(11) Derivative Instruments

The Company is exposed to certain risks relating to its ongoing business operations, and it uses derivative instruments to manage its commodity price risk.  In addition, the Company periodically enters into contracts that contain embedded features that are required to be bifurcated and accounted for separately as derivatives.

The Company periodically enters into natural gas, NGLs and oil derivative contracts with counterparties to hedge the price risk associated with its production. These derivatives are not entered into for trading purposes. To the extent that changes occur in the market prices of natural gas, NGLs and oil, the Company is exposed to market risk on these open contracts. This market risk exposure is generally offset by the change in market prices of natural gas, NGLs and oil recognized upon the ultimate sale of the Company’s production.

The Company was party to various fixed price commodity swap contracts that settled during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2022. The Company enters into these swap contracts when management believes that favorable future sales prices for the Company’s production can be secured. Under these swap agreements, when actual commodity prices upon settlement exceed the fixed price provided by the swap contracts, the Company pays the difference to the counterparty. When actual commodity prices upon settlement are less than the contractually provided fixed price, the Company receives the difference from the counterparty. In addition, the Company has entered into basis swap contracts in order to hedge the difference between the New York Mercantile Exchange (“NYMEX”) index price and a local index price. Under these basis swap agreements, when actual commodity prices upon settlement exceed the fixed price provided by the swap contracts, the Company receives the difference from the counterparty. When actual commodity prices upon settlement are less than the contractually provided fixed price, the Company pays the difference to the counterparty.

The Company’s derivative contracts have not been designated as hedges for accounting purposes; therefore, all gains and losses are recognized in the Company’s statements of operations.

As of September 30, 2022, the Company’s fixed price swap positions excluding Martica, the Company’s consolidated VIE, were as follows:

​

​

In addition, the Company has a swaption agreement, which entitles the counterparty the right, but not the obligation, to enter into a fixed price swap agreement on December 21, 2023 to purchase 427,500 MMBtu per day at a price of $2.77 per MMBtu for the year ending December 31, 2024.

The Company also has a call option and an embedded put option tied to NYMEX pricing for the production volumes associated with the Company’s retained interest in the volumetric production payment transaction (“VPP”) properties. The put option was embedded within another contract, and since the embedded put option was not clearly and closely related to its host contract, the Company bifurcated this derivative instrument and reflects it at fair value in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. As of September 30, 2022, the Company’s call option and embedded put option arrangements were as follows:

​

​

As of September 30, 2022, the Company’s natural gas basis swap positions, which settle on the pricing index to basis differential of the Columbia Gas Transmission pipeline (“TCO”) to the NYMEX Henry Hub natural gas price were as follows:

​

​

As of September 30, 2022, the Company’s fixed price swap positions for Martica, the Company’s consolidated VIE, were as follows:

​

​

The table below presents a summary of the fair values of the Company’s derivative instruments and where such values are recorded in the condensed consolidated balance sheets (in thousands).

​

The following table sets forth the gross values of recognized derivative assets and liabilities, the amounts offset under master netting arrangements with counterparties, and the resulting net amounts presented in the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of the dates presented, all at fair value (in thousands):

​

The following table sets forth a summary of derivative fair value gains and losses and where such values are recorded in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations (in thousands):