SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-K
ANNUAL
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2004 |
Commission
File No. 0-6119 |
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
(Exact
Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Delaware |
84-0617433 |
(State
or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S.
Employer Identification No.) |
5555
Business Park South, Suite 200, Bakersfield, California
93309
(Address
of Principal Executive Offices)
Registrant's
Telephone Number Including Area Code: (661)
864-0500
Securities
Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
None
Securities
Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
Common
Stock, $0.001 par value
(Title of
Class)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be
filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required
to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such requirement for the past
90 days.
Yes
x Noo
Check if
there is no disclosure of delinquent filers in response to Item 405 of
Regulation S-K contained in this form, and no disclosure will be contained to
the best of the registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information
statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K, if
applicable, or any amendment to this Form 10-K. x
The
issuer's revenues for the most recent fiscal year were $4,498,670.
As of
February 28, 2005,
22,247,052 common shares were issued and outstanding, and the aggregate market
value of the common shares of Tri-Valley Corporation held by non-affiliates on
that date was approximately $309,866,291.
DOCUMENTS
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE: None
Transitional
Small Business Disclosure Format (check one): Yes o No
x
Exhibit
Index appears on page 57
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
PART
I |
|
|
ITEM
1 |
Business |
1 |
|
Competition |
1 |
|
Governmental
Regulation |
1 |
|
Environmental
Regulation |
2 |
|
Employees |
3 |
|
Available
Information |
3 |
ITEM
2 |
Properties |
3 |
|
Oil
and Gas Operations |
3 |
|
Mining
Activity |
5 |
ITEM
4 |
Submission
of Matters To A Vote Of Security Holders |
6 |
|
|
|
PART
II |
|
|
ITEM
5 |
Market
Price Of The Registrant's Common Stock And Related Security Holder
Matters |
6 |
|
Recent
Sales of Unregistered Securities |
7 |
ITEM
6 |
Selected
Historical Financial Data |
7 |
ITEM
7 |
Management's
Discussion And Analysis Of Financial Condition |
7 |
|
Notice
Regarding Forward-Looking Statements |
7 |
|
Overview |
7 |
|
Restatements |
8 |
|
Critical
Accounting Policies |
9 |
|
Results
of Operations |
12 |
|
Financial
Condition |
12 |
|
Operating
Activities |
13 |
ITEM
8 |
Financial
Statements |
15 |
ITEM
9A |
Controls
and Procedures |
51 |
|
Evaluation
of Disclosure Controls |
51 |
|
Internal
Control over Financial Reporting |
51 |
|
|
|
PART
III |
|
|
ITEM
10 |
Directors
and Executive Officers of the Registrant |
52 |
ITEM
11 |
Executive
Compensation |
55 |
|
Employment
Agreement with Our President |
56 |
|
Compensation
Committee Report |
56 |
|
Aggregated
2003 Option Exercises and Year-End Values |
56 |
|
Compensation
of Directors |
56 |
|
Performance
Graph |
57 |
ITEM
12 |
Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and
Management |
57 |
ITEM
14 |
Principal
Accountant Fees and Services |
58 |
ITEM
15 |
Exhibits
and Financial Statement Schedules |
58 |
|
|
|
SIGNATURES |
60 |
PART
I
ITEM
1 Business
Tri-Valley
Corporation, a Delaware corporation formed in 1971, is in the business of
exploring, acquiring and developing prospective and producing petroleum,
industrial minerals and precious metals properties and interests therein.
Substantially all of our oil and gas reserves are located in northern
California. Tri-Valley has three wholly owned subsidiaries. Tri-Valley Oil &
Gas Company, Select Resources Corporation Inc., and Tri-Valley Power
Corporation.
Tri-Valley
Oil & Gas Company (“TVOG”) operates the oil & gas activities. TVOG
derives the majority of its revenue from sale of oil and gas properties. TVOG
primarily generates its own exploration prospects from its internal database,
and also screens prospects from other geologists and companies. TVOG generates
these geological “plays” within a certain geographic area of mutual interest.
The prospect is then presented to potential co-ventures. The company deals with
both accredited individual investors and energy industry companies. TVOG is the
operator of these co-ventures.
We sell
substantially all of our oil and gas production to ConocoPhillips. Other
gatherers of oil and gas production operate within our area of operations in
California, and we are confident that if ConocoPhillips ceased purchasing our
production we could find another purchaser on similar terms with no adverse
consequences to our income or operations.
In 1987,
we acquired precious metals claims on Alaska state lands. We have conducted
exploration operations on these properties and have reduced our original claims
to a block of approximately 28,720 acres (44.9 square miles). We have conducted
trenching, core drilling, bulk sampling and assaying activities to date and have
reason to believe that mineralization exists to justify additional exploration
activities. However, to date, we have not identified probable mineral reserves
on these properties. There is no assurance that a commercially viable mineral
deposit exists on any of these above-mentioned mineral properties. Further
exploration is required before a final evaluation as to the economic and legal
feasibility can be determined.
In
December 2004, we created Select Resources Corporation as a wholly owned
subsidiary. In 2004, Select Resources engaged in limited activities associated
with its organization. We expect to transfer our existing gold mining properties
located near Richardson, Alaska, to this new subsidiary. In addition, the new
subsidiary will endeavor to acquire and develop new precious metals and other
industrial mineral properties.
Tri-Valley
Power Corporation is the third wholly owned subsidiary. However, this subsidiary
is inactive at the present time.
Competition
The oil
and gas industry is highly competitive in all its phases. Competition is
particularly intense with respect to the acquisition of desirable producing
properties, the acquisition of oil and gas prospects suitable for enhanced
production efforts, and the hiring of experienced personnel. Our competitors in
oil and gas acquisition, development, and production include the major oil
companies in addition to numerous independent oil and gas companies, individual
proprietors and drilling programs. Many of these competitors possess and employ
financial and personnel resources substantially greater than those which are
available to us and may be able to pay more for desirable producing properties
and prospects and to define, evaluate, bid for, and purchase a greater number of
producing properties and prospects than we can. Our financial or personnel
resources to generate reserves in the future will be dependent on our ability to
select and acquire suitable producing properties and prospects in competition
with these companies.
Governmental
Regulation
Domestic
exploration for the production and sale of oil and gas is extensively regulated
at both the federal and state levels. Legislation affecting the oil and gas
industry is under constant review for amendment or expansion, frequently
increasing the regulatory burden. Also, numerous departments and agencies, both
federal and state, are authorized by statute to issue, and have issued, rules
and regulations affecting the oil and gas industry which often are difficult and
costly to comply with and which carry substantial penalties for noncompliance.
State statutes and regulations require permits for drilling operations, drilling
bonds, and reports concerning operations. Most states in which we will operate
also have statutes and regulations governing conservation matters, including the
unitization or pooling of properties and the establishment of maximum rates of
production from wells. Many state statutes and regulations may limit the rate at
which oil and gas could otherwise be produced from acquired properties. Some
states
have also enacted statutes prescribing ceiling prices for natural gas sold
within their states. Our operations are also subject to numerous laws and
regulations governing plugging and abandonment, the discharge of materials into
the environment or otherwise relating to environmental protection. The heavy
regulatory burden on the oil and gas industry increases its costs of doing
business and consequently affects its profitability. We cannot be sure that a
change in such laws, rules, regulations, or interpretations, will not harm our
financial condition or operating results.
Environmental
Regulation
Mining
Activities
Mining
activities in the United States are subject to federal and state laws and
regulations covering mining safety and environmental quality. However, because
we do not have active mining operations at present, these regulations have
little impact on our current activities. In 2004, 2003 and 2002, the regulatory
requirements had no significant effect on our precious metals activity as we
continued our exploration efforts.
Should we
seek to develop our precious metals claims, development efforts would require
compliance with mining laws and regulations. State and federal laws impose
minimum safety standards to protect workers in the construction and development
of mines and conduct of mining operations. Mining activities are subject to
environmental regulation of the output of mines, particularly in the storage and
disposal of waste from mining operations. Environmental regulations restrict the
storage, use and disposal of both the materials used in mining operations and
the waste contained in mineral ore, all of which contain toxic materials that
would damage the surrounding land and ground water if not carefully
handled.
In
addition, federal and state regulations call for reclamation of land which has
been altered by mining activities. These regulations may require significant
expenditures to clean up a mining site during and after mining.
Before we
could begin actual mining operations on our claims, we would have to develop a
feasibility study which would, among other things, address the potential costs
of labor, safety and environmental regulation on any proposed mining activity.
Energy
Operations
Our
energy operations are subject to risks of fire, explosions, blow-outs, pipe
failure, abnormally pressured formations and environmental hazards, such as oil
spills, natural gas leaks, ruptures or discharges of toxic gases, the occurrence
of any of which could result in substantial losses due to injury or loss of
life, severe damage to or destruction of property, natural resources and
equipment, pollution or other environmental damage, clean-up responsibilities,
regulatory investigation and penalties and suspension of operations. In
accordance with customary industry practice, we maintain insurance against these
kinds of risks, but we cannot be sure that our level of insurance will cover all
losses in the event of a drilling or production catastrophe. Insurance is not
available for all operational risks, such as risks that we will drill a dry
hole, fail in an attempt to complete a well or have problems maintaining
production from existing wells.
Oil and
gas activities can result in liability under federal, state, and local
environmental regulations for activities involving, among other things, water
pollution and hazardous waste transport, storage, and disposal. Such liability
can attach not only to the operator of record of the well, but also to other
parties that may be deemed to be current or prior operators or owners of the
wells or the equipment involved. Numerous governmental agencies issue rules and
regulations to implement and enforce such laws, which are often difficult and
costly to comply with and which carry substantial administrative, civil and
criminal penalties and in some cases injunctive relief for failure to comply.
Some laws, rules and regulations relating to the protection of the environment
may, in certain circumstances, impose "strict liability" for environmental
contamination. These laws render a person or company liable for environmental
and natural resource damages, cleanup costs and, in the case of oil spills in
certain states, consequential damages without regard to negligence or fault.
Other laws, rules and regulations may require the rate of oil and gas production
to be below the economically optimal rate or may even prohibit exploration or
production activities in environmentally sensitive areas. In addition, state
laws often require some form of remedial action, such as closure of inactive
pits and plugging of abandoned wells, to prevent pollution from former or
suspended operations.
The
federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, or
CERCLA, also known as the "Superfund" law, imposes liability, without regard to
fault, on certain classes of persons with respect to the release of a "hazardous
substance" into the environment. These persons include the current or prior
owner or operator of the disposal site or sites where the release occurred and
companies that transported, disposed or arranged for the transport or disposal
of the hazardous substances found at the site. Persons who are or were
responsible for releases of hazardous substances under CERCLA may be subject to
joint and several liability for the costs of cleaning up the hazardous
substances that have been released into the environment and for damages to
natural resources, and it is not uncommon for the federal or state government to
pursue such claims. It is also not uncommon for neighboring landowners and other
third parties to file claims for personal injury or property or natural resource
damages allegedly caused by the hazardous substances released into the
environment. Under CERCLA, certain oil and gas materials and products are, by
definition, excluded from the term "hazardous substances." At least two federal
courts have held that certain wastes associated with the production of crude oil
may be classified as hazardous substances under CERCLA. Similarly, under the
federal Resource, Conservation and Recovery Act, or RCRA, which governs the
generation, treatment, storage and disposal of "solid wastes" and "hazardous
wastes," certain oil and gas materials and wastes are exempt from the definition
of "hazardous wastes." This exemption continues to be subject to judicial
interpretation and increasingly stringent state interpretation. During the
normal course of operations on properties in which we have an interest, exempt
and non-exempt wastes, including hazardous wastes, that are subject to RCRA and
comparable state statutes and implementing regulations are generated or have
been generated in the past. The federal Environmental Protection Agency and
various state agencies continue to promulgate regulations that limit the
disposal and permitting options for certain hazardous and non-hazardous wastes.
Compliance
with environmental requirements, including financial assurance requirements and
the costs associated with the cleanup of any spill, could have a material
adverse effect on our capital expenditures or earnings. These laws and
regulations have not had a material affect on our capital expenditures or
earnings to date. Nevertheless, changes in environmental laws have the potential
to adversely affect operations. At this time, we have no plans to make any
material capital expenditures for environmental control facilities.
Employees
We had a
total of five full-time employees, one part-time bookkeeper, and three
consultants on December 31, 2004.
Available
Information
We file
annual and quarterly reports, proxy statements and other information with the
Securities and Exchange Commission using SEC's EDGAR system. The SEC maintains a
site on the Internet at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and
information statements and other information regarding us and other registrants
that file reports electronically with the SEC. You may read and copy any
materials that we file with the SEC at its Public Reference Room at 450 5th
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. Our common stock is listed on the American
Stock Exchange, under the symbol TIV. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for
further information about their public reference rooms. Our website is located
at http://www.tri-valleycorp.com.
