wells. We intend to position ourselves to take advantage of our New York State shale resources if and when the moratorium is lifted.

We were founded in 2006 by a group of individuals with extensive experience in the oil and gas and finance industries. As we have grown we have been able to attract additional experienced operating and financial personal. With an average of over 20 years of industry experience, our management team has a proven track record of working as a team to acquire, develop and exploit oil and natural gas reserves in the Mid-Continent and Appalachian regions. Our strategy is to: (i) develop assets where we are the operator and have high revenue interests; and (ii) to acquire producing assets with additional development opportunity, with a focus on accretive acquisitions in regions in which we are already operating, again where we are the operator. This enables us to control the pace of development and allocation of our capital resources. As at June 30, 2014, we operated approximately 99% of our developed acreage with an average working interest of 91%.

Our acreage position was 305,878 gross (278,180 net) acres at June 30, 2014, which we group into two primary areas based on geographic locations: Mid-Continent and Appalachia, which are comprised of approximately 21,581 gross (16,571 net) acres and 284,357 gross (261,608 net) acres, respectively.

The following table summarizes our leasehold position by state as of June 30, 2014:

                         
                         
        Developed   Undeveloped       Expiry
Region   No.
Counties
  Gross   Net   Gross   Net   Gross   Net   Marcellus   Utica   2014   2015   2016   2017+
Mid-Con     18       21,521       16,571       16,589       13,076       4,932       3,495                   1,422       3,030       160       320  
Appalachia     15       284,357       261,608       239,633       231,008       44,724       30,600       232,010       141,521       643       15,286       6,209       22,586  
NY     11       268,578       247,092       224,081       216,647       44,497       30,445       222,102       132,930       591       15,161       6,209       22,536  
PA     4       15,779       14,517       15,552       14,362       227       155       9,908       8,591       52       125             50  
Total           305,878       278,180       256,222       244,085       49,656       34,095       232,010       141,521       2,065       18,316       6,369       22,906  

Since our inception, we have completed three significant acquisitions, four bolt-on acquisitions and one divestiture. In December 2006, the Company acquired for $9.4 million DK Gas, located in Hawthorn, Pennsylvania where the Company continues to maintain an operations facility today. The acquisition included approximately 150 operating gas wells and 6,000 leased acres in Jefferson, Clarion and Armstrong Counties in Pennsylvania. In December 2009, the Company purchased approximately 1,600 operating wells (predominantly gas) and 300,000 leased acres located in upstate New York from Range Resources Corporation for $38.0 million. The wells and leases are located in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Wyoming, Ontario, Seneca, Cayuga and Wayne Counties in New York and Erie County in Pennsylvania. The Company maintains

77


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

an operations facility in Mayville, New York. In December 2010, the Company purchased approximately 300 operating wells (predominantly oil) and 22,000 leased acres located in central Kansas from Amadeus Petroleum for $55.9 million. The Company maintains operations facilities in Great Bend, Plainville, and Wichita, Kansas. With respect to the bolt-on acquisitions, the Company consummated one bolt-on acquisition in the Mid-Con region in June 2012 for $1.7 million and three bolt-on acquisitions in Appalachia in each of September 2011, April 2012 and August 2012 for an aggregate of $0.4 million. With respect to the divestiture, in 2010, the Company sold the deep drilling rights for the acreage purchased from DK Gas to a third party for $24.6 million.

From the time we began operations in December 2006 through June 30, 2014, we have drilled 38 gross operated vertical wells on our properties with an 84% success rate and we have drilled no horizontal wells.

In 2013, due to our strategy of building up cash reserves for potential PDP heavy acquisitions, our development capital was only approximately $1.3 million and we drilled a total of five gross (four net) wells. In 2014, we plan to invest at least $5.0 million of development capital to drill 21 gross (20 net) wells. Following this offering, we would seek to increase the investment of wells drilled in 2014 by at least $2.5 million, which should result in the drilling of an additional eight gross (five net) wells.

The following chart shows our average net daily production for each quarter from the fourth quarter of 2006 until the fourth quarter of 2013, which shows an uptrend after acquisitions such as that completed in each of December 2006, December 2009 and December 2010.

Average Daily Production (Boe/d)

[GRAPHIC MISSING]  

78


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The following table provides a summary of our acreage, average working interest, producing wells, drilling locations, years of drilling inventory, our average net daily production for the six months ended June 30, 2014, projected 2014 gross and net wells drilled and projected 2014 drilling and completion capital budget as of December 31, 2013 (not taking into account the proceeds from this offering).

                         
  Acreage(1)   Average Working Interest   Producing Wells   Identified Drilling Locations(2)   Drilling Inventory Years(3)   June 2014 Average Net Daily Production     2014 Projected Wells Drilled   2014 Projected D&C Capex Budget
($ mm)
  Gross   Net   Gross   Net   Gross   Net   Gross   Net
Mid-Con     21,521       16,5719       77 %      294       226       127       90       13       437       Boe       10       6     $ 3.6  
Appalachia     284,357       261,608       92 %      1,750       1,610       38       26       3       4,952       Mcfe       11       10       1.4  
Total(2)     305,878       278,180       91 %      2,044       1,836       165       116       8       1,262       Boe       21       16     $ 5.0  

(1) Mid-Con acreage is 98% oil-related. Appalachian acreage is 99% natural gas-related, although the 2014 drilling program relates to one Bass Island Reef (NY) oil well and at least ten Upper Devonian Bradford Group oil and liquids rich wells.
(2) Based on our reserve reports as of December 31, 2013, we had 165 gross (116 net) locations. Please see “Business — Oil and Natural Gas Reserves — Determination of Identified Drilling Locations” for more information regarding the process and criteria through which these drilling locations were identified. The drilling locations on which we actually drill will depend on the availability of capital, regulatory approval, commodity prices, costs, actual drilling results and other factors. Please see “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Business — Our gross identified drilling locations are scheduled out over a number of years, making them susceptible to uncertainties that could materially alter the occurrence or timing of their drilling. In addition, we may not be able to raise the substantial amount of capital that would be necessary to drill our identified drilling locations.”
(3) Calculated by dividing our gross identified drilling locations by the number of wells we expect to drill in 2014.

Our estimate of proved reserves is prepared by Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. for Appalachia and LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd. for Mid-Con. As of January 1, 2014, we had 7.7 MBoe of proved reserves, of which by value 74% was oil and 26% was natural gas. As of January 1, 2014, the PV-10 of our proved reserves was approximately $102.5 million, 88% of which was attributed to proved developed reserves. The following table provides information regarding our reserves and production by area as of January 1, 2014, except as otherwise noted below:

         
                                                    Estimated Total Proved Reserves and Production
     2013
     Reserves   Production
Region   Oil (MBbls)   Natural Gas (MMcf)   Total
(MBoe)
  PV-10(1)
(in thousands)
  Average Net Daily Production (Boe/D)
Reserve Category
                                            
Proved Developed:
                                            
Mid-Con     2,599       235       2,638     $ 63,361       447  
Appalachia     61       27,098       4,577       26,357       896  
Undeveloped:
                                            
Mid-Con     427       130       449       12,784        
Appalachia                              
Total Proved     3,087       27,463       7,664     $ 102,502       1,343  

(1) PV-10 is a non-GAAP financial measure. For a definition of PV-10 and a reconciliation of PV-10 to the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows, see the Estimated Total Proved Reserves and Production table in “Prospectus Summary — Our Company” on page 3.

79


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Competitive Strengths

We possess a number of competitive strengths that we believe will help us to successfully execute our business strategies, including:

High caliber management team with substantial technical and operational expertise.  Our management team has an average of over 20 years of industry experience. We believe our management and technical team is one of our principal competitive strengths due to our team's industry experience and history of working together in the identification, execution and integration of acquisitions, cost efficient management of profitable, large scale drilling programs and disciplined allocation of capital focused on rates of return.
Long lived assets with low development and production risk generates consistent cash flow.  Wells in the Mid-Con and Appalachian have a low development risk and maintain consistent production for a 30 to 40 year time frame. Our natural gas wells are located near end-user markets and consistently receive premium prices over wells located on the Gulf coast and require little maintenance, thus generating consistent cash flows.
High quality asset base with significant oil exposure in the Mid-Con.  We have intentionally focused on crude oil opportunities to benefit from the relative disparity between oil and natural gas prices on an energy-equivalent basis, which has persisted over the last several years and which we expect to continue in the future. By value, approximately 74% of our proved reserves is from oil as of December 31, 2013, and 65% of our daily production for the year ended December 31, 2013 was from oil.
Attractive returns on relatively low risk, 3D seismic generated oil drilling targets in the Mid-Con basin.  Based on our own drilling experience and wells drilled by the previous owners, a typical Arbuckle well is expected to produce a gross EUR of 20.7 MBbls of oil, an internal rate of return of 66%, with an initial production rate of 642Bbl/month and a well cost of $350,000. The economics are based on the April 28, 2014 NYMEX price strip and costs based on the Company’s experience with new wells. This excludes any up-hole producing formations (Lansing/Kansas City).
Large, concentrated acreage position with significant operational control in Appalachia.  We currently have 232,010 acres in the Marcellus Shale and 141,521 acres in the Utica Shale, 87% of which is held by production. Horizontal drilling and fracturing technology has continued to advance in other parts of the Marcellus and Utica Shales, resulting in increased EURs and reduced well costs in the shale industry. Fracking has proven to be very successful in major shale plays in the Marcellus and Utica Shales in nearby States of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. As a result of the New York fracking moratorium, the Company has not been able to develop the most lucrative aspects of its holdings.
Access to multiple takeaway pipelines.  We have the ability to move natural gas to several different pipelines depending upon demand, capacity, and price in order to maximize revenue. Demand for natural gas in local markets is seasonal. When demand is low in these markets, we are able to move gas to interstate markets, thus avoiding the necessity to shut in our wells.

Business Strategies

We maintain a disciplined and analytical approach to investing in which we seek to direct capital in a manner that will maximize our rates of return as we develop our extensive resource base. Key elements of our strategy are:

Grow reserves, production and cash flow with low-risk vertical drilling.  We have considerable experience managing drilling programs and intend to efficiently develop our acreage position to maximize the value of our resource base. In the Mid-Con by utilizing 3D seismic we are able to accurately generate oil drilling targets. Over 2013 we undertook several 3D seismic programs on existing and new acreage acquired in previous years and commenced investment in a new drilling program. During 2013 we invested $1.3 million of development capital and drilled five gross (four net) development wells and two gross (2.0 net) exploration wells, the latter which were dry holes. Based on our own development drilling experience, a generic Arbuckle well at a well cost of $350,000 is expected to produce an internal rate of return of around 66% with an initial gross

80


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

production rate of 642 Bbl/month. This excludes any reserves and production for up-hole producing formations (such as the Lansing/Kansas City formations).
Evaluate and pursue oil-weighted acquisitions where we can add value through our technical expertise and knowledge of the Mid-Con basin.  We have experience acquiring and developing oil-weighted properties in the Mid-Con region, and we expect to continue to selectively acquire additional properties in the Mid-Con region that meet our rate-of-return objectives. We believe our experience as a leading operator and our infrastructure footprint in the Mid-Con region provide us with a competitive advantage in successfully executing and integrating acquisitions.
Continuously improve capital and operating efficiency.  We continuously focus on optimizing the development of our resource base by seeking ways to maximize our recovery per well relative to the cost incurred and to minimize our operating cost per Mcfe produced. We apply an analytical approach to track and monitor the effectiveness of our drilling and completion techniques and service providers. Additionally, we seek to build infrastructure that allows us to achieve economies of scale and reduce operating costs. Specifically, we purchased 166 miles of gathering lines in New York to enhance our New York gas production. We continue to identify opportunities to increase our pipeline networks in New York to ensure transportation cost control and taps into alternative pipeline networks.
Strategic natural gas production, pipeline and acreage acquisition in Appalachia.  We have experience acquiring and operating natural gas gathering and transportation pipelines in New York and Pennsylvania. We believe that any consolidation of existing conventional gas producers in Appalachia may provide opportunities for us to acquire assets providing our required rate-of-return gas production objectives as well as providing control over the transportation of our own gas to either regional utilities or major pipeline taps.
Maintain a disciplined, growth-oriented financial strategy.  We intend to fund our growth predominantly with internally generated cash flows while maintaining ample liquidity and access to capital markets. Substantially all of our lease terms allow us to allocate capital among projects in a manner that optimizes both costs and returns, resulting in a highly efficient drilling program. In addition, these terms allow us to adjust our capital spending depending on commodity prices and market conditions. We expect our cash flows from operating activities, availability under our credit agreement and the net proceeds of this offering to be sufficient to fund our capital expenditures and other obligations necessary to execute our business plan in 2014. Furthermore, for future PDP heavy acquisitions, we plan to hedge a significant portion of known production in order to stabilize our cash flows and maintain liquidity. This will allow us to sustain a planned debt repayment program and allow a consistent drilling program, with hedging of new production based on circumstances at the time, thereby preserving operational efficiencies that help us achieve our targeted rates of return.
Monetize our New York land holdings if the New York fracking moratorium is lifted.  We currently have 232,010 acres in the Marcellus Shale and 141,521 acres in the Utica Shale. Horizontal drilling and fracking technology has continued to advance in other parts of the Marcellus and Utica Shales, resulting in increased EURs and reduced well costs. Fracking has proven to be very successful in major shale plays in the Marcellus and Utica Shales in nearby States of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. As a result of the New York fracking moratorium, the Company has not been able to develop the most lucrative aspects of its holdings.

Our Properties

Appalachian Basin

The Appalachian Basin, which covers over 185,000 square miles in portions of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, is considered a highly attractive energy resource producing region with a long history of oil, natural gas and coal production. More importantly, the Appalachian Basin is strategically located near the high energy demand markets of the northeast United States, which has historically resulted in higher realized sales prices due to the reduced transportation costs a purchaser must incur to transport commodities to end users. Over the past five years, the focus of

81


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

many producers has shifted from the younger, shallower conventional sandstone and carbonate reservoirs to the older, deeper Marcellus Shale and the newly emerging Utica Shale plays, which has driven Appalachian basin production growth.

We currently lease 284,367 gross (261,608 net) acres in the Appalachian Basin. Currently, our drilling activity is focused on the low-risk vertical development of the Upper Devonian Bradford Group, which is an oil and liquids rich producing formation located in Upstate New York.

We currently have facilities in Mayville, New York and Hawthorn, Pennsylvania which are located in the heart of our production and lease holdings.

Marcellus Shale

We believe the Marcellus Shale is one of the most prolific North American shale plays due to its high well recoveries relative to drilling and completion costs, broad aerial extent, relatively homogeneous high-quality reservoir characteristics and significant hydrocarbon resources in place. Based on these attributes, as well as drilling results publicly released by other operators, we believe that the Marcellus Shale offers some of the most attractive single-well rates of return of all North American conventional and unconventional play types.

The Devonian-aged Marcellus Shale is an unconventional reservoir that produces natural gas, NGLs and oil and is the largest unconventional natural gas field in the U.S. The productive limits of the Marcellus Shale cover over 90,000 square miles within Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and New York. The Marcellus Shale is a black, organic-rich shale deposit generally productive for dry gas at depths between 6,000 to 10,000 feet. Production from the brittle, natural gas-charged shale reservoir is best derived from fracking horizontal wellbores that exceed 2,000 feet in lateral length and involve multi-stage fracture stimulations. We currently lease 232,010 gross acres in the Marcellus Shale. Almost all of this acreage is located in western New York where the formations are shallower, between 2,500 feet to 4,000 feet, but a significant portion of this acreage is considered to lie in the less mature wet gas or liquid zones. Approximately 95% of the acreage is held by production. Horizontal drilling and fracking technology has continued to advance in other parts of the Marcellus Shale, resulting in increased EURs and reduced well costs in the shale industry. Fracking has proven to be very successful in major shale plays in the Marcellus Shales in nearby States of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. As a result of the New York fracking moratorium, the company has not been able to develop the most lucrative aspects of its holdings.

Utica Shale

The Ordovician-aged Utica Shale is an unconventional reservoir underlying the Marcellus Shale. The productive limits of the Utica Shale cover over 80,000 square miles within Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York. The Utica Shale is an organic-rich continuous black shale, with productive zones occurring across all maturity zones producing dry gas, wet gas, and liquid from depths of around 4,500 feet to 10,000 feet.

Based on initial drilling results of our peers, we believe the Utica Shale is a premier North American shale play. We currently lease 141,521 gross acres in the Utica Shale. All of this acreage is located in New York and 74% of it is held by production. Horizontal drilling and fracturing technology has continued to advance in other parts of the Utica Shale, resulting in increased EURs and reduced well costs in the shale industry. Fracking has proven to be very successful in major shale plays in the Utica Shale in nearby States of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. As a result of the New York fracking moratorium, the Company has not been able to develop the most lucrative aspects of its holdings.

Currently the State of New York is under a permit ban which in effect prohibits High Volume Fracking, which neutralizes directional drilling of the Marcellus and Utica Shales. The permit ban which has been in effect since 2008 continues today. Given the sizable assets held by the Company, if the permit ban is rescinded the Company will be in an excellent position to take advantage of what will undoubtedly be a changing business climate in New York State.

82


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Mid-Continent

We currently lease 21,521 gross (16,571 net) acres in the Mid-Con. Our drilling activity is currently focused on the Arbuckle and Lancing/Kansas City formations located in Central Kansas. The Central Kansas Uplift (CKU) is the current focus of our operations in the Mid-Con.

Acreage

The following table summarizes our leasehold position by primary geographic area as of June 30, 2014:

   
  Acreage
     Gross   Net
Mid – Con Kansas     21,521       16,571  
Appalachia     284,357       261,608  
Pennsylvania     15,779       14,517  
New York     268,578       247,092  
Chautauqua County     179,085       164,758  
Cattaraugus County     35,926       33,052  
Other     53,567       49,282  
Total     305,878       278,180  

Oil and Natural Gas Reserves

The following table sets forth summary data with respect to our proved reserves as of December 31, 2013 and 2012:

   
  As of December 31, 2013   As of
December 31, 2012
Proved developed reserves:
                 
Oil (MBbls)     2,660       2,804  
Natural gas (MMcf)     27,332       34,600  
Total (MBoe)     7,215       8,571  
Percentage proved developed     94 %      94 % 
Proved undeveloped reserves:
                 
Oil (MBbls)     427       566  
Natural gas (MMcf)     130       130  
Total (MBoe)     449       588  
Percentage proved undeveloped     6 %      6 % 
Total proved reserves:
                 
Oil (MBbls)     3,087       3,370  
Natural gas (MMcf)     27,463       34,730  
Total (MBoe)     7,664       9,159  

83


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Proved undeveloped reserves decreased from 566 MBbls in 2012 to 427 MBbls in 2013 mainly due to a revision in the reserve assignment for PUD wells from 28 Mbo to 20.7 Mbo due to a study done on the performance of wells drilled from 2008 to 2013. No proved undeveloped reserves were converted to proved developed reserves for the year. The Company purchased these proved undeveloped reserves on December 23, 2010. Therefore this acreage has not been owned for five years. The total changes to our proved undeveloped reserves during the year ended December 31, 2013 were as follows:

     
  Appalachian Basin   Mid-Con   Total
Improved recovery:
                          
Oil (MBbl)                  
NGLs (MBbl)                  
Natural Gas (MMcf)                  
Total (MBoe)                  
Extensions and discoveries:
                          
Oil (MBbl)                  
NGLs (MBbl)                  
Natural Gas (MMcf)                  
Total (MBoe)                  
Revisions of previous estimates:
                          
Oil (MBbl)           (139 )      (139 ) 
NGLs (MBbl)                  
Natural Gas (MMcf)                  
Total (MBoe)           (139 )      (139 ) 
Transfers to proved developed reserves:
                          
Oil (MBbl)                  
NGLs (MBbl)                  
Natural Gas (MMcf)                  
Total (MBoe)                  
Proved undeveloped reserve additions, net of transfers:
                          
Oil (MBbl)           (139 )      (139 ) 
NGLs (MBbl)                  
Natural Gas (MMcf)                  
Total (MBoe)           (139 )      (139 ) 

Determination of Identified Drilling Locations

Proved undeveloped reserves are identified through a number of criteria, such as seismic signatures, production volumes of Company-owned offsetting wells, as well as public records of wells in the area owned by other companies, and occasionally from shared seismic data. In addition to the aforementioned scientific identification process, including both the Kansas and Appalachian Divisions, we are staffed with oil & gas professionals with years of experience, who have substantial networking contacts within the industry. This gives us a competitive edge when locating and identifying acquisition and leasing opportunities. Furthermore, Empire is actively involved in evaluating and leasing undeveloped acreage, which maintains a stable drilling location inventory while preventing the dilution of our existing drilling location inventory.

Prior to actually drilling, available drilling locations are reviewed and graded. Data pertinent to each drilling location is analyzed by geologists, geophysicists and other professionals with knowledge of the subject area. Based on all recommendations a collaborative decision to drill is made.

New York and Pennsylvania are a focus of natural gas development for our company, and prospects in the Appalachian Division are identified by engineering and geologic recommendations, in-house production

84


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

data and available public production records. We maintain a vast lease/drilling location inventory in the Appalachian Division as well. Much of the acreage involved is held by production or has been under lease for a number of years, with additional new leased acreage being added through aggressive leasing practices.

Preparation of Reserve Estimates

Our reserve estimates as of December 1, 2013 and 2012 and December 31, 2013 and 2012 included in this prospectus were based on evaluations prepared by the independent petroleum engineering firms of Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. for Appalachia and LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd. for Mid-Con in accordance with Standards Pertaining to the Estimating and Auditing of Oil and Gas.

Reserves information and estimates were prepared in accordance with definitions and guidelines promulgated by the Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers. Our independent reserve engineers were selected for their historical experience and geographic expertise in engineering hydrocarbon resources.

Proved reserves are reserves which, by analysis of geoscience and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be economically producible from a given date forward from known reservoirs under existing economic conditions, operating methods and government regulations prior to the time at which contracts providing the right to operate expires, unless evidence indicates that renewal is reasonably certain. The term “reasonable certainty” implies a high degree of confidence that the quantities of oil or natural gas actually recovered will equal or exceed the estimate. The technical and economic data used in the estimation of our proved reserves include, but are not limited to, well logs, geologic maps, well-test data, production data (including flow rates), well data (including lateral lengths), historical price and cost information, and property ownership interests. Our independent reserve engineers use this technical data, together with standard engineering and geoscience methods, or a combination of methods, including performance analysis, volumetric analysis, and analogy. The proved developed reserves and EURs per well are estimated using performance analysis and volumetric analysis. The estimates of the proved developed reserves and EURs for each developed well are used to estimate the proved undeveloped reserves for each proved undeveloped location (utilizing type curves, statistical analysis, and analogy). Proved undeveloped locations that are more than one offset from a proved developed well utilized reliable technologies to confirm reasonable certainty. The reliable technologies that were utilized in estimating these reserves include log data, performance data, log cross sections, seismic data, core data, and statistical analysis.

Internal Controls

Throughout each fiscal year, our internal management and regional managers work with representatives of our independent reserve engineers to review properties and discuss methods and assumptions used in preparation of the proved reserves estimates. While we have no formal committee specifically designated to review reserves reporting and the reserves estimation process, a preliminary copy of the reserve report is reviewed by our senior management with representatives of our independent reserve engineers and internal technical staff.

Qualifications of Responsible Technical Persons

Appalachia — Our proved reserve estimates shown herein at December 1, 2013 and 2012 and the contingent and possible reserve estimates and contingent resources estimates shown herein for our Marcellus and Utica assets respectively have been independently prepared by Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc., a worldwide leader of petroleum property analysis for industry and financial organizations and government agencies. Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. was founded in 1924 and performs consulting petroleum engineering services under the Texas Board of Professional Engineers Registration No. F-1529. Within Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc., the technical person primarily responsible for preparing the estimates set forth, each of which is filed as an exhibit to this registration statement, was Mr. Allen C. Barron, President, and a consulting petroleum engineer. Mr. Barron is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas (License No. 49284).

85


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Mr. Barron rejoined Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. in 1993 after serving as President at H.J. Gruy and Company. Mr. Barron’s areas of expertise include asset evaluations, annual reserve reports, preparation of Competent Person Reports, economic evaluations and production forecasting. Mr. Barron received a BS Chemical/Petroleum Engineering degree from the University of Houston. Mr. Barron meets or exceeds the education, training, and experience requirements set forth in the Standards Pertaining to the Estimating and Auditing of Oil and Gas Reserves Information promulgated by the Society of Petroleum Engineers; he is proficient in judiciously applying industry standard practices to engineering and geoscience evaluations as well as applying SEC and other industry reserve definitions and guidelines.

Mid-Con — Our proved reserve estimates shown herein at December 31, 2013 and 2012 for our Mid-Con assets have been independently prepared by LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd., a worldwide leader of petroleum property analysis for industry and financial organizations and government agencies. LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd. was founded in 1979 and performs consulting petroleum engineering services under the Texas Board of Professional Engineers Registration No. F-1360. Within LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd., the technical person primarily responsible for overseeing and managing the preparation of the estimates set forth, each of which is filed as an exhibit to this registration statement, was William M. Kazmann, Senior Partner and a consulting petroleum engineer. Mr. Kazmann is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas (License No. 45012).

Mr. Kazmann joined LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd. in 1996 after working for several independent oil and gas companies and spending 16 years as an independent consultant. Mr. Kazmann has developed a broad geographic area of expertise which include the Mid-Continent portion of the United States. Mr. Kazmann earned Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1973 and 1975 respectively. Mr. Kazmann exceeds the education, training, and experience requirements set forth in the Standards Pertaining to the Estimating and Auditing of Oil and Gas Reserves Information promulgated by the Society of Petroleum Engineers; he is proficient in judiciously applying industry standard practices to engineering and geoscience evaluations as well as applying SEC and other industry reserve definitions and guidelines.