We
furnish our shareholders with a copy of our annual report on Form 10-K, which
contains audited financial statements, and such other reports as we, from time
to time, deem appropriate or as may be required by law. We use the calendar year
as our fiscal year.
ITEM
2 Properties
Our
headquarters and administrative offices are located at 5555 Business Park South,
Suite 200, Bakersfield, California 93309. We lease approximately 4,500 square
feet of office space at that location. Our principal properties consist
of proven and unproven oil and gas properties, mining claims on unproven
precious metals properties, maps and geologic records related to prospective oil
and gas and unproven precious metal properties, office and other equipment. TVOG
has a worldwide geologic library with data on every continent except Antarctica
including over 700 leads and prospects in California, our
present area of emphasis.
Oil
and Gas Operations
The oil
and gas properties in which we hold
interests are primarily located in the area of central California known as the
Sacramento Valley. We also
lease
exploration acreage in the San Joaquin and Santa Maria Valleys. Tri-Valley
contracts for the drilling of all wells and do not own any drilling equipment,
bulk storage facilities, or refineries. Tri-Valley do own a small segment of
pipeline at Tracy, California.
Tri-Valley
has retained the services of Cecil Engineering, an independent engineer
qualified to estimate our net
share of proved developed oil and gas reserves on all of our
oil and gas properties at December 31, 2004 for SEC filing. We do not
include any undeveloped reserves in these reserve studies. Only
proved developed reserves are listed in
our reserve report. Price is a material factor in our
stated reserves, because
higher prices permit relatively higher-cost reserves to be produced
economically. Higher prices generally permit longer recovery, hence larger
reserves at higher values. Conversely, lower prices generally limit recovery to
lower-cost reserves, hence smaller reserves. The process of estimating oil and
gas reserve quantities is inherently imprecise. Ascribing monetary values to
those reserves, therefore, yields imprecise estimated data at best.
Our
estimated future net recoverable oil and gas reserves from proved developed
properties as of December 31, 2004, December 31, 2003 and December 31, 2002 were
as follows:
|
BBL |
MCF |
|
|
|
|
|
December
31, 2004 |
Condensate |
150 |
Natural
Gas |
818,919 |
December
31, 2003 |
Condensate |
150 |
Natural
Gas |
1,319,887 |
December
31, 2002 |
Condensate |
150 |
Natural
Gas |
1,492,245 |
Using
year-end oil and gas prices and current levels of lease operating expenses, the
estimated present value of the future net revenue to be derived from
our
proved developed oil and gas reserves, discounted at 10%, was $1,958,238 at
December 31, 2004, $2,270,632 at
December 31, 2003, and $2,224,270 at December 31, 2002. The unaudited
supplemental information attached to the consolidated financial statements
provides more information on oil and gas reserves and estimated
values.
The
following table sets forth the net quantities of natural gas and crude oil
that we
produced
during:
|
Year
Ended |
Year
Ended |
Year
Ended |
|
December
31, |
December
31, |
December
31, |
|
2004 |
2003 |
2002 |
|
|
|
|
Natural
Gas (MCF) |
126,942 |
162,314 |
232,578 |
Crude
Oil (BBL) |
22 |
25 |
29 |
The
following table sets forth our average
sales price and average production (lifting) cost per unit of oil and gas
produced
during:
|
Year
Ended |
Year
Ended |
Year
Ended |
|
December
31, |
December
31, |
December
31, |
|
2004 |
2003 |
2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gas
(Mcf) |
Oil* |
Gas
(Mcf) |
Oil* |
Gas
(Mcf) |
Oil* |
Sales
Price |
$5.66 |
$40.60
|
$5.07 |
$29.46 |
$3.07 |
$19.13 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Production
Costs |
$1.14 |
0 |
$0.78 |
0 |
$0.98 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Profit |
$4.52 |
$40.60
|
$4.29 |
$29.46 |
$2.09 |
$19.13 |
* Amount
represents total sales price of associated condensate, unable to determine price
per barrel.
As of
December 31, 2004 we had
the following gross and net position in wells and developed
acreage:
Wells
(1) |
Acres
(2) |
Gross |
Net |
Gross |
Net |
11 |
4.537 |
2,192 |
645 |
(1) |
"Gross"
wells represent the total number of producing wells in which we
have a working interest. "Net" wells represent the number of gross
producing wells multiplied by the percentages of the working interests
which
we own. "Net wells" recognizes only those wells in which we
hold an earned working interest. Working interests earned at payout have
not been included. |
(2) |
"Gross"
acres represent the total acres in which we
have a working interest; "net" acres represent the aggregate of the
working interests which
we own in the gross acres. |
The
following table sets forth the number of productive and dry exploratory and
development wells which we
drilled during:
|
Year
Ended |
Year
Ended |
Year
Ended |
|
December
31, |
December
31, |
December
31, |
|
2004 |
2003 |
2002 |
|
|
|
|
Exploratory |
|
|
|
Producing |
-0- |
-0- |
-0- |
Recompleting |
|
|
1 |
Dry |
1 |
|
2 |
Total |
-1- |
-0- |
3 |
|
|
|
|
Development |
|
|
|
Producing
|
-0- |
-0- |
-0- |
Dry |
-0- |
-0- |
-0- |
Total |
-0- |
-0- |
-0- |
We
drilled 1 well in 2004, which was determined to be non-commercial.
The
following table sets forth information regarding undeveloped oil and gas acreage
in which we had an
interest on December 31, 2004:
State |
|
Gross
Acres |
|
Net
Acres |
California |
|
34,879 |
|
29,971 |
Nevada |
|
21,737 |
|
21,737 |
Some of
our
undeveloped acreage is held pursuant to leases from landowners. Such leases have
varying dates of execution and generally expire one to five years after the date
of the lease. In the next three years, the following lease gross acreage
expires:
Expires
in 2005 |
7,151
acres |
Expires
in 2006 |
4,260
acres |
Expires
in 2007 |
160
acres |
Mining
Activity
The
precious metals properties are located in interior Alaska. They are comprised of
626 40-acre claims and 15 160-acre claims, of which 104 claims are leased from
others, all are located solely on State owned lands requiring annual assessment
work, and an annual per claim fee. All fees are current. During 2004, the
Company staked 12 new 40-acre claims and 5 new 160-acre claims for a total of
1,280 additional acres.
The
mining claim block covers about 44.9 square miles or 28,720 acres of land, all
of which is owned by the State of Alaska. The claims lie within T-5-6-7 S, R
5-6-7-8 E, Fairbanks Meridian, immediately north of the Richardson Highway, an
all-weather paved highway that connects Fairbanks, Alaska, with points south and
east. Fairbanks is approximately 65 miles northwest of Richardson, and Delta
Junction, also on the highway, is about 30 miles to the southeast. The Trans
Alaska Pipeline corridor is near the northeastern edge of the claim block and
the service road along the pipeline provides access to the claims from the
north. Numerous good to fair dirt roads traverse the claims.
The
following table sets forth the information regarding the acreage position we
have under lease in Alaska as of December 31, 2004:
State |
|
Gross
Acres |
|
Net
Acres |
Alaska |
|
28,720 |
|
27,926 |
Mineral
properties claimed on open
state land require minimum annual assessment work of $100 worth per State of
Alaska claim. Expenditures on the Richardson, Alaska acreage have already
carried forward annual assessment requirements more than four years on all its
claims. We have no Federal claims.
We have
had a joint scientific research agreement with TsNIGRI, the Central Research
Institute of Geological Prospecting for Base and Precious Metals, based in
Moscow, Russia since 1991. The proprietary technology they use for evaluating
large areas of covered sub-arctic terrain has been impressive and encouraging to
our efforts. Minute amounts of gold have been found in samples at 60 locations
along a 20-mile swath and over
1,000 samples have been assayed by Bondar-Clegg, a respected assay house.
We intend
to continue our exploration efforts for precious metals on our claim block in
Richardson, Alaska. With the help of TsNIGRI, we have explored and evaluated
this property during the summer months, due to the constraints of the weather in
the winter months. This work will consist of field activity which includes
drilling bore holes, mapping and other geological work.
ITEM
4 Submission of Matters To A Vote Of Security Holders
We held
our annual meeting on October 25, 2004. At the meeting, the shareholders
re-elected all of the six directors who were recommended by the board.
The
shareholder votes were as follows:
Measure
#1 - Election of Directors |
|
FOR |
AGAINST |
ABSTAIN |
F.
Lynn Blystone |
19,344,013 |
37,630 |
|
Milton
J. Carlson |
19,344,088 |
37,555 |
|
C.
Chase Hoffman |
19,344,088 |
37,555 |
|
Dennis
P. Lockhart |
19,342,588 |
39,055 |
|
Loren
J. Miller |
19,344,088 |
37,555 |
|
Harold
J. Noyes |
19,344,088 |
37,555 |
|
|
PART
II
ITEM
5 Market Price Of The Registrant's Common Stock And Related Security Holder
Matters
On
October 29, 2003, shares of Tri-Valley Corporation stock began trading on the
American Stock Exchange under the symbol “TIV”. Prior to that, shares had been
traded over-the-counter on the Electronic Bulletin Board under the symbol
"TRIL." The following table shows the high and low sales prices reported on AMEX
for the year ended December 31, 2004 as well as for the period from 10/29/03 to
12/31/03, and the high and low bid and asked prices of Tri-Valley stock for the
quarterly periods indicated as reported by the OTC Stock Journal:
|
|
Sales
Prices |
|
Closing
Prices |
|
|
|
High |
|
Low |
|
High |
|
Low |
|
2004 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fourth
Quarter |
|
$ |
12.98 |
|
$ |
4.40 |
|
$12.23 |
$ |
4.46 |
|
Third
Quarter |
|
$ |
4.70 |
|
$ |
3.73 |
|
$4.70 |
$ |
3.89 |
|
Second
Quarter |
|
$ |
4.94 |
|
$ |
3.90 |
|
$4.91 |
$ |
3.98 |
|
First
Quarter |
|
$ |
5.40 |
|
$ |
4.30 |
|
$5.40 |
$ |
4.36 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bid
Prices |
|
|
Asked
Prices |
High |
|
|
|
|
|
Low |
|
|
High |
|
Low |
2003 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fourth
Quarter |
|
$ |
6.20 |
|
$ |
3.44 |
|
$6.75 |
$ |
3.35 |
|
Third
Quarter |
|
$ |
3.74 |
|
$ |
2.90 |
|
$3.93 |
$ |
2.95 |
|
Second
Quarter |
|
$ |
3.79 |
|
$ |
1.21 |
|
$4.20 |
$ |
1.21 |
|
First
Quarter |
|
$ |
1.60 |
|
$ |
1.25 |
|
$1.67 |
$ |
1.21 |
|
As of
December 31, 2004, we estimate that our common stock was held by approximately
4,500 shareholders in 40 states and at least 4 foreign countries.
We
historically have paid no dividends and at this time do not plan to pay any
dividends in the immediate future. Rather, we strive to add share value through
discovery success. In 2004 trading volume exceeded 8.2 million
shares.
Recent
Sales of Unregistered Securities
The
Company issued 41,000 shares of common stock without registration under the
Securities Act of 1933. One former employee exercised stock options for 10,000
shares on October 15, 2004 and 11,000 shares on December 14, 2004. The exercise
price of the stock options was $0.50 per share, granted in 1993 and the options
were exercised on two occasions when the closing price of our common stock was
$4.64 and $7.09 per share. On December 24, 2004, a total of 20,000 shares were
awarded to five outside directors for services. The closing price of our common
stock on December 23, 2004, was $9.86 per share. All of these shares issued in
privately negotiated transactions in reliance on the exemption contained in
Section 4(2) of the Securities Act.
ITEM
6 Selected Historical Financial Data
|
|
Year
Ended December 31, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
2003 |
|
2002 |
|
2001 |
|
2000 |
|
Income
Statement Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
(restated |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues |
|
$ |
4,498,670 |
|
$ |
6,464,245 |
|
$ |
6,284,908 |
|
$ |
2,130,187 |
|
$ |
2,197,369 |
|
Operating
Income (Loss) |
|
$ |
(1,276,005 |
) |
$ |
456,109 |
|
$ |
769,130 |
|
$ |
(117,972 |
) |
$ |
(1,360,263 |
) |
Basic
Earnings Per Share |
|
$ |
(.06 |
) |
$ |
.02 |
|
$ |
.04 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
(0.07 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance
Sheet Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property
and Equipment, net |
|
$ |
1,778,208 |
|
$ |
1,543,121 |
|
$ |
1,974,501 |
|
$ |
2,010,457 |
|
$ |
1,357,959 |
|
Total
Assets |
|
$ |
14,473,326 |
|
$ |
8,341,782 |
|
$ |
4,634,874 |
|
$ |
3,381,757 |
|
$ |
4,053,257 |
|
Long
Term Obligations |
|
$ |
6,799 |
|
$ |
16,805 |
|
$ |
26,791 |
|
$ |
8,371 |
|
$ |
12,038 |
|
Stockholder's
Equity |
|
$ |
6,796,903 |
|
$ |
1,851,783 |
|
$ |
1,262,306 |
|
$ |
353,776 |
|
$ |
391,651 |
|
ITEM
7 Management's Discussion And Analysis Of Financial
Condition
Notice
Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This
report contains forward-looking statements. The words, "anticipate," "believe,"
"expect," "plan," "intend," "estimate," "project," "could," "may," "foresee,"
and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
These statements include information regarding expected development of the
Company's business, lending activities, relationship with customers, and
development in the oil and gas industry. Should one or more of these risks or
uncertainties occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual
results may vary materially and adversely from those anticipated, believed,
estimated or otherwise indicated.
Overview
Production
from TVOG's existing reserves continues to decline, while demand increases.
While the trend for demand to outstrip available supplies is worldwide as well
as national, we believe that it is particularly acute in California, our primary
venue for exploration and production, which imports nearly 60% of its oil and
nearly 90% of its natural gas demand. Oil prices tend to be set based on
worldwide supplies and prices, while natural gas prices seem to be more
dependent on local conditions. We expect that gas prices will hold steady or
possibly increase over this year. If, however, prices should fall, for instance
due to new regulatory measures or the discovery of new and easily producible
reserves, our revenue from oil and gas sales would also fall.
In 2002
the Company created a limited partnership called the OPUS-I. The purpose of this
partnership is to raise one hundred million dollars by selling partnership
interests. With the funds raised we will drill up to twenty-six exploratory
wells, mostly in California, of which three are targeted for Nevada. We begin
drilling for the OPUS I partnership as sufficient funds are invested to drill
the next target. For the year ended December 31, 2004, we have raised $9,173,550
and spent $6,861,245 on evaluating previously drilled wells on the Oil Creek,
Oil Lake and Elk Ridge prospects. We have determined to abandon these wells.
Additionally, in 2004 we drilled one well on the Los Gatos prospect which was a
dry hole and was abandoned.
Tri-Valley
continues grading and prioritizing our geologic library, which contains over 700
California leads and prospects, for exploratory drilling. We use our library to
decide where we should seek oil and gas leases for future exploration. From this
library we were able to put together many of the prospects currently in OPUS-I.
Of course, we cannot be sure that any future prospect can be obtained at an
attractive lease price or that any exploration efforts would result in a
commercially successful well.
Tri-Valley
seeks to fund and drill enough exploratory wells for commercial discoveries to
make up for the cost of the inevitable dry holes that we can expect in the
exploration business. The Company believes our existing inventory of projects
bears a high enough ratio of potentially successful to unsuccessful projects to
deliver value to our drilling partners and our shareholders from successful
wells, in excess of the total costs of all successful and unsuccessful projects.
Our future results will depend on our success in finding new reserves and
commercial production, and there can be no assurance what revenue we can
ultimately expect from any new discoveries. Tri-Valley Corporation does not
engage in hedging activities and does not use commodity futures or forward
contracts for cash management functions.
Restatements
During
2004, the Company documented and tested its system of internal controls in
compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404. From this activity, management
determined its historic accounting procedures, surrounding revenue and cost
recognition for its sales and performance surrounding turnkey drilling, were no
longer appropriate and required an adjustment for fiscal year 2003 and the first
two quarters for fiscal 2004. Management therefore reported that its financial
statements for the year 2003, and for the first and second quarters of 2004
should no longer be relied upon because of these pending restatements. The
restatements decreased net income approximately $704,000 for the year ended
December 31, 2003, increased net income by approximately $799,000 for the
quarter ended March 31, 2004 and approximately $1,240,000 for the quarter ended
June 30, 2004. The restatements for the December 31, 2003, 10-K and the quarter
ended March 31, 2004 result from a change in revenue recognition policy. The
restatement for the second quarter ended June 30, 2004 was due to the discovery
of an expense that had been double charged and has now been corrected.
Management determined these mismatching and accounting errors, which resulted in
the restatements, were caused by a significant deficiency in internal control
over financial reporting. In the third quarter of 2004, management implemented
procedures to prevent this in the future, See
Item 9A, Controls and Procedures.
The
Company receives monies from third parties who participate in drilling oil and
gas wells and records this as revenue. Previously we recognized revenue and
associated costs when the well was begun, as long as drilling was completed by
close of books based on accrual accounting. At the end of fiscal 2003, we began
drilling a turnkey well, which was taken to total depth by January 8, 2004.
Although we had collected all payment for the drilling by December 31, 2003, we
had not completely performed the turnkey contract to total depth until after
December 31, 2003. Because the collected turnkey revenue was essentially
nonrefundable, we had recorded the entire turnkey revenue and its associated
drilling costs before the close of books based on accrual accounting rather than
the date certain of the close of the fiscal year on December 31. Upon review of
this practice, to remove all doubt, we now believe turnkey revenue and
associated costs should be recorded when the well is drilled to total target
depth and/or logged. We have changed our revenue recognition policy to recognize
these payments as revenue only when drilling is actually completed and the well
has been logged within the actual dates of the fiscal/calendar year. This change
caused reported drilling revenue and related costs in 2003 to decrease and
reported revenue and related costs in 2004 to increase. Additionally, reported
revenue for the June 30, 2004 quarter increased approximately $441,000 due to a
double entry of an expense. During management’s review of internal controls the
double entry was discovered and the adjustment resulted in the increase in
fiscal 2004 earnings.
The
anticipated changes discussed above do not affect the Company’s ongoing cash
flows.
Critical
Accounting Policies
The
Company prepares its consolidated financial statements for inclusion in this
Report in accordance with accounting principles that are generally accepted in
the United States (“GAAP”). See Note 3 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial
Statements included in “Item 8. Financial Statements” for a comprehensive
discussion of the Company’s significant accounting policies. GAAP represents a
comprehensive set of accounting and disclosure rules and requirements, the
application of which requires management to make judgments and estimates
including, in certain circumstances, choices between acceptable GAAP
alternatives.
Critical
accounting policies are those that may have a material impact on our financial
statements and also require management to exercise significant judgment due to a
high degree of uncertainty at the time the estimate is made. Our senior
management has discussed the development and selection of our accounting
policies, related accounting estimates and disclosures with the Audit Committee
of our Board of Directors. We believe our critical accounting policies include
those addressing the recoverability and useful lives of assets, oil and gas
estimates and income taxes and application of these accounting policies on a
consistent basis enables us to provide timely and reliable financial information
about our earnings results, financial condition and cash flows.
Goodwill
and Intangible Assets
Deferred
tax asset valuation allowances. From 1995 to 2004, the Company has maintained a
valuation allowance against a portion of its deferred tax assets. SFAS 109
requires that the Company continually assess both positive and negative evidence
to determine whether it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets can
be realized prior to their expiration. As of December 31, 2004, the Company has
concluded that it is more likely than not that it will realize its gross
deferred tax asset position after giving consideration to relevant facts and
circumstances.
Tri-Valley
will continue to monitor company-specific, oil and gas industry economic factors
and will reassess the likelihood that the Company’s net operating loss and
statutory depletion carryforwards will be utilized prior to their
expiration.
Environmental
contingencies. The Company makes judgments and estimates in recording
liabilities for ongoing litigation and environmental remediation. Actual costs
can vary from such estimates for a variety of reasons. Environmental remediation
liabilities are subject to change because of changes in laws, regulations,
additional information obtained relating to the extent and nature of site
contamination and improvements in technology. Under GAAP, a liability is
recorded for these types of contingencies if the Company determines the loss to
be both probable and reasonably estimated. See Note 12 of Notes to Consolidated
Financial Statements included in “Item 8. Financial Statements” for additional
information regarding the Company’s commitments and contingencies.
The
Company has adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Statement of
Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 142, "Goodwill and Other Intangible
Assets" (SFAS 142). Under SFAS 142, goodwill is a non-amortizable asset, and is
subject to a periodic review for impairment. The carrying amount of goodwill is
evaluated periodically.
The
following is a discussion of the Company’s most critical accounting estimates,
judgments and uncertainties that are inherent in the Company’s application of
GAAP:
Accounting
for Oil and
Gas Producing Activities
The
accounting for and disclosure of oil and gas producing activities requires the
Company’s management to choose between GAAP alternatives and to make judgments
about estimates of future uncertainties.
Successful
efforts method of accounting: The Company utilizes the successful efforts method
of accounting for oil and gas activities as opposed to the alternate acceptable
full cost method. In general, the Company believes that, during periods of
active exploration, net assets and net income are more conservatively measured
under the successful efforts method of accounting for oil and gas producing
activities than under the full cost method. The critical difference between the
successful efforts method of accounting and the full cost method of accounting
is as follows: Under the successful efforts method, exploratory dry holes and
geological and geophysical exploration costs are charged against earnings during
the periods in which they occur; whereas, under the full cost method of
accounting, such costs and expenses are capitalized as assets, pooled with the
costs of successful wells and charged against the earnings of future periods as
a component of depletion expense. During the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003
and 2002, the Company recognized exploration, abandonment, geological and
geophysical expense of $1,029,898, $366,039, and $169,111, respectively, under
the successful efforts method.
Proved
reserve estimates. Estimates of the Company’s proved reserves included in this
Report are prepared in accordance with GAAP and SEC guidelines. The accuracy of
a reserve report estimate is a function of:
· |
The
quality and quantity of available data; |
· |
The
interpretation of that data; |
· |
The
accuracy of various mandated economic assumptions;
and |
· |
The
judgment of the persons preparing the estimate. |
The
Company’s proved reserve information included in this Report as of December 31,
2004 and 2003 was based on evaluations audited by independent petroleum
engineers with respect to the Company’s major properties. Estimates prepared by
other third parties may be higher or lower than those included
herein.
Because
these estimates depend on many assumptions, all of which may substantially
differ from future actual results, reserve estimates will be different from the
quantities of oil and gas that are ultimately recovered. In addition, results of
drilling, testing and production after the date of an estimate may justify
material revisions to the estimate.
It should
not be assumed that the present value of future net cash flows included in this
Report as of December 31, 2004 is the current market value of the Company’s
estimated proved reserves. In accordance with SEC requirements, the Company has
based the estimated present value of future net cash flows from proved reserves
on prices and costs on the date of the estimate. Actual future prices and cost
may be materially higher or lower than the prices and costs as of the date of
the estimate.
The
Company’s estimates of proved reserves materially impact depletion expense. If
the estimates of proved reserves decline, the rate at which the Company records
depletion expense will increase, reducing future net income. Such a decline may
result from lower market prices, which may market uneconomic to drill for and
produce higher cost fields. In addition, a decline in proved reserve estimates
may impact the outcome of the Company’s assessment of its oil and gas producing
properties for impairment.
Impairment
of proved oil and gas properties: The Company reviews its long-lived proved
properties to be held and used whenever management determines that events or
circumstances indicate that the recorded carrying value of the properties may
not be recoverable. Management assesses whether or not an impairment provision
is necessary based upon its outlook of future commodity prices and net cash
flows that may be generated by the properties. Proved oil and gas properties are
reviewed for impairment by depletable field pool, which is the lowest level at
which depletion of proved properties are calculated.
Impairment
of unproved oil and gas properties: Management periodically assesses
individually significant unproved oil and gas properties for impairment, on a
project-by-project basis. Management’s assessment of the results of exploration
activities, commodity price outlooks, planned future sales or expiration of all
or a portion of such projects impact the amount and timing of
impairments.
Asset
Retirement Obligations: The Company has adopted SFAS No. 143, “Accounting for
Asset Retirement Obligations” effective January 1, 2003. Under this guidance,
management is required to make judgments based on historical experience and
future expectations regarding the future abandonment cost of its oil and gas
properties and equipment as well as an estimate of the discount rate to be used
in order to bring the estimated future cost to a present value. The discount
rate is based on the risk free interest rate which is adjusted for the credit
worthiness of the Company. The adjusted risk free rate is then applied to the
estimated abandonment costs to arrive at the obligation existing at the end of
the period under review. The Company reviews its estimate of the future
obligation quarterly and accrues the estimated obligation based on the
above.
Petroleum
Activities
The
Company generally sells a percentage of production at the monthly spot price. In
times when we expect the price of gas to weaken, we try to increase the amount
we sell under fixed prices. When we expect the price of gas to rise, we seek to
sell more gas in the spot market. In 2004, 2003 and 2002, we sold our gas 100%
on the spot market. Because we expect gas prices to rise, we intend to sell 100%
of our production on the spot market in 2005. Thus, a drop in the price of gas
in 2005 could possibly have a more adverse impact on us than if we entered into
some fixed price contracts for sale of future production.