Production, Revenue and Price History by Region

     
  Six Months Ended June 30, 2014
     Mid-Continent   Appalachia   Grand Total(1)
Net production volumes:
                          
Oil (MBbl)     77       2       79  
Natural gas (MMcf)     8       889       897  
Total (MBoe)     79       150       228  
Average daily production volumes:
                          
Oil (Bbl)     429       10       439  
Natural gas (Mcf)     44       4,937       4,982  
Total (Boe)     436       833       1,269  
Average prices:
                          
Oil (Bbl)   $ 97.86     $ 97.67     $ 97.17  
Natural gas (Mcf)     4.47       4.49       4.49  
Total (Boe)     96.66       27.53       51.22  
Operating expenses (per Boe)
                          
Cost of oil and gas sales   $ 33.34     $ 4.17     $ 14.50  
Ad valorem and production tax     2.99       0.93       1.64  
Cost of well operation services     2.99       10.25       9.21  
Exploratory dry hole costs     0.58             0.20  
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     19.18       6.94       11.20  
General and administrative expenses     1.64       2.75       7.65  
Expiration costs     0.55       0.09       0.25  

86


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

                 
  Year Ended December 31, 2011   Year Ended December 31, 2012   Year Ended December 31, 2013
     Mid-Continent   Appalachia   Grand Total(1)   Mid-Continent   Appalachia   Grand Total(1)   Mid-Continent   Appalachia   Grand Total(1)
Net production volumes:
                                                                                
Oil (MBbl)     177       1       179       179       5       184       161       4       165  
Natural gas (MMcf)     22       2,002       2,023       21       1,984       2,005       14       1,941       1,954  
Total (MBoe)     181       335       516       182       336       518       163       327       490  
Average daily production volumes:
                                                                                
Oil (Bbl)     486       4       490       489       14       503       441       10       451  
Natural gas (Mcf)     60       5,484       5,544       57       5,436       5,493       37       5,317       5.354  
Total (Boe)     496       918       1,414       499       920       1,419       447       896       1,343  
Average prices:
                                                                                
Oil (Bbl)   $ 89.24     $ 83.07     $ 89.19     $ 88.06     $ 103.18     $ 88.47     $ 92.88     $ 91.41     $ 92.85  
Natural gas (Mcf)     3.83       4.15       4.15       4.53       2.86       2.88       7.02       3.85       3.87  
Total (Boe)   $ 87.91     $ 25.17     $ 47.18     $ 86.89     $ 18.44     $ 42.52     $ 92.17     $ 23.86     $ 46.59  
Operating expenses (per Boe)
                                                                                
Cost of oil and gas sales   $ 26.71     $ 5.75     $ 13.32     $ 24.14     $ 5.02     $ 11.99     $ 29.76     $ 4.16     $ 12.68  
Ad valorem and production tax     3.97       1.66       2.47       1.99       1.48       1.66       4.09       1.52       2.32  
Cost of well operation services     1.37       7.75       2.47       3.44       7.76       7.02       4.07       8.78       8.05  
Exploratory dry hole costs     2.63             0.92       1.08             0.38       4.47             1.49  
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     15.87       6.74       10.55       16.94       6.84       10.47       20.00       7.83       11.94  
General and administrative expenses     2.55       1.56       7.55       1.23       2.70       6.63       2.95       2.20       7.06  
Expiration costs                             3.06       1.98             0.47       0.31  

(1) Grand Total includes expenses incurred by Imperial Resources and other corporate expenses not incurred by the operating regions. These include Imperial Resources expenses of $0.6 million and $0.7 million for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and $1.2 million and $1.2 million and $1.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, which will no longer be incurred after the offering.

Drilling Results

The following table provides a summary of our drilling results (gross and net) for the six months ended June 30, 2014 and the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011.

               
  Six Months Ended June 30, 2014   2013   2012   2011
     Gross   Net   Gross   Net   Gross   Net   Gross   Net
Exploratory Wells:
                                                                       
Productive     3       3                                      
Dry     1       1       2       2       3       2              
Total Exploratory     4       4       2       2       3       2              
Development Wells:
                                                                       
Productive                 5       4       4       3       7       6  
Dry                                                
Total Development                 5       4       4       3       7       6  
Total Wells:
                                                                       
Productive     3       3       5       4       4       3       7       6  

87


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

               
  Six Months Ended June 30, 2014   2013   2012   2011
     Gross   Net   Gross   Net   Gross   Net   Gross   Net
Dry     1       1       2       2       3       7              
Total     4       4       7       6       7       5       7       6  

88


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Our Operations

We are an independent exploration and production company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of conventional oil and natural gas reserves in the Kansas (Mid-Continent), New York and Pennsylvania (Appalachian) regions. We operate approximately 300 producing wells in the Mid-Continent and approximately 1,700 producing wells in the Appalachian Basin. Our drilling activity is currently focused on the low-risk vertical development of the Arbuckle and Lansing/Kansas City formations located in Central Kansas (Mid-Continent) and the Upper Devonian formation located in Upstate New York (Appalachia). We are a returns-focused organization and have targeted these formations in Kansas and New York.

Our acreage position was 305,878 gross (278,180 net) acres at June 30, 2014, which we group into two primary areas based on geographic locations, Mid-Continent and Appalachia.

Since our inception, we have completed three significant acquisitions, four bolt on acquisitions and one divestiture. In December 2006, the Company acquired DK Gas, for $9.4 million. Located in Hawthorn, Pennsylvania the Company continues to maintain an operations facility today, with approximately 150 operating gas wells and 6,000 leased acres in Jefferson, Clarion and Armstrong Counties in Pennsylvania. In December 2009, the Company purchased approximately 1,600 operating wells (predominantly gas) and 300,000 leased acres located in upstate New York from Range Resources Corporation for $38.0 million. The wells and leases are located in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Wyoming, Ontario, Seneca, Cayuga and Wayne Counties in New York and Erie County in Pennsylvania. The Company maintains an operations facility in Mayville, New York. In December 2010, the Company purchased approximately 300 operating wells (predominantly oil) and 22,000 leased acres located in central Kansas from Amadeus Petroleum for $55.9 million. The Company maintains operations facilities in Great Bend, Plainville, and Wichita, Kansas. With respect to the divestiture, in 2010, the Company sold the deep rights for the acreage acquired from DK Gas to a third party for $24.6 million.

From the time we began operations in December 2006 through June 30, 2014, we have drilled 38 gross operated vertical wells on our properties with an 84% success rate and we have drilled no horizontal wells.

In 2013, due to our strategy of building up cash reserves for potential PDP heavy acquisitions, our development capital was only approximately $1.3 million and we drilled a total of 7 gross (6 net) wells. In 2014, we plan to invest at least $5.0 million of development capital to drill 21 gross (20 net) wells. Following this offering, we would seek to increase the investment of wells drilled in 2014 by at least $2.5 million, which should result in the drilling of an additional 8 gross (5 net) wells.

Of the almost 2,000 producing wells in the Mid-Con and Appalachian Basins, many of these wells have participating partners, referred to as Working Interest (WI) owners, which were owners prior to our purchase of the particular assets. The rights and obligations of both parties are clearly defined, governed and protected by a Joint Operating Agreement (JOA). Each WI owner participates financially in a well based on their percentage ownership and pays their proportionate share of the costs to drill and operate the well. Their Net Revenue Interest is their WI percentage less their proportionate share of any royalties. We and the existing partners continue to operate within the conditions of these JOAs, to prudently produce, develop and operate the asset in a manner that is mutually beneficial to all parties. To date, there have been no disagreements or litigation concerning JOA operations, and none are anticipated.

Major Customers

The largest purchaser of our oil during the twelve months ended December 31, 2013 purchased approximately 95% of our operated production and the largest purchaser of our natural gas production during the twelve months ended December 31, 2013 purchased approximately 81% of our operated production.

Transportation

In 2013, we purchased 166 miles of gathering lines in New York to enhance our New York gas production. This acquisition enables us to move natural gas to several different pipelines depending upon demand, capacity, and price in order to maximize revenue. Demand for natural gas in local markets is seasonal. When demand is low in these markets, we are able to move gas to interstate markets, thus avoiding the necessity to shut in our wells.

89


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title to Properties

In the course of acquiring the rights to develop oil and natural gas, it is standard procedure for us and the lessor to execute a lease agreement with payment subject to title verification. In most cases, we incur the expense of retaining lawyers to verify the rightful owners of the oil and gas interests prior to payment of such lease payment to the lessor. There is no certainty, however, that a lessor has valid title to their lease’s oil and gas interests. In those cases, such leases are generally voided and payment is not remitted to the lessor. As such, title failures may result in fewer net acres to us. As is customary in the industry, in the case of undeveloped properties, often cursory investigation of record title is made at the time of lease acquisition. Investigations are made before the consummation of an acquisition of producing properties and before commencement of drilling operations on undeveloped properties. Individual properties may be subject to burdens that we believe do not materially interfere with the use or affect the value of the properties. Burdens on properties may include:

customary royalty interests;
liens incident to operating agreements and for current taxes;
obligations or duties under applicable laws;
development obligations under natural gas leases; or
net profits interests.

Our average net revenue interest (our working interest less other’s working interest, royalty interest and overriding royalty interest) in the Mid — Con and Appalachian Basin is approximately 63% and 76%, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2013.

Occasionally, a third party may wish to participate in the drilling of a well. Thus they will receive a working interest in the well based on the percentage of their participation. They then share in the drilling costs, revenue and operating expenses of the well. A landowner who signs a lease giving us the right to drill an oil and gas well on their property receives a 12.5% royalty interest in those wells. They then share in only the revenue of the well. From time to time a third party may take an overriding royalty interest in the well in lieu of payment for services rendered or other fees. They then share in only the revenue of the well.

Seasonality

Demand for natural gas generally decreases during the spring and fall months and increases during the summer and winter months. However, seasonal anomalies such as mild winters or mild summers sometimes lessen this fluctuation. In addition, with respect to natural gas, certain natural gas users utilize natural gas storage facilities and purchase some of their anticipated winter requirements during the summer. This can also lessen seasonal demand fluctuations. With respect to oil, although oil demand fluctuates seasonally, we are generally not impacted by the seasonality because the purchasers of our oil take all of our oil production throughout the year. Seasonal anomalies can increase competition for equipment, supplies and personnel during the spring and summer months, which could lead to shortages and increase costs or delay our operations.

Competition

The oil and natural gas industry is intensely competitive, and we compete with other companies in our industry that have greater resources than we do. Many of these companies not only explore for and produce natural gas, but also carry on refining operations and market petroleum and other products on a regional, national or worldwide basis. These companies may be able to pay more for productive natural gas properties and exploratory prospects or define, evaluate, bid for and purchase a greater number of properties and prospects than our financial or human resources permit and may be able to expend greater resources to attract and maintain industry personnel. In addition, these companies may have a greater ability to continue exploration activities during periods of low natural gas market prices. Our larger competitors may be able to absorb the burden of existing, and any changes to, federal, state and local laws and regulations more easily than we can, which would adversely affect our competitive position. Our ability to acquire additional properties and to discover reserves in the future will be dependent upon our ability to evaluate and select suitable properties and to consummate transactions in a highly competitive environment.

90


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

In Appalachia, our main competitors are Stedman Energy, Chautauqua Energy, Cotton Drilling Atlas Energy, and Snyder Brothers. In Mid-Con our main competitors are White Horse Resources, Third Oil, Tex Can Energy, and Flying J Resources. The Company’s personnel have excellent reputations, have worked for decades in the industry and have an almost inexhaustible supply of industry contacts, which enable us to avail ourselves of goods, services, information and opportunities that are not so readily available to others.

Regulation of the Oil and Natural Gas Industry

Our operations are substantially affected by federal, state and local laws and regulations. All of the jurisdictions in which we own or operate producing natural gas and oil properties have statutory provisions regulating the exploration for and production of natural gas and oil, including provisions related to permits for the drilling of wells, bonding requirements to drill or operate wells, the location of wells, the method of drilling and casing wells, the surface use and restoration of properties upon which wells are drilled, sourcing and disposal of water used in the drilling and completion process, and the abandonment of wells. Our operations are also subject to various conservation laws and regulations. These include the regulation of the size of drilling and spacing units or proration units, the number of wells which may be drilled in an area, and the unitization or pooling of crude oil or natural gas wells, as well as regulations that generally prohibit the venting or flaring of natural gas, and impose certain requirements regarding the ratability or fair apportionment of production from fields and individual wells.

Failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations can result in substantial penalties. The regulatory burden on the industry increases the cost of doing business and affects profitability. Although we believe we are in substantial compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, such laws and regulations are frequently amended or reinterpreted. Therefore, we are unable to predict the future costs or impact of compliance. Additional proposals and proceedings that affect the natural gas industry are regularly considered by Congress, the states, the FERC, and the courts. We cannot predict when or whether any such proposals may become effective.

We believe we are in substantial compliance with currently applicable laws and regulations and that continued substantial compliance with existing requirements will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, cash flows or results of operations. However, current regulatory requirements may change, currently unforeseen environmental incidents may occur or past non-compliance with environmental laws or regulations may be discovered.

Regulation of Production of Natural Gas and Oil

The production of natural gas and oil is subject to regulation under a wide range of local, state and federal statutes, rules, orders and regulations. Federal, state and local statutes and regulations require permits for drilling operations, drilling bonds and reports concerning operations. All of the states in which we own and operate properties have regulations governing conservation matters, including provisions for the unitization or pooling of natural gas and oil properties, the regulation of well spacing or density, and plugging and abandonment of wells. Moreover, each state generally imposes a production or severance tax with respect to the production and sale of oil, natural gas and NGLs within its jurisdiction.

The failure to comply with these rules and regulations can result in substantial penalties. Our competitors in the oil and natural gas industry are subject to the same regulatory requirements and restrictions that affect our operations.

Regulation of Transportation and Sales of Natural Gas

In the past, the federal government has regulated the prices at which natural gas could be sold. While sales by producers of natural gas can currently be made at uncontrolled market prices, Congress could reenact price controls in the future. In certain limited circumstances, intrastate transportation and wholesale sales of natural gas may also be affected by laws enacted by Congress and by FERC regulations.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005, or EPAct 2005, is a comprehensive compilation of tax incentives, authorized appropriations for grants and guaranteed loans, and significant changes to the statutory policy that affects all segments of the energy industry.

91


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

We cannot accurately predict whether FERC’s actions will achieve the goal of increasing competition in markets in which our natural gas is sold. We do not believe that any action taken will affect us in a way that materially differs from the way it affects other natural gas producers.

Intrastate natural gas transportation is also subject to regulation by state regulatory agencies. The basis for intrastate regulation of natural gas transportation and the degree of regulatory oversight and scrutiny given to intrastate natural gas pipeline rates and services varies from state to state. Insofar as such regulation within a particular state will generally affect all intrastate natural gas shippers within the state on a comparable basis, we believe that the regulation of similarly situated intrastate natural gas transportation in any states in which we operate and ship natural gas on an intrastate basis will not affect our operations in any way that is of material difference from those of our competitors. Like the regulation of interstate transportation rates, the regulation of intrastate transportation rates affects the marketing of natural gas that we produce, as well as the revenues we receive for sales of our natural gas.

Regulation of Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health Matters

General

Our operations are subject to numerous federal, regional, state, local, and other laws and regulations regarding the environment the Resource Conversation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”), the Safe Drinking Water Act (“SDWA”). Applicable U.S. federal environmental laws include, but are not limited to, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”), the Clean Water Act (“CWA”) and the Clean Air Act (“CAA”). In addition, state and local laws and regulations set forth specific standards for drilling wells, the maintenance of bonding requirements in order to drill or operate wells, the method of drilling and casing wells, the surface use and restoration of properties upon which wells are drilled, the plugging and abandoning of wells, and the prevention and cleanup of pollutants and other matters. We maintain insurance against costs of clean-up operations, but we are not fully insured against all such risks. Additionally, Congress and federal and state agencies frequently revise environmental laws and regulations, and any changes that result in delay or more stringent and costly permitting, waste handling, disposal and clean-up requirements for the oil and gas industry could have a significant impact on our operating costs. There can be no assurance that future developments, such as increasingly stringent environmental laws or enforcement thereof, will not cause us to incur material environmental liabilities or costs.

Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in the assessment of administrative, civil and criminal fines and penalties and the imposition of injunctive relief. Accidental releases or spills may occur in the course of our operations, and we cannot be sure that we will not incur significant costs and liabilities as a result of such releases or spills, including any third-party claims for damage to property, natural resources or persons. Although we believe that we are in substantial compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations and that continued compliance with existing requirements will not have a material adverse impact on us, there can be no assurance that this will continue in the future.

Hazardous Substances and Wastes

CERCLA, also known as the “Superfund law,” imposes cleanup obligations, without regard to fault or the legality of the original conduct, on certain classes of persons that are considered to be responsible for the release of a “hazardous substance” into the environment. These persons include the owner or operator of the disposal site or sites where the release occurred and companies that transported or disposed or arranged for the transport or disposal of the hazardous substances found at the site.

RCRA regulates the generation and disposal of wastes. RCRA specifically excludes from the definition of hazardous waste “drilling fluids, produced waters and other wastes associated with the exploration, development or production of crude oil, natural gas. However, legislation has been proposed from time to time that could reclassify certain oil and natural gas exploration and production wastes as “hazardous wastes,” which would make the reclassified wastes subject to much more stringent handling, disposal and clean-up requirements. If such legislation were to be enacted, it could have a significant impact on our operating costs, as well as the oil and natural gas industry in general. Moreover, some of the materials and solvents that we use in our operations may be ordinary industrial wastes which we generate, such as paint wastes, waste solvents, laboratory wastes and waste oils, may be regulated as hazardous wastes.

92


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

In addition, current and future regulations governing the handling and disposal of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials may affect our operations.

Some of our leases may have had prior owners who commenced exploration and production of natural gas and oil operations on these sites. Although we have utilized operating and disposal practices that were standard in the industry at the time, hydrocarbons or other wastes may have been disposed of or released on or under the properties owned or leased by us on or under other locations where such wastes have been taken for disposal. In addition, a portion of these properties may have been operated by third parties whose treatment and disposal or release of wastes was not under our control. We may be required to remediate any previous improprer treatment or disposal of such waste. These properties and the wastes disposed thereon may be subject to CERCLA, RCRA, and/or analogous state laws. Under such laws, we could be required to remove or remediate previously disposed wastes (including waste disposed of or released by prior owners or operators) or property contamination (including groundwater contamination by prior owners or operators), or to perform remedial plugging or closure operations to prevent future contamination.

Waste Discharges

The CWA, other federal laws and their state analogs impose restrictions and strict controls with respect to the discharge of pollutants, including spills and leaks of oil and other substances, into streams and other waterways. Federal and state regulatory agencies can impose administrative, civil and criminal penalties as well as other enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance with discharge permits or other requirements of the CWA and analogous state laws and regulations.

Air Emissions

The CAA and its state analog and regulations restrict the emission of air pollutants from many sources, including oil and gas operations. More stringent regulations governing emissions of greenhouse gases have been developed by the EPA and may increase the costs of compliance for our operations. In 2012, seven states submitted a notice of intent to sue the EPA to compel the agency to make a determination as to whether standards of performance limiting methane emissions from oil and gas sources is appropriate and, if so, to promulgate performance standards for methane emissions from existing oil and gas sources.

Oil Pollution Act

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and regulations thereunder impose a variety of requirements related to the prevention of oil spills and liability for damages resulting from such spills. While liability limits apply in some circumstances, a party cannot take advantage of liability limits if the spill was caused by gross negligence or willful misconduct or resulted from violation of a federal safety, construction or operating regulation. If the party fails to report a spill or to cooperate fully in the cleanup, liability limits likewise do not apply.

Worker Safety

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (“OSHA”) and state laws protect the safety and health of workers. The OSHA hazard communication standard requires maintenance of information about hazardous materials used or produced in operations and provision of such information to employees. Other OSHA standards regulate specific worker safety aspects of our operations. Failure to comply with OSHA requirements and state health and safety laws can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Employees

As of June 30, 2014, we had 51 full-time employees and 2 part-time employees. Our future success will depend partially on our ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel. We are not a party to any collective bargaining agreements and have not experienced any strikes or work stoppages. We utilize the services of independent contractors to perform various field and other services. We believe our relations with our employees are good.

Legal Proceedings

We are party to various legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of our business. We believe these matters will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

93


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth the names, ages and titles of our executive officers as of the date of this prospectus. We do not currently have a board of directors and are managed by Empire Energy Group, our parent and sole member, and our executive officers. After this offering, we will have a board of directors; see “Board of Directors” below for further details.

   
Name   Age   Position
Bruce W. McLeod   61   Chief Executive Officer
Robert S. Gustafson   60   Chief Financial Officer
Allen C. Boyer   65   Senior Vice President – Operations

The following table sets forth information regarding other key employees as of the date of this prospectus.

   
Name   Age   Position
Timothy E. Hull   53   Vice President of Empire Energy E&P, LLC – Appalachia Region
James A. Farthing   59   Vice President of Empire Energy E&P, LLC – Mid-Continent Region

Set forth below is the description of the background of our executive officers and other key employees. References to positions held at Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. include positions held at Imperial and Empire Energy USA, LLC prior to and after our Corporate Reorganization.

Executive Officers

Bruce W. McLeod has served as the Chief Executive Officer of both Empire Energy Group (as well as the Executive Chairman of Empire Energy Group since 1997) and the Company since 2006. He is also the Non-Executive Chairman of Mayan Iron Corporation Limited and a board member of Eastern & Pacific Capital since November of 1990 and Rhodes Capital since January of 2001, both private non-operating companies. Mr. McLeod will continue to serve in these capacities after this offering, devoting approximately 85% of his time to the business of the Company. Mr. McLeod was initially appointed as a director of Empire Energy Group in 1996. From 1988 to 2005, Mr. McLeod gained extensive experience in the Australian Corporate and Resource Capital markets through involvement in the acquisition and management of listed and unlisted companies, as well as raising debt and equity capital for resource and property projects and other businesses in Australia, New Zealand, China and Vietnam. Prior to that, he was an Executive Director at BA Australia Limited, a subsidiary of Bank of America, and was responsible for the financial and capital markets operations and was a securities trader in New Zealand. Mr. McLeod received B.Sc (Maths), B.Com, M.Com (Economics) degrees from the University of Auckland.

Robert S. Gustafson has served as Financial Controller of the operating subsidiary of the Company since 2011 and has been responsible for the financial, human resources and corporate activities. Upon the consummation of this offering, Mr. Gustafson will become the Chief Financial Officer of the Company. Prior to joining the Company, since 2001, Mr. Gustafson was the Manager of Financial Accounting at Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel and handled the internal and public financial statements of the company, including SEC reporting. From 2001 to 2002, he was Controller for Wheeling Corrugating Company, a subsidiary of Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel, through Resources Global and from 1997 to 2000, he was the Assistant Vice President Marketing and Government Reporting at T.W. Phillips Gas, responsible for natural gas sales and marketing, purchased gas cost filings, and transportation tariffs. Between 1980 and 1997, Mr. Gustafson was employed by Columbia Energy Services as the Controller, Equitable Resources Energy Company as the Accounting Manager for the financial accounting of three subsidiaries and Gulf Oil in various accounting positions. Mr. Gustafson earned a B.Sc. degree in Accounting at Rider University.

Allen C. Boyer has served as Senior Vice President of the Company since 2012 and was a Vice President of the Company from 2007 until 2012. He has been responsible for the oversight of all operations within the continental U.S. Mr. Boyer has extensive experience in all operational aspects of the oil and gas industry, including well site activities, leasing and land agreements, pipeline and compressor construction. Since 2004, he has been an owner of American Natural Resources, LLC. From 1994 to 2004, Mr. Boyer was tasked with new prospect evaluation, with drilling programs ranged from 65 to 120 wells per year, at US Energy

94


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Exploration. From 1998 to 2001, Mr. Boyer was a project engineer for Somerset Oil & Gas and ultimately EOG Resources Appalachia, Inc., drilling over 200 wells in approximately 24 months while supervising the construction of over 35,000 feet of new natural gas transmission lines. From 1983 to 1998, Mr. Boyer held numerous positions at, DL Resources 1983 TURM OIL, Inc., The Peoples Natural Gas Company and Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal Company, including the management, evaluation and oversight of the ultimate sale of 44,000 acres of oil and gas holdings for Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal Company. Mr Boyer began his career in the Oil & Gas industry in 1967 with The Peoples Natural Gas Company and then trained under A.H. Forbes Jr. Certified Petroleum Geologist (Benedum Interests, Pittsburgh, Pa.). Mr. Boyer subsequently drilled several wells with partners and also operated his own consulting business and assisted in the start-up of several successful oil & gas producing companies in the Appalachian Basin.

Key Employees

Timothy Hull has served as Vice President of Empire Energy E&P, LLC, our wholly owned subsidiary, since 2009 and is responsible for Appalachian operations. Mr. Hull has been involved in all aspects of the oil and gas exploration, production and transportation sector in northeastern U.S. for over 30 years. Prior to joining the Company, since 2005, he was the District Manager for Range Resources Corporation and was responsible for day-to-day management of all New York State oil and gas operations. From 1983 to 1995, Mr. Hull was the Lease Operator for several E&P companies, including Envirogas, Dest Exploration, Chautauqua Energy, Berea Oil & Gas20. Mr. Hull also serves as a director member of IOGA (New York).

James Farthing has served as both District Manager and Vice President of Empire Energy E&P, LLC, our wholly owned subsidiary, since mid-2013 and is responsible for Mid-Continent operations. Prior to joining Empire Energy E&P, LLC, James had been with Conoco-Phillips North America for 32 years. His experience includes onshore production operations, drilling and completions and management experience with respect to operating shallow low pressure wells, deep high pressure gas wells, gathering systems, pipelines, booster stations, water floods and associated facilities and plants. Mr. Farthing is proficient in Health Safety and Environment policies and procedures, various maintenance and project processes, SAP systems, asset control, litigation management and royalty compliance. Mr. Farthing attended classes at Colby and Barton colleges, the University of Oklahoma and Louisiana State University.

Board of Directors

We are currently managed by our sole member, Empire Energy Group.

At the time we complete this offering and after the creation of a board of directors in connection with the Corporate Reorganization, we will have a board of directors comprised of three persons, Bruce W. McLeod, Anthony Crisafio and Denise Cox. Anthony Crisafio and Denise Cox will join our board as independent directors, each of which will serve on our audit committee although Ms. Cox will not be considered to be independent for purposes of the audit committee due to an ongoing consulting arrangement. Bruce W. McLeod will also serve as the chairman of the board of directors. We expect to add another independent director to our board of directors and audit committee within 90 days after the completion of this offering and one more independent director to our board of directors and audit committee within one year after the completion of this offering. We also expect that our board will review the independence of our current directors using the independence standards of NASDAQ under Rule 5605(a)(2). and, based on this review, determine that Anthony Crisafio and Denise Cox are independent within the meaning of the NASDAQ listing standards currently in effect. As a result, we expect that our board of directors will consist of five members within one year after the completion of this offering, four of whom will be independent under Rule 5605(a)(2) and three of whom will be independent with respect to our audit committee.

In evaluating director candidates, we will assess whether a candidate possesses the integrity, judgment, knowledge, experience, skills and expertise that are likely to enhance the board’s ability to manage and direct our affairs and business, including, when applicable, to enhance the ability of the committees of the board to fulfill their duties. Our directors hold office until the earlier of their death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal or until their successors have been duly elected and qualified.