Our
proved hydrocarbon reserves were valued using a standardized measure of
discounted future net cash flows of $1,958,238 at December 31, 2004, compared to
$2,270,632 on December 31, 2003, after taking into account a 10% discount rate
and also taking into consideration the effect of income tax. This reduction was
due primarily to the fluctuations in gas prices and production rates. Estimates
such as these are subject to numerous uncertainties inherent in the estimation
of quantities of proved reserves. Because of unpredictable variances in expenses
and capital forecasts, crude oil and natural gas price changes, largely
influenced and controlled by U.S. and foreign government actions, and the fact
that the basis for such estimates vary significantly, management believes the
usefulness of these projections is limited. Estimates of future net cash flows
presented do not represent management's assessment of future profitability or
future cash flows to the Company. This value does not appear on the balance
sheet because accounting rules require discovered reserves to be carried on the
balance sheet at the cost of obtaining them rather than the actual future net
revenue from producing them. Tri-Valley typically has no discovery cost to put
on the balance sheet as explained below.
Tri-Valley
sold working interests in its test wells on prospects to the Opus-1 drilling
partnership. The sales price of the interest is intended to pay for all drilling
and testing costs on the property. Tri-Valley retains a minority "carried"
ownership interest in the well and does not pay its proportionate share of
drilling and testing costs for the first well drilled on each prospect. However,
the Company does pay its proportionate cost of any subsequent well drilled on
each prospect. Under these arrangements, we usually minimize the Company's cost
to drill and also receive a minority interest from the reserves we discover. On
the other hand, we occasionally incur extra expenses for drilling or development
that we choose, in our discretion, not to pass on to other venture
participants.
In 2003
we drilled the Oil Creek, Oil Lake and Elk Ridge Prospects. After thorough
review it was determined the prospects would not be commercially successful and
will be abandoned. In 2004 we drilled the Los Gatos prospect which was a dry
hole and was abandoned.
We are
fracing the deep Ekho well in the first quarter of 2005 and are preparing to
redrill a horizontal test of the Sunrise-Mayel #2.
Mining
Activity
The price
of gold has fluctuated between $374 and $438 per ounce rekindling interest of
investors to support junior exploration ventures. Accordingly, management
implemented its plan to establish a wholly owned subsidiary to handle all mining
business for eventual spin off to Tri-Valley shareholders.
The
Company began the buyout of royalty and carried working interest burdens on its
Richardson, Alaska gold exploration project in order to transfer a clean
property into the new Delaware corporation, Select Resources Corporation.
Tri-Valley Corporation expects to record substantial non cash losses as a result
of issuing stock for these interests which are non producing at this time and
cannot be booked as assets equal to the value of the stock paid. The Company
believes the ultimate return it can realize on the property unburdened by
royalty and carried interests will handily exceed the upfront costs of the
buyout.
Select
Resources Corporation is initially staffed by F. Lynn Blystone, Chairman and
CEO, Dr. Harold J. Noyes, President, Dr. Henry J. “Rick” Sandri, Executive Vice
President, Thomas J. Cunningham, Chief Financial Officer, Dr. Odin Christensen,
consulting geologist and technical team leader, Dr. Craig Beagle, consulting
geophysicist, Dr. Jeffrey Jaecks, consulting geochemist and Sandra Perry,
consulting remote sensing specialist.
In
December 2004, Select Resources acquired another gold/copper property in Alaska,
the 5,000 acre Shorty Creek Prospect near Livengood some 70 miles north of
Fairbanks on the Dalton Highway pipeline haul road. Select has recently
completed staking another 5,300 acres of claims adjoining and speculated to be
on trend with mapped mineralization of the initial claim block acquisition.
There are no proven reserves at this time. Select plans extensive prospecting on
Shorty Creek and drilling on one or more targets on Richardson in this 2005
season. Tri-Valley advanced to Select $500,000 for geological and geophysical
mapping and drilling.
Select’s
most ambitious initial effort has been the establishment and operation of the
Alpha Minerals and Chemicals LLC joint venture to mine, process and sell high
chemical grade-high whitener calcium carbonate from the Monarch Mine in eastern
Kern County, California. Select is in the process of refining a business plan
and establishing operations in 2005. Select is the operator of the 50-50 joint
venture with Trans Western Materials, a privately held Nevada LLC that owns the
mineral leases. Select’s business objective is to establish a positive cash flow
to help support its exploration activities. Select’s parent, Tri-Valley
Corporation has committed $2.5 million to establish the joint venture with Trans
Western Materials contributing its leases and business relationships.
Results
of Operations
Comparison
of Years Ended December 31, 2004 and 2003
Revenue
The
Company lost $1,276,005 in 2004 comparable to a profit of $456,109 in 2005.
Total revenue was $1,965,575 lower this fiscal year compared to fiscal year end
2003. Revenue from oil and gas sales was $102,265 lower for the year ended 2004
compared to year ending 2003 due to decrease production due to wells being shut
in for workovers. Interest income was $11,511 more for the year ended December
31, 2004 compared to year end 2003 due to more cash on hand during the year
earning interest. Sales of oil and gas prospects is $1,881,280 less this period
compared to the same period last year. This is due primarily to a shortage of
drilling equipment to drill our prospects.
Costs and
Expenses
Costs and
expenses were $194,461 less for the year ended December 31, 2004 compared to
year end 2003. Mining expenses were $663,859 more for the period ended December
31, 2004 than for the same period in 2003, due to the Company buying back
royalty interests in our Alaska prospect. Prepaid expenses increased $84,027 in
2004 due to prepaid rents and legal fees. Oil and gas lease activity was
$144,101 for year-end 2004 and $183,362 for December 31, 2003. We did not
acquire as many leases this year as the previous year. Costs of oil and gas
prospects sold were $1,790,096 less this year than in 2003. Fewer prospects we
sold this year had higher acquisition costs associated with them than prospects
sold in 2003. General and administrative costs were higher this year than last
year due in large part to increased travel costs, insurance premiums and fees to
consulting geologists.
Comparison
of Years Ended December 31, 2003 and 2002
Revenues
Oil and
gas income was $148,768 more in 2003 than in 2002 due to increased gas prices in
2003. Partnership income was $11,701 more in 2003 compared to 2002 because of
increased gas prices in 2003. Sale of oil and gas prospects was $5,440,780 for
the year ended December 2003 compared to $5,421,782 for the same period in 2002
due to increased prospect sales in 2003. Other income was $56,718 for the year
ended December 31, 2003 compared to $71,971 for the year ended
2002.
Costs and
Expenses
Mining
costs were $196,928 more in 2003 due to no exploration activity on our claim
block in 2002. Oil and gas lease costs were $40,958 lower in 2003 than 2002 due
to decreased lease operating activity. Cost of oil and gas prospects sold were
$366,800 higher for the period ending December 31, 2003 compared to the same
period last year cost of prospect sold varies directly in proportion to the cost
of prospect sales. Depreciation, depletion and amortization expenses are $5,168
less in 2003 due to Statements of Financial Accounting Standards 142 that no
longer allows annual amortization. Therefore, no amortization was taken in 2003.
These assets will now be tested for impairment periodically. If required we
would then take an impairment charge.
Financial
Condition
Balance
Sheet
At
December 31, 2004 we had $11,812,920 in cash compared to $6,006,975 for December
31, 2003. This represents, for the most part, cash invested by the OPUS I
partners for the drilling of oil and gas wells in that limited partnership.
Property and equipment is $235,087 more for the current period compared to last
year because of increased leasehold interest acquired. Deposits decreased
$171,698 in 2004 compared to 2003 due to the settlement of a lawsuit and the
payment of the award, which was secured by a bond.
Shareholder
equity increased from $1,851,783 in 2003 to $6,796,903 for 2004. This increase
was due mainly from increase in capital in excess of par value, related to sales
of our common stock in private transactions.
Commitments
Generally,
our financial commitments arise from selling interests in our drilling prospects
to third parties, which results in an obligation to drill and develop the
prospect. If we are unable to sell sufficient interests in a prospect to fund
its drilling and development, we must either amend our agreements to drill the
prospect, locate a substitute prospect acceptable to the participants or refund
the participants' funds.
The
Company sponsored OPUS I, a private placement drilling program intended to raise
up to one hundred million dollars to drill and complete 26 prospects. We turnkey
the drilling portion and the completion portion is based on costs incurred. In a
turnkey program we guarantee to drill a well(s) for a certain amount. If the
drilling amount is greater than the turnkey costs the Company would lose money
on that well, if the cost is less than the turnkey costs the Company would make
a profit on that well.
Delay
rentals for oil and gas leases amounted to $159,188 in 2004.
Advance royalty payments and gold mining claims maintenance fees were
$205,555 for the
same period. We expect that approximately equal delay rentals and fees will be
paid in 2005 from operating revenues.
Operating
Activities
Net cash
provided by operating activities was $1,023,187 for the year-end December 31,
2004, compared to $3,548,941 for the same period in 2003. This was primarily
because we had a decrease in advances from joint venture partners. Net loss was
$(1,276,005) in 2004 compared to $456,108 for 2003.
Investing
Activities
Cash used
by investing activities in 2004 was $519,181 compared to cash provided of
$402,164 for the same period in 2003. In 2004, this was from the sale of oil and
gas prospects to the OPUS I drilling partnership and the reduction of capital
expenditures due to increased lease acquisitions and a loan to a wholly owned
subsidiary.
Financing
Activities
Cash
provided by financing activities was $5,301,939 for the period ending December
31, 2004 compared to $119,576 for the same period in 2003. This was due to
proceeds from sale of common stock in private transactions and the exercise of
stock options by directors.
Liquidity
The
recoverability of the our oil and gas reserves depends on future events,
including obtaining adequate financing for our exploration and development
program, successfully completing our planned drilling program, and achieving a
level of operating revenues that is sufficient to support our cost structure. At
various times in our history, it has been necessary for us to raise additional
capital through private placements of equity financing. When such a need has
arisen, we have met it successfully. It is management’s belief that we will
continue to be able to meet our needs for additional capital as such needs arise
in the future. We may need additional capital to pay for our share of costs
relating to the drilling prospects and development of those that are successful,
and to acquire additional oil and gas leases. The total amount of our capital
needs will be determined in part by the number of prospects generated within our
exploration program and by the working interest that we retain in those
prospects.
Should we
choose to make an acquisition of producing oil and gas properties, such an
acquisition would likely require that some portion of the purchase price be paid
in cash, and thus would create the need for additional capital. Additional
capital could be obtained from a combination of funding sources. The potential
funding sources include:
· |
Cash
flow from operating activities, |
· |
Borrowings
from financial institutions, |
· |
Debt
offerings, which could increase our leverage and add to our need for cash
to service such debt, |
· |
Additional
offerings of our equity securities, which would cause dilution of our
common stock, |
· |
Sales
of portions of our working interest in the prospects within our
exploration program, which would reduce future revenues from its
exploration program, |
· |
Sale
to an industry partner of a participation in our exploration
program, |
· |
Sale
of all or a portion of our producing oil and gas properties, which would
reduce future revenues. |
Our
ability to raise additional capital will depend on the results of our operations
and the status of various capital and industry markets at the time such
additional capital is sought. Accordingly, there can be no assurances that
capital will be available to us from any source or that, if available, it will
be on terms acceptable to us.
ITEM
8: FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
INDEX
|
Page(s) |
|
|
Report
of Independent Auditor |
16 |
|
|
Consolidated
Balance Sheets at December 31, 2004 and 2003 |
17 |
|
|
Consolidated
Statements of Operations for the Years Ended |
|
December
31, 2004, 2003 and 2002 |
19 |
|
|
Consolidated
Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity for the |
|
Years
Ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002 |
20 |
|
|
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended |
|
December
31, 2004, 2003 and 2002 |
21 |
|
|
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements |
23 |
|
|
Supplemental
Information about Oil and Gas Producing |
|
Activities
(Unaudited) |
44 |
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED
PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Board
of Directors
Tri-Valley
Corporation
Bakersfield,
California
We have
audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Tri-Valley Corporation
(the “Company”) as of December 31, 2004 and 2003 and the related consolidated
statements of operations, changes in shareholders' equity and cash flows for
each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2004. These financial
statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our
responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on
our audits.
We
conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan
and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the
financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes
examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in
the financial statements. An audit also includes 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 financial position of Tri-Valley Corporation at
December 31, 2004 and 2003, and the results of their operations and their cash
flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2004, in
conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America.