The following is a description of the background of our director nominees other than Mr. McLeod, whose background is provided in “Executive Officers” above.

95


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Anthony J. Crisafio, 61, is a Certified Public Accountant and has served as an independent business consultant for more than 20 years, providing financial and operational advice to businesses in a variety of industries and stages of development. Mr. Crisafio has served on the board of PDC Energy, Inc. a NASDAQ listed company, and is a member of the compensation committee and former Chairman of the audit committee. Mr. Crisafio has also served, prior to the offering, as a consultant to Empire Energy USA, LLC. Mr. Crisafio is currently serving as an Advisory Board member for a number of privately held companies and has been a Certified Public Accountant for more than 30 years. Mr. Crisafio previously served as the Interim Chief Financial Officer for MDS Associated Companies, Inc., a part-time position, from November 2012, until August 2013, and is continuing to serve as a consultant to the company. MDS Associated Companies, Inc. is an oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) company based in Western Pennsylvania. In addition, Mr. Crisafio also served on the board of American Locker Group Inc. from May 2004 to July 2005 and was Chairman of the audit committee and a member of the compensation committee while on that board. Mr. Crisafio served as Chief Operating Officer, Treasurer and member of the Board of Directors of Cinema World, Inc. from 1989 until 1993. From 1975 until 1989, he was employed by Ernst & Young, last serving as a partner from 1986 to 1989. He was responsible for several SEC registered client engagements and gained significant experience with oil and gas industry clients and mergers and acquisitions. In determining Mr. Crisafio’s qualifications to serve on our board of directors, we have considered, among other things, that Mr. Crisafio has more than 30 years of financial accounting and management expertise, with demonstrated business management and accounting experience. Mr. Crisafio received a B.S. in accounting from Duquesne University.

DENISE M. COX, 56, is Vice President of Storm Energy, Ltd where she is currently responsible for generating and evaluating new projects for the company’s oil and gas portfolio since January of 2010. She has consulted for and partnered with Vecta Oil and Gas on exploration projects in the Permian Basin, TX since July of 2008 and has advised Empire Energy on petroleum acquisitions and dispositions in Kansas and Texas since July of 2012. Ms. Cox began her petroleum geoscience career with Marathon Oil Company at the Denver Research Center from September of 1985 to September of 1988. During her 20 year career with Marathon she specialized in the application of new technology to petroleum reservoirs in the Permian Basin, East Texas, and the Powder River Basin. While at Marathon, Ms. Cox diversified her technical background into unconventional reservoirs. She has led coalbed methane and shale evaluation projects in the US and Europe. She is an AAPG Certified Petroleum Geologist and licensed geologist in Wyoming. Ms. Cox is a member of AAPG and the AAPG Foundation and has served on the AAPG Executive Committee from July of 2011 to July of 2013. Ms. Cox is the 2014-15 President of the Association for Women Geoscientists. She has held leadership positions on numerous geological society committees where she is best known as a geoscience “connector” and for her outreach activities with students, young professionals, and women. Ms. Cox is a Legacy Member of the Nature Conservancy. In determining Ms. Cox’s qualifications to serve on our board of directors, we have considered, among other things, that Ms. Cox has vast experience with evaluating oil and gas assets and the exploration and development of such assets and extensive knowledge of the oil and gas industry in general, including more than 30 years of expertise in carbonate exploration and development and unconventional reservoir assessment. Denise Cox received her B.S. with Honors from the State University of New York at Binghamton and M.S. from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Status as a Controlled Company

Because Empire Energy Group will beneficially own a majority of our outstanding common stock following the completion of this offering, we expect to be a controlled company under NASDAQ corporate governance standards. A controlled company need not comply with NASDAQ corporate governance rules that require its board of directors to have a majority of independent directors and independent compensation and nominating and governance committees. Notwithstanding our status as a controlled company, we will remain subject to the NASDAQ corporate governance standard that requires us to have an audit committee composed entirely of independent directors. As a result, we must have at least one independent director on our audit committee by the date our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ, at least two independent directors within 90 days of the listing date and at least three independent directors within one year of the listing date.

96


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

While these exemptions will apply to us as long as we remain a controlled company, we expect that our board of directors will nonetheless consist of a majority of independent directors within the meaning of the NASDAQ listing standards currently in effect within one year after the completion of this offering.

Committees of the Board of Directors

Upon the conclusion of this offering, we intend to have an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee of our board of directors, and may have such other committees as the board of directors shall determine from time to time. We anticipate that each of the standing committees of the board of directors will have the composition and responsibilities described below.

Audit Committee

We will establish an audit committee following the completion of this offering. Rules implemented by NASDAQ and the SEC require us to have an audit committee comprised of at least three directors who meet the independence and experience standards established by NASDAQ and the Exchange Act, subject to transitional relief during the one-year period following the completion of this offering. We anticipate that following completion of this offering, our audit committee will initially consist of Messrs. McLeod and Crisafio and Ms. Cox, with Mr. Crisafio independent under the rules of the SEC. Subsequent to the transitional period, we will comply with the SEC and NASDAQ requirement to have three independent directors on our audit committee. SEC rules also require that a public company disclose whether or not its audit committee has an “audit committee financial expert” as a member. An “audit committee financial expert” is defined as a person who, based on his or her experience, possesses the attributes outlined in such rules. We believe that Mr. Crisafio, satisfies the definition of “audit committee financial expert.”

This committee will oversee, review, act on and report on various auditing and accounting matters to our board of directors, including: the selection of our independent accountants, the scope of our annual audits, fees to be paid to the independent accountants, the performance of our independent accountants and our accounting practices. In addition, the audit committee will oversee our compliance programs relating to legal and regulatory requirements. We expect to adopt an audit committee charter defining the committee’s primary duties in a manner consistent with the rules of the SEC and applicable stock exchange or market standards.

Compensation Committee

Because we will be a controlled company within the meaning of the NASDAQ corporate governance standards, we will not be required to have a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors. However, we expect that we will have a compensation committee following the completion of this offering. This committee will establish salaries, incentives and other forms of compensation for officers and other employees. Our compensation committee will also administer our incentive compensation and benefit plans. We expect to adopt a compensation committee charter defining the committee’s primary duties in a manner consistent with the rules of the SEC and applicable stock exchange or market standards. Our compensation committee will initially consist of Messrs. McLeod and Crisafio and Ms. Cox, of which Mr. Crisafio and Ms. Cox will be independent under the rules of NASDAQ.

Nominating and Governance Committee

Because we will be a controlled company within the meaning of the NASDAQ corporate governance standards, we will not be required to have a nominating and governance committee or, in the event we choose to establish one, a committee composed entirely of independent directors. However, we expect that we will have a nominating and governance committee following the completion of this offering. This committee will identify, evaluate and recommend qualified nominees to serve on our board of directors, develop and oversee our internal corporate governance processes and maintain a management succession plan. We expect to adopt a nominating and governance committee charter defining the committee’s primary duties in a manner consistent with the rules of the SEC and applicable stock exchange or market standards. Our nominating and governance committee will initially consist of Messrs. McLeod and Crisafio and Ms. Cox, of which Mr. Crisafio and Ms. Cox will be independent under the rules of NASDAQ.

97


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Health, Safety and Environmental Committee

We expect that we will have a health, safety and environmental committee following the completion of this offering. This committee will assist the board in fulfilling its risk oversight responsibilities relating to health, safety and environmental-related matters, including environmental regulations, health and safety initiatives and accountabilities, and crisis response. Our health, safety and environmental committee will initially consist of Messrs. Hull, Farthing and Boyer.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

None of our executive officers serve on the board of directors or compensation committee of either the Company or a company that has an executive officer that serves on our board or compensation committee. No member of our board is an executive officer of a company in which one of our executive officers serves as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee of that company. All compensation decisions of the Company have been made historically by Empire Energy Group.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

Following the completion of this offering, our board of directors will adopt a code of business conduct and ethics applicable to our employees, directors and officers, in accordance with applicable U.S. federal securities laws and the corporate governance rules of NASDAQ. Any waiver of this code may be made only by our board of directors and will be promptly disclosed as required by applicable U.S. federal securities laws and the corporate governance rules of NASDAQ.

Corporate Governance Guidelines

Following the completion of this offering, our board of directors will adopt corporate governance guidelines in accordance with the corporate governance rules of NASDAQ.

98


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Named Executive Officers

Our Chief Executive Officer and our two other most highly compensated executive officers during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013 were Bruce W. McLeod, Robert S. Gustafson and Allen C. Boyer. These persons are referred to herein as the “named executive officers.”

Summary Compensation Table

The following table summarizes, with respect to our named executive officers, information relating to the compensation earned for services rendered in all capacities during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012.

           
Name and Principal Position   Year   Salary
($)
  Bonus
($)(1)
  Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation
($)
  All Other Compensation
($)(2)
  Total
($)
Bruce W. McLeod(3)
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer
    2013     $ 385,237     $     $     $     $ 385,237  
    2012       362,495       113,927                   476,422  
Robert S. Gustafson
Chief Financial Officer
    2013     $ 114,421     $     $     $ 3,433     $ 117,754  
    2012       99,960       6,524             3,195       109,679  
Allen C. Boyer
SVP – Operations
    2013     $ 168,000     $ 5,000     $     $     $ 173,000  
    2012       168,000       6,000                   174,000  

(1) The amount in this column represents the aggregate amount of annual discretionary cash bonus paid to our named executive officer for fiscal year 2012 performance.
(2) Amounts reported in the “All Other Compensation” column reflect company matching contributions to the named executive officers’ 401(k) plan retirement accounts.
(3) Salary of, and bonus to (if applicable), the CEO was paid by Empire Energy Group to an entity controlled by the CEO for his services to Empire Energy Group and its subsidiaries, including the Company.

Outstanding Equity Awards at 2013 Fiscal Year-End

As of December 31, 2013, no options or equity awards were issued by the Company to any named executive officers; the named executive officers do hold options and equity interests in Empire Energy Group.

Employment and Consulting Agreements

Bruce W. McLeod provides services to the Company and its subsidiaries pursuant to an Amended and Restated Consultancy Services Deed among Empire Energy Group, the Company, Mr. McLeod and an entity controlled by Mr. McLeod. The agreement is for a term of 60 months from January 1, 2013 and provides for a minimum annual fee of $398,000. The agreement also provides, to the extent permitted by law and the ASX and NASDAQ Listing Rules, (i) for payment of an annual incentive payment (the “Annual Incentive Payment”) on an annual basis upon the achievement of appropriate milestones as determined by the Company and Empire Energy Group from time to time, subject to adjustments as contained in the agreement, and (ii) for payment of an exceptional event payment (the “Exceptional Event Payment”) upon the monetization of certain oil and gas exploration assets located in Australia or certain Marcellus and Utica Shale assets located in New York. The Company is liable for 75% of the annual fee, Annual Incentive Payment and Exceptional Event Payment and Empire Energy Group is liable for 25% of such amount(s).

Prior to the offering, we will enter into executive letters with each of Robert Gustafson and Allen Boyer (the “Executive Letters”). The letters will have no specific term and will provide for at-will arrangements. The letters will supersede all existing agreements and understanding such executives may have concerning their respective employment or consulting relationships with us. The letters also provide that the current annual base salary will be $150,000 for Mr. Gustafson and the current annual consulting fee will be $170,000 for Mr. Boyer.

99


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Retirement Benefits and Other Potential Payments Upon Termination or a Change in Control

Retirement Benefits

We have not maintained, and do not currently maintain, a defined benefit pension plan or a nonqualified deferred compensation plan providing for retirement benefits. We currently maintain a retirement plan at the Empire Energy Group level intended to provide benefits under section 401(k) of the Code, under which employees, including our named executive officers, are allowed to contribute portions of their compensation to a tax-qualified retirement account. Empire Energy Group’s 401(k) plan provides matching contributions equal to 100% of the first 3%, followed by 50% of the next 5%, of employees’ eligible compensation contributed to the plan.

Employment, Severance or Change in Control Agreements

We historically have not maintained any employment, severance or change in control agreements with any executive officers. In addition, none of our executive officers are entitled to any payments or other benefits in connection with a termination of their employment or a change in control.

Employee Benefit and Stock Plans

We have not maintained, and do not currently maintain, any employee benefit or stock plans at the Company level. Following the completion of this offering, our board of directors will adopt an omnibus stock incentive plan for employees, consultants, and directors. Once adopted, our named executive officers will be eligible to participate in this plan. The stock incentive plan will provide for the grant of bonus stock, restricted stock, restricted stock units, options, performance awards, annual incentive awards and other stock-based awards intended to align the interests of key employees (including the named executive officers) with those of our stockholders. Following the completion of this offering, our board or a stock incentive plan committee, if formed, may also grant restricted stock unit awards to certain of our employees (including the named executive officers) that are key to our operations; however, no final determinations have been made as to the number of awards to be granted, when the awards will be granted, or the schedule on which the awards will become vested. The form of stock incentive plan to be submitted to our board of directors is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

100


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

Beneficial Ownership

The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of October 9, 2014 after giving effect to our Corporate Reorganization by:

each person known to us to beneficially own more than 5% of any class of our outstanding voting securities;
each of our named executive officers;
each of our directors and any director nominees; and
all of our directors and executive officers as a group.

Except as otherwise noted, the person or entities listed below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of our common stock beneficially owned by them, except to the extent this power may be shared with a spouse. All information with respect to beneficial ownership has been furnished by the respective directors, officers or 5% or more stockholders, as the case may be. Unless otherwise noted, the mailing address of each person or entity named in the table is c/o Empire Energy Holdings, Inc., 380 Southpointe Boulevard, Suite 130, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania 15317.

We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act of the SEC. In computing the number of shares beneficially owned by a person or a group and the percentage ownership of that person or group, shares of our common stock subject to options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days after October 9, 2014 are deemed outstanding, but are not deemed outstanding for the purpose of computing percentage ownership of any other person. Prior to the completion of our Corporate Reorganization, the ownership interests of our existing owners were represented by limited liability company interests in Imperial.

         
  Equity Securities Beneficially Owned
Prior to the Offering
  Shares Being Offered   Shares Beneficially Owned
After the Offering
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner   Number   Percentage   Number   Percentage
5% Holders:
                                            
Empire Energy Group(1)     1       90 %            9,000,000       72 % 
Macquarie Americas Corp.(2)     1       10 %            1,000,000       8 % 
Directors, Director Nominees and Named Executive Officers:
                                            
Empire Energy Group(1)     1       90 %            9,000,000       72 % 
Bruce W. McLeod                              
Robert S. Gustafson                              
Allen C. Boyer                              
Anthony Cristafo                              
Denise Cox                              
All Directors, Director Nominees and Executive Officers as a Group (6 Persons)     1       90 %            9,000,000       72 % 

(1) Imperial is currently managed by Empire Energy Group.
(2) Includes 1,000,000 shares issuable upon exercise of a warrant representing 10% of the fully diluted capital of Imperial prior to the offering. The warrant is exercisable at $0.01 per fully paid share and is exercisable at any time on or before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on February 26, 2016.

101


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CORPORATE REORGANIZATION

Prior to the completion of the Corporate Reorganization (as defined below), Imperial is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Empire Energy Group, a corporation listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under the symbol “EEG,” and its American Depository Receipts (“ADRs”) are traded on the OTCQX under the symbol “EEGNY”. While Empire Energy Group will continue to have its ADRs traded listed on the OTCQX, we desire to separate the USA operating assets from the large scale Australian frontier exploration assets and benefit from increased liquidity in the U.S. markets by listing separately on NASDAQ.

Current Ownership Structure

The diagram below sets forth our simplified organizational structure prior to the Corporate Reorganization. This chart is provided for illustrative purposes only and does not represent all legal entities affiliated with us.

[GRAPHIC MISSING]  

Empire Energy Group is an ASX Limited listed oil and gas E&P company focused on onshore, long-life oil and gas fields, primarily in the U.S. and Australia. Empire Energy Group was formed in 1981, and entered the oil and gas sector in 2006. Empire Energy Group’s major value drivers are: (i) its 100% working interest in 14.6 million acres of the McArthur Basin a significant proterozoic shale basin in Northern Australia, held 100% by the subsidiary Imperial Oil & Gas. Targets are the Valkerri and Barney Creek shales; and (ii) as described in this prospectus, Empire Energy Group through its 100% owned subsidiary, Imperial, holds significant Marcellus and Utica Shale potential in New York State and two conventional E&P operations in Kansas (oil) and Appalachia (gas).

Pursuant to a plan of conversion, as soon as practicable after the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, Imperial will file a certificate of conversion, the form of which is

102


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is part (the “Certificate of Conversion”), with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, pursuant to which Imperial will convert into a Delaware corporation and continue in the name of Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. (the “Corporate Reorganization”). Upon the filing of the Certificate of Conversion and without any action on the part of the holder, the sole membership percentage interest in Imperial issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Corporate Reorganization held by Empire Energy Group will be converted automatically into 9,000,000 shares of common stock, with such shares of common stock having the respective rights, preferences and privileges set forth in the certificate of incorporation of the Company, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

The certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Company after the Corporate Reorganization will contain customary provisions for public companies. See “Description of Securities” for additional information regarding the terms of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws as will be in effect upon the closing of this offering.

In connection with the Corporate Reorganization, the Company will continue to hold all property of Imperial and will assume all of the debts and obligations of Imperial, the Company will be governed by a certificate of incorporation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State and bylaws, the material portions of which are described in the “Description of Securities.” On the effective date of the Corporate Reorganization, the officers of Imperial will become officers of the Company. The purpose of the Corporate Reorganization is to reorganize our corporate structure so that our company will continue as a corporation rather than a limited liability company following this offering, and so that our existing investors will own our common stock rather than equity interests in a limited liability company.

103


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Ownership Structure After Giving Effect to the Corporate Reorganization and this Offering

The Company will be a holding company and its sole assets will be controlling equity interests in Empire Energy USA, LLC and its subsidiary, Empire Energy E&P, LLC. The Company will operate and control all of the business and affairs and consolidate the financial results of Empire Energy USA, LLC and its subsidiary, Empire Energy E&P, LLC.

The diagram below sets forth our simplified organizational structure after the Corporate Reorganization and this offering. This chart is provided for illustrative purposes only and does not represent all legal entities affiliated with us. The ownership percentages after this offering are based on an estimated valuation of the Company using an assumed initial public offering price of $      per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and assuming that (i) the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares is not exercised and (ii) neither the warrants offered hereby in this offering nor the Representative’s Warrant are exercised.

[GRAPHIC MISSING]  

(1) Will include 1,000,000 shares, representing apporoximately 8% of the issued and outstanding common shares, to be beneficially owned by Macquarie Americas Corp. in connection with exercise of its warrant. See “Principal Stockholders” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions — Warrant.”

104


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

In addition to the compensation arrangements, including employment, termination of employment and change in control arrangements, discussed in the sections titled “Management” and “Executive Compensation”, the following is a description of each transaction since January 1, 2011 and each currently proposed transaction in which:

we have been or are to be a participant;
the amount involved exceeded or exceeds $120,000; and
any of our directors, executive officers, or holders of more than 5% of our outstanding capital stock, or any immediate family member of, or person sharing the household with, any of these individuals or entities, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest.

Limitation of Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors

In connection with our Corporate Reorganization, we expect to adopt a certificate of incorporation, which will become effective prior to the completion of this offering and which will contain provisions that limit the liability of our directors for monetary damages to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Consequently, our directors will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duties as directors, except liability for the following:

any breach of their duty of loyalty to our company or our stockholders;
any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law; or
any transaction from which they derived an improper personal benefit.

Any amendment to, or repeal of, these provisions will not eliminate or reduce the effect of these provisions in respect of any act, omission or claim that occurred or arose prior to that amendment or repeal. If the Delaware General Corporation Law is amended to provide for further limitations on the personal liability of directors of corporations, then the personal liability of our directors will be further limited to the greatest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.

In addition, we expect to adopt bylaws, which will become effective prior to the completion of this offering and which will provide that we will indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any person who is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she is or was one of our directors or officers or is or was serving at our request as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. Our bylaws are expected to provide that we may indemnify to the fullest extent permitted by law any person who is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she is or was one of our employees or agents or is or was serving at our request as an employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. Our bylaws will also provide that we must advance expenses incurred by or on behalf of a director or officer in advance of the final disposition of any action or proceeding, subject to limited exceptions.

Further, we will enter into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers that may be broader than the specific indemnification provisions contained in the Delaware General Corporation Law. These indemnification agreements require us, among other things, to indemnify our directors and executive officers against liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service. These indemnification agreements also require us to advance all expenses incurred by the directors and executive officers in investigating or defending any such action, suit or proceeding. We believe that these agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified individuals to serve as directors and executive officers.

105


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Management & License Agreement

Empire Energy USA, LLC, a subsidiary of the Company, currently has a management services agreement with Empire Energy Group, the parent of the Company, whereby Empire Energy USA, LLC pays a monthly fee of $13,000 to Empire Energy Group for office space, communications and support staff provided by Empire Energy Group. The agreement will remain in place after the offering.

The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions that are expected to be included in our certificate of incorporation, bylaws and in indemnification agreements that we have entered into or will enter into with our directors and executive officers may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors and executive officers for breach of their fiduciary duties. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against our directors and executive officers, even though an action, if successful, might benefit us and other stockholders. Further, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent that we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and executive officers as required by these indemnification provisions. At present, we are not aware of any pending litigation or proceeding involving any person who is or was one of our directors, officers, employees or other agents or is or was serving at our request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, for which indemnification is sought, and we are not aware of any threatened litigation that may result in claims for indemnification.

Prior to the completion of this offering, we intend to obtain insurance policies under which, subject to the limitations of the policies, coverage is provided to our directors and executive officers against loss arising from claims made by reason of breach of fiduciary duty or other wrongful acts as a director or executive officer, including claims relating to public securities matters, and to us with respect to payments that may be made by us to these directors and executive officers pursuant to our indemnification obligations or otherwise as a matter of law.

Certain of our non-employee directors may, through their relationships with their employers, be insured and/or indemnified against certain liabilities incurred in their capacity as members of our board of directors.

The underwriting agreement will provide for indemnification by the underwriters of us and our officers and directors for certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act or otherwise.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling our company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Warrant

Immediately after the Corporate Reorganization but prior to this offering, we intend to issue to Macquarie Americas Corp. a warrant (the “Warrant”) to purchase 1,000,000 shares of our common stock, resulting in Macquarie Americas Corp. as a holder of more than 5% of our outstanding capital stock in exchange for the cancellation of an amended and restated warrant to purchase common shares of Empire Energy USA, LLC, our subsidiary, dated March 5, 2013. The Warrant will provide for two demand registrations of the sale of the underlying shares of common stock at the Company’s expense at any time after the six-month anniversary of the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. The form of the Warrant is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Policies and Procedures for Related Party Transactions

Following the completion of this offering, our audit committee will have the primary responsibility for reviewing and approving or disapproving “related party transactions,” which are transactions between us and related persons in which the aggregate amount involved exceeds or may be expected to exceed $120,000 and in which a related person has or will have a direct or indirect material interest. Upon completion of this offering, our policy regarding transactions between us and related persons will provide that a related person is defined as a director, executive officer, nominee for director or greater than 5% beneficial owner of our common stock, in each case since the beginning of the most recently completed year, and any of their immediate family members. Our audit committee charter that will be in effect upon completion of this offering will provide that our audit committee shall review and approve or disapprove any related party transactions.

106


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

General

The following is a summary of the rights of our common stock and preferred stock and warrants and related provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws as they will be in effect after the Corporate Reorganization and upon the completion of this offering, which summary is qualified in its entirety by the provisions thereof. For more detailed information, please see our certificate of incorporation and bylaws attached as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

We will be authorized to issue 55 million shares of capital stock, of which 50 million will be designated as common stock, $0.01 par value per share, and 5 million will be designated as preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share.

The following description of our common and preferred stock and certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws is a summary and is qualified in its entirety by the provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws.

Common Stock

Our common stock (a) will entitle the holders thereof to one vote per share at all meetings of the stockholders; (b) entitle the holders to share ratably, without preference over any other shares of our capital stock, in all of our assets in the event of our dissolution, liquidation or winding up; and (c) entitle the record holder thereof on such record dates as are determined, from time to time, by our board of directors to receive such dividends, if any, if, as and when declared by our board of directors.

Preferred Stock

Our board of directors will have the authority to issue preferred stock from time to time in one or more series, the shares of each series to have such relative rights and preferences as may be fixed and determined by our board of directors.

As of the date of this prospectus, zero shares of preferred stock have been authorized and issued.

Warrant

The following summary of certain terms and provisions of the warrant is not complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the provisions of the warrant issued by us to Macquarie Americas Corp., the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

As of the date of this prospectus, a warrant for the issuance of 1,000,000 shares of our common stock will be outstanding, exercisable at an exercise price of $0.01 per share, exercisable at any time on or before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on February 26, 2016.

Warrants Issued in this Offering

The following summary of certain terms and provisions of the warrants is not complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the provisions of the form of the warrant and the warrant agreement, which are filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

The warrants issued in this offering entitle the registered holder to purchase    shares of our common stock at a price equal to 125% of the price per share of common stock sold in this offering, subject to adjustment as discussed below, at any time commencing upon consummation of this offering and terminating at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the fifth anniversary of the date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

The exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances, including in the event of a stock dividend, extraordinary dividend on or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuances of common stock at a price below their respective exercise prices.

The warrants may be exercised upon surrender of the warrant certificate at the offices of the warrant agent or, in the case of a book-entry warrant certificate, the warrants to be exercised shown on records of the

107


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Depository Trust Company to an account of the warrant agent at the Depository Trust Company for such purpose in writing by the warrant agent to the Depository Trust Company, with the exercise form on the reverse side of the public warrant certificate completed and executed as indicated or, in the case of a book-entry warrant certificate, properly delivered in accordance with the Depository Trust Company’s procedures, accompanied by full payment of the exercise price, by certified or official bank check or by bank wire transfer, for the number of warrants being exercised. Under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed to use our best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the registration statement and current prospectus relating to common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants until the expiration of the warrants. During any period we fail to have maintained an effective registration statement covering the shares underlying the warrants, the warrant holder may exercise the warrants on a cashless basis. The warrant holders do not have the rights or privileges of holders of common stock and any voting rights until they exercise their warrants and receive shares of common stock. After the issuance of shares of common stock upon exercise of the warrants, each holder will be entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters to be voted on by stockholders.

We may redeem the outstanding warrants without the consent of any third party or the representatives of the underwriters:

in whole and not in part;
at a price of $0.01 per warrant;
upon not less than 30 days prior written notice of redemption; and
if, and only if, the last sales price of our common stock equals or exceeds $    per share (subject to adjustment for splits, dividends, recapitalization and other similar events) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading day period ending three business days before we send the notice of redemption;

provided that on the date we give notice of redemption and during the entire period thereafter until the time we redeem the warrants, we have an effective registration statement covering shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to such common stock.

No fractional shares of common stock will be issued upon exercise of the warrants. If, upon exercise of the warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share, we will, upon exercise, round up to the nearest whole number of shares of common stock to be issued to the warrant holder. If multiple warrants are exercised by the holder at the same time, we will aggregate the number of whole shares issuable upon exercise of all the warrants.

Representative’s Warrants

Please see “Underwriting — Representative’s Warrants” for a description of the warrants we have agreed to issue to Maxim Group LLC, as representative of the underwriters in this offering, subject to the completion of the offering. We expect to enter into a warrant agreement in respect of the Representative’s Warrants prior to the closing of this offering.

Stock Incentive Plans

We have not maintained, and do not currently maintain, any employee benefit or stock plans at the Company level. An executive share option plan was approved by Empire Energy Group shareholders in 2010. Persons eligible to participate include executive officers of Empire Energy Group or a subsidiary, including a director holding salaried employment or office in the Empire Energy Group or subsidiary. Options are granted under the plan for no consideration. The vesting date of options granted under the plan is subject to minimum term of employment conditions. Options granted under the plan carry no dividend or voting rights. The exercise price of options is based on a minimum of the weighted average market price of shares sold in the ordinary course of trading on the ASX during the 5 trading days ending on the date the option is granted multiplied by 0.8. Each option entitles the holder to subscribe for 1 unissued share.

Following the completion of this offering, our board of directors will adopt an omnibus stock incentive plan for employees, consultants, and directors. Once adopted, our named executive officers will be eligible to participate in this plan. The stock incentive plan will provide for the grant of bonus stock, restricted stock,

108


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

restricted stock units, options, performance awards, annual incentive awards and other stock-based awards intended to align the interests of key employees (including the named executive officers) with those of our stockholders. Following the completion of this offering, our board or stock incentive plan committee, if formed, may also grant restricted stock unit awards to certain of our employees (including the named executive officers) that are key to our operations; however, no final determinations have been made as to the number of awards to be granted, when the awards will be granted, or the schedule on which the awards will become vested. The form of stock incentive plan to be submitted to our board of directors has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

The provisions of Delaware law, our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws, which will be in effect upon the completion of this offering and are summarized below, may have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another person from acquiring control of our company. They are also designed, in part, to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate first with our board of directors. We believe that the benefits of increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with an unfriendly or unsolicited acquirer outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging a proposal to acquire us because negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.

Delaware Law

We will be governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless:

the transaction was approved by the board of directors prior to the time that the stockholder became an interested stockholder;
upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding shares owned by directors who are also officers of the corporation and shares owned by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or
at or subsequent to the time the stockholder became an interested stockholder, the business combination was approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder.

In general, Section 203 defines a “business combination” to include mergers, asset sales and other transactions resulting in financial benefit to a stockholder and an “interested stockholder” as a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years did own, 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock. These provisions may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing changes in control of us.

Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaw Provisions

Our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws which will be in effect upon the completion of this offering will include a number of provisions that could prevent changes in control of our board of directors or management team, including the following:

Board Vacancies.  Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws will authorize only our board of directors to fill vacant directorships, including newly created seats, other than elections of the board of directors at annual meetings of the stockholders. In addition, the number of directors constituting our board of directors will be permitted to be set only by a resolution adopted by a majority vote of our entire board of directors. These provisions would prevent a stockholder from increasing the size of our board of directors and then gaining control of our board of directors by filling the resulting vacancies with its own nominees. This will make it more difficult to change the composition of our board of directors and will promote continuity of management.

109


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Stockholder Action; Special Meeting of Stockholders.  Our bylaws will provide that our stockholders may take action by written consent, but only by the stockholders holding the number of votes that would have been required had such action been voted on at a properly called meeting of stockholders. Our bylaws will provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by our board of directors or our President.

Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations.  Our bylaws will contain advance notice procedures for stockholders seeking to bring business before our annual meeting of stockholders or to nominate candidates for election as directors at our annual meeting of stockholders. Our bylaws will also specify certain requirements regarding the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. These provisions might preclude our stockholders from bringing matters before our annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at our annual meeting of stockholders if the proper procedures are not followed. We expect that these provisions may also discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.

Voting.  The Delaware General Corporation Law provides that stockholders are not entitled to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless a corporation’s certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our certificate of incorporation will not provide for cumulative voting.

Director Removal.  Our bylaws will provide that stockholders may remove directors only with cause and with the affirmative vote of stockholders of at least a majority of the total voting power of all securities entitled to vote in an election of directors.

Issuance of Undesignated Preferred Stock.  Our board of directors will have the authority, without further action by our stockholders, to issue up to 5 million shares of undesignated preferred stock with rights and preferences, including voting rights, designated from time to time by our board of directors. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock would enable our board of directors to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or other means.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Listing

We have applied to list our common stock on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “EEHI” and our warrants on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “EEHIW.”

110


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

Prior to this offering, no public market existed for our any of our securities. Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock following this offering, or the perception that these sales could occur, could adversely affect prevailing market prices of our securities and could impair our future ability to obtain capital, especially through an offering of equity securities. Assuming that the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option with respect to this offering, we will have an aggregate of    shares of our common stock outstanding upon completion of this offering. Of these shares, the securities sold in this offering will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, unless purchased by “affiliates” (as that term is defined under Rule 144 of the Securities Act), who may sell only the volume of shares described below and whose sales would be subject to additional restrictions described below.

The remaining outstanding shares of our common stock will be deemed “restricted securities” as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Restricted securities may be sold in the public market only if they are registered or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under Rule 144 or Rule 701 under the Securities Act, which rules are summarized below. All of our executive officers, directors and holders of substantially all of our capital stock and securities convertible into or exchangeable for our capital stock have entered into market standoff agreements with us or lock-up agreements with the underwriters under which they have agreed, subject to specific exceptions, not to sell any of our securities for 180 days following the date of this prospectus. As a result of these agreements and subject to the provisions of Rule 144 or Rule 701, shares of our common stock will be available for sale in the public market as follows:

beginning on the date of this prospectus, all       shares of our common stock sold in this offering (      shares if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full) and       of the existing restricted shares will be eligible for immediate sale upon the completion of this offering; and
beginning 181 days after the date of this prospectus, the remainder of the shares of our common stock will be eligible for sale in the public market from time to time thereafter, subject in some cases to the volume and other restrictions of Rule 144, as described below.

Rule 144

In general, if there are any restricted shares, under Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or Rule 144, as in effect on the date hereof, beginning 90 days after the date hereof, a person who holds restricted shares and is not one of our affiliates at any time during the three months preceding a sale, and who has beneficially owned these restricted shares for at least six months, would be entitled to sell an unlimited number of shares of our common stock, provided current public information about us is available. In addition, under Rule 144, a person who holds restricted shares in us and is not one of our affiliates at any time during the three months preceding a sale, and who has beneficially owned these restricted shares for at least one year, would be entitled to sell an unlimited number of shares immediately upon the closing of this offering without regard to whether current public information about us is available. Beginning 90 days after the date hereof, our affiliates who have beneficially owned shares of our common stock for at least six months are entitled to sell within any three month period a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of:

1% of the number of shares of our common stock then outstanding, which will equal approximately       shares immediately after this offering, assuming no exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option; or
the average weekly trading volume of our common stock on The NASDAQ Capital Market during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to the sale; provided that current public information about us is available and the affiliate complies with the manner of sale requirements imposed by Rule 144.

Upon expiration of the lock-up restrictions described under “Underwriting” below, substantially all of our outstanding shares of common stock will either be unrestricted or will be eligible for sale under Rule 144, subject to Rule 144 volume limitations applicable to our affiliates.

111


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Rule 701

In general, under Rule 701 of the Securities Act, or Rule 701, as currently in effect, each of our employees, consultants or advisors who purchased, or who purchases pursuant to an offer made prior to the date hereof, shares of common stock from us in connection with a compensatory share plan or other written agreement, if such purchase or offer, as applicable, was made in accordance with Rule 701, is eligible, beginning 90 days from the date hereof, to resell such shares in reliance on Rule 144, but without compliance with some of the restrictions, including the holding period, contained in Rule 144. We make no assurance that any such prior purchase or offer was made in accordance with Rule 701.

Form S-8 Registration Statements

Following the completion of this offering, we may file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register the shares of common stock issued or reserved for issuance under our post-offering stock incentive plan. The registration statement on Form S-8 will become effective automatically upon filing. Shares of common stock issued upon exercise of a share option and registered under the Form S-8 registration statement will, subject to vesting and lock-up provisions and Rule 144 volume limitations applicable to our affiliates, be available for sale in the open market immediately unless they are subject to the lock-up restrictions under “Underwriting” below, in which case, after the expiration of such lock-up.

THE DISCUSSION ABOVE IS A GENERAL SUMMARY. IT DOES NOT COVER ALL SHARE TRANSFER RESTRICTION MATTERS THAT MAY BE OF IMPORTANCE TO A PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR. EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR SHOULD CONSULT ITS OWN LEGAL ADVISOR REGARDING THE PARTICULAR SECURITIES LAWS AND TRANSFER RESTRICTION CONSEQUENCES OF PURCHASING, HOLDING, AND DISPOSING OF OUR SECURITIES, INCLUDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY PROPOSED CHANGE IN APPLICABLE LAWS.

112


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a general discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations with respect to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our securities (common stock and warrants) issued pursuant to this offering for cash and who hold our securities as a “capital asset” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) (generally, property held for investment). This discussion is based upon the applicable provisions of the Code, applicable U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder (“Treasury Regulations”), and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, promulgated thereunder, all as in effect on the date hereof, and all of which are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. Any changes could alter the tax consequences to U.S. and non-U.S. holders.

NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

This discussion is limited to non-U.S. holders (as defined below) who purchase our common stock and warrants (“securities”). This discussion is not a complete analysis of all of the potential U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to a non-U.S. holder, and does not address all of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to a particular non-U.S. holder in light of such non-U.S. holder’s particular circumstances or the U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to non-U.S. holders that are subject to special rules, such as United States expatriates, banks, financial institutions, insurance companies, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, controlled foreign corporations, passive foreign investment companies, corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax, brokers, dealers or traders in securities, commodities or currencies, partnerships or other pass-through entities (or investors in such entities), tax-exempt organizations, tax-qualified retirement plans, persons subject to the alternative minimum tax, and non-U.S. holders that hold our common stock as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion transaction or other integrated investment. In addition, this discussion does not describe any state or local income, estate or other tax consequences of holding and disposing of our common stock.

As used in this discussion, the term “non-U.S. holder” means any beneficial owner of our securities that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, neither a partnership nor any of the following:

an individual citizen or resident of the United States;
a corporation created or organized under the laws of the United States or any political subdivision thereof;
an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or
a trust if (i) a United States court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more United States persons have authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) the trust has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a United States person.

If any entity classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our securities, the tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partnerships and their partners should consult their tax advisors as to the tax consequences to them of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our securities.

Distributions on Common Stock

Distributions on our common stock generally will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. If a distribution exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated first as a tax-free return of a non-U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the common stock, and thereafter as capital gain, subject to the tax treatment described under “— Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Our Common Stock,” below.

The gross amount of dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder of our common stock that are not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by such non-U.S. holder generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30%, or such lower rate specified by an income tax treaty if we have received proper certification as to the application of such treaty. If a non-U.S. holder holds our common stock

113


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

in connection with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, and dividends paid on our common stock are effectively connected with such non-U.S. holder’s U.S. trade or business (and, if under an applicable income tax treaty, such dividends are attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder within the United States), such non-U.S. holder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at ordinary U.S. federal income tax rates (on a net income basis), and such dividends will not be subject to the U.S. federal withholding tax described above. In the case of a non-U.S. holder that is a corporation, such non-U.S. holder may also be subject to a 30% “branch profits tax” unless such corporate non-U.S. holder qualifies for a lower rate under an applicable income tax treaty.

In general, to claim the benefit of any applicable income tax treaty or an exemption from U.S. federal withholding because the income is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, a non-U.S. holder must provide a properly executed Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form W-8BEN for treaty benefits or IRS Form W-8ECI for effectively connected income (or such successor form as the IRS designates), before the distributions are made. These forms must be updated periodically. If you are a non-U.S. holder, you may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisers regarding their entitlement to benefits under an applicable income tax treaty and the specific manner of claiming the benefits of such treaty.

Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Common Stock

Subject to the discussions below regarding backup withholding and FATCA, a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized upon the sale, exchange or other disposition (collectively, a “disposition”) of our common stock, unless:

the gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States, and if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder within the United States;
the non-U.S. holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of the disposition and certain other requirements are met; or
we are or have been a U.S. real property holding corporation (“USRPHC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes at any time within the shorter of (i) the five-year period ending on the date of the disposition of our common stock or (ii) the non-U.S. holder’s holding period for our common stock.

If the gain is described in the first bullet point above, the non-U.S. holder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis with respect to such gain in the same manner as if such non-U.S. holder were a United States person. In addition, if the non-U.S. holder is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such gain may be subject to a 30% branch profits tax unless such corporate non-U.S. holder qualifies for a lower rate under an applicable income tax treaty.

A non-U.S. holder described in the second bullet point above generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax with respect to such gain at a flat 30% rate (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty), which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses of the non-U.S. holder during the taxable year of disposition (even though the individual is not considered a resident of the United States), provided that the non-U.S. holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.

With respect to the third bullet point above, the determination of whether we are a USRPHC depends on the fair market value of our U.S. real property interests relative to the fair market value of our other business assets and our non-U.S. real property interests, there can be no assurance that we will not become a USRPHC in the future. In general, a corporation is a USRPHC if the fair market value of its “United States real property interests” (as defined in the Code) equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market value of its worldwide real property interests and its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. Even if we are or become a USRPHC, a non-U.S. holder would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of shares of our common stock by reason of our status as a USRPHC so long as (i) shares of our common stock continue to be regularly traded on an established securities market (within the meaning of Section 897(c)(3) of the Code) during the calendar year in which such disposition occurs and (ii) such non-U.S. holder does not own and is not deemed to own (directly, indirectly or

114


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

constructively) more than 5% of the shares of our common stock at any time during the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the disposition of our common stock or the non-U.S. holder’s holding period for our common stock. If gain on the disposition of our common stock were subject to taxation under the third bullet point above, the non-U.S. holder generally would be subject to U.S. federal income tax with respect to such gain in the same manner as gain that is effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business (as described above), except that the branch profits tax generally would not apply.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

In general, a non-U.S. holder will be required to comply with certain certification procedures to establish that such holder is not a United States person in order to avoid backup withholding with respect to dividends or the proceeds of a disposition of common stock. In addition, we are required to report annually to the IRS the amount of any dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder, regardless of whether we actually withheld any tax. Copies of the information returns reporting such dividends and the amount withheld may also be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against a non-U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act

Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, as modified by Treasury Regulations and subject to any official interpretations thereof, any applicable intergovernmental agreement between the United States and a non-U.S. government to implement these rules and improve international tax compliance, or any fiscal or regulatory legislation or rules adopted pursuant to any such agreement (collectively, “FATCA”), after June 30, 2014, withholding at a rate of 30% will be required on dividends in respect of, and, after December 31, 2016, gross proceeds from the disposition of, our common stock held by or through certain foreign financial institutions (including investment funds), unless such institution enters into an agreement with the Secretary of the Treasury to report, on an annual basis, information with respect to interests in, and accounts maintained by, the institution to the extent such interests or accounts are held by certain United States persons and by certain non-U.S. entities that are wholly or partially owned by United States persons and to withhold on certain payments. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country, or future Treasury Regulations or other guidance, may modify these requirements. Accordingly, the entity through which our common stock is held will affect the determination of whether such withholding is required. Similarly, dividends in respect of, and gross proceeds from the sale of, our common stock held by an investor that is a non-financial non-U.S. entity that does not qualify under certain exemptions will be subject to withholding at a rate of 30%, unless such entity either (i) certifies to us that such entity does not have any “substantial United States owners” or (ii) provides certain information regarding the entity’s “substantial United States owners,” which we will provide to Secretary of the Treasury. We will not pay any additional amounts to holders in respect of any amounts withheld. Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the possible implications of FATCA on their investment in our common stock.

WARRANTS

Exercise of a Warrant

Except as discussed below with respect to the cashless exercise of a warrant, no income, gain or loss generally should be recognized for federal income tax purposes upon the exercise of a warrant. The holder’s tax basis in the share of the common shares received upon the exercise of a warrant generally will be an amount equal to the holder’s initial investment in the warrant (i.e., the holder’s purchase price for the warrant, or if purchased as part of an investment unit consisting of the common stock and the warrant) and the exercise price. The holder’s holding period in the common stock received upon exercise of a warrant will begin on the date following the date of exercise and will not include the period during which the holder held the warrant.

The tax consequences of a cashless exercise of a warrant are not clear under current tax law. A cashless exercise may be tax-free, either because the exercise is a non-recognition event or because the exercise is

115


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

treated as a recapitalization for U.S. federal income tax purposes. It is also possible that a cashless exercise could be treated as a taxable exchange in which a holder would recognize gain or loss. In such event, a holder could be deemed to have surrendered warrants equal to the number of shares of common stock having a value equal to the exercise price for the total number of warrants to be exercised. The holder would recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the fair market value of the common stock represented by the warrants deemed surrendered and the holder’s tax basis in the warrants deemed surrendered.

Due to the absence of authority on the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a cashless exercise of warrants, there can be no assurance which, if any, of the alternative tax consequences described above would be adopted by the IRS or a court of law. Accordingly, holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of a cashless exercise.

Sale, Exchange, Redemption or Expiration of a Warrant

Upon a sale, exchange (other than by exercise), redemption, or expiration of a warrant, a holder will be required to recognize gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between (1) the amount realized upon such disposition or expiration and (2) the holder’s tax basis in the warrant (that is, as discussed above, the portion of the holder’s purchase price for a unit that is allocated to the warrant). Such gain or loss generally would be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the warrant was held by the holder for more than one year at the time of such disposition or expiration. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to various limitations.

THE ABOVE DISCUSSION IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE PARTICULAR U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR SECURITIES.

116


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

UNDERWRITING

We have entered into an underwriting agreement dated            , 2014 with Maxim Group LLC acting as the sole book-running manager and sole representative for the underwriters named below. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, the underwriters named below have agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to them, the number of shares of common stock and warrants to purchase common stock at the public offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and as indicated below:

   
Underwriter   Number of Shares   Number of
Warrants
Maxim Group LLC                  
Total                      

The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the shares and warrants offered by this prospectus are subject to the approval of certain legal matters by their counsel and to other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the shares and warrants offered by this prospectus if any such shares are taken, other than those shares and warrants covered by the over-allotment option described below.

Over-Allotment Option

We have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable no later than 45 calendar days after the date of the underwriting agreement to purchase from us up to      shares of common stock at a price, after the underwriting discount, of $     per share and/or warrants to purchase up to      shares of common stock at a purchase price of $0.01 per share, to cover over-allotments. The underwriters may exercise this option only to cover over-allotments, if any, made in connection with this offering. To the extent the option is exercised and the conditions of the underwriting agreement are satisfied, we will be obligated to sell to the underwriters, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase, these additional shares of common stock and/or warrants to purchase common stock.

Commissions

We have agreed to pay the underwriters (i) a cash fee equal to eight percent (8%) of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in this offering, of which seven percent (7%) will be allocated for gross commission and one percent (1%) will be a corporate finance fee. Additionally, we will pay to Maxim, as representative of the underwriters, warrants (the “Representative’s Warrants”) to purchase that number of shares of our common stock equal to an aggregate of five percent (5%) of the shares of common stock sold in the offering (or      shares, assuming the over-allotment option is fully exercised). Such Representative’s Warrants shall have an exercise price equal to $     per share, which is 125% of the public offering price, and will be exercisable at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, commencing six months from the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and expiring five years after the effective date. The Representative’s Warrants will provide for cashless exercise, one demand registration of the sale of the underlying shares of common stock at the Company’s expense, an additional demand registration at the warrant holder’s expense for a period of five years from the effective date, unlimited “piggyback” registration rights with respect to the underlying shares for a period of seven years after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and customary anti-dilution provisions (for share dividends, splits, recapitalizations and the like) consistent with FINRA Rule 5110. Such Representative’s Warrants will be subject to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(1) in that, except as otherwise permitted by FINRA rules, for a period of 180 days following the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, the Representative’s Warrants shall not be (A) sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, or hypothecated, or (B) the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the securities by any person except as permitted by FINRA Rule 5110(g)(2).

The representative has advised us that the underwriters propose to offer the shares and warrants directly to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus. In addition, the representative may offer some of the securities to other securities dealers at such price less a concession of up

117


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

to $     per share. After the offering to the public, the offering price and other selling terms may be changed by the representative without changing the Company’s proceeds from the underwriters’ purchase of the shares and warrants.

The following table summarizes the public offering price per share, underwriting commissions and proceeds before expenses to us assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares and/or warrants. The underwriting commissions are equal to the public offering price per share less the amount per share the underwriters pay us for the shares and warrants.

       
  Per
Share(1)
  Per
Warrant
  Total Without Over-Allotment   Total With Over-Allotment
Public Offering price   $              $     $  
Underwriting discounts and commissions   $              $     $  
Proceeds, before expenses, to us   $                    $           $        

(1) The fees shown do not include the Representative’s Warrants.

In addition to the underwriting discount, we have agreed to reimburse Maxim for actual out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them with respect to the offering, including reasonable fees of counsel, up to an amount equal to $125,000, subject to compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(D). We have paid Maxim an advance of $60,000 against its anticipated out-of-pocket expenses. We estimate that expenses payable by us in connection with the offering of our shares of common stock and warrants, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions and the expense reimbursement, will be approximately $    .

Lock-Up Agreements

We and each of our officers, directors and holders of at least 5% of our currently outstanding common stock, together aggregating at least     % of our outstanding shares, have agreed, subject to certain exceptions, not to offer, issue, sell, contract to sell, encumber, grant any option for the sale of or otherwise dispose of any shares of our common stock or other securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of our common stock for a period of 180 days from the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part without the prior written consent of Maxim.

Maxim may in its sole discretion and at any time without notice release some or all of the shares subject to lock-up agreements prior to the expiration of the lock-up period. When determining whether or not to release shares from the lock-up agreements, the representative will consider, among other factors, the security holder’s reasons for requesting the release, the number of shares for which the release is being requested and market conditions at the time.

Listing

We have applied for the listing of our common stock on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “EEHI” and our warrants on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “EEHIW.”

Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids

In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of our common stock and/or warrants. Specifically, the underwriters may over-allot in connection with this offering by selling more shares and warrants than are set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. This creates a short position in our common stock for its own account. The short position may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of shares common stock or warrants over-allotted by the underwriters is not greater than the number of shares of common stock or warrants that they may purchase in the over-allotment option. In a naked short position, the number of shares of common stock or warrants involved is greater than the number of shares common stock or warrants in the over-allotment option. To close out a short position, the underwriters may elect to exercise all or part of the over-allotment option. The underwriters may also elect to stabilize the price of our common stock and/or warrants, or reduce any short position by bidding for, and purchasing, common stock and/or warrants in the open market.

118


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter or dealer repays selling concessions allowed to it for distributing a security in this offering because the underwriter repurchases that security in stabilizing or short covering transactions.

These activities may stabilize or maintain the market price of our common stock and warrants at a price that is higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the absence of these activities. The underwriters are not required to engage in these activities, and may discontinue any of these activities at any time without notice. These transactions may be effected on NASDAQ, in the over-the-counter market, or otherwise.

Other Terms

Commencing on the effective date of the registration statement of this offering and for a period of 12 months thereafter, we have granted Maxim a right of first refusal to act as lead managing underwriter and book runner or as a co-manager and co-book runner or co-placement agent with at least 20% of the economics for any and all future equity, equity-linked or debt (excluding commercial bank debt) offerings of the Company or any successor or subsidiary of the Company that takes place during such 12-month period.

Indemnification

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against liabilities relating to the offering arising under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, liabilities arising from breaches of some or all of the representations and warranties contained in the underwriting agreement, and to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make for these liabilities.

Electronic Distribution

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on a website maintained by the representatives of the underwriters and may also be made available on a website maintained by other underwriters. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number of shares and warrants to underwriters for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the representatives of the underwriters to underwriters that may make Internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations. In connection with the offering, the underwriters or syndicate members may distribute prospectuses electronically. No forms of electronic prospectus other than prospectuses that are printable as Adobe® PDF will be used in connection with this offering.

The underwriters have informed us that they do not expect to confirm sales of shares and warrants offered by this prospectus to accounts over which they exercise discretionary authority.

Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on any underwriter’s website and any information contained in any other website maintained by an underwriter is not part of the prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or any underwriter in its capacity as underwriter and should not be relied upon by investors.

No Prior Public Market

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our securities and the public offering price for our securities will be determined through negotiations between us and Maxim. Among the factors to be considered in these negotiations will be prevailing market conditions, our financial information, market valuations of other companies that we and Maxim believe to be comparable to us, estimates of our business potential, the present state of our development and other factors deemed relevant.

We offer no assurances that the initial public offering price will correspond to the price at which our shares of common stock and warrants will trade in the public market subsequent to this offering or that an active trading market for our common stock and warrants will develop and continue after this offering.

Offers Outside the United States

Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The securities offered by this prospectus may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any

119


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to the offering and the distribution of this prospectus. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.

European Economic Area

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area, or EEA, which has implemented the Prospectus Directive, or a Relevant Member State, an offer to the public of any securities which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus may not be made in that Relevant Member State, except that an offer to the public in that Relevant Member State of any securities may be made at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Directive, if they have been implemented in that Relevant Member State:

(a) to legal entities which are authorized or regulated to operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in securities;
(b) to any legal entity which has two or more of (1) an average of at least 250 employees during the last financial year; (2) a total balance sheet of more than €43,000,000 and (3) an annual net turnover of more than €50,000,000, as shown in its last annual or consolidated accounts;
(c) by the underwriters to fewer than 100 or, if the Relevant Member State has implemented the relevant provision of the 2010 PD Amending Directive, 150, natural or legal persons (other than “qualified investors” as defined in the Prospectus Directive) subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or
(d) in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive; provided that no such offer of securities shall result in a requirement for the publication by us or any representative of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

Any person making or intending to make any offer of securities within the EEA should only do so in circumstances in which no obligation arises for us or any of the underwriters to produce a prospectus for such offer.

Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized, nor do they authorize, the making of any offer of securities through any financial intermediary, other than offers made by the underwriters which constitute the final offering of securities contemplated in this prospectus.

For the purposes of this provision, and your representation below, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any securities in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase any securities, as the same may be varied in that Relevant Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Relevant Member State and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State. The expression “2010 PD Amending Directive” means Directive 2010/73/EU.

Each person in a Relevant Member State who receives any communication in respect of, or who acquires any securities under, the offer of securities contemplated by this prospectus will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with us and each underwriter that:

(A) it is a “qualified investor” within the meaning of the law in that Relevant Member State implementing Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive; and
(B) in the case of any securities acquired by it as a financial intermediary, as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, (i) the securities acquired by it in the offering have not been acquired on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in any Relevant Member State other than “qualified investors,” as defined in the Prospectus

120


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Directive, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the representatives has been given to the offer or resale; or (ii) where securities have been acquired by it on behalf of persons in any Relevant Member State other than qualified investors, the offer of those securities to it is not treated under the Prospectus Directive as having been made to such persons.

In addition, in the United Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer subsequently made may only be directed at persons who are “qualified investors,” as defined in the Prospectus Directive, (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19 (5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended, or the Order, and/or (ii) who are high net worth companies (or persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated) falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). This document must not be acted on or relied on in the United Kingdom by persons who are not relevant persons. In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is only available to, and will be engaged in with, relevant persons.

Other Relationships

Maxim and its affiliates may in the future engage in, investment banking and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with us or our affiliates. They may in the future receive customary fees and commissions for these transactions. Maxim did not provide any financing, investment and/or advisory services to us during the 180 day period preceding the filing of the registration statement related to this offering, and as of the date of this prospectus, other than as previously disclosed, we do not have any agreement or arrangement with Maxim to provide any of such services during the 90 day period following the effective date of the registration statement related to this offering.

121


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of our securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Reed Smith LLP, New York, New York. Certain legal matters in connection with this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Imperial, our predecessor, as of December 31, 2012 and 2013 and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2013, appearing in this prospectus and registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part have been audited by Schneider Downs & Co., Inc., independent auditors, as set forth in their report thereon appearing elsewhere herein, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

Estimates of our oil and natural gas reserves, related future net cash flows and the present values thereof related to our properties as of December 31, 2012 and 2013 included elsewhere in this prospectus were based upon reserve reports prepared by independent petroleum engineers, LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd. and Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. We have included these estimates in reliance on the authority of such firms as experts in such matters.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 (including the exhibits, schedules and amendments thereto) under the Securities Act, with respect to the shares of our common stock offered hereby. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules thereto. For further information with respect to the common stock offered hereby, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed therewith. Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract, agreement or any other document are summaries of the material terms of such contract, agreement or other document and are not necessarily complete. With respect to each of these contracts, agreements or other documents filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, reference is made to the exhibits for a more complete description of the matter involved. A copy of the registration statement, and the exhibits and schedules thereto, may be inspected without charge at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of these materials may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, from the Public Reference Room of the SEC at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The address of the SEC’s website is www.sec.gov.

As a result of this offering, we will become subject to full information requirements of the Exchange Act. We will fulfill our obligations with respect to such requirements by filing periodic reports and other information with the SEC. We intend to furnish our stockholders with annual reports containing financial statements certified by an independent public accounting firm.

122


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 
Imperial Resources, LLC and Subsidiaries
 
Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited)     F-2  
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm     F-10  
Consolidated Financial Statements as of December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 and for each of the years ended December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012
        
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2013 and 2012     F-11  
Statements of Consolidated Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2013 and 2012     F-12  
Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive Loss for the Years Ended December 31, 2013 and 2012     F-13  
Statements of Consolidated Stockholders’ Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2013 and 2012     F-14  
Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2013 and 2012     F-15  
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements     F-16  
Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements as of June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013 and for each of the three months and six months ended June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2013
        
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013     F-34  
Statements of Consolidated Operations for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2014 and 2013     F-35  
Statements of Consolidated Operations for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2014 and 2013     F-36  
Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive Loss for the Three Months and Six Months Ended June 30, 2014 and 2013     F-37  
Statements of Consolidated Stockholders Equity for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2014
and 2013
    F-38  
Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2014 and 2013     F-40  
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements     F-41  

F-1


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EMPIRE ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC.
 
PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Unaudited)

Introduction

The following unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated financial statements of Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. as of June 30, 2014, for the year ended December 31, 2013, and for the six months ended June 30, 2014, are derived from the historical financial statements of Imperial Resources, Inc. set forth elsewhere in this prospectus and are qualified in their entirety by reference to such historical financial statements and related notes contained therein. These unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared to reflect our corporate reorganization and our initial public offering, each of which is described below.

Reorganization and Offering

Pursuant to a plan of conversion, as soon as practicable after the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, Imperial will file a Certificate of Conversion, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, pursuant to which Imperial will convert into a Delaware corporation and continue in the name of Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. Upon the filing of the Certificate of Conversion and without any action on the part of the holder, the sole membership percentage interest in Imperial issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Corporate Reorganization held by Empire Energy Group will be converted automatically into 9,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01, with such shares of common stock having the respective rights, preferences and privileges set forth in the certificate of incorporation of the Company, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Company after the Corporate Reorganization will contain customary provisions for public companies.

For the purposes of the unaudited pro forma condensed financial statements, the initial public offering (the “Offering”) is assumed to consist of the issuance and sale to the public by us of shares of common stock for $19.2 million and our application of the net proceeds described in “Use of Proceeds” in this prospectus.

The unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated balance sheet and the unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated statement of operations were derived by adjusting the historical audited and unaudited financial statements of our predecessor. The adjustments are based upon currently available information and certain estimates and assumptions. Actual effects of the transactions may differ from the pro forma adjustments. Management believes, however, that the assumptions provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects of the transactions as contemplated and that the pro forma adjustments are factually supportable and give appropriate effect to those assumptions and are properly applied in the unaudited pro forma financial data.

The pro forma adjustments have been prepared as if the Reorganization and the Offering had taken place on June 30, 2014, in the case of the unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated balance sheet, and as if the Reorganization and the Offering had taken place as of January 1, 2013, in the case of the unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2013 and on January 1, 2014 for the six months ended June 30, 2014. The unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the assumption that Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. will be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. The unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the notes accompanying such unaudited pro forma financial statements and with the historical audited and unaudited financial statements of Imperial Resources, LLC, as well as “Use of Proceeds” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” each included elsewhere in this prospectus.

F-2


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EMPIRE ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC.
 
PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)
(Unaudited)

The unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated financial statements give pro forma effect to the following adjustments, among others:

the issuance by the Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. of 2,400,000 shares of common stock in the offering and the use of the net proceeds therefrom as described in “Use of Proceeds.” And,
the elimination of certain administrative costs currently incurred by Imperial Resources, LLC, and its subsequent tax effect, that will be incurred by Empire Energy Group.

Please see “Use of Proceeds” to see how certain aspects of the offering would be affected by an initial public offering price per share of common stock at higher or lower prices than indicated on the front cover of this prospectus.

The unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated statement of operations excludes certain transaction costs, such as costs associated with this offering that are not capitalized as part of this offering. The unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated financial data are presented for illustrative purposes only and do not purport to indicate the financial condition or results of operations of future periods or the financial condition or results of operations that actually would have been realized had the transactions described above been consummated on the dates or for the periods presented.

The unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated financial statements constitute forward-looking information and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. See “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

F-3


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EMPIRE ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS AS OF JUNE 30, 2014
(Unaudited)

     
  Imperial Resources, LLC   Reorganization and Offering
Pro Forma Adjustments
  Empire Energy Holdings, Inc.
Pro Forma
Assets
                          
Current assets:
                          
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 4,073,512     $ 19,200,000 (a)    $ 23,273,512  
                (1,728,000 )(b)          
Accounts receivable     5,518,819             5,518,819  
Prepaid and other assets     967,259             967,259  
Inventory     923,682             923,682  
Deferred tax asset     2,000             2,000  
Fair value of derivatives     684,443             684,443  
Other current assets     100,000             100,000  
Total current assets     12,269,715       17,472,000       29,741,715  
US tax benefit                  
Deferred tax asset     3,780,748             3,780,748  
Fair value of derivatives     741,185             741,185  
Land, property and equipment, net     95,125,235             95,125,235  
Intangible assets, net of accumulated
amortization
    274,536             274,536  
Total assets   $ 112,191,419     $ 17,472,000     $ 129,663,419  
Liabilities and Equity
                          
Current liabilities:
                          
Current portion of long-term debt   $ 28,222     $     $ 28,222  
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities     5,561,483             5,561,483  
Total current liabilities     5,589,705                5,589,705  
Long-term liabilities                        
Long-term debt     37,836,629             37,836,629  
Line of credit     3,000,000             3,000,000  
Related party payable     8,027,510             8,027,510  
Deferred tax liability     8,550,000             8,550,000  
Accrued distributions                  
Asset retirement obligations     8,245,851             8,245,851  
Total liabilities     71,249,695             71,249,695  
Common stock, $0.01 par value           24,000 (a)(b)      24,000  
Additional paid in capital           17,448,000 (a)(b)      17,448,000  
Issued capital     29,793,601             29,793,601  
Retained earnings     7,286,582             7,286,582  
Accumulated other comprehensive income     448,322             448,322  
Warrants     3,413,219             3,413,219  
Total equity     40,971,724       17,472,000       58,443,724  
Total Liabilities and Equity   $ 112,191,419     $ 17,472,000     $ 129,663,419  

 
 
See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements

F-4


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EMPIRE ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2014
(Unaudited)

     
  Imperial Resources, LLC   Reorganization and Offering
Pro Forma Adjustments
  Empire Energy
Holdings, Inc.
Pro Forma
SALES
                          
Oil and gas sales   $ 11,700,320     $     $ 11,700,320  
Well operation service fees     435,149             435,149  
Oil and gas price risk management income, net     194,447             194,447  
       12,329,916             12,329,916  
COSTS AND EXPENSES
                          
Cost of oil and gas sales     3,685,669             3,685,669  
Cost of well operation services     2,103,327             2,103,327  
Exploratory dry hole costs     45,225             45,225  
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     2,558,375             2,558,375  
General and administrative expenses     1,747,649       (604,200 )(c)      1,143,449  
Expiration costs     56,364             56,364  
       10,196,609       (604,200 )      9,592,409  
Income from Operations     2,133,307       604,200       2,737,507  
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
                          
Interest expense     (1,390,506 )            (1,390,506 ) 
Gain on sale of land, property, and equipment     736,016             736,016  
Other income     153,701             153,701  
Other expense     (565,835 )            (565,835 ) 
       (1,066,624 )            (1,066,624 ) 
Income Before Taxes     1,066,683       604,200       1,670,883  
Income tax expense     (376,422 )      (213,283 )(c)      (589,705 ) 
Net Income   $ 690,261     $ 390,917     $ 1,081,178  

 
 
See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements

F-5


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EMPIRE ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013
(Unaudited)

     
  Imperial Resources, LLC   Reorganization and Offering
Pro Forma
Adjustments
  Empire Energy Holdings, Inc.
Pro Forma
SALES
                          
Oil and gas sales   $ 22,841,851     $     $ 22,841,851  
Well operation service fees     907,437             907,437  
Oil and gas price risk management income, net     2,135,083             2,135,083  
       25,886,371             25,886,371  
COSTS AND EXPENSES
                          
Cost of oil and gas sales     7,380,769             7,380,769  
Cost of well operation services     3,948,663             3,948,663  
Exploratory dry hole costs     729,150             729,150  
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     5,854,353             5,854,353  
General and administrative expenses     3,462,670       (1,193,246 )(c)      2,269,424  
Expiration costs     152,379             152,379  
       21,527,984       (1,193,246 )      20,334,738  
Income from Operations     4,358,387       1,193,246       5,551,633  
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
                          
Interest expense     (4,380,620 )            (4,380,620 ) 
Gain on sale of land, property, and equipment     602,146             602,146  
Other income     (28,265 )            (28,265 ) 
Other expense     (430,617 )            (430,617 ) 
       (4,237,356 )            (4,237,356 ) 
Income Before Taxes     121,031       1,193,246       1,314,277  
Income tax expense     (30,000 )      (295,925 )(c)      (325,925 ) 
Net Income   $ 91,031     $ 897,321     $ 988,352  

 
 
See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements

F-6


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EMPIRE ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC.
 
NOTES TO PRO FORMA FINANCIAL DATA
(Unaudited)

1. Basis of Presentation, Transactions and this Offering

The historical financial information is derived from the historical financial statements of our predecessor. The pro forma adjustments have been prepared as if the Reorganization and the Offering described in this prospectus had each taken place on June 30, 2014, in the case of the unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated balance sheet, and as of January 1, 2013, in the case of the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2013, and as of January 1, 2014, in the case of the unaudited financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2014. The adjustments are based on currently available information and certain estimates and assumptions and therefore the actual effects of these transactions will differ from the pro forma adjustments.

2. Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet Adjustments and Assumptions

The adjustments are based on currently available information and certain estimates and assumptions and therefore the actual effects of these transactions will differ from the pro forma adjustments. A description of these transactions and adjustments is provided as follows:

(a) Reflects the receipt of $19.2 million of gross proceeds from the Offering from the issuance and sale of shares of common stock at the initial public offering price of $8.00 per share (assuming an initial public offering price equal to the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover of this prospectus).
(b) Reflects the payment of estimated expenses related to the Offering of approximately $1.7 million million.
(c) Reflects the elimination of certain administrative costs currently incurred by Imperial Resources, LLC that will be incurred by Empire Energy Group and its subsequent tax effect. These costs amount to $1.2 million and $0.6 for the year ended December 31, 2013 and the six months ended June 30, 2014.

3. Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations Adjustments and Assumptions

The adjustments are based on currently available information and certain estimates and assumptions and therefore the actual effects of these transactions will differ from the pro forma adjustments.

F-7


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
 
Consolidated Financial Statements
For the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012
 
and
  
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm Thereon

F-8


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS

 
  PAGE
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM     F-10  
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
     
Consolidated Balance Sheet, December 31, 2013 and 2012     F-11  
Consolidated Statements for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012:
     
Operations     F-12  
Comprehensive Loss     F-13  
Changes in Stockholders’ Equity     F-14  
Cash Flows     F-15  
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements     F-16  

F-9


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

Members
Imperial Resources, LLC and Subsidiaries
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Imperial Resources, LLC and Subsidiaries (Imperial or Company), as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012. The Company’s management is responsible for these financial statements. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Imperial Resources, LLC and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, and the consolidated results of their operations and their cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

/s/ Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
 
May 23, 2014

F-10


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

   
  December 31,
     2013   2012
Assets
                 
Current assets:
                 
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 2,118,258     $ 4,282,322  
Accounts receivable     4,533,067       4,965,256  
Prepaid and other assets     557,252       441,932  
Inventory     995,610       805,646  
Deferred tax asset     274,000       462,000  
Fair value of derivatives     1,661,837       2,995,540  
Other current assets     100,000       100,000  
Total current assets     10,240,024       14,052,696  
US tax benefit     201,533       853,875  
Deferred tax asset     2,389,000       1,665,000  
Fair value of derivatives     2,901,246       3,526,939  
Land, property and equipment, net     97,517,640       98,900,110  
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization     356,899       168,218  
Total Assets     113,606,342       119,166,838  
Liabilities and Equity
                 
Current liabilities:
                 
Current portion of long-term debt     37,514       37,514  
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities     4,867,101       5,156,435  
Total current liabilities     4,904,615       5,193,949  
Long-term liabilities:
                 
Long-term debt     38,370,086       45,966,835  
Line of credit     3,000,000       3,000,000  
Deferred tax liability     8,413,000       8,427,000  
Related party payable     8,438,844       37,142,401  
Accrued distributions     18,336       36,811  
Asset retirement obligations     8,188,880       6,015,635  
Total liabilities     71,333,761       105,782,631  
Issued capital     29,775,264        
Non-controlling interest     (198,072 )      40  
Retained earnings     6,794,393       6,703,362  
Accumulated other comprehensive income     2,487,777       3,712,200  
Warrants     3,413,219       2,968,605  
Total equity     42,272,581       13,384,207  
Total Liabilities and Equity   $ 113,606,342     $ 119,166,838  

 
 
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements

F-11


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

       
  Year Ended December 31,   Percent of Sales
     2013   2012   2013   2012
SALES
                                   
Oil and gas sales   $ 22,841,851     $ 22,012,800       88.3 %      82.1 % 
Well operations service fees     909,437       548,444       3.5       2.0  
Oil and gas price risk management income, net     2,135,083       4,258,895       8.2       15.9  
       25,886,371       26,820,139       100.0       100.0  
COSTS AND EXPENSES
                                   
Cost of oil and gas sales     7,380,769       7,066,684       28.5       26.3  
Cost of well operation services     3,948,663       3,637,072       15.3       13.6  
Exploratory dry hole costs     729,150       197,139       2.8       0.7  
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     5,854,353       5,420,166       22.6       20.3  
General and administrative expenses     3,462,670       3,431,069       13.4       12.8  
Expiration costs     152,379       1,026,978       0.6       3.8  
       21,527,984       20,779,108       83.2       72.5  
Income from Operations     4,358,387       6,041,031       16.8       22.5  
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
                                   
Interest expense     (4,380,620 )      (8,826,511 )      16.9       32.9  
Other income     602,146       399,355       2.3       1.5  
Loss on disposal of property and equipment     (28,265 )      (164,165 )      (0.1 )      (0.6 ) 
Other expense     (430,617 )      (476,221 )      (1.7 )      (1.8 ) 
       (4,237,356 )      (9,067,542 )      (16.4 )      (33.8 ) 
Income (loss) before taxes     121,031       (3,026,511 )      0.5       (11.3 ) 
Income tax (expense) benefit     (30,000 )      2,187,873       (0.1 )      8.2  
Net Income (Loss)   $ 91,031     $ (838,638 )      0.4 %      (3.1 )% 

 
 
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements

F-12


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

   
  Year Ended December 31,
     2013   2012
Net income (loss)   $ 91,031     $ (838,638 ) 
Comprehensive loss:
                 
Changes in fair value:
                 
Future commodity contracts     (1,913,367 )      (1,559,006 ) 
Interest rate swap           134,051  
Change in tax on other comprehensive income (expense)     688,944       595,000  
Comprehensive loss     (1,224,423 )      (829,955 ) 
Comprehensive loss   $ (1,133,392 )    $ (1,668,593 ) 

 
 
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements

F-13


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

             
  Warrants   Issued
Capital
  Retained
Earnings
  Accumulated Other Comprehensive
Income
  Total
Equity
     Units
Authorized
  Issued   Value
BALANCE,
December 31, 2011
    96,288       96,288     $ 2,968,605     $ 40     $ 7,667,931     $ 4,542,155     $ 15,178,731  
Net Loss                             (838,638 )            (838,638 ) 
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss):
                                                              
Future commodity contracts                                   (1,559,006 )      (1,559,006 ) 
Interest rate swap                                   134,051       134,051  
Change in tax on other comprehensive income (expense)                                   595,000       595,000  
Distribution                             (125,931 )            (125,931 ) 
BALANCE,
December 31, 2012
    96,288       96,288       2,968,605       40       6,703,362       3,712,200       13,384,207  
Net Income                             91,031             91,031  
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss):
                                                              
Future commodity contracts                                   (1,913,367 )      (1,913,367 ) 
Change in tax on other comprehensive income (expense)                                   688,944       688,944  
Issuance of stock                       29,775,264                   29,775,264  
Non-Controlling Interests                       (40 )      (198,072 )            (198,112 ) 
Warrants     16,251       16,251       444,614                         444,614  
BALANCE,
December 31, 2013
    112,539       112,539     $ 3,413,219     $ 29,775,264     $ 6,596,321     $ 2,487,777     $ 42,272,581  

 
 
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements

F-14


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

   
  2013   2012
Cash Flow from Operating Activities
                 
Net income (loss)   $ 91,031     $ (838,638 ) 
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:
                 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     5,049,834       4,719,073  
Accretion of asset retirement obligations     804,511       701,093  
Amortization of loan acquisition costs     305,488       1,105,902  
Discount on debt     579,491       2,971,247  
Expiration costs     152,386       1,026,978  
Exploratory dry hole costs     729,150       197,139  
Loss on sale of assets     28,265       192,765  
Tax on unrealized loss     688,944       595,000  
Deferred tax asset/liability     (550,000 )      (1,310,331 ) 
Changes in assets and liabilities:
                 
Accounts receivable     432,189       383,560  
Prepaid and other assets     537,022       (412,317 ) 
Inventory     (189,964 )      (181,802 ) 
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities     565,801       6,644,571  
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities     9,224,148       15,794,239  
Cash Flow Used in Investing Activities
                 
Purchases of land, property and equipment     (3,162,406 )      (4,351,341 ) 
Proceeds from sale of assets           105,000  
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities     (3,162,406 )      (4,246,341 ) 
Cash Flow Used in Financing Activities
                 
Proceeds from borrowings on long-term debt           1,725,500  
Principal payments on long-term debt     (7,731,637 )      (10,470,176 ) 
Payments for loan acquisition costs     (494,169 )       
Net Cash Used in Financing Activities     (8,225,806 )      (8,744,676 ) 
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents     (2,164,064 )      2,803,222  
Beginning Cash and Cash Equivalents Balance     4,282,322       1,479,100  
Ending Cash and Cash Equivalents Balance   $ 2,118,258     $ 4,282,322  

SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULE OF NONCASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES

During 2013, the Company converted $29,775,000 of related party payables to issued capital.

During 2013, the Company wrote off accrued plugging costs of approximately $50,000 with a corresponding decrease in land, property, and equipment.

During 2012, the Company accrued a distribution of $125,931.

 
 
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements

F-15


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

NOTE 1 — ORGANIZATION

These financial statements present the consolidated activities for Imperial Resources, LLC (Imperial) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Empire Energy USA, LLC (Energy). All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

The consolidated entities are hereinafter referred to as “the Company.”

Imperial is engaged as a holding company with its primary asset being Energy.

Energy is engaged primarily in the acquisition, development, production, exploration and sale of oil and natural gas. The Company sells its gas products primarily to owners of domestic pipelines located in Pennsylvania and New York; and in Kansas, the Company sells its oil products to independent petroleum refiners and marketers.

Two customers accounted for approximately 44% and 25% of accounts receivable as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 and approximately 71% and 42% of oil and gas sales for the years then ended, respectively.

NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

A summary of significant accounting policies consistently applied by management in the preparation of the accompanying consolidated financial statements follows:

Use of Estimates — The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Estimates of gas reserve quantities provide the basis for calculation of depletion, depreciation and amortization and impairment, each of which represents a significant component of the consolidated financial statements.

Oil and Gas Properties — The Company uses the successful efforts method of accounting for oil and gas-producing activities. Costs to acquire mineral interests in oil and gas properties, drill and equip exploratory wells that find proved reserves, and drill and equip development wells and related asset retirement costs are capitalized. Depletion is based on cost less estimated salvage value using the unit-of-production method. Acquisition costs of proved properties are amortized on the basis of proved reserves, while the depletion of capitalized development costs is based on proved developed reserves. The process of estimating and evaluating oil and gas reserves is complex, requiring significant decisions in the evaluation of geological, geophysical, engineering and economic data. Costs to drill exploratory wells that do not find proved reserves, geological and geophysical costs, and costs of carrying and retaining unproved properties are expensed.

Unproved oil and gas properties that are individually significant are periodically assessed for impairment of value, and a loss is recognized at the time of impairment by providing an impairment allowance. Management determined that no impairment allowance was necessary at December 31, 2013. Unproved oil and gas properties approximated $4,226,000 and $5,588,000 at December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Capitalized costs of producing oil and gas properties, after considering estimated residual salvage values, are depreciated and depleted by the unit-of-production method. Support equipment and other property and equipment are depreciated over their estimated useful lives. There were no wells in progress at December 31, 2013 and 2012.

On the sale or retirement of a complete unit of a proved property, the cost and related accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization are eliminated from the property accounts, and the resultant gain or loss is recognized. On the retirement or sale of a partial unit of proved property, the cost is charged to accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization, with a resulting gain or loss recognized in income.

F-16


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  – (continued)

On the sale of an entire interest in an unproved property for cash or cash equivalent, gain or loss on the sale is recognized, taking into consideration the amount of any recorded impairment if the property had been assessed individually. If a partial interest in an unproved property is sold, the amount received is treated as a reduction of the cost of the interest retained.

Revenue Recognition — Sales of natural gas are recognized when natural gas has been delivered to a custody transfer point, persuasive evidence of a sales arrangement exists, the rights and responsibility of ownership pass to the purchaser upon delivery, collection of revenue from the sale is reasonably assured, and the sales price is fixed or determinable. Natural gas is sold by the Company under contracts with terms ranging from one month up to the life of the well. Virtually all of the Company contracts’ pricing provisions are tied to a market index with certain adjustments based on, among other factors, whether a well delivers to a gathering or transmission line, quality of natural gas and prevailing supply and demand conditions, so that the price of the natural gas fluctuates to remain competitive with other available natural gas suppliers. As a result, the Company’s revenues from the sale of natural gas will suffer if market prices decline and benefit if they increase. The Company believes that the pricing provisions of its natural gas contracts are customary in the industry.

The sale of oil is recognized when oil passes through the outlet flange of lease tankage and enters the buyers designated carrier, persuasive evidence of a sales arrangement exists, the rights and responsibility of ownership pass to the purchaser upon delivery, collection of revenue from the sale is reasonably assured, and the sales price is fixed or determinable. Oil is sold be the Company under contracts with a one year term. Virtually all of the Company contracts’ pricing provisions are tied to a market index with certain adjustments based on quality and specific gravity. As a result, the Company’s revenues from the sale of oil will suffer if market prices decline and benefit if they increase. The Company believes that the pricing provisions of its oil contracts are customary in the industry.

Because there are timing differences between the delivery of natural gas and oil and the Company’s receipt of a delivery statement, the Company has unbilled revenues. These revenues are accrued based upon volumetric data from the Company’s records and the Company’s estimates of the related transportation and compression fees, which are, in turn, based upon applicable product prices. The Company has unbilled trade receivables at December 31, 2013 and 2012 of approximately $544,000 and $740,000, respectively, which are included in accounts receivable on its consolidated balance sheets.

The Company currently uses the “net-back” method of accounting for transportation arrangements of its natural gas and oil sales. The Company sells gas and oil at the wellhead and collects a price and recognizes revenues based on the wellhead sales price, since transportation costs downstream of the wellhead are incurred by the customers and reflected in the wellhead price.