BROWN
ARMSTRONG PAULDEN
McCOWN
STARBUCK & KEETER
ACCOUNTANCY
CORPORATION
Bakersfield,
California
March 29,
2005
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
|
|
December
31, |
|
|
|
___2004___ |
|
___2003__ |
|
ASSETS |
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
Current
assets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash |
|
$ |
11,812,920 |
|
$ |
6,006,975 |
|
Accounts
receivable, trade |
|
|
192,008 |
|
|
163,825 |
|
Advance
receivable |
|
|
150,000 |
|
|
- |
|
Prepaid
expenses |
|
|
96,056 |
|
|
12,029 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
current assets |
|
|
12,250,984 |
|
|
6,182,829 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property
and equipment, net |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proved
properties |
|
|
131,382 |
|
|
148,482 |
|
Unproved
properties |
|
|
1,381,667 |
|
|
1,251,953 |
|
Other
property and equipment |
|
|
265,159 |
|
|
142,686 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
property and equipment, net (Note 1 and Note 2) |
|
|
1,778,208 |
|
|
1,543,121 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other
assets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deposits |
|
|
200,407 |
|
|
372,105 |
|
Investments
in partnerships (Note 1) |
|
|
17,400 |
|
|
17,400 |
|
Goodwill |
|
|
212,414 |
|
|
212,414 |
|
Other |
|
|
13,913 |
|
|
13,913 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
other assets |
|
|
444,134 |
|
|
615,832 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
assets |
|
$ |
14,473,326 |
|
$ |
8,341,782 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIABILITIES
AND STOCKHOLDER’S EQUITY |
|
|
|
December
31, |
|
|
|
___2004___ |
|
___2003__ |
|
|
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
Current
liabilities |
|
|
Notes
payable |
$
9,985 |
$
9,985 |
Income
taxes payable |
- |
39,000 |
Accounts
payable and accrued expenses |
1,237,848 |
685,784 |
Amounts
payable to joint venture participants |
100,115 |
91,275 |
Advances
from joint venture participants, net |
6,321,676 |
5,647,150 |
|
|
|
Total
current liabilities |
7,669,624 |
6,473,194 |
|
|
|
Non-Current
Liabilities |
|
|
Deferred
tax Liability |
|
|
Long-term
portion of notes payable |
6,799 |
16,805 |
|
|
|
Total
non-current liabilities |
- |
16,805 |
|
|
|
Total
liabilities |
7,676,423 |
6,489,999 |
|
|
|
Stockholder’s
equity |
|
|
Common
stock, $.001 par value; 100,000,000 shares |
|
|
authorized;
21,836,052 and 20,097,627 issued and |
|
|
outstanding
at December 31, 2004, and 2003 |
21,836 |
20,115 |
Less:
common stock in treasury, at cost, |
|
|
100,025
shares at December 31, 2004 and 2003. |
(13,370)
|
(13,370) |
Subscription
receivable |
(750)
|
- |
Capital
in excess of par value |
15,230,607 |
9,010,453 |
Accumulated
deficit |
(8,441,420) |
(7,165,415) |
|
|
|
Total
stockholder’s equity |
6,796,903 |
1,851,783 |
|
|
|
Total
liabilities and stockholder’s equity |
$
14,473,326 |
$
8,341,782 |
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF INCOME
|
|
__For
the Years Ended December 31,_ |
|
|
|
___2004___ |
|
___2003___ |
|
___2002___ |
|
|
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
|
|
Revenues |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sale
of oil and gas |
|
$ |
799,474 |
|
$ |
901,739 |
|
$ |
752,971 |
|
Royalty
income |
|
|
674 |
|
|
529 |
|
|
351 |
|
Partnership
income |
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
18,299 |
|
Gain
on sale of property |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
Interest
income |
|
|
45,990 |
|
|
34,479 |
|
|
19,534 |
|
Sale
of oil and gas prospects |
|
|
3,559,500 |
|
|
5,440,780 |
|
|
5,421,782 |
|
Other
income |
|
|
63,032 |
|
|
56,718 |
|
|
71,971 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
revenues |
|
|
4,498,670 |
|
|
6,464,245 |
|
|
6,284,908 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Costs
and expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mining
exploration costs |
|
|
1,029,898 |
|
|
366,039 |
|
|
169,111 |
|
Oil
and gas leases |
|
|
144,101 |
|
|
183,362 |
|
|
224,320 |
|
Cost
of oil and gas prospects sold |
|
|
2,224,793 |
|
|
4,014,889 |
|
|
3,648,089 |
|
General
and administrative |
|
|
2,208,457 |
|
|
1,373,058 |
|
|
1,316,893 |
|
Interest |
|
|
33,332 |
|
|
2,572 |
|
|
1,838 |
|
Depreciation,
depletion and amortization |
|
|
21,699 |
|
|
29,216 |
|
|
34,384 |
|
Well
write-off |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
Impairment
of acquisition costs |
|
|
112,395 |
|
|
- |
|
|
45,143 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
costs and expenses |
|
|
5,774,675 |
|
|
5,969,136 |
|
|
5,439,778 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income (loss) before income taxes |
|
|
(1,276,005 |
) |
|
495,109 |
|
|
845,130 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax
provision |
|
|
- |
|
|
39,000 |
|
|
76,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income (loss) |
|
$ |
(1,276,005 |
) |
$ |
456,109 |
|
$ |
769,130 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
and diluted earnings (loss) per common share |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
common equivalent share |
|
$ |
(0.06 |
) |
$ |
0.02 |
|
$ |
0.04 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted
average number of shares outstanding |
|
|
20,507,342 |
|
|
19,801,785 |
|
|
19,702,054 |
|
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDER’S EQUITY
|
|
Total |
|
|
|
|
|
Capital
in |
|
Common |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common |
|
Treasury |
|
|
|
Excess
of |
|
Stock |
|
Accumulated |
|
Treasury |
|
Stockholder’s |
|
|
|
Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Par
Value |
|
Par
Value |
|
Receivable |
|
Deficit |
|
Stock |
|
Equity |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance
at
December
31, 2002 |
|
|
19,726,348 |
|
|
100,025 |
|
$ |
19,726 |
|
$ |
8,879,724 |
|
$ |
(2,250 |
) |
$ |
(7,621,524 |
) |
$ |
(13,370 |
) |
$ |
1,262,306 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issuance
of common stock |
|
|
371,279 |
|
|
- |
|
|
389 |
|
|
1,442,439 |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
1,442,828 |
|
Stock
issuance cost |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
(1,311,710 |
) |
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
(1,311,710 |
) |
Common
stock receivable |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
2,250
|
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
2,250 |
|
Net
income, as restated |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
-
|
|
|
456,109 |
|
|
- |
|
|
456,109 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance
at December 31, 2003, as restated |
|
|
20,097,627 |
|
|
100,025 |
|
|
20,115 |
|
|
9,010,453 |
|
|
- |
|
|
(7,165,415 |
) |
|
(13,370 |
) |
|
1,851,783 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issuance
of common stock |
|
|
1,738,425 |
|
|
- |
|
|
1,721 |
|
|
6,866,354 |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
6,868,075 |
|
Stock
issuance cost |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
(646,200 |
) |
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
(646,200 |
) |
Common
stock receivable |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
(750 |
) |
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
(750 |
) |
Net
loss |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
-
|
|
|
(1,276,005 |
) |
|
- |
|
|
(1,276,005 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance
at |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December
31, 2004 |
|
|
21,836,052 |
|
|
100,025 |
|
$ |
21,836 |
|
$ |
15,230,607 |
|
$ |
(750 |
) |
$ |
(8,441,420 |
) |
$ |
(13,370 |
) |
$ |
6,796,903 |
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
|
|
For
the Years Ended December 31, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
2003 |
|
2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CASH
FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income (loss) |
|
$ |
(1,276,005 |
) |
$ |
456,108 |
|
$ |
769,130 |
|
Adjustments
to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
provided
(used) by operating activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation,
depletion, and amortization |
|
|
21,699 |
|
|
29,216 |
|
|
34,384 |
|
Impairment,
dry hole and other disposals of property |
|
|
112,395 |
|
|
- |
|
|
45,143 |
|
Land
acquisition costs sold |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
122,315 |
|
(Gain)
on sale of property |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
Non-employee
stock compensation |
|
|
909,180 |
|
|
- |
|
|
119,700 |
|
Impairment,
dry hole and other disposals of property |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
equipment |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
Changes
in operating capital: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Increase)
decrease in accounts receivable |
|
|
(28,183 |
) |
|
(12,207 |
) |
|
(44,393 |
) |
Increase
in prepaids |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
Increase
in deposits and other assets |
|
|
87,671 |
|
|
(55,400 |
) |
|
(212,000 |
) |
Increase
(decrease) in income taxes payable |
|
|
(39,000 |
) |
|
(37,000 |
) |
|
76,000 |
|
Increase
(decrease) in accounts payable and accrued expenses |
|
|
552,064 |
|
|
121,544 |
|
|
267,239 |
|
Increase
(decrease) in amounts payable to joint venture |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
participants
and related parties |
|
|
8,840 |
|
|
16,863 |
|
|
14,781 |
|
Increase
(decrease) in advances from joint venture |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Participants |
|
|
674,526 |
|
|
3,029,817 |
|
|
(37,380 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Cash Provided by Operating Activities |
|
|
1,023,187 |
|
|
3,548,941 |
|
|
1,154,919 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CASH
FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds
from sale of property |
|
|
- |
|
|
402,164 |
|
|
- |
|
Capital
expenditures |
|
|
(369,181 |
) |
|
- |
|
|
(184,185 |
) |
(Investment
in) advance to joint project |
|
|
(150,000 |
) |
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
(Investment
in) distribution from partnerships |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Cash Provided (Used) by Investing Activities |
|
|
(519,181 |
) |
|
402,164 |
|
|
(174,185 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CASH
FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds
from long-term debt |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
29,686 |
|
Principal
payments on long-term debt |
|
|
(10,006 |
) |
|
(13,792 |
) |
|
(5,739 |
) |
Net
Proceeds from issuance of common stock |
|
|
5,310,224 |
|
|
133,368 |
|
|
19,700 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sale
of treasury stock |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
Stock
issuance costs |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Cash Provided by Financing Activities |
|
|
5,301,939 |
|
|
119,576 |
|
|
43,647 |
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
|
|
For
the Years Ended December 31, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
2003 |
|
2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents |
|
$ |
5,805,945 |
|
$ |
4,070,681 |
|
$ |
1,024,381 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
at Beginning of Year |
|
|
6,006,975 |
|
|
1,936,294 |
|
|
911,913 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
at End of Year |
|
$ |
11,812,920 |
|
$ |
6,006,975 |
|
$ |
1,936,294 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SUPPLEMENTAL
DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
paid |
|
$ |
33,332 |
|
$ |
2,572 |
|
$ |
1,838 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income
taxes paid |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
40,000 |
|
$ |
800 |
|
SUPPLEMENTAL
NON-CASH ACTIVITIES: |
|
Services
paid with common stocks |
|
$ |
197,180 |
|
$ |
23,247 |
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock
issued to exchange mining claims |
|
$ |
712,000 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
NOTE
1 - GENERAL
History
and Business Activity
Tri-Valley
Corporation (“TVC” or the Company), a Delaware corporation formed in 1971, is in
the business of exploring, acquiring and developing petroleum and precious
metals properties and interests therein. Tri-Valley has three wholly owned
subsidiaries. Tri-Valley Oil & Gas Company (“TVOG”) operates the oil &
gas activities, and derives the majority of its revenue from sale of oil and gas
properties. Tri-Valley Power Corporation and Select Resources are the other two
wholly owned subsidiaries which have minimum activities during 2004.
The
Company conducts its oil and gas business primarily through Tri-Valley Oil &
Gas Company. TVOG is engaged in the exploration, acquisition and production of
oil and gas properties. Substantially all of the Company’s oil and gas reserves
are located in northern California. In the fiscal year 1987, the Company added
precious metals exploration. At present, the precious metals exploration
activities are conducted directly by the parent, Tri-Valley Corporation. TVC has
traditionally sought acquisition or merger opportunities within and outside of
petroleum and mineral industries.
For
purposes of reporting operating segments, the Company is involved in three
areas. These are drilling and development, oil and gas production, and precious
metals.
NOTE
2 - RESTATEMENT
Management
determined that its accounting procedures for revenue and cost of sales related
to turnkey drilling were no longer appropriate and required an adjustment for
the fiscal year ended 2003 and the first two quarters for fiscal
2004.
The
restatements for the year ended December 31, 2003 resulted from a change in the
Company’s revenue recognition policy. The Company previously recognized revenues
on turnkey drillings before the close of the books because full payment had been
collected and the amounts were non refundable. The Company changed its revenue
recognition policy to book revenue only when the well is drilled to its target
depth and/or logged. This change has caused drilling revenue and the related
costs to decrease during the year ended December 31, 2003 and increase in the
first quarter of the year ended December 31, 2004.
The
restatement for the quarter ended June 30, 2004 relates to the correction of an
expense that was originally double booked. The adjustment has resulted in an
increase of earnings
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
2 - RESTATEMENT (continued)
The
following sets forth the significant effects of the aforementioned restatements
to the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2003:
|
|
As
Previously |
|
|
|
As
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reported
|
|
Adjustment
|
|
Restated
|
|
Reference |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales
of oil and gas prospects |
|
$ |
6,585,780 |
|
$ |
1,145,000 |
) |
$ |
5,440,780 |
|
|
[1 |
] |
Total
Revenues |
|
|
7,609,245
|
|
|
(1,145,000 |
) |
|
6,464,245
|
|
|
|
|
Cost
of oil and gas prospects sold |
|
|
4,360,679
|
|
|
(345,790 |
) |
|
4,014,889
|
|
|
[2 |
] |
General
and administrative |
|
|
1,449,589
|
|
|
(76,531 |
) |
|
1,373,058
|
|
|
[3 |
] |
Total
Cost and Expenses |
|
|
6,391,463
|
|
|
(422,327 |
) |
|
5,969,136
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income (loss) before income tax |
|
|
1,217,782
|
|
|
(722,673 |
) |
|
495,109
|
|
|
|
|
Tax
provision |
|
|
58,000
|
|
|
(19,000 |
) |
|
39,000
|
|
|
[4 |
] |
Net
Income (Loss) |
|
|
1,159,782
|
|
|
(664,673 |
) |
|
456,109
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
and diluted earnings (loss) per |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
common
share and common
equivalent |
|
|
0.06
|
|
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
0.02
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property
and Equipment, Net |
|
$ |
1,522,333 |
|
$ |
20,788 |
|
$ |
1,543,121 |
|
|
[5 |
] |
Total
Assets |
|
|
8,320,992
|
|
|
20,790
|
|
|
8,341,782
|
|
|
|
|
Income
tax payable |
|
|
58,000
|
|
|
(19,000 |
) |
|
39,000
|
|
|
[4 |
] |
Accounts
payable & accrued expenses |
|
|
777,729
|
|
|
(91,945 |
) |
|
685,784
|
|
|
[3 |
] |
Advances
from joint venture participants |
|
|
4,811,742
|
|
|
835,408
|
|
|
5,647,150
|
|
|
[6 |
] |
Total
Current Liabilities |
|
|
5,748,731
|
|
|
724,463
|
|
|
6,473,194
|
|
|
|
|
Total
liabilities |
|
|
5,765,536
|
|
|
724,463
|
|
|
6,489,999
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated
deficit |
|
|
(6,461,742 |
) |
|
(703,673 |
) |
|
(7,165,415 |
) |
|
[7 |
] |
Total
Shareholders' Equity |
|
|
2,555,456
|
|
|
(703,673 |
) |
|
1,851,783
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity |
|
|
8,320,992
|
|
|
20,790
|
|
|
8,341,782
|
|
|
|
|
The
restatements to the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2003
are due to follows:
1. |
Recognition
of sales related to turnkey drilling of $1,145,000 and was deferred to
2004 when oil or gas well was drilled to its target depth and/or
logged. |
2. |
This
amount of cost of oil and gas prospects was erroneously omitted in the
previously filed statements of operations, although it was included in the
total cost. |
3. |
Certain
general and administration costs associated with the deferred turnkey
revenue were also deferred to match with the revenue
recognition. |
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
2 - RESTATEMENT (continued)
4. |
Tax
provision decreased due to decrease in revenue
recognized. |
5. |
The
Company capitalized unproven properties that were previously
expensed. |
6. |
Majority
of the deferred turnkey revenue was adjusted as increase in advances from
joint venture participants. |
7. |
The
accumulated deficits were revised to mainly reflect the decrease in net
turnkey drilling revenue. |
NOTE
3 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
This
summary of significant accounting policies of Tri-Valley Corporation is
presented to assist in understanding the Company's financial statements. The
financial statements and notes are representations of the Company's management,
which is responsible for their integrity and objectivity. These accounting
policies conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United
States of America and have been consistently applied in the preparation of the
financial statements.
Principles
of Consolidation
The
consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its
wholly-owned subsidiaries, Tri-Valley Oil & Gas Co. and Selected Resources.
All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in
consolidation.
Use of
Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets,
liabilities and disclosures at the date of the financial statements as well as
the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.
Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Material
estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change relate to the
estimate of Company oil and gas reserves prepared by an independent engineering
consultant. Such estimates are subject to numerous uncertainties inherent in the
estimation of quantities of proved reserves.
Estimated
reserves are used in the calculation of depletion, depreciation and amortization
as well as the Company's assessment of proved oil and gas properties for
impairment.
Cash
Equivalent and Short-Term Investments
Cash
equivalents include cash on hand and on deposit, and highly liquid debt
instruments with original maturities of three months or less. The majority of
these funds are held at Smith Barney.
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
3 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)
Goodwill
The
consolidated financial statements include the net assets purchased of Tri-Valley
Corporation’s wholly owned oil and gas subsidiary, TVOG. Net assets are carried
at their fair market value at the acquisition date. On January 1, 2002,
Tri-Valley Corporation adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 142, “Goodwill and Other
Intangible Assets” (SFAS 142). Under SFAS 142, goodwill is a non-amortizable
asset, and is subject to a periodic review for impairment. Prior to the
implementation of SFAS 142, the Company had goodwill of $433,853 that was being
amortized. The carrying amount of goodwill is evaluated periodically. Factors
used in the evaluation include the Company’s ability to raise capital as a
public company and anticipated cash flows from operating and non-operating
mineral properties.
Advances
from Joint Venture Participants
Advances
received by the Company from joint venture partners for contract drilling
projects, which are to be spent by the Company on behalf of the joint venture
partners, are classified within operating inflows on the basis they do not meet
the definition of financing or investing activities. When the cash advances are
spent, the payable is reduced accordingly. These advances do not contribute to
the Company's operating profits and are accounted or/disclosed as balance sheet
entries only i.e. within cash and payable to joint venture
participants.
Revenue
Recognition
Sale
of Oil and Gas
Crude oil
and natural gas revenues are recognized as production occurs, the title and risk
of loss transfers to a third party purchaser, net of royalties, discounts, and
allowances, as applicable.
Sale
of Oil and Gas Prospects
Oil and
gas prospects are developed by the Company for sale to industry partners and
investors. These prospects are usually exploratory, and include costs of
leasing, acquisition, and other geological and geophysical costs (hereafter
referred to as “GGLA”) plus a profit to the Company. Prior to 2002, the Company
recognized revenue and profit from prospects sales when sold, irrespective of
drilling commencement (“spudding”).
Starting
2002 the Company changed its prospect offerings by inclusion of estimated costs
of drilling in addition to GGLA costs. This offering is termed a “turnkey”
exploratory drilling opportunity because investors are charged only one certain
amount in return for Tri-Valley drilling a well to the agreed total
depth.
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
3 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)
Revenue
Recognition
(Continued)
Once the
well is spudded, investor money is not refundable. Tri-Valley recognizes revenue
when the well is logged. Amounts charged are included in an Authority for
Expenditure (AFE), which is a budget for each project well. Tri-Valley prepares
the AFE and bears all risk of well completion to total depth. If the well is
drilled to total depth for actual costs less than the AFE amounts, the Company
realizes a profit. Conversely, if actual costs exceed the AFE, Tri-Valley
realizes a loss.
Drilling
Agreements/Joint Ventures
Tri-Valley
frequently participates in drilling agreements whereby it acts as operator of
drilling and producing activities. As operator, TVOG is liable for the
activities of these ventures. In the initial well in a prospect, the Company
owns a carried interest and/or overriding royalty interest in such ventures,
earning a working interest upon commencement of drilling. Costs of subsequent
wells drilled in a prospect are shared by a pro rata interest.
Receivables
from and amounts payable to these related parties (as well as other related
parties) have been segregated in the accompanying financial statements. For
turnkey projects, amounts received for drilling activities, which have not been
spudded are deferred and remain within the joint venture liability, in
accordance with the Company’s revenue recognition policies. Revenue is
recognized upon the completion of drilling operations and the well is logged.
Actual or estimated costs to complete the drilling are charged as costs against
this revenue.
Oil
and Gas Property and Equipment (Successful Efforts)
The
Company accounts for its oil and gas exploration and development costs using the
Successful Efforts Method. Under this method, costs to acquire mineral interests
in oil and gas properties, to drill and complete exploratory wells that find
proved reserves and to drill and complete development wells are capitalized.
Exploratory dry-hole costs, geological and geophysical costs and costs of
carrying and retaining unproved properties are expensed when incurred, except
those GGLA expenditures incurred on behalf of joint venture drilling projects,
which the Company defers until the GGLA is sold at the completion of project
funding and the target prospect is drilled. Expenditures incurred in drilling
exploratory wells are accumulated as work in process until the Company
determines whether the well has encountered commercial oil and gas reserves.
If the
well has encountered commercial reserves, the accumulated cost is transferred to
oil and gas properties; otherwise, the accumulated cost, net of salvage value,
is charged to dry hole expense. If the well has encountered commercial reserves
but cannot be classified as proved within one year after discovery, then the
well is considered to be impaired, and the capitalized costs (net of any salvage
value) of drilling the well are charged to expense. In 2004, 2003, and 2002
there was $112,395, $0, and $45,143 respectively, charged to expense for
impairment of exploratory well costs. Depletion, depreciation and amortization
of oil and gas producing properties are computed on an aggregate basis using the
units-of-production method based upon estimated proved developed
reserves.
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
3 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)
Oil
and Gas Property and Equipment (Successful Efforts, continued)
At
December 31, 2004 and 2003, the Company carried unproved property costs of
$1.381 million and $1.252 million, respectively. Generally accepted accounting
principles require periodic evaluation of these costs on a project-by-project
basis in comparison to their estimated value. These evaluations will be affected
by the results of exploration activities, commodity price outlooks, planned
future sales or expiration of all or a portion of the leases, contracts and
permits appurtenant to such projects. If the quantity of potential reserves
determined by such evaluations is not sufficient to fully recover the cost
invested in each project, the Company will recognize non cash charges in the
earnings of future periods.
Capitalized
costs relating to proved properties are depleted using the unit-of-production
method based on proved reserves. Costs of significant non-producing properties,
wells in the process of being drilled and development projects are excluded from
depletion until such time as the related project is completed and proved
reserves are established or, if unsuccessful, impairment is
determined.
Upon the
sale of oil and gas reserves in place, costs less accumulated amortization of
such property are removed from the accounts and resulting gain or loss on sale
is reflected in operations. Impairment of non-producing leasehold costs and
undeveloped mineral and royalty interests are assessed periodically on a
property-by-property basis, and any impairment in value is currently charged to
expense.
In
addition, we assess the capitalized costs of unproved properties periodically to
determine whether their value has been impaired below the capitalized costs. We
recognize a loss to the extent that such impairment is indicated. In making
these assessments, we consider factors such as exploratory drilling results,
future drilling plans, and lease expiration terms. When an entire interest in an
unproved property is sold, gain or loss is recognized, taking into consideration
any recorded impairment. When a partial interest in an unproved property is
sold, the amount is treated as a reduction of the cost of the interest retained,
with excess revenue and carrying costs being recognized. Upon abandonment of
properties, the reserves are deemed fully depleted and any unamortized costs are
recorded in the statement of operations under leases sold, relinquished and
impaired.
Gold
Mineral Property
The
Company has invested in several gold mineral properties with exploration
potential. All mineral claim acquisition costs and exploration and development
expenditures are charged to expense as incurred. We capitalize acquisition and
exploration costs only after persuasive engineering evidence is obtained to
support recoverability of these costs (ideally upon determination of proven
and/or probable reserves based upon dense drilling samples and feasibility
studies by a recognized independent engineer). Currently no amounts have been
capitalized.
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
3 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)
Other
Properties and Equipment
Properties
and equipment are depreciated using the straight-line method over the following
estimated useful lives:
Office
furniture and fixtures
Building |
3 -
7 years
40
years |
Leasehold
improvements are amortized over the life of the lease.
Maintenance
and repairs, which neither materially add to the value of the property nor
appreciably prolong its life, are charged to expense as incurred. Gains or
losses on dispositions of property and equipment other than oil and gas are
reflected in operations.
Concentration
of Credit Risk and Fair Value of Financial Instruments
As
discussed in Note 9, the Company sells oil, gas and natural gas liquids to
primarily one purchaser located in the northern California region.
The
Company places its temporary cash investments with high credit quality financial
institutions and limits the amount of credit exposure to any one financial
institution.
Fair
value of financial instruments is estimated to approximate the related book
value, unless otherwise indicated, based on market information available to the
Company.
Stock
Based Compensation Plans
The
Company has adopted only the disclosure requirements of SFAS No. 123, Accounting
for Stock-Based Compensation, and has elected to continue to record stock-based
compensation expense using the intrinsic-value approach prescribed by Accounting
Principles Board ("APB") Opinion 25. The application of APB Opinion 25 has
further been clarified by Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB")
Interpretation No. 44, "Accounting for Certain Transactions involving Stock
Compensation". Under APB No. 25, because the exercise price of the company’s
employee stock options equals the market price of the underlying stock on the
date of grant, no compensation expense is recognized. However, SFAS No. 123,
“Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation,” requires presentation of pro forma
information as if the company had accounted for its employee stock options and
performance awards granted subsequent to December 31, 1994, under the fair value
of that statement.