Well operations service fees are recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, services have been rendered, collection of revenues is reasonably assured and the sales price is fixed or determinable. The Company is paid a monthly operating fee for each well it operates from outside owners. The fee covers monthly operating and accounting costs, insurance and other recurring costs. The Company might also receive additional compensation for special nonrecurring activities, such as reworks and recompletions.

Cash and Cash Equivalents — The Company maintains cash that might exceed federally insured amounts at times. The Company considers all items purchased with a maturity of three months or less and all interest-bearing money market funds to be cash and cash equivalents.

F-17


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  – (continued)

Accounts Receivable — The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and generally does not require collateral. Provisions are made for estimated uncollectible trade accounts receivable. The Company’s estimate is based on historical collection experience, a review of current status of trade receivables and judgment. Decisions to charge-off receivables are based on management’s judgment after consideration of facts and circumstances surrounding potential uncollectible accounts. Management determined that no allowance was necessary at December 31, 2013 and 2012.

Inventory — Inventory consists of crude oil, stated at the lower of cost to produce or market, and other production supplies intended to be used in natural gas and crude oil operations.

Intangible Assets — Intangible assets consist of a customer relationship agreement and loan acquisition costs. The customer relationship agreement is being amortized on a straight-line basis over 15 years. The loan acquisition costs are being amortized over the life of the related loans. Amortization expense amounted to approximately $305,000 and $1,131,000 for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and is included in interest expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. As of December 31, 2013, the Company’s remaining approximate amortization expense is as follows:

 
Year Ending December 31   Amount
2014   $ 165,000  
2015     165,000  
2016     27,000  
     $ 357,000  

Land, Property and Equipment — Land, property and equipment are stated at the lower of cost or fair value. Depreciation for property and equipment is computed using the straight-line method over the useful lives, ranging from 5 – 10 years. The cost of betterments that extend the lives or productive capacities of properties is capitalized, and expenditures for normal repairs and maintenance are charged to operations as incurred. The cost of equipment, furnishings and leasehold improvements retired or otherwise disposed of and the related accumulated depreciation is removed from the accounts, and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in current operations.

Long-lived assets to be held and used or disposed of other than by sale are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount might not be recoverable. When required, impairment losses on assets to be held and used or disposed of other than by sale are recognized based on the fair value of the asset. Long-lived assets to be disposed of by sale are reported at the lower of their carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell. As of December 31, 2013 and 2012, no impairment expense was recorded.

Asset Retirement Obligation — The Company accounts for its asset retirement obligations as required by the Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations topic of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (Codification), which requires that the fair value of an asset retirement obligation be recognized in the period in which it is incurred if a reasonable estimate of fair value can be made. The present value of the estimated asset retirement costs is capitalized as part of the carrying amount of the long-lived asset. For the Company, asset retirement obligations primarily relate to the plugging and abandonment of gas-producing facilities.

The estimated liability is based on historical experience in plugging and abandoning wells, estimated remaining lives of those wells based on reserve estimates, external estimates as to the cost to plug and abandon the wells in the future, and federal and state regulatory requirements. The liability is discounted using an assumed credit-adjusted, risk-free interest rate. Revisions to the liability could occur due to changes in estimates of plugging and abandonment costs or remaining lives of the wells, or if federal or state regulations

F-18


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  – (continued)

enact new plugging and abandonment requirements. For the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, the liability was increased by $1,402,299 and $-0-, respectively as a result of an increase in the estimated plugging and abandonment costs. The increase in estimated plugging and abandonment costs is included in additions to asset retirement obligation for the year ended December 31, 2013. An additional $250,340 of accretion expense was incurred for the year as a result of the increase in plugging and abandonment estimates.

The Company has a $25,000 certificate of deposit legally restricted for purposes of settling asset retirement obligations in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Company maintains letters of credit in the aggregate amount of $329,000 to support utility arrangements in lieu of deposits and for purposes of settling asset retirement obligations in the state of New York. The Company also maintains deposit accounts with Kansas utility companies of approximately $13,000. Except for the items previously referenced, the Company has determined that there are no other material retirement obligations associated with tangible long-lived assets. These certificates of deposit are included in other assets.

A reconciliation of the Company’s liability for well plugging and abandonment costs as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 is as follows:

   
  2013   2012
Asset retirement obligations, beginning of year   $ 6,015,635     $ 4,944,295  
Additions for the period     1,418,263       427,936  
Write-off of accrued plugging costs     (49,530 )      (57,689 ) 
Accretion expense for the period     804,512       701,093  
Asset retirement obligations, end of year   $ 8,188,880     $ 6,015,635  

The above accretion expense is included in depreciation, depletion and amortization in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.

Production Tax Liability — Production tax liability represents estimated taxes, primarily ad valorem and property, to be paid to the states and counties in which the Company produces natural gas and crude oil. The Company’s share of these taxes is expensed to the account “Ad Valorem/Property Tax,” included in cost of oil and gas sales on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations. The Company’s production taxes payable are included in the caption “Accounts payable and accrued expenses” on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

Income Taxes — Imperial Resources, LLC, is a limited liability company taxed as a C Corporation for federal and state income tax purposes. The liability method is used to account for income taxes, which requires deferred taxes to be recorded at the statutory rate expected to be in effect when the taxes are paid. Deferred income taxes are provided for the tax effect of temporary differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements. Valuation allowances are provided for a deferred tax asset when it is more likely than not that the asset will not be realized. Income tax penalties and interest are included in the provision for income taxes.

As of December 31, 2013, the Company is unaware of any uncertain tax positions; therefore, no provision has been made. The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and various states and local jurisdictions. Returns are subject to examination by the relevant taxing authorities for a number of years after the returns have been filed. The Company is no longer subject to examinations by taxing authorities in any major tax jurisdiction for years before December 31, 2010.

F-19


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  – (continued)

Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities — The Company utilizes interest rate swap agreements and oil and gas forward contracts to manage the exposure to interest rate changes on certain variable rate credit agreements and price volatility, respectively. The Company recognizes its derivatives on the consolidated balance sheet at fair value at the end of each period. Changes in the fair value of the interest rate swaps and oil and gas forward contracts that are designated and meet the required criteria for a cash flow hedge are reported in accumulated other comprehensive income.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements — Comprehensive Income (Topic 220):  Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. The amendments do not change the current requirements for reporting net income or other comprehensive income in financial statements. However, the amendments require an entity to provide information about the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component. In addition, an entity is required to present, either on the face of the statement where net income is presented or in the notes, significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by the respective line items of net income, but only if the amount reclassified is required under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) to be reclassified to net income in its entirety in the same reporting period. For other amounts that are not required under U.S. GAAP to be reclassified in their entirety to net income, an entity is required to cross-reference to other disclosures required under U.S. GAAP that provide additional detail about those amounts. The adoption of this topic had no effect on the Company.

NOTE 3 — ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITION

Acquisitions are accounted for as purchases and, accordingly, the results of operations are included in the accompanying statements of operations from the closing date of the acquisition. All of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the transaction have been recognized at their acquisition-date fair values, while transaction and merger integration costs associated with the transaction have been expensed as incurred and recognized in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations within general and administrative expenses.

On June 1, 2012, the Company acquired certain specified assets and corresponding operations of another company for approximately $1,700,000.

The purchase price was allocated to oil and gas properties based on fair market value approximately as follows:

 
Proved and producing   $ 1,025,000  
Unproved and not producing     675,000  
     $ 1,700,000  

F-20


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

NOTE 4 — LAND, PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET

Land, property and equipment at December 31, consist of the following:

   
  2013   2012
Oil and gas properties:
                 
Unproved and not producing   $ 4,225,828     $ 5,587,534  
Proved and producing     110,641,929       106,126,081  
Equipment and vehicles     1,575,528       1,111,033  
Buildings and improvements     329,044       322,847  
       116,772,329       113,147,495  
Less – Accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization     19,285,280       14,277,976  
       97,847,049       98,869,519  
Land     30,591       30,591  
     $ 97,517,640     $ 98,900,110  

NOTE 5 — DEBT

The Company maintains a facility consisting of the following, which was extended in 2013 to mature in February 2016 with the same terms:

A $50,000,000 revolving line-of-credit facility (Revolver) used to refinance existing debt and to undertake future acquisitions; the Revolver is subject to a borrowing base consistent with normal and customary oil and gas lending practices of the bank. The borrowing base limit at the time of the replacement was $3,000,000 and is re-determined from time to time in accordance with the Revolver. Interest accrues on the outstanding borrowings at rate options selected by the Company and based on the prime lending rate (3.25% at December 31, 2013) or the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (60-Day LIBOR) (0.2155% at December 31, 2013) plus 2.5%. At December 31, 2013, the Company’s rate option was London InterBank Offered Rate (LIBOR). There was no availability under the Revolver at December 31, 2013. However, the borrowing base limit changes with operations and opportunities.

A $150,000,000 acquisition and development term credit facility (Term Facility) was used to refinance an existing facility, undertake acquisitions and support capital expenditure under an agreed development plan for oil and gas properties and services companies in the United States. Drawdown on the Term Facility is based on predefined benchmarks.

Loans under the facilities are secured by the assets of the Company. Under terms of the facilities, the Company is required to maintain financial ratios customary for the oil and gas industry. Beginning in March 2008, the Company started to repay the facilities monthly to the extent of an applicable percentage of net operating cash flow and capital transactions. Principal payments made in 2013 and 2012 were approximately $7,699,000 and $10,418,000, respectively. The Revolver and Term loans are guaranteed by a related party. The Company has exceeded the minimum cumulative principal payment obligation through the maturity date of the credit facilities.

In 2012, in connection with the Revolver and Term Facility, the bank received 33,145 of non-diluting warrants ($0.01) equivalent to 10% of the issued capital of Empire. In addition, the bank also received in 2012 a 3% overriding royalty interest in the acquired properties of Empire.

The discount on the debt is being amortized to interest expense over the term of three years. The unamortized discount on the debt is approximately $361,000 and $496,000 at December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Additional interest expense of $579,000 and $2,971,000 for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 is related to the amortization of the discount on debt.

F-21


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

NOTE 5 — DEBT  – (continued)

In conjunction with the debt financing by the bank in 2010, a member issued options on 500 million shares (33,333,333 options following a share consolidation) of Empire Energy Group. Those options were independently valued at $1,687,000 in June 2010. The recorded value of the options of $1,687,000 was included in intangible assets as deferred financing costs being amortized over the option period, which is between 24 and 36 months. Empire issued 89,603 Series A units and 8,961 warrants as a result of this transaction to this member.

In addition, the member issued to the bank, 2,000,000 shares of Empire Energy Group during June 2010. The shares were issued as compensation for the late repayment of a loan. The shares were valued at $240,000, and the entire cost was expensed, since the issuance was the cost of the late payment of the bridge loan. Empire issued 6,060 Series A units and 606 warrants to this member as a result of this transaction.

The Company has general notes payable to lending institutions for vehicle and equipment loans. Monthly payments, including interest at -0-% and 8.75%, range from approximately $500 to $2,626. The notes mature in April 2015 and April 2016, and are collateralized by the equipment and vehicles.

A summary of debt at December 31, is as follows:

   
  2013   2012
Term:
                 
Tranche A-1   $ 3,500,000     $ 3,500,000  
Tranche A-2     2,432,529       2,432,529  
Tranche B     249,024       249,024  
Tranche C     19,585,871       19,748,692  
Tranche C-2     12,950,813       20,486,610  
Vehicle and equipment loans     50,621       83,603  
Sub-total     38,768,858       46,500,458  
Less – Discount on debt     361,258       496,109  
Total debt     38,407,600       46,004,349  
Revolver     3,000,000       3,000,000  
Total     41,407,600       49,004,349  
Less current portion     37,514       37,514  
Long-term debt per balance sheet   $ 41,370,086     $ 48,966,835  

The Company entered into an interest rate swap agreement to reduce the impact of interest rate changes on the Company’s variable rate term loan effective July 2009. The notional amount of $7,940,000 expired in July 2012. The fair value of this swap agreement was $-0- at December 31, 2013 and 2012, and the corresponding impact was recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss. The amounts recognized in the consolidated statements of operations for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 were $-0- and a pre-tax gain of approximately $134,000, respectively, and were recorded as additions to accumulated other comprehensive income.

F-22


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

NOTE 6 — INCOME TAX

A reconciliation of the federal statutory tax rate and the effective rate is as follows:

   
Year Ended December 31,   2013   2012
Statutory U.S. Federal tax rate     35.0 %      35.0 % 
State and local income taxes – net of federal benefit     (25.8 )      1.1  
Meals & entertainment/penalties     18.6       (0.4 ) 
Other – net     5.2       (1.4 ) 
Effective Tax Rates     33.0 %      34.3 % 

Net deferred taxes in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets include the following components at December 31:

       
  2013   2012
     Current   Noncurrent   Current   Noncurrent
Deferred income tax asset   $ 274,000     $ 2,389,000     $ 462,000     $ 1,665,000  
Deferred income tax liability           (8,413,000 )            (8,427,000 ) 
Net deferred income tax asset (liability)   $ 274,000     $ (6,024,000 )    $ 462,000     $ (6,762,000 ) 

Deferred taxes result from the following:

   
December 31,   2013   2012
Deferred tax assets:
                 
Related Party Interest Carry-forward   $ 88,000     $  
Federal Net Operating Loss Carry-forward     45,000       305,000  
State Net Operating Loss Carry-forward     129,000       147,000  
Other     13,000       10,000  
Accrued Plugging Costs     938,000       648,000  
Depletion     1,099,000       678,000  
Acquisition costs     316,000       316,000  
Other     35,000       23,000  
     $ 2,663,000     $ 2,127,000  
Deferred tax liabilities:
                 
Intangible Drilling Costs   $ 966,000     $ 597,000  
Like Kind Exchange     5,303,000       5,303,000  
Depreciation     900,000       612,000  
Commodity Hedge Instrument     1,158,000       1,911,000  
Other     86,000       4,000  
     $ 8,413,000     $ 8,427,000  
Total deferred tax liability, net   $ 5,750,000     $ 6,300,000  

As of December 31, 2013 and 2012, the Company has approximately $128,000 and $872,000 of federal net operating loss carry-forwards, and $3,488,000 and $2,710,000 of cumulative state net operating loss carry-forwards, respectively. The federal and state net operating losses have expiration dates ranging from December 31, 2031 to December 31, 2033.

NOTE 7 — DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The Company utilizes commodity-based derivative instruments to manage a portion of the Company’s exposure to price risk from natural gas sales. These instruments consist of New York Mercantile Exchange or

F-23


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

NOTE 7 — DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS  – (continued)

NYMEX index-based future contracts for natural gas production prices. These derivative instruments have the effect of locking in for specified periods (at predetermined prices or ranges of prices) the prices the Company receives for the volume of natural gas to which the derivatives relate.

The Company is exposed to the effect of market fluctuations in the prices of natural gas as they relate to Company’s natural gas sales. Price risk represents the potential risk of loss from adverse changes in the market price of oil and natural gas commodities. The Company employs established policies and procedures to manage the risks associated with these market fluctuations using commodity derivatives. The Company’s policy prohibits the use of natural gas derivative instruments for speculative purposes. The Company has evaluated the credit risk of counterparties, which are financial institutions. The Company has determined that the potential impact of nonperformance of its counterparties on the fair value of the derivative instruments was not significant.

Economic Hedging Strategies — The Company’s results of operations and operating cash flows are affected by changes in market prices for natural gas. To mitigate a portion of the exposure to adverse market changes, the Company has entered into various derivative instruments. As of December 31, 2013, the Company’s natural gas derivative instruments were composed of NYMEX index-based contracts for natural gas production pricing.

Collars contain a fixed floor price (put) and ceiling price (call). If the market price exceeds the ceiling strike price or falls below the fixed floor strike price, the Company receives the fixed floor price and pays the market prices. If the market price is between the ceiling and the floor strike price, no payments are due from either party.

The Company enters into derivative instruments for the Company’s production to protect against price declines in future periods while retaining some of the benefits of price increases. While these derivatives are structured to reduce exposure to changes in price associated with the derivative commodity, they also limit benefits the Company might otherwise have received from price changes in the physical market. The Company believes the derivative instruments in place continue to be effective in achieving the risk management objectives for which they were intended.

The Company has approximately 4,900,000 thousand British Thermal Units (MMBtu) of monthly natural gas production and 285,000 barrels of oil production hedged at amounts ranging from $4.365 to $6.30/MMBtu for natural gas expiring in January 2014 through December 2018 and $85.23 to $90.00 per barrel for oil through December 2017. The fair value of these items was an asset of approximately $4,563,000 and $6,522,000 at December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The Company expects to recognize a pre-tax gain of approximately $1,662,000 in its consolidated statements of comprehensive income in 2014. The net realized amounts recognized in the consolidated statements of operations and cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 were gains of approximately $2,135,000 and $4,259,000, respectively and were recorded as oil and gas price risk management income. Unrealized pre-tax losses of approximately $1,959,000 and $1,379,000 were included in the consolidated statements of comprehensive loss for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012.

NOTE 8 — FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Company discloses the category of assets and liabilities measured at fair value into one of three different levels, depending on the assumptions (i.e., inputs) used in the valuation. Level 1 provides the most reliable measure of fair value, whereas Level 3 generally requires significant management judgment. Financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input significant to the fair value measurement. The fair value hierarchy is defined as follows:

F-24


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

NOTE 8 — FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS  – (continued)

Level 1 —  Inputs to the valuation methodology are unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that the plan has the ability to access.
Level 2 —  Inputs to the valuation methodology include:
quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets;
quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in inactive markets;
inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability;
inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable markets; and
data by correlation or other means.

If the asset or liability has a specified (contractual) term, the Level 2 input must be observable for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.

Level 3 —  Inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement.

The asset or liability’s fair value measurement level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Valuation techniques used need to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.

Financial instruments consist primarily of cash, accounts receivable, prepaid expenses, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, debt, lines of credit, and related-party payable. The carrying value of the lines of credit approximates fair value at December 31, 2013, since the interest rates are market-based and are generally adjusted periodically. Due to the nature of the related-party payable, the approximate fair value cannot be determined. The carrying value of these instruments approximates fair value, due to the short-term nature of such instruments.

Determination of Fair Value Derivatives — The Company measures fair value based upon quoted market prices, where available. The Company’s valuation determination includes: (1) identification of the inputs to the fair value methodology through the review of counterparty statements and other supporting documentation, (2) determination of the validity of the source of the inputs, (3) corroboration of the original source of inputs through access to multiple quotes, if available, or other information and (4) monitoring changes in valuation methods and assumptions. The methods described above may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of future fair values. Furthermore, while the Company believes these valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with that used by other market participants, the use of different methodologies, or assumptions, to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments could result in a different estimate of fair value.

The Company’s only assets and liabilities at fair value as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, set forth by level within the fair value hierarchy, are derivative instruments, classified as Level 2.

NOTE 9 — EQUITY

In 2013, 16,251 of diluting warrants were authorized to effectively extend the 2008 warrants. The total value of the warrants was $444,628 derived from managements’ current valuation. The warrants reduce the related outstanding debt at issuance and will be amortized over the remaining life of the outstanding debt instrument.

In 2011, 42,988 warrants were issued to the bank in connection with the debt. The bank also received 5,330 warrants for A, B and B-1 units issued in 2010.

F-25


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

NOTE 9 — EQUITY  – (continued)

All warrants are on a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. As of December 31, 2013, these warrants totaled 112,539 authorized and issued.

In 2013, Imperial purchased the stock of a non-controlling interest owner of Empire in a non-cash transaction.

NOTE 10 — OPERATING LEASES

The Company leased its corporate headquarters under a non-cancelable operating lease of monthly payments of approximately $6,900 through February 2013 and $7,200 through February 2017. Net rental expense approximated $86,000 and $90,000, net of reimbursements, for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

The Company leases trucks under an operating agreement. The term of the agreement begins upon the delivery of each truck and lasts for a period of up to 48 months. Lease payments in 2013 were approximately $194,000.

As of December 31, 2013, the Company’s approximate future minimum annual rental commitments are as follows:

 
Year Ending December 31   Amount
2014   $ 278,000  
2015     238,000  
2016     163,000  
2017     114,000  
2018     15,000  
     $ 808,000  

NOTE 11 — CONTINGENCIES

The Company is involved in various legal proceedings arising out of the normal conduct of its business. In the opinion of management, the ultimate resolution of such matters will not have a material effect on the consolidated financial position results of operations or of the Company.

The Company is subject to various federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment. The Company has established procedures for the ongoing evaluation of its operations, to identify potential environmental exposures and to comply with regulatory policies and procedures.

The Company accounts for environmental contingencies in accordance with the Contingencies topic of the FASB Codification. Environmental expenditures that relate to current operations are expensed or capitalized as appropriate. Expenditures that relate to an existing condition caused by past operations and do not contribute to current or future revenue generation, are expensed. Liabilities are recorded when environmental assessment and/or cleanup is probable, and the costs can be reasonably estimated. The Company maintains insurance that may cover in whole or in part certain environmental expenditures.

NOTE 12 — EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN

The Company has a profit sharing and 401(k) plan (Plan) covering substantially all full-time employees. The Plan provides for benefits to participants upon retirement, disability, employment termination or death. The Company’s discretionary contribution to the Plan is determined annually by the Board of Directors. The contributions to the Plan for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 were $39,000 and $53,000, respectively.

F-26


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

NOTE 13 — RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Company has a management services agreement with entities with common ownership. The annual amount is $150,000 and increases with the number of transactions the Company conducts. The fees are payable in arrears in 12 monthly installments. The amount of 2013 fees incurred was $173,000 of which $173,000 was paid in 2013. The amount of 2012 fees incurred was $174,000, of which $174,000 was paid in 2012.

The Company owes a related party payable resulting from various cash transactions between the two companies. There are no terms related to the amount owed. The balances at December 31, 2013 and 2012 were $8,439,000 and $37,142,000, respectively. On July 1, 2013, the Company agreed to convert $29,800,000 of debt owed to a related party to equity.

NOTE 14 — SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

Subsequent events are defined as events or transactions that occur after the balance sheet date, but before the consolidated financial statements are issued or are available to be issued. Management has evaluated subsequent events through the date of filling with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and have determined that there are no subsequent events that require additional recognition or disclosure.

NOTE 15 — NET PROVED RESERVES (Unaudited)

All of our oil and natural gas reserves are located in the U.S. We utilize the services of independent petroleum engineers to estimate our oil and natural gas reserves. As of December 31, 2013 and 2012, all of our reserve estimates were based on reserve reports prepared by Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. and LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd. These reserve estimates have been prepared in compliance with professional standards and the reserves definitions prescribed by the SEC.

Proved reserves estimates may change, either positively or negatively, as additional information becomes available and as contractual, economic and political conditions change. Our net proved reserve estimates have been adjusted as necessary to reflect all contractual agreements, royalty obligations and interests owned by others at the time of the estimate. Proved developed reserves are the quantities of crude oil, natural gas and NGLs expected to be recovered through existing wells with existing equipment and operating methods. In some cases, proved undeveloped reserves may require substantial new investments in additional wells and related facilities.

(a) Capitalize Costs Relating to Oil and Gas Producing Activities

   
  Year ended December 31,
     2013   2012
     (In thousands)
Proved properties   $ 110,642     $ 106,126  
Unproved properties     4,226       5,588  
       114.868       111,714  
Accumulated depletion     (18,551 )      (13,695 ) 
Net capitalized costs   $ 96,317     $ 98,019  

F-27


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

NOTE 15 — NET PROVED RESERVES (Unaudited)  – (continued)

(b) Costs incurred in Certain Oil and Gas Activities

   
  Year ended December 31,
     2013   2012
     (In thousands)
Acquisition costs:
                 
Proved property   $ 6     $ 1,270  
Unproved property     359       2,907  
Development Costs     2,925       2,334  
Exploration costs     729       197  
Total costs incurred   $ 4,019     $ 6,708  

(c) Results of Operations for Oil and Gas Producing Activities

   
  Year ended December 31,
     2013   2012
     (In thousands)
Revenues   $ 25,886     $ 26,710  
Operating expenses:
                 
Production expenses     11,329       10,577  
Exploration expenses     729       197  
Depreciation and depletion     5,854       5,434  
Results of operations before income tax expenses (benefit)     7,974       10,502  
Income tax (expense) benefit     (2,631 )      (3,508 ) 
Result of operation   $ 5,343     $ 6,994  

(d) Oil and Gas Reserves

     
  Natural gas (MMcf)   Oil
(MBbls)
  Equivalents (MBoe)
Proved reserves:
                          
December 31, 2011     37,870       3,430       9,742  
Revisions     (1,135 )      23       (166 ) 
Extensions, discoveries and other additions                  
Production     (2,005 )      (184 )      (518 ) 
Purchase of reserves           101       101  
Sales of reserves in place                  
December 31, 2012     34,730       3,370       9,159  
Revisions     (5,313 )      (118 )      (1,004 ) 
Extensions, discoveries and other additions                  
       (1,954 )      (165 )      (491 ) 
Production
                          
Purchase of reserves                  
Sales of reserves in place                  
December 31, 2013     27,463       3,087       7,664  

F-28


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

NOTE 15 — NET PROVED RESERVES (Unaudited)  – (continued)

     
  Natural gas (MMcf)   Oil
(MBbls)
  Equivalents (MBoe)
Proved developed reserves:
                          
December 31, 2011     37,740       2,862       9,152  
December 31, 2012     34,600       2,804       8,571  
December 31, 2013     26,863       2,600       7,215  
Proved undeveloped reserves:
                          
December 31, 2011     130       568       590  
December 31, 2012     130       566       588  
December 31, 2013     130       427       449  

The following table sets forth the standardized measure of the discounted future net cash flows attributable to our proved reserves. Future cash inflows were computed by applying historical 12-month unweighted first day of the month average prices. Future prices actually received may materially differ from current prices or the prices used in the standardized measure.

Future production and development costs represent the estimated future expenditures (based on current costs) to be incurred in developing and producing the proved reserves, assuming continuation of existing economic conditions. Future income tax expenses were computed by applying statutory income tax rates to the difference between pretax net cash flows relating to our proved reserves and the tax basis of proved oil and gas properties. In addition, the effects of statutory depletion in excess of tax basis, available net operating loss carry-forwards, and alternative minimum tax credits were used in computing future income tax expense. The resulting annual net cash inflows were then discounted using a 10% annual rate.

   
  Year ended December 31,
     2013   2012
     (In thousands)
Future cash inflows     390,635       462,845  
Future production costs     (162,243 )      (193,724 ) 
Future development costs     (12,691 )      (13,213 ) 
Future income tax expense     (53,925 )      (87,776 ) 
Future net cash flows     161,775       168,131  
10% annual discount for estimated timing of cash flows     (84,898 )      (93,003 ) 
Standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows     76,877       75,128  

The price used to estimate our reserves, by commodity, are presented below.