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
3 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)
Stock
Based Compensation Plans (continued)
For
purposes of pro forma disclosure, the estimated fair value of the options and
performance awards at the date of grant is charged to expense as the employee
stock options are fully vested upon grant. Under the fair value method, the
company’s net income (loss) and earnings (loss) per share would have been as
follows:
|
|
|
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
|
|
|
|
2004 |
|
2003 |
|
2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Income |
|
|
As
reported |
|
$ |
(1,276,005 |
) |
$ |
496,109 |
|
$ |
769,130 |
|
Pro
forma |
|
|
|
|
|
(1,276,005 |
) |
|
399,009 |
|
|
769,130 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings
per share |
|
|
As
reported |
|
|
(0.06 |
) |
|
0.02 |
|
|
0.04 |
|
Pro
forma |
|
|
|
|
|
(0.06 |
) |
|
0.01 |
|
|
0.04 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
earnings per share |
|
|
As
reported |
|
|
(0.06 |
) |
|
0.02 |
|
|
0.04 |
|
Pro
forma |
|
|
|
|
|
(0.06 |
) |
|
0.01 |
|
|
0.03 |
|
Reclassification
Certain
amounts in the financial statements have been reclassified to be consistent and
comparable from year-to-year.
Treasury
Stock
The
Company records acquisition of its capital stock for treasury at cost.
Differences between proceeds for reissuance of treasury stock and average cost
are charged to retained earnings or credited thereto to the extent of prior
charges and thereafter to capital in excess of par value.
Recently
Issued Accounting Pronouncements
In April
2002, the FASB issued SFAS No. 145, "Rescission of FASB Statements No. 4, 44 and
64, Amendment of FASB Statement No. 13 and Technical Corrections". SFAS 145,
which is effective for fiscal years beginning after May 15, 2002, provides
guidance for income statement classification of gains and losses on
extinguishment of debt and accounting for certain lease modifications that have
economic effects that are similar to sale-leaseback transactions. The adoption
of this statement did not impact the Company's financial position, results of
operations, or cash flows.
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
3 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)
Recently
Issued Accounting Pronouncements (continued)
In June
2002, the FASB issued SFAS No. 146, "Accounting for Costs Associated with Exit
or Disposal Activities." SFAS 146 nullifies the guidance of the Emerging Issues
Task Force (EITF) Issue No. 94-3, "Liability Recognition for Certain Employee
Termination Benefits and Other Costs to Exit an Activity (including Certain
Costs Incurred in a Restructuring)." SFAS 146 requires that a liability for a
cost that is associated with an exit or disposal activity be recognized when the
liability is incurred. SFAS 146 also establishes that fair value is the
objective for the initial measurement of the liability. The provisions of SFAS
146 are required for exit or disposal activities that are initiated after
December 31, 2003. The adoption of this statement did not impact the Company's
financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.
In
December 2002, the FASB issued SFAS No. 148, "Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation - Transition and Disclosure." SFAS 148 amends FASB Statement No.
123, "Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation" to provide alternative methods of
transition for a voluntary change to the fair value based method of accounting
for stock-based employee compensation. In addition, this Statement amends the
disclosure requirements of Statement 123 to require prominent disclosures in
both annual and interim financial statements about the method of accounting for
stock-based employee compensation and the effect of the method used on the
reported results. The provisions of SFAS 148 are effective for financial
statements for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2002. The adoption of this
statement did not impact the Company's financial position, results of
operations, or cash flows.
During
January 2003, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued interpretation No.
46, "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities" ("FIN46"), which requires the
consolidation of certain entities that are determined to be variable interest
entities ("VIE's"). An entity is considered to be a VIE when either (i) the
entity lacks sufficient equity to carry on its principal operations, (ii) the
equity owners of the entity cannot make decisions about the entity's activities
or (iii) the entity's equity neither absorbs losses or benefits from
gains.
In
November 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 151, ”Inventory Costs”. SFAS No. 151
amends the accounting for abnormal amounts of idle facility expense, freight,
handling costs, and wasted material (spoilage) under the guidance in ARB No. 43,
Chapter 4,"Inventory Pricing”. Paragraph 5 of ARB No. 43, Chapter 4, previously
stated that ". . . under some circumstances, items such as idle facility
expense, excessive spoilage, double freight, and rehandling costs may be so
abnormal as to require treatment as current period charges. . . ." This
Statement requires that those items be recognized as current-period charges
regardless of whether they meet the criterion of "so abnormal." In addition,
this Statement requires that allocation of fixed production overheads to the
costs of conversion be based on the normal capacity of the production
facilities. This statement is effective for inventory costs incurred during
fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2005. Management does not expect adoption
of SFAS No. 151 to have a material impact on the Company’s financial
statements.
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
3 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)
Recently
Issued Accounting Pronouncements
(Continued)
In
December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 152, “Accounting for Real Estate
Time-Sharing Transactions”. The FASB issued this Statement as a result of the
guidance provided in AICPA Statement of Position (SOP) 04-2,”Accounting for Real
Estate Time-Sharing Transactions”. SOP 04-2 applies to all real estate
time-sharing transactions. Among other items, the SOP provides guidance on the
recording of credit losses and the treatment of selling costs, but does not
change the revenue recognition guidance in SFAS No. 66, “Accounting for Sales of
Real Estate”, for real estate time-sharing transactions. SFAS No. 152 amends
Statement No. 66 to reference the guidance provided in SOP 04-2. SFAS No. 152
also amends SFAS No. 67, “Accounting for Costs and Initial Rental Operations of
Real Estate Projects”, to state that SOP 04-2 provides the relevant guidance on
accounting for incidental operations and costs related to the sale of real
estate time-sharing transactions. SFAS No. 152 is effective for years beginning
after June 15, 2005, with restatements of previously issued financial statements
prohibited. This statement is not applicable to the Company.
In
December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 153, “Exchanges of Nonmonetary Assets,”
an amendment to Opinion No. 29, “Accounting for Nonmonetary Transactions”.
Statement No. 153 eliminates certain differences in the guidance in Opinion No.
29 as compared to the guidance contained in standards issued by the
International Accounting Standards Board. The amendment to Opinion No. 29
eliminates the fair value exception for nonmonetary exchanges of similar
productive assets and replaces it with a general exception for exchanges of
nonmonetary assets that do not have commercial substance. Such an exchange has
commercial substance if the future cash flows of the entity are expected to
change significantly as a result of the exchange. SFAS No. 153 is effective for
nonmonetary asset exchanges occurring in periods beginning after June 15, 2005.
Earlier application is permitted for nonmonetary asset exchanges occuring in
periods beginning after December 16, 2004. Management does not expect adoption
of SFAS No. 153 to have a material impact on the Company’s financial
statements.
In
December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 123(R), “Share-Based Payment” which
amends SFAS No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation”, and APB Opinion
25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees.” SFAS No.123(R) requires that the
cost of share-based payment transactions (including those with employees and
non-employees) be recognized in the financial statements. SFAS No. 123(R)
applies to all share-based payment transactions in which an entity acquires
goods or services by issuing (or offering to issue) its shares, share options,
or other equity instruments (except for those held by an ESOP) or by incurring
liabilities (1) in amounts based (even in part) on the price of the entity’s
shares or other equity instruments, or (2) that require (or may require)
settlement by the issuance of an entity’s shares or other equity instruments.
This statement is effective (1) for public companies qualifying as SEC small
business issuers, as of the first interim period or fiscal year beginning after
December 15, 2005, or (2) for all other public companies, as of the first
interim period or fiscal year beginning after June 15, 2005, or (3) for all
nonpublic entities, as of the first fiscal year beginning after December 15,
2005. Management is currently assessing the effect of SFAS No. 123(R) on the
Company’s financial statement.
NOTE
3 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)
Sarbanes-Oxley
Act Of 2002
Section
404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires public Companies to report on
both internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and
procedures. Internal control over financial reporting refers to:
|
(a) |
controls
to ensure that a Company’s information systems record financial
information that allows the Company to issue fair and accurate financial
statements; |
|
(b)
|
controls
that ensure against unauthorized receipts and expenditures;
and |
|
(c)
|
controls
to prevent and detect unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the
assets. |
Disclosure
controls and procedures refer to controls that ensure that all information that
must be reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission is received by
management on a timely basis.
The
effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting must be assessed by
management, and reported on in the Company’s annual report filed with the SEC.
The Company expects to provide this assessment separately in an amendment to
their report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004. The Company’s
independent auditors must attest to management’s assessment of internal control
over financial reporting, and must issue their report, stating whether they
agree with management’s assessment. In addition, the Company is required to
report any changes in their internal control over financial reporting in their
annual reports and quarterly reports filed with the SEC.
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
4 - PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
Oil and
gas properties, and equipment and fixtures consist of the
following:
|
|
December
31, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
2003 |
|
Oil
and gas - California |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proved
properties, gross |
|
$ |
752,705 |
|
$ |
752,705 |
|
-
accumulated depletion |
|
|
(621,323 |
) |
|
(604,223 |
) |
Proved
properties, net |
|
|
131,382 |
|
|
148,482 |
|
Unproved
properties |
|
|
1,381,667 |
|
|
1,251,953 |
|
Total
oil and gas properties |
|
|
1,513,049 |
|
|
1,400,435 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other
property and equipment |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Land |
|
|
12,281 |
|
|
12,281 |
|
Building |
|
|
50,395 |
|
|
50,395 |
|
Transmission
tower |
|
|
45,000 |
|
|
45,000 |
|
Office
equipment, vehicle, and leasehold improvements |
|
|
345,586 |
|
|
218,514 |
|
|
|
|
453,262 |
|
|
326,190 |
|
Accumulated
depreciation |
|
|
(188,103 |
) |
|
(183,504 |
) |
Total
other property and equipment, net |
|
|
265,159 |
|
|
142,686 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property
and equipment, net |
|
$ |
1,778,208 |
|
$ |
1,543,121 |
|
NOTE
5 - NOTES PAYABLE
|
|
December
31, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
2003 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note
payable to Union Bank dated July 29,2002; |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
secured
by a vehicle; interest at 8.3%; payable |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
in
60 monthly installments of $602. |
|
$ |
12,452 |
|
$ |
22,437 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note
payable to Union Bank, dated January |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15,
2000; secured by a vehicle; interest at 8.5%; |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Payable
in 60 monthly installments of $380. |
|
|
4,332 |
|
|
4,353 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
16,784 |
|
|
26,790 |
|
Less
current portion |
|
|
9,985 |
|
|
9,985 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term
portion of notes payable |
|
$ |
6,799 |
|
$ |
16,805 |
|
NOTE
5 - NOTES PAYABLE (continued)
Maturities
of long-term debt for the years subsequent to December 31, 2004 are as
follows:
2005 |
|
$ |
9,985 |
|
2006 |
|
|
2,721 |
|
2007 |
|
|
4,078 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
16,784 |
|
NOTE
6 - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Employee
Stock Options
The
Company has a qualified and a nonqualified stock option plan, which provides for
the granting of options to key employees, consultants, and nonemployee directors
of the Company.
The
option price, number of shares and grant date are determined at the discretion
of the Company’s board of directors. Options granted under the plans are
exercisable immediately; however, the plan expires in August 2008.
The
purpose of the Company's stock option plans is to further the interest of the
Company by enabling officers, directors, employees, consultants and advisors of
the Company to acquire an interest in the Company by ownership of its stock
through the exercise of stock options and stock appreciation rights granted
under its various stock option plans.
The fair
value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant the Black-Scholes
American option-pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions
used for grant in 2003 and 2002, respectively. There were no options granted in
2004.