       
  Oil   Natural Gas
Mid-Con   Index Price (per Bbl)   Weighted Average Wellhead Price
(per Bbl)
  Index Price (per MMBtu)   Weighted Average Wellhead
Price
(per Mcf)
December 31, 2013   $ 96.94     $ 91.44     $ 3.67     $ 4.94  
December 31, 2012     93.19       82.34       3.56       6.74  

F-29


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013 and 2012

NOTE 15 — NET PROVED RESERVES (Unaudited)  – (continued)

       
  Oil   Natural gas
Appalachia   Index Price (per Bbl)   Weighted Average Wellhead Price
(per Bbl)
  Index Price (per MMBtu)   Weighted Average Wellhead
Price
(per Mcf)
December 31, 2013   $ 86.11     $ 80.62     $ 4.21     $ 4.76  
December 31, 2012     87.74       85.46       4.39       5.27  

(e) Changes in Standardized Measure of Discounted Future Net Cash Flow

   
  Year ended December 31,
     2013   2012
     (In thousands)
Sales of oil and gas net of production costs     (6,327 )      (6,635 ) 
Net changes in price and production costs     (489 )      (12,453 ) 
Development costs incurred during the period     2,925       2,334  
Net changes in future development costs     248       (1,373 ) 
Acquisitions           1,371  
Revisions of previous quantity estimates     (14,391 )      (5,035 ) 
Accretion of discount     4,589       (211 ) 
Net change in income taxes     16,086       6,087  
Other changes     (893 )      4,012  
Net increase (decrease)     1,748       (11,903 ) 
Beginning of year     75,128       87,032  
End of year     76,877       75,128  

F-30


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
 
Consolidated Balance Sheets for June 30, 2014 and
December 31, 2013, Consolidated Statements of Operations
and Comprehensive (Income) Loss for the three-month and
six-month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013 and
Consolidated Statements of Stockholder’s Equity and Cash
Flows for the six-months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

F-31


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS

 
  PAGE
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM     F-33  
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
        
Consolidated Balance Sheets, June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013     F-34  
Consolidated Statements for the six-month and three-month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013:
        
Operations     F-35 – F-36  
Comprehensive Income (Loss)     F-37  
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2014
and 2013
    F-40  
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements     F-41  

F-32


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

Members
Imperial Resources, LLC and Subsidiaries
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania

We have reviewed the condensed consolidated balance sheet of Imperial Resources, LLC and Subsidiaries (Imperial or Company) as of June 30, 2014, and the related consolidated statements of income, and comprehensive income (loss) for the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, and condensed consolidated statements of changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the six-month periods then ended. These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management.7

We conducted our review in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). A review of interim consolidated financial information consists principally of applying analytical procedures and making inquiries of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters. It is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the objective of which is the expression of an opinion regarding the consolidated financial statements taken as a whole. Accordingly, we do not express such an opinion.

Based on our reviews, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to the accompanying interim consolidated financial statements referred to above for them to be in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

We have previously audited, in accordance with auditing standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheet of Imperial Resources, LLC and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2013, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the year then ended (not presented herein); and in our report dated May 23, 2014, we expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements. In our opinion, the information set forth in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2013, is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the balance sheet from which it has been derived.

/s/ Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.
 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
September 2, 2014

F-33


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

   
  June 30,
2014
(Unaudited)
  December 31,
2013
(Audited)
Assets
                 
Current assets:
                 
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 4,073,512     $ 2,118,258  
Accounts receivable     5,518,819       4,533,067  
Prepaid and other assets     967,259       557,252  
Inventory     923,682       995,610  
Deferred tax asset     2,000       274,000  
Fair value of derivatives     684,443       1,661,837  
Other current assets     100,000       100,000  
Total current assets     12,269,715       10,240,024  
US tax benefit           201,533  
Deferred tax asset     3,780,748       2,389,000  
Fair value of derivatives     741,185       2,901,246  
Land, property and equipment, net     95,125,235       97,517,640  
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization     274,536       356,899  
Total assets   $ 112,191,419     $ 113,606,342  
Liabilities and Equity
                 
Current liabilities:
                 
Current portion of long-term debt   $ 28,222     $ 37,514  
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities     5,561,483       4,867,101  
Total current liabilities     5,589,705       4,904,615  
Long-term liabilities:
                 
Long-term debt     37,836,629       38,370,086  
Line of credit     3,000,000       3,000,000  
Related party payable     8,027,510       8,438,844  
Deferred tax liability     8,550,000       8,413,000  
Accrued distributions           18,336  
Asset retirement obligations     8,245,851       8,188,880  
Total liabilities     71,249,695       71,333,761  
Issued capital     29,793,601       29,775,264  
Retained earnings     7,286,582       6,596,321  
Accumulated other comprehensive income     448,322       2,487,777  
Warrants     3,413,219       3,413,219  
Total equity     40,941,724       42,272,581  
Total Liabilities and Equity   $ 112,191,419     $ 113,606,342  

 
 
See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements

F-34


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)

       
  Amount   Percent of Sales
     Three Months Ended June 30,
     2014   2013   2014   2013
SALES
                                   
Oil and gas sales   $ 6,087,418     $ 5,959,987       95.1 %      86.5 % 
Well operation service fees     228,979       168,151       3.6       2.4  
Oil and gas price risk management income, net     82,297       763,185       1.3       11.1  
       6,398,694       6,891,323       100.0       100.0  
COSTS AND EXPENSES
                                   
Cost of oil and gas sales     1,971,297       1,171,686       30.8       17.0  
Cost of well operation services     1,036,565       976,164       16.2       14.2  
Exploratory dry hole costs     26,819       25,846       0.4       0.4  
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     1,163,051       1,501,052       18.2       21.8  
General and administrative expenses     1,154,361       1,278,955       18.0       18.5  
Expiration costs     55,935       54,683       0.9       0.8  
    5,408,028       5,008,386       84.5       72.7  
Income from Operations     990,666       1,882,937       15.5       27.3  
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
                                   
Interest expense     (782,814 )      (1,762,834 )      (12.2 )      (25.5 ) 
Gain on sale of land, property, and equipment     736,016             11.5        
Other income     58,136       127,362       0.9       1.8  
Other expense     (245,081 )      (27,324 )      (3.8 )      (0.4 ) 
       (233,743 )      (1,662,796 )      (3.6 )      (24.1 ) 
Income Before Taxes     756,923       220,141       11.9       3.2  
Income tax expense     (264,923 )      (55,035 )      (4.1 )      (0.8 ) 
Net Income   $ 492,000     $ 165,106       7.8 %      2.4 % 

 
 
See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements

F-35


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)

       
  Amount   Percent of Sales
     Six Months Ended June 30,
     2014   2013   2014   2013
SALES
                                   
Oil and gas sales   $ 11,700,320     $ 11,639,716       94.9 %      86.5 % 
Well operation service fees     435,149       502,678       3.5       3.7  
Oil and gas price risk management income, net     194,447       1,314,809       1.6       9.8  
       12,329,916       13,457,203       100.0       100.0  
COSTS AND EXPENSES
                                   
Cost of oil and gas sales     3,685,669       3,802,379       29.9       28.3  
Cost of well operation services     2,103,327       1,938,776       17.1       14.4  
Exploratory dry hole costs     45,225       26,057       0.4       0.2  
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     2,558,375       2,747,221       20.7       20.5  
General and administrative expenses     1,747,649       1,916,784       14.2       14.2  
Expiration costs     56,364       96,982       0.4       0.7  
    10,196,609       10,528,199       82.7       78.3  
Income from Operations     2,133,307       2,929,004       17.3       21.7  
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
                                   
Interest expense     (1,390,506 )      (3,003,507 )      (11.3 )      (22.3 ) 
Gain on sale of land, property, and equipment     736,016             6.0        
Other income     153,701       206,120       1.3       1.5  
Other expense     (565,835 )      (50,417 )      (4.6 )      (0.3 ) 
       (1,066,624 )      (2,847,804 )      (8.6 )      (21.1 ) 
Income Before Taxes     1,066,683       81,200       8.7       0.6  
Income tax expense     (376,422 )      (9,035 )      (3.1 )      (0.1 ) 
Net Income   $ 690,261     $ 72,165       5.6 %      0.5 % 

 
 
See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements

F-36


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
(Unaudited)

       
  Three Months Ended
June 30,
  Six Months Ended
June 30,
     2014   2013   2014   2013
Net income   $ 492,000     $ 165,106     $ 690,261     $ 72,165  
Comprehensive (loss) income:
                                   
Changes in fair value:
                                   
Future commodity contracts     (2,146,971 )      1,113,600       (3,137,455 )      (609,370 ) 
Change in tax on other comprehensive expense     718,000       (456,000 )      1,098,000       201,000  
Change in fair value     (1,428,971 )      657,600       (2,039,455 )      (408,370 ) 
Comprehensive (loss) income   $ (936,971 )    $ 822,706     $ (1,349,194 )    $ (336,205 ) 

 
 
See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements

F-37


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
(Unaudited)

             
  Units Authorized   Issued   Value   Issued
Capital
  Retained Earnings   Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income   Total
Equity
BALANCE, December 31, 2013     112,539       112,539     $ 3,413,219     $ 29,775,264     $ 6,596,321     $ 2,487,777     $ 42,272,581  
Net Income                             690,261             690,261  
Other comprehensive loss:
                                                              
Future commodity contracts                                   (3,137,455 )      (3,137,455 ) 
Change in tax on unrealized gain/loss                                   1,098,000       1,098,000  
Issuance of stock                       18,337                   18,337  
BALANCE, June 30, 2014     112,539       112,539     $ 3,413,219     $ 29,793,601     $ 7,286,582     $ 448,322     $ 40,941,724  

 
 
See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements

F-38


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
(Unaudited)

             
  Units Authorized   Issued   Value   Issued
Capital
  Retained Earnings   Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income   Total
Equity
BALANCE, December 31, 2012     96,288       96,288     $ 2,968,605     $ 40     $ 6,703,362     $ 3,712,200     $ 13,384,207  
Net Income                             72,165             72,165  
Other comprehensive income:
                                                              
Future commodity contracts                                   (609,370 )      (609,370 ) 
Change in tax on unrealized gain                                   201,000       201,000  
Warrants     15,576       15,576       426,094                         426,094  
BALANCE, June 30, 2013     111,864       111,864     $ 3,394,699     $ 40     $ 6,775,527     $ 3,303,830     $ 13,474,096  

 
 
See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements

F-39


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)

   
  Six Months Ended
June 30,
     2014   2013
Cash Flow from Operating Activities
                 
Net income   $ 690,261     $ 72,165  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
                 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization     2,369,820       2,467,271  
Accretion of asset retirement obligations     188,555       279,950  
Amortization of loan acquisition costs     82,362       223,126  
Discount on debt     81,311       543,453  
Expiration costs     56,364       96,982  
Exploratory dry hole costs.     45,225       26,057  
Gain on sale of assets     (736,016 )       
Deferred tax asset/liability     115,252       326,376  
Changes in assets and liabilities:
                 
Accounts receivable     (985,752 )      (8,754 ) 
Prepaid and other assets     (208,474 )      543,450  
Inventory     71,928       (19,098 ) 
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities     283,049       (723,046 ) 
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities     2,053,885       3,827,932  
Cash Flow from Investing Activities
                 
Purchases of land, property and equipment     (1,243,780 )      (1,028,023 ) 
Proceeds from sale of assets     1,769,209        
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities     525,429       (1,028,023 ) 
Cash Flow from Financing Activities
                 
Proceeds from borrowings on long-term debt     1,000,000        
Principal payments on long-term debt     (1,624,060 )      (3,600,183 ) 
Payments for loan acquisition costs           (494,169 ) 
Net Cash (Used in) Financing Activities     (624,060 )      (4,094,352 ) 
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents     1,955,254       (1,294,443 ) 
Beginning Cash and Cash Equivalents Balance     2,118,258       4,282,322  
Ending Cash and Cash Equivalents Balance   $ 4,073,512     $ 2,987,879  

SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULE OF NONCASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES

During the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, the Company wrote off accrued plugging costs of approximately $132,000 and $50,000, respectively, with a corresponding decrease in land, property and equipment.

During the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, the Company converted a payable to equity of approximately $18,000 and $-0-, respectively.

 
 
See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements

F-40


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2014
(Unaudited)

NOTE 1 — ORGANIZATION

These financial statements present the consolidated activities for Imperial Resources, LLC (Imperial) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Empire Energy USA, LLC (Energy). All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

The consolidated entities are hereinafter referred to as “the Company.”

Imperial is engaged as a holding company with its primary asset being Energy.

Energy is engaged primarily in the acquisition, development, production, exploration and sale of oil and natural gas. The Company sells its gas products primarily to owners of domestic pipelines located in Pennsylvania and New York; and in Kansas, the Company sells its oil products to independent petroleum refiners and marketers.

In our opinion, the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of our financial statements for interim periods in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP). Accordingly, pursuant to such rules and regulations, certain notes and other financial information included in audited financial statements have been condensed or omitted. The information presented in this Quarterly Report should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements. Our results of operations and cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2014 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year or any other future period.

Four customers accounted for approximately 65% of accounts receivable as of June 30, 2014 and two customers accounted for approximately 44% of accounts receivable at December 31, 2013. Two customers accounted for approximately 68% and 70% of oil and gas sales for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and approximately 68% and 68% of oil and gas sales for the three-month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

A summary of significant accounting policies consistently applied by management in the preparation of the accompanying consolidated financial statements follows:

Use of Estimates — The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Estimates of gas reserve quantities provide the basis for calculation of depletion, depreciation and amortization and impairment, each of which represents a significant component of the consolidated financial statements.

Oil and Gas Properties — The Company uses the successful efforts method of accounting for oil and gas-producing activities. Costs to acquire mineral interests in oil and gas properties, drill and equip exploratory wells that find proved reserves, and drill and equip development wells and related asset retirement costs are capitalized. Depletion is based on cost less estimated salvage value using the unit-of-production method. Acquisition costs of proved properties are amortized on the basis of all proved reserves, while the depletion of capitalized development costs is based on proved developed reserves. The process of estimating and evaluating oil and gas reserves is complex, requiring significant decisions in the evaluation of geological, geophysical, engineering and economic data. Costs to drill exploratory wells that do not find proved reserves, geological and geophysical costs, and costs of carrying and retaining unproved properties are expensed.

F-41


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2014
(Unaudited)

NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  – (continued)

Unproved oil and gas properties that are individually significant are periodically assessed for impairment of value, and a loss is recognized at the time of impairment by providing an impairment allowance. Management determined that no impairment allowance was necessary at June 30, 2014. Unproved oil and gas properties approximated $4,330,000 and $4,226,000 at June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively. Capitalized costs of producing oil and gas properties, after considering estimated residual salvage values, are depreciated and depleted by the unit-of-production method. Support equipment and other property and equipment are depreciated over their estimated useful lives. There were no wells in progress at June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013.

On the sale or retirement of a complete unit of a proved property, the cost and related accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization are eliminated from the property accounts, and the resulting gain or loss is recognized. On the retirement or sale of a partial unit of proved property, the cost is charged to accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization, with a resulting gain or loss recognized in income.

On the sale of an entire interest in an unproved property for cash or cash equivalent, gain or loss on the sale is recognized, taking into consideration the amount of any recorded impairment if the property had been assessed individually. If a partial interest in an unproved property is sold, the amount received is treated as a reduction of the cost of the interest retained.

Revenue Recognition — Sales of natural gas are recognized when natural gas has been delivered to a custody transfer point, persuasive evidence of a sales arrangement exists, the rights and responsibility of ownership pass to the purchaser upon delivery, collection of revenue from the sale is reasonably assured, and the sales price is fixed or determinable. Natural gas is sold by the Company under contracts with terms ranging from one month up to the life of the well. Virtually all of the Company contracts’ pricing provisions are tied to a market index with certain adjustments based on, among other factors, whether a well delivers to a gathering or transmission line, quality of natural gas and prevailing supply and demand conditions, so that the price of the natural gas fluctuates to remain competitive with other available natural gas suppliers. As a result, the Company’s revenues from the sale of natural gas will suffer if market prices decline and benefit if they increase. The Company believes that the pricing provisions of its natural gas contracts are customary in the industry.

The sale of oil is recognized when oil has passes through the outlet flange of lease tankage and enters the buyers designated carrier, persuasive evidence of a sales arrangement exists, the rights and responsibility of ownership pass to the purchaser upon delivery, collection of revenue from the sale is reasonably assured, and the sales price is fixed or determinable. Oil is sold by the Company under contracts with a one-year term. Virtually all of the Company contracts’ pricing provisions are tied to a market index with certain adjustments based on quality and specific gravity. As a result, the Company’s revenues from the sale of oil will suffer if market prices decline and benefit if they increase. The Company believes that the pricing provisions of its oil contracts are customary in the industry.

Because there are timing differences between the delivery of natural gas and oil and the Company’s receipt of a delivery statement, the Company has unbilled revenues. These revenues are accrued based upon volumetric data from the Company’s records and the Company’s estimates of the related transportation and compression fees, which are, in turn, based upon applicable product prices. The Company has unbilled trade receivables at June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013 of approximately $3,267,000 and $3,117,000, respectively, which are included in accounts receivable on its consolidated balance sheets.

The Company currently uses the “net-back” method of accounting for transportation arrangements of its natural gas and oil sales. The Company sells gas and oil at the wellhead and collects a price and recognizes revenues based on the wellhead sales price, since transportation costs downstream of the wellhead are incurred by the customers and reflected in the wellhead price.

F-42


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2014
(Unaudited)

NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  – (continued)

Well operations and pipeline income are recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, services have been rendered, collection of revenues is reasonably assured and the sales price is fixed or determinable. The Company is paid a monthly operating fee for each well it operates from outside owners. The fee covers monthly operating and accounting costs, insurance and other recurring costs. The Company might also receive additional compensation for special nonrecurring activities, such as reworks and recompletions.

Cash and Cash Equivalents — The Company maintains cash that might exceed federally insured amounts at times. The Company considers all items purchased with a maturity of three months or less and all interest-bearing money market funds to be cash and cash equivalents.

Accounts Receivable — The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and generally does not require collateral. Provisions are made for estimated uncollectible trade accounts receivable. The Company’s estimate is based on historical collection experience, a review of current status of trade receivables and judgment. Decisions to charge-off receivables are based on management’s judgment after consideration of facts and circumstances surrounding potential uncollectible accounts. Management determined that no allowance was necessary at June 30, 2014 and 2013.

Inventory — Inventory consists of crude oil, stated at the lower of cost to produce or market, and other production supplies intended to be used in natural gas and crude oil operations.

Intangible Assets — Intangible assets consist of a customer relationship agreement and loan acquisition costs. The customer relationship agreement is being amortized on a straight-line basis over 15 years. The loan acquisition costs are being amortized over the life of the related loans. Amortization expense amounted to approximately $82,000 and $223,000 for the six months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and approximately $41,000 and $70,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and is included in interest expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. As of June 30, 2014, the Company’s remaining approximate amortization expense is as follows:

 
  Amount
For the six-month period ending December 31, 2014   $ 82,000  
For the year ending December 31, 2015     165,000  
For the year ending December 31, 2016     27,000  
     $ 274,000  

Land, Property and Equipment — Land, property and equipment are stated at the lower of cost or fair value. Depreciation for property and equipment is computed using the straight-line method over the useful lives, ranging from 5 – 10 years. The cost of betterments that extend the lives or productive capacities of properties is capitalized, and expenditures for normal repairs and maintenance are charged to operations as incurred. The cost of equipment, furnishings and leasehold improvements retired or otherwise disposed of and the related accumulated depreciation is removed from the accounts, and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in current operations. Long-lived assets to be held and used or disposed of other than by sale are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount might not be recoverable. When required, impairment losses to be held and used or disposed of other than by sale are recognized based on the fair value of the asset. Long-lived assets to be disposed of by sale are reported at the lower of their carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell. As of June 30, 2014 and 2013, no impairment expense was recorded.

Asset Retirement Obligation — The Company accounts for its asset retirement obligations as required by the Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations topic of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (Codification), which requires that the fair value of an asset

F-43


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2014
(Unaudited)

NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  – (continued)

retirement obligation be recognized in the period in which it is incurred if a reasonable estimate of fair value can be made. The present value of the estimated asset retirement costs is capitalized as part of the carrying amount of the long-lived asset. For the Company, asset retirement obligations primarily relate to the plugging and abandonment of gas-producing facilities.

The estimated liability is based on historical experience in plugging and abandoning wells, estimated remaining lives of those wells based on reserve estimates, external estimates as to the cost to plug and abandon the wells in the future, and federal and state regulatory requirements. The liability is discounted using an assumed credit-adjusted, risk-free interest rate. Revisions to the liability could occur due to changes in estimates of plugging and abandonment costs or remaining lives of the wells, or if federal or state regulations enact new plugging and abandonment requirements. There were no changes to the estimates of plugging and abandonment costs or the remaining lives of the wells for the quarters and six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013.

The Company has a $25,000 certificate of deposit legally restricted for purposes of settling asset retirement obligations in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Company maintains letters of credit in the aggregate amount of $329,000 to support utility arrangements in lieu of deposits and for purposes of settling asset retirement obligations in the state of New York. The Company also maintains deposit accounts with Kansas utility companies of approximately $13,000. Except for the items previously referenced, the Company has determined that there are no other material retirement obligations associated with tangible long-lived assets. These certificates of deposit are included in other assets.

A reconciliation of the Company’s liability for well plugging and abandonment costs as of June 30, 2014 and 2013 is as follows:

   
  2014   2013
Asset retirement obligations, beginning of year   $ 8,188,880     $ 6,015,635  
Additions for the period           1,418,263  
Write-off of accrued plugging costs     (131,584 )      (49,530 ) 
Accretion expense for the period     188,555       804,512  
Asset retirement obligations, end of period   $ 8,245,851     $ 8,188,880  

The above accretion expense is included in depreciation, depletion and amortization in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.

Production Tax Liability — Production tax liability represents estimated taxes, primarily ad valorem and property, to be paid to the states and counties in which the Company produces natural gas and crude oil. The Company’s share of these taxes is expensed to the account “Ad Valorem/Property Tax,” included in cost of oil and gas sales on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations. The Company’s production taxes payable are included in the caption “Accounts payable and accrued expenses” on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

Income Taxes — Imperial Resources, LLC, is a limited liability company taxed as a C Corporation for federal and state income tax purposes. The liability method is used to account for income taxes, which requires deferred taxes to be recorded at the statutory rate expected to be in effect when the taxes are paid. Deferred income taxes are provided for the tax effect of temporary differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements.

Valuation allowances are provided for a deferred tax asset when it is more likely than not that the asset will not be realized. The Company had no valuation allowance of deferred tax as of June 30, 2014 or December 31, 2013. Income tax penalties and interest are included in the provision for income taxes.

F-44


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2014
(Unaudited)

NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  – (continued)

As of June 30, 2014, the Company is unaware of any uncertain tax positions; therefore, no provision has been made. The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and various states and local jurisdictions. Returns are subject to examination by the relevant taxing authorities for a number of years after the returns have been filed. The Company is no longer subject to examinations by taxing authorities in any major tax jurisdiction for years before December 31, 2010.

Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities — The Company utilizes oil and gas forward contracts to manage the exposure price volatility. The Company recognizes its derivatives on the consolidated balance sheet at fair value at the end of each period. Changes in the fair value of the oil and gas forward contracts that are designated and meet the required criteria for a cash flow hedge are reported in accumulated other comprehensive income.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). This ASU affects any entity that either enters into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services or enters into contracts for the transfer of nonfinancial assets unless those contracts are within the scope of other standards (e.g., insurance contracts or lease contracts). This ASU will supersede the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, and most industry-specific guidance. In addition, the existing requirements for the recognition of a gain or loss on the transfer of nonfinancial assets that are not in a contract with a customer (e.g., assets within the scope of Topic 360, Property, Plant, and Equipment, and intangible assets within the scope of Topic 350, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other) are amended to be consistent with the guidance on recognition and measurement (including the constraint on revenue) in this ASU. The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the pronouncement.

NOTE 3 — LAND, PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET

Land, property and equipment consist of the following:

   
  June 30,
2014
  December 31, 2013
Oil and gas properties:
                 
Unproved and not producing   $ 4,329,794     $ 4,225,828  
Proved and producing     110,250,506       110,641,929  
Equipment and vehicles     1,607,518       1,575,528  
Buildings and improvements     329,068       329,044  
       116,516,886       116,772,329  
Less – Accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization     21,422,243       19,285,280  
       95,094,643       97,847,049  
Land     30,591       30,591  
     $ 95,125,234     $ 97,517,640  

In June 2014, the Company entered into a purchase and sale agreement pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell certain oil and gas properties in Kansas. The sale was completed with total consideration for the Company of approximately $1,750,000. The sale resulted in a gain on sale of assets of approximately $717,000, which is included in other income on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations.

F-45


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2014
(Unaudited)

NOTE 4 — LONG-TERM DEBT

The Company maintains a facility consisting of the following, which was extended in 2013 to mature in February 2016 with the same terms:

A $50,000,000 revolving line-of-credit facility (Revolver) used to refinance existing debt and to undertake future acquisitions; the Revolver is subject to a borrowing base consistent with normal and customary oil and gas lending practices of the bank. The borrowing base limit at the time of the replacement was $3,000,000 and is redetermined from time to time in accordance with the Revolver. Interest accrues on the outstanding borrowings at rate options selected by the Company and based on the prime lending rate (3.25% at June 30, 2014 or the London InterBank Offered Rate (60-Day LIBOR) (0.19325% at June 30, 2014) plus 2.5%. At June 30, 2014, the Company’s rate option was London InterBank Offered Rate (LIBOR). There was no availability under the Revolver at June 30, 2014. However, the borrowing base limit changes with operations and opportunities.

A $150,000,000 acquisition and development term credit facility (Term Facility) was used to refinance an existing facility, undertake acquisitions and support capital expenditure under an agreed development plan for oil and gas properties and services companies in the United States. Drawdown on the Term Facility is based on predefined benchmarks.

Loans under the facilities are secured by the assets of the Company. Under terms of the facilities, the Company is required to maintain financial ratios customary for the oil and gas industry. Beginning in March 2008, the Company started to repay the facilities monthly to the extent of an applicable percentage of net operating cash flow and capital transactions. Principal payments made for the six month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013 were approximately $1,624,000 and $3,584,000, respectively. The Revolver and Term loans are guaranteed by a related party. The Company has exceeded the minimum cumulative principal payment obligation through the maturity date of the credit facilities.

In 2012, in connection with the Revolver and Term Facility, the bank received 33,145 of nondiluting warrants ($0.01) equivalent to 10% of the issued capital of Empire. In addition, the bank also received in 2012 a 3% overriding royalty interest in the acquired properties of Empire.

The discount on the debt is being amortized to interest expense over the term of three years. The unamortized discount on the debt is approximately $280,000 and $361,000 at June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively. Additional interest expense of $42,000 and $36,000 for the quarters ended June 30, 2014 and 2013 and $81,000 and $243,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013 is related to the amortization of the discount on debt.

In conjunction with the debt financing by the bank in 2010, a member issued options on 500 million shares (33,333,333 options following a share consolidation) of Empire Energy Group. Those options were independently valued at $1,687,000 in June 2010. The recorded value of the options of $1,687,000 was included in intangible assets as deferred financing costs being amortized over the option period, which is between 24 and 36 months. Empire issued 89,603 Series A units and 8,961 warrants as a result of this transaction to this member.

In addition, the member issued to the bank, 2,000,000 shares of Empire Energy Group during June 2010. The shares were issued as compensation for the late repayment of a loan. The shares were valued at $240,000, and the entire cost was expensed, since the issuance was the cost of the late payment of the bridge loan. Empire issued 6,060 Series A units and 606 warrants as a result of this transaction.

The Company has general notes payable to lending institutions for vehicle and equipment loans. Monthly payments, including interest at -0-% and 8.75%, range from approximately $500 to $2,626. The notes mature in April 2015 and April 2016, and are collateralized by the equipment and vehicles.

F-46


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2014
(Unaudited)

NOTE 4 — LONG-TERM DEBT  – (continued)

A summary of debt at June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013 is as follows:

   
  June 30,
2014
  December 31, 2013
Term:
                 
Tranche A-1   $ 3,500,000     $ 3,500,000  
Tranche A-2     2,432,529       2,432,529  
Tranche B     249,024       249,024  
Tranche C     19,585,871       19,585,871  
Tranche C-2     12,344,152       12,950,813  
Vehicle and equipment loans     33,222       50,621  
Sub-total     38,144,798       38,768,858  
Less discount on debt     279,947       361,258  
Total debt     37,864,851       38,407,600  
Revolver     3,000,000       3,000,000  
Total     40,864,851       41,407,600  
Less current portion     28,222       37,514  
Long-term debt per balance sheet   $ 40,836,629     $ 41,370,086  

NOTE 5 — INCOME TAX

The Company’s effective income tax rate for 2014 is 35%, which is consistent with statutory rates. The effective tax rate for and 2013 was 25% which was lower than statutory rates due to Managements recognition of net operating loss from prior periods. Additionally, for the six months ended June 30, 2013, the Company’s effective rate was 11% reflecting Management’s assessment of realizability of operating loss carryforwards coupled with a reversal of a tax benefit of approximately $46,000 from the first quarter of 2013. There were no reconciling items in 2014.

NOTE 6 — DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The Company utilizes commodity-based derivative instruments to manage a portion of the Company’s exposure to price risk from oil and natural gas sales. These instruments consist of New York Mercantile Exchange or NYMEX index-based future contracts for oil and natural gas production prices. These derivative instruments have the effect of locking in for specified periods (at predetermined prices or ranges of prices) the prices the Company receives for the volume of oil and natural gas to which the derivatives relate.

The Company is exposed to the effect of market fluctuations in the prices of oil and natural gas as they relate to Company’s oil and natural gas sales. Price risk represents the potential risk of loss from adverse changes in the market price of oil and natural gas commodities. The Company employs established policies and procedures to manage the risks associated with these market fluctuations using commodity derivatives. The Company’s policy prohibits the use of oil and natural gas derivative instruments for speculative purposes. The Company has evaluated the credit risk of counterparties, which are financial institutions. The Company has determined that the potential impact of nonperformance of its counterparties on the fair value of the derivative instruments was not significant.

Economic Hedging Strategies — The Company’s results of operations and operating cash flows are affected by changes in market prices for oil and natural gas. To mitigate a portion of the exposure to adverse market changes, the Company has entered into various derivative instruments. As of June 30, 2014, the Company’s oil and natural gas derivative instruments were composed of NYMEX index-based contracts for oil and natural gas production pricing.

F-47


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2014
(Unaudited)

NOTE 6 — DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS  – (continued)

Collars contain a fixed-floor price (put) and ceiling price (call). If the market price exceeds the ceiling strike price or falls below the fixed-floor strike price, the Company receives the fixed-floor price and pays the market prices. If the market price is between the ceiling and the floor strike price, no payments are due from either party.

The Company enters into derivative instruments for the Company’s production to protect against price declines in future periods while retaining some of the benefits of price increases. While these derivatives are structured to reduce exposure to changes in price associated with the derivative commodity, they also limit benefits the Company might otherwise have received from price changes in the physical market. The Company believes the derivative instruments in place continue to be effective in achieving the risk management objectives for which they were intended.

The Company has approximately 4,354,000 MMBTU of monthly natural gas production and 250,000 barrels of oil production hedged at amounts ranging from $4.365 to $6.26/MMBTU for natural gas expiring in July 2014 through December 2018, and $85.23 to $90.00 per barrel for oil through December 2017. The fair value of these items was an asset of approximately $1,426,000 and $4,563,000 at June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively. The Company expects to recognize a pre-tax gain of approximately $283,000 in its consolidated statements of comprehensive income in for the six-month period ended June 30, 2014. The net realized amounts recognized in the consolidated statements of operations and cash flows for the quarters ended June 30, 2014 and 2013 were gains of approximately $194,000 and $1,315,000, respectively, and were gains of approximately $82,000 and $763,000 for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and were recorded as oil and gas price risk management income. Unrealized pre-tax income (loss) of approximately $(2,147,000) and $1,114,000 were included in the consolidated statements of comprehensive (loss) income for the quarters ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and $3,137,000 and $609,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

NOTE 7 — FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT

Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Company discloses the category of assets and liabilities measured at fair value into one of three different levels, depending on the assumptions (i.e., inputs) used in the valuation. Level 1 provides the most reliable measure of fair value, whereas Level 3 generally requires significant management judgment. Financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input significant to the fair value measurement.

The fair value hierarchy is defined as follows:

Level 1 —  Inputs to the valuation methodology are unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that the plan has the ability to access.
Level 2 —  Inputs to the valuation methodology include:
quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets;
quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in inactive markets;
inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability;
inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable markets; and
data by correlation or other means.

F-48


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2014
(Unaudited)

NOTE 7 — FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT  – (continued)

If the asset or liability has a specified (contractual) term, the Level 2 input must be observable for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.

Level 3 —  Inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement.

The asset or liability’s fair value measurement level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Valuation techniques used need to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.

Financial instruments consist primarily of cash, accounts receivable, prepaid expenses, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, long-term debt, lines of credit and related-party payables. The carrying value of the lines of credit approximates fair value at June 30, 2014, since the interest rates are market-based and are generally adjusted periodically. Due to the nature of the related-party note payable, the approximate fair value cannot be determined. These instruments approximate fair value, due to the short-term nature of such instruments.

Determination of Fair Value Derivatives — The Company measures fair value based upon quoted market prices, where available. The Company’s valuation determination includes: (1) identification of the inputs to the fair value methodology through the review of counterparty statements and other supporting documentation, (2) determination of the validity of the source of the inputs, (3) corroboration of the original source of inputs through access to multiple quotes, if available, or other information and (4) monitoring changes in valuation methods and assumptions. The methods described above may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of future fair values. Furthermore, while the Company believes these valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with that used by other market participants, the use of different methodologies, or assumptions, to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments could result in a different estimate of fair value.

The Company’s only assets and liabilities at fair value as of June 30, 2014 and 2013, set forth by level within the fair value hierarchy, are derivative instruments, classified as Level 2.

NOTE 8 — EQUITY

In 2013, 16,251 of diluting warrants were authorized to effectively extend the 2008 warrants. The total value of the warrants was $444,628 derived from management’s current valuation. The warrants reduce the related outstanding debt at issuance and will be amortized over the remaining life of the outstanding debt instrument.

In 2011, 42,988 warrants were issued to the bank in connection with the debt. The bank also received 5,330 warrants for A, B and B-1 units issued in 2010.

All warrants are on a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. As of June 30, 2014, these warrants totaled 112,539 issued authorized and issued.

In 2013, the Company purchased the stock of a noncontrolling interest owner of Energy in a noncash transaction.

NOTE 9 — OPERATING LEASES

The Company leased its corporate headquarters under a noncancelable operating lease of monthly payments of approximately $6,900 through February 2013 and $7,200 through February 2017. Net rental expense approximated $21,600 and $21,000, net of reimbursements, for the quarters ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively and $43,200 and $42,600, net of reimbursements, for the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

F-49


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2014
(Unaudited)

NOTE 9 — OPERATING LEASES  – (continued)

The Company leases trucks under an operating agreement. The term of the agreement begins upon the delivery of each truck and lasts for a period of up to 48 months. Lease payments approximated $52,000 and $44,000 for the quarters ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively and $104,000 and $89,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

As of June 30, 2014, the Company’s approximate future minimum annual rental commitments are as follows:

 
  Amount
For the six-month period ending December 31, 2014   $ 148,000  
For the year ending December 31, 2015     265,000  
For the year ending December 31, 2016     197,000  
For the year ending December 31, 2017     141,000  
For the year ending December 31, 2018     23,000  
     $ 774,000  

NOTE 10 — CONTINGENCIES

The Company is involved in various legal proceedings arising out of the normal conduct of its business. In the opinion of management, the ultimate resolution of such matters will not have a material effect on the consolidated financial position results of operations or of the Company. The Company is subject to various federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment. The Company has established procedures for the ongoing evaluation of its operations, to identify potential environmental exposures and to comply with regulatory policies and procedures.

The Company accounts for environmental contingencies in accordance with the Contingencies topic of the FASB Codification. Environmental expenditures that relate to current operations are expensed or capitalized as appropriate. Expenditures that relate to an existing condition caused by past operations and do not contribute to current or future revenue generation, are expensed. Liabilities are recorded when environmental assessment and/or cleanup is probable, and the costs can be reasonably estimated. The Company maintains insurance that may cover in whole or in part certain environmental expenditures.

NOTE 11 — EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN

The Company has a profit sharing and 401(k) plan (Plan) covering substantially all full-time employees. The Plan provides for benefits to participants upon retirement, disability, employment termination or death. The Company’s discretionary contribution to the Plan is determined annually by the Board of Directors. The contributions to the Plan were $16,000 and $-0-, for the quarters ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and $28,000 and $-0- for the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

NOTE 12 — RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Company has a management services agreement with entities with common ownership. The annual amount is $150,000 and increases with the number of transactions the Company conducts. The fees are payable in arrears in 12 monthly installments. The amount of fees incurred for the quarters ended June 30, 2014 and 2013 were $42,000 and $42,000, respectively. The amount of fees incurred for the six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013 were $84,000 and $89,000, respectively.

The Company owes a related party an intercompany payable resulting from various cash transactions between the two companies. There are no terms related to the amount owed. The balances at June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013 were $6,261,000 and $8,028,000, respectively. On July 1, 2013, the Company agreed to convert $29,800,000 of debt owed to a related party to equity.

F-50


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPERIAL RESOURCES, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2014
(Unaudited)

NOTE 13 — SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

Subsequent events are defined as events or transactions that occur after the balance sheet date, but before the consolidated financial statements are issued or are available to be issued. Management has evaluated subsequent events through the date of filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and has determined that there are no subsequent events that require additional recognition or disclosure.

NOTE 14 — NET PROVED RESERVES

All of the Company’s oil and natural gas reserves are located in the U.S. The Company utilizes the services of independent petroleum engineers to estimate its oil and natural gas reserves. As of June 30, 2014, all of the Company’s reserve estimates were based on reserve reports prepared by Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. and LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd. as of December 31, 2013. There have been no new estimates of reserves prepared as of that date. These reserve estimates have been prepared in compliance with professional standards and the reserves definitions prescribed by the SEC.

Proved reserves estimates may change, either positively or negatively, as additional information becomes available and as contractual, economic and political conditions change. The Company’s net proved reserve estimates have been adjusted as necessary to reflect all contractual agreements, royalty obligations and interests owned by others at the time of the estimate. Proved developed reserves are the quantities of crude oil, natural gas and NGLs expected to be recovered through existing wells with existing equipment and operating methods. In some cases, proved undeveloped reserves may require substantial new investments in additional wells and related facilities.

F-51


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ANNEX A
 
GLOSSARY OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS TERMS

The following are abbreviations and definitions of certain terms used in this document, which are commonly used in the oil and natural gas industry:

Bcf.”  One billion cubic feet of natural gas.

Btu.”  One British thermal unit, the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of a one-pound mass of water by one degree of Fahrenheit.

Basin.”  A large natural depression on the earth’s surface in which sediments generally brought by water accumulate.

Boe.”  Barrel of oil equivalent, unit of energy based on the approximate energy released by burning one barrel of oil. 6Mcf equals one barrel of oil.

Boe/d.”  Barrel of oil equivalent per day.

Bbl.”  Barrel of oil. 42 US gallons.

Completion.”  The process of treating a drilled well followed by the installation of permanent equipment for the production of natural gas or oil, or in the case of a dry hole, the reporting of abandonment to the appropriate agency.

DD&A.”  Depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion.

Delineation.”  The process of placing a number of wells in various parts of a reservoir to determine its boundaries and production characteristics.

Developed acreage.”  The number of acres that are allocated or assignable to productive wells or wells capable of production.

Development well.”  A well drilled within the proved area of an oil or natural gas reservoir to the depth of a stratigraphic horizon known to be productive.

Dry gas.”  A natural gas containing insufficient quantities of hydrocarbons heavier than methane to allow their commercial extraction or to require their removal in order to render the gas suitable for fuel use.

Dry hole.”  A well found to be incapable of producing hydrocarbons in sufficient quantities such that proceeds from the sale of such production exceed production expenses and taxes.

EUR.”  Estimated ultimate recovery.

Exploratory well.”  A well drilled to find and produce natural gas or oil reserves not classified as proved, to find a new reservoir in a field previously found to be productive of natural gas or oil in another reservoir or to extend a known reservoir.

Field.”  An area consisting of a single reservoir or multiple reservoirs all grouped on, or related to, the same individual geological structural feature or stratigraphic condition. The field name refers to the surface area, although it may refer to both the surface and the underground productive formations.

Formation.”  A layer of rock which has distinct characteristics that differs from nearby rock.

Gross acres” or “gross wells.”  The total acres or wells, as the case may be, in which a working interest is owned.

Gross (net) identified drilling locations.”  Gross (net) identified drilling locations are those drilling locations identified by management based on our reserve reports.

Held by production” — A provision in an oil and natural gas property lease that allows the lessee to continue drilling and/or production activities on the property, as long as it is producing a minimum paying amount of oil or gas. The “Held by production” provision thereby extends the lessee’s right to operate the property beyond the initial lease term.

A-1


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Horizontal drilling.”  A drilling technique used in certain formations where a well is drilled vertically to a certain depth and then drilled at a right angle within a specified interval.

Identified drilling locations.”  Total gross (net) resource play locations that we may be able to drill on our existing acreage. Actual drilling activities may change depending on the availability of capital, regulatory approvals, seasonal restrictions, natural gas and oil prices, costs, drilling results and other factors.

Mcf.”  One thousand cubic feet of natural gas.

MMcf.”  One million cubic feet of natural gas.

MMBtu.”  One million Btu.

MBoe.”  One thousand barrels of oil equivalent.

MMBbl.”  One million barrels of oil.

MBbl.”  One thousand barrels of oil.

NGLs.”  Natural gas liquids. Hydrocarbons found in natural gas which may be extracted as liquefied petroleum gas and natural gasoline.

NYMEX.”  The New York Mercantile Exchange.

Net acres” or “Net Wells.”  The percentage of total acres an owner has out of a particular number of acres, or a specified tract or the owner’s working interest in a well. An owner who has 50% working interest in 100 acres owns 50 net acres or a 50% working interest in 100 wells owns 50 net wells.

Productive well.”  A well that is found to be capable of producing hydrocarbons in sufficient quantities such that proceeds from the sale of the production exceed production expenses and taxes.

Prospect.”  A specific geographic area which, based on supporting geological, geophysical or other data and also preliminary economic analysis using reasonably anticipated prices and costs, is deemed to have potential for the discovery of commercial hydrocarbons.

Proved developed reserves.”  Reserves that can be expected to be recovered through existing wells with existing equipment and operating methods.

Proved reserves.”  The estimated quantities of oil, natural gas and NGLs which geological and engineering data demonstrate with reasonable certainty to be commercially recoverable in future years from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions.

PV-10.”  When used with respect to natural gas and oil reserves, PV-10 means the estimated future gross revenue to be generated from the production of proved reserves, net of estimated production, future development and abandonment costs, using prices and costs in effect at the determination date, before income taxes, and without giving effect to non-property-related expenses, discounted to a present value using an annual discount rate of 10% in accordance with the guidelines of the SEC.

Recompletion.”  The process of re-entering an existing wellbore that is either producing or not producing and completing new reservoirs in an attempt to establish or increase existing production.

Reservoir.”  A porous and permeable underground formation containing a natural accumulation of producible oil and/or natural gas that is confined by impermeable rock or water barriers and is separate from other reservoirs.

Spacing.”  The distance between wells producing from the same reservoir. Spacing is often expressed in terms of acres, e.g., 40-acre spacing, and is often established by regulatory agencies.

Standardized measure.”  Discounted future net cash flows estimated by applying year-end prices to the estimated future production of year-end proved reserves. Future cash inflows are reduced by estimated future production and development costs based on period-end costs to determine pre-tax cash inflows. Future income

A-2


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

taxes, if applicable, are computed by applying the statutory tax rate to the excess of pre-tax cash inflows over our tax basis in the natural gas and oil properties. Future net cash inflows after income taxes are discounted using a 10% annual discount rate.

Total depth.”  The planned end of a well, measured by the length of pipe required to reach the bottom.

Undeveloped acreage.”  Lease acreage on which wells have not been drilled or completed to a point that would permit the production of commercial quantities of natural gas and oil regardless of whether such acreage contains proved reserves.

Unit.”  The joining of all or substantially all interests in a reservoir or field, rather than a single tract, to provide for development and operation without regard to separate property interests. Also, the area covered by a unitization agreement.

Wellbore.”  The hole drilled by the bit that is equipped for natural gas production on a completed well. Also called well or borehole.

Working interest.”  The right granted to the lessee of a property to explore for and to produce and own natural gas or other minerals. The working interest owners bear the exploration, development, and operating costs on either a cash, penalty, or carried basis.

A-3


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

         Shares of Common Stock

 


         Warrants to Purchase
         Shares of Common Stock

 
 
 
 
 
 

[GRAPHIC MISSING]  

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Prospectus dated            , 2014

 
 
 
 
 
 

Until            , 2014 (25 days after the commencement of this offering), all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

 

 


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part II
 
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 13. Other expenses of issuance and distribution

The following table sets forth an itemized statement of the amounts of all expenses (excluding underwriting discounts and commissions) payable by us in connection with the registration of the common stock offered hereby. With the exception of the Registration Fee, FINRA Filing Fee and NASDAQ Capital Market listing fee), the amounts set forth below are estimates.

 
SEC Registration Fee   $ 3,749.29  
FINRA Filing Fee   $ 3,687.50  
NASDAQ Capital Market listing fee   $ 75,000.00  
Accountants’ fees and expenses     *  
Legal fees and expenses     *  
Printing and engraving expenses     *  
Transfer agent and registrar fees     *  
Miscellaneous     *  
Total   $  

* To be completed by amendment.

Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes a corporation’s board of directors to grant, and authorizes a court to award, indemnity to officers, directors and other corporate agents.

Upon consummation of this offering, our certificate of incorporation will contain provisions that limit the liability of our directors for monetary damages to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. Consequently, our directors will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duties as directors, except liability for the following:

any breach of their duty of loyalty to our company or our stockholders;
any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law; or
any transaction from which they derived an improper personal benefit.

Any amendment to, or repeal of, these provisions will not eliminate or reduce the effect of these provisions in respect of any act, omission or claim that occurred or arose prior to that amendment or repeal. If the Delaware General Corporation Law is amended to provide for further limitations on the personal liability of directors of corporations, then the personal liability of our directors will be further limited to the greatest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.

In addition, our bylaws, which will become effective prior to the completion of this offering, will provide that we will indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any person who is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she is or was one of our directors or officers or is or was serving at our request as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. Our bylaws are expected to provide that we may indemnify to the fullest extent permitted by law any person who is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she is or was one of our employees or agents or is or was serving at our request as an employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. Our amended and restated bylaws will also provide that we must advance expenses incurred by or on behalf of a director or officer in advance of the final disposition of any action or proceeding, subject to limited exceptions.

II-1


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Further, we have entered into or will enter into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers that may be broader than the specific indemnification provisions contained in the Delaware General Corporation Law. These indemnification agreements require us, among other things, to indemnify our directors and executive officers against liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service. These indemnification agreements also require us to advance all expenses incurred by the directors and executive officers in investigating or defending any such action, suit or proceeding. We believe that these agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified individuals to serve as directors and executive officers.

The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions that are expected to be included in our certificate of incorporation, second amended and restated bylaws and in indemnification agreements that we have entered into or will enter into with our directors and executive officers may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors and executive officers for breach of their fiduciary duties. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against our directors and executive officers, even though an action, if successful, might benefit us and other stockholders. Further, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent that we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and executive officers as required by these indemnification provisions. At present, we are not aware of any pending litigation or proceeding involving any person who is or was one of our directors, officers, employees or other agents or is or was serving at our request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, for which indemnification is sought, and we are not aware of any threatened litigation that may result in claims for indemnification.

We have obtained insurance policies under which, subject to the limitations of the policies, coverage is provided to our directors and executive officers against loss arising from claims made by reason of breach of fiduciary duty or other wrongful acts as a director or executive officer, including claims relating to public securities matters, and to us with respect to payments that may be made by us to these directors and executive officers pursuant to our indemnification obligations or otherwise as a matter of law.

The underwriting agreement filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this registration statement will provide for indemnification by the underwriters of us and our officers and directors for certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act or otherwise.

Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

Since January 1, 2011, the Company has not issued any membership interests or other equity interests to any third party.

Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

(a) See the Exhibit Index immediately following the signature page hereto, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

Item 17. Undertakings

(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post- effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement.

II-2


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 (§230.424 of this chapter);

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

(f) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreement certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.

(h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

(i) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

II-3


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this Amendment No. 3 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Canonsburg, State of Pennsylvania, on October 10, 2014.

By: /s/ Bruce W. McLeod

Bruce W. McLeod
Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and the dates indicated.

   
Signature   Title   Date
/s/ Bruce W. McLeod

Bruce W. McLeod
  Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)
  October 10, 2014
/s/ *

Robert S. Gustafson
  Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
  October 10, 2014
/s/ Bruce W. McLeod

Bruce W. McLeod
  Chief Executive Officer of Empire Energy Group Limited, the manager of the Registrant   October 10, 2014
*By: /s/ Bruce W. McLeod

Bruce W. McLeod
Attorney-in-Fact

II-4


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 
Exhibit number   Description
 1.1     Form of Underwriting Agreement
3.1†   Form of Certificate of Conversion of Imperial Resources, LLC
3.2†   Form of Plan of Conversion of Imperial Resources, LLC
3.3†   Form of Certificate of Incorporation of Empire Energy Holdings, Inc.
3.4†   Form of Bylaws of Empire Energy Holdings, Inc.
4.1†   Form of Common Stock Certificate
4.2    Form of Warrant to be issued by Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. to Macquarie Americas Corp.
 4.3     Form of Warrant Agreement by and between Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. and Form of Warrant
 4.4     Form of Representative’s Warrant
5.1    Form of Opinion of Reed Smith LLP as to the legality of the securities being registered
10.1†    Form of Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. Stock Incentive Plan
10.2†    Management & License Agreement, dated May 20, 2014, by and between Empire Energy Group Limited, as Licensor, and Empire Energy USA, LLC, as Licensee
10.3†    Form of Executive Employment Letter by and between Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. and Robert Gustafson
10.4†    Form of Consulting Letter by and between Empire Energy Holdings, Inc. and Allen Boyer
10.5     Form of Amended and Restated Consultancy Services Deed, dated September 19, 2014, by and among Empire Energy Group Limited, Imperial Resources, LLC, Energy Cap Pty Ltd and Bruce William Mcleod
10.6†    Loan Facility, dated July 1, 2013, among Empire Energy USA, LLC, as borrower, Imperial Resources, as administrative agent and the lenders party thereto
10.7†    Senior Lien Secured Credit Agreement, dated February 26, 2008, among Empire Energy E&P, LLC, Empire Energy USA, LLC and Empire Drilling and Field Services, LLC, as borrowers, and Macquarie Bank Limited, as lender
10.8†    Amended and Restated Seventeenth Amendment, to Senior Lien Secured Credit Agreement, dated August 27, 2014 but effective as of January 15, 2013, among Empire Energy E&P, LLC and Empire Energy USA, LLC, as borrowers, and Macquarie Bank Limited, as lender
10.9†    Eighteenth Amendment, dated January 24, 2014, to Senior Lien Secured Credit Agreement, dated February 26, 2008, among Empire Energy E&P, LLC, Empire Energy USA, LLC and Empire Drilling and Field Services, LLC, as borrowers, and Macquarie Bank Limited, as lender
10.10†     Nineteenth Amendment, dated June 30, 2014, to Senior Lien Secured Credit Agreement, dated February 26, 2008, among Empire Energy E&P, LLC, Empire Energy USA, LLC and Empire Drilling and Field Services, LLC, as borrowers, and Macquarie Bank Limited, as lender
21.1†    List of Subsidiaries of Empire Energy Holdings, Inc.
23.1     Consent of Schneider Downs & Co. Inc.
23.2     Consent of LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd.
23.3     Consent of Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc.
23.4     Consent of Reed Smith LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5.1 hereto)
24.1†    Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of the initial filing of the Registration Statement)
99.1†    LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd. Summary of Reserves at December 31, 2012
99.2†    LaRoche Petroleum Consultants, Ltd. Summary of Reserves at December 31, 2013

II-5


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
Exhibit number   Description
99.3†    Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. Summary of Reserves at December 31, 2012
99.4†    Ralph E. Davis Associates, Inc. Summary of Reserves as of December 31, 2013
99.5†    Consent of Anthony Cristafo as Director Nominee
99.6†    Consent of Denise Cox as Director Nominee

* To be filed by amendment.
Previously filed.

II-6