Year |
|
Expected
Life |
|
Expected
Dividends |
|
Expected
Volatility |
|
Risk-Free
Interest Rates |
2003 |
|
4 |
|
None |
|
88% |
|
3.00 |
2002 |
|
5 |
|
None |
|
98.04% |
|
3.86 |
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
6 - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (continued)
A summary
of the status of the Company's fixed stock option plan as of December 31, 2004,
2003 and 2002 and changes during the years ending on those dates is presented
below:
|
|
2004 |
|
2003 |
|
2002 |
|
Weighted- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted- |
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted- |
|
Average |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average |
|
|
|
|
|
Average |
|
Exercise |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise |
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise |
|
Shares |
|
|
|
|
|
Price |
|
|
Shares |
|
|
Price |
|
|
Shares |
|
|
Price |
|
Fixed
Options |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Outstanding
at beginning of year |
|
|
3,018,600 |
|
$ |
1.27 |
|
|
2,960,500 |
|
$ |
1.25 |
|
|
3,229,000 |
|
$ |
1.26 |
|
Granted |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
100,000 |
|
$ |
1.33 |
|
|
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
Exercised |
|
|
(465,000 |
) |
$ |
1.20 |
|
|
(41,900 |
) |
$ |
0.50 |
|
|
(20,500 |
) |
$ |
0.50 |
|
Cancelled |
|
|
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
|
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
|
(248,000 |
) |
$ |
1.36 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Outstanding
at end of year |
|
|
2,553,600 |
|
$ |
1.28 |
|
|
3,018,600 |
|
$ |
1.27 |
|
|
2,960,500 |
|
$ |
1.25 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options
exercisable at year-end |
|
|
2,553,600 |
|
|
|
|
|
3,018,600 |
|
|
|
|
|
2,960,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted-average
fair value of options granted during the year |
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
0.96 |
|
|
|
|
|
n/a |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Available
for issuance |
|
|
390,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
following table summarizes information about fixed stock options outstanding at
December 31, 2004:
|
|
Options
Outstanding and Exercisable |
|
|
|
|
Weighted-Average |
|
|
|
|
Number
Outstanding |
|
Remaining |
|
Weighted-Average |
Range
of Exercise Prices |
|
at
December 31, 2004 |
|
Contractual
Life |
|
Exercise
Price |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$.50
- $2.43 |
|
2,553,600 |
|
3.72 |
|
$1.28 |
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
6 - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Partnerships
Tri-Valley
is a general partner and operator of the Tri-Valley Oil & Gas Exploration
Programs 1971-1, Martins-Severin, and Opus I Partnerships. The Company accounts
for these partnerships on the equity method. Oil and gas income
follows:
|
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
2003 |
|
2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Partnership
income, net of expenses |
|
$ |
30,000 |
|
$ |
30,000 |
|
$ |
18,299 |
|
NOTE
7 - EARNINGS PER SHARE
Year |
|
Full
Year Basic Earnings (Loss) Per Share |
|
Weighted-Average
Shares Outstanding |
|
Diluted
Earnings (Loss) Per Share |
|
Diluted
Earnings Weighted-Average Share Outstanding Plus Common Stock
Equivalents |
|
Common
Stock Equivalents Excluded from Diluted Earnings Per Share |
|
2004 |
|
$ |
(0.06 |
) |
|
20,507,342 |
|
$ |
(0.06 |
) |
|
2,553,600 |
|
$ |
- |
|
2003 |
|
|
0.02 |
|
|
19,801,785 |
|
|
0.02 |
|
|
3,018,600 |
|
|
- |
|
2002 |
|
|
0.04 |
|
|
19,702,054 |
|
|
0.03 |
|
|
2,698,500 |
|
|
960,000 |
|
The
diluted earning per share amounts are based on weighted-average shares
outstanding plus common stock equivalents. Common stock equivalents include
stock options and awards, and common stock warrants. Common stock equivalents
excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share due to the effect
was antidilutive.
NOTE
8 - INCOME TAXES
At
December 31, 2004, the Company had available net operating loss carry forwards
for financial statements and federal income tax purposes of approximately $2
million.
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
8 - INCOME TAXES (continued)
The
components of the net deferred tax assets were as follows:
|
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
2003 |
|
2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
|
|
Deferred
tax assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
operating loss carryforwards |
|
$ |
818,000 |
|
$ |
345,727 |
|
$ |
45,667 |
|
Statutory
depletion carryforwards |
|
|
356,000 |
|
|
339,007 |
|
|
297,217 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
deferred tax assets |
|
|
1,174,000 |
|
|
684,734 |
|
|
342,884 |
|
Valuation
allowance |
|
|
(1,174,000 |
) |
|
(684,734 |
) |
|
(342,884 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
deferred tax assets |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
A full
valuation allowance has been established for the deferred tax assets generated
by net operating loss and statutory depletion carryforwards due to the
uncertainty of future utilization. The net operating loss expires in 2022 for
federal purposes and 2023 for state purposes. Depletion carryforwards have an
indefinite life.
The
reconciliation of federal taxable income follows:
|
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
2003 |
|
2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income
(loss) before tax |
|
$ |
(1,276,005 |
) |
$ |
495,109 |
|
$ |
845,130 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Computed
"expected" tax (benefit) |
|
$ |
(434,000 |
) |
$ |
168,000 |
|
$ |
304,344 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
State
tax liability |
|
|
- |
|
|
39,000 |
|
|
76,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Utilization
(non-utilization) of operating loss carryover |
|
|
434,000 |
|
|
(168,000 |
) |
|
(304,344 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
income tax provision |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
39,000 |
|
$ |
76,000 |
|
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
9 - MAJOR CUSTOMERS
Oil
and Gas
Substantially
all oil and gas sales have occurred in the northern California gas market.
The
Company received substantially all of its oil and gas revenue from one customer.
The oil and gas sales to this one customer amounted to $799,474, $901,739, and
$752,971 for the year ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002,
respectively.
NOTE
10 - FINANCIAL INFORMATION RELATING TO INDUSTRY SEGMENTS
The
Company reports operating segments according to SFAS No. 131, “Disclosure About
Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information”.
The
Company identifies reportable segments by product. The Company includes revenues
from both external customers and revenues from transactions with other operating
segments in its measure of segment profit or loss. The Company also includes
interest revenue and expense, DD&A, and other operating expenses in its
measure of segment profit or loss.
The
Company's operations are classified into three principal industry segments.
Following is a summary of segmented information for 2004, 2003, and
2002:
|
|
Oil
and Gas |
|
Precious |
|
Drilling
and |
|
|
|
|
|
Production |
|
Metals |
|
Development |
|
Total |
|
Year
ended December 31, 2004 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
from external customers |
|
$ |
830,148 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
3,559,500 |
|
$ |
4,389,648 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
revenue |
|
$ |
45,990 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
45,990 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
expense |
|
$ |
33,332 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
33,332 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenditures
for segment assets |
|
$ |
369,181 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
369,181 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation,
depletion, and amortization |
|
$ |
21,699 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
21,699 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
assets |
|
$ |
14,473,326 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
14,473,326 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estimated
income tax benefit(expense) |
|
$ |
160,000 |
|
$ |
412,000 |
|
$ |
(62,000 |
) |
$ |
512,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income (loss) |
|
$ |
(400,046 |
) |
$ |
(1,029,898 |
) |
$ |
153,939 |
|
$ |
(1,276,005 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
10 - FINANCIAL INFORMATION RELATING TO INDUSTRY SEGMENTS
(Continued)
|
|
Oil
and Gas |
|
Precious |
|
Drilling
and |
|
|
|
|
|
Production |
|
Metals |
|
Development |
|
Total |
|
Year
ended December 31, 2003 |
|
|
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
(restated) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
from external customers |
|
$ |
932,268 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
5,440,780 |
|
$ |
6,373,048 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
revenue |
|
$ |
34,479 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
34,479 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
expense |
|
$ |
2,572 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
2,572 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenditures
for segment assets |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
Depreciation,
depletion, and amortization |
|
$ |
29,216 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
29,216 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
assets |
|
$ |
8,320,992 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
8,341,782 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estimated
income tax benefit(expense) |
|
$ |
250,000 |
|
$ |
146,000 |
|
$ |
(579,000 |
) |
$ |
(183,000 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income (loss) |
|
$ |
(624,280 |
) |
$ |
(366,039 |
) |
$ |
1,446,428 |
|
$ |
456,109 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year
ended December 31, 2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
from external customers |
|
$ |
771,621 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
5,421,782 |
|
$ |
6,193,403 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
revenue |
|
$ |
19,534 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
19,534 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
expense |
|
$ |
1,838 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
1,838 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenditures
for segment assets |
|
$ |
155,132 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
155,132 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation,
depletion, and amortization |
|
$ |
34,384 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
34,384 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
assets |
|
$ |
4,634,874 |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
4,634,874 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estimated
income tax benefit(expense) |
|
$ |
334,000 |
|
$ |
68,000 |
|
$ |
(709,000 |
) |
$ |
(307,000 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income (loss) |
|
$ |
(835,452 |
) |
$ |
(169,111 |
) |
$ |
1,773,693 |
|
$ |
769,130 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
11 - COMMON STOCK
During
2004 the Company issued the following shares of common stock. All of these
securities were issued pursuant to privately negotiated transactions in reliance
on the exemption contained in Section 4(2) of the Securities Act.
- |
One
private individual purchased 1,090,000 common stock shares for total
$5,385,000 during the year: 300,000 shares at $4.5 per share, 200,000
shares at $4.75 per share, and 500,000 shares at $5.0 per share, and
90,000 shares at $6.5 per share |
- |
Another
private individual purchased 3,000 shares at $4.05 per
share. |
- |
Companies
issued 160,000 shares to two individuals to exchange mining claims in
Alaska. The stocks were valued at $4.45 per share at the time of the
exchange. |
- |
The
Company issued total 20,000 shares to directors of the Company for
services rendered during the year. At the time of the issuance the stocks
were valuated at $6.5 per share. |
- |
During
the year various directors and employees of the Company exercised stock
options previously granted. The new shares issued pursuant to the stock
option plan amounted to 465,000 shares. Cash consideration received
totaled to $560,000. |
- |
During
the year the common stock issuance cost amounted to approximately
$646,200. |
During
2003 we issued the following shares of common stock. All of these securities
were issued pursuant to privately negotiated transactions in reliance on the
exemption contained in Section 4(2) of the Securities Act.
- |
One
officer, one former employee, and one private individual exercised options
to purchase 41,900 common shares at $.50 each. |
- |
One
private individual purchased 3,000 common stock shares at $1.35
each. |
- |
The
Company issued 15,000 shares to the Company’s officers. The closing market
price of our common stock on the date we awarded these shares was
$1.36. |
- |
The
Company issued 50,000 shares to the Company’s outside directors. The
closing market price of our common stock on the date we awarded these
shares was $1.33 |
- |
The
Company issued 6,000 shares to a consultant for service. The closing
market price of our common stock on the date we awarded these shares was
$3.20. |
- |
The
Company issued 255,387 common shares to Swartz Private Equity,
LLC. |
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
12 - COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Contingencies
The
Company is subject to possible loss contingencies pursuant to federal, state and
local environmental laws and regulations. These include existing and potential
obligations to investigate the effects of the release of certain hydro-carbons
or other substances at various sites; to remediate or restore these sites; and
to compensate others for damages and to make other payments as required by law
or regulation. These obligations relate to sites owned by the Company or others,
and are associated with past and present oil and gas operations.
The
amount of such obligations is indeterminate and will depend on such factors as
the unknown nature and extent of contamination, the unknown timing, extent and
method of remedial actions which may be required, the determination of the
Company's liability in proportion to other responsible parties, and the state of
the law.
Natural
Gas Contracts
The
Company sells its gas under three separate gas contracts. Each of the contracts
is effective for a twelve-month period and is renegotiated annually. During
2004, 2003, and 2002, the Company sold all of its produced gas under these
agreements. The terms of the agreements are identical among the contracts.
During 2004, 2003, and 2002, the terms of the agreements were as follows: 100%
of the produced gas was sold at the monthly spot price.
Joint
Venture Advances
As
discussed in Note 1, the Company receives advances from joint venture
participants, which represent funds raised to drill exploratory wells. The
Company receives a carried working interest if the well is successfully drilled
and completed. The Company acts as both the fiduciary agent and Operator during
the period required to drill and equip the well, and as Operator while the well
is produced. The Company is obligated to use these funds for expenditures of the
joint venture prospect. The joint venture agreements specify that the Company
must drill the subject well or substitute another prospect. Some agreements
require that the interest earned on joint venture advances be credited to the
project account. Expenditures of the projects are charged directly against the
obligation.
The
balance of the joint venture advance represents the sum of amounts contributed
for drilling prospects, net of expenditures for the projects. Residual project
balances are held until the Company makes a final determination concerning any
remedial obligations of the joint ventures. The balance at December 31, 2004
consists primarily of the following projects:
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December
31, 2004 and 2003 and 2002
NOTE
12 - COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Continued)
Joint
Venture Advances (continued)
Opus
In May of
2001 the Company began raising funds for a one hundred million dollar
exploration drilling program named OPUS-I. The program calls for the drilling of
26 prospects, 23 in California and 3 in Nevada. As of December 31, 2004 the
program has drilled ten wells in which nine were dry holes, the remaining wells
are currently being tested or evaluated for further work. The drilling portion
of these prospects is turn-keyed, meaning the drilling portion is done for a
fixed cost and the completion portion is done at the actual cost.
The Opus
Drilling Program joint venture status at December 31, 2004 is as
follows:
Total
Opus Contributions |
|
$ |
28,940,988 |
|
Total
Opus Expenditures |
|
$ |
22,772,733 |
|
Advances |
|
$ |
6,168,255 |
|
Ekho
The Ekho
project was originally a three-well project, which commenced February 7, 2000
with the first well. The first well has been drilled to its target depth of just
over 19,000 feet. The original majority joint interest partners were unable to
fulfill their obligations to continue to fund well completion activities. The
Company is currently seeking substitute partners to raise funds to fracture and
complete the well. Ekho joint venture project status at December 31, 2004, which
is included in the joint venture advance, is as follows (the vast majority of
expenditures were made in 2000):
Total
Ekho joint venture contributions |
|
$ |
10,604,300 |
|
Total
Ekho joint venture expenditures |
|
$ |
10,878,236 |
|
Interest
credited to the joint account |
|
$ |
246,749 |
|
Leases
The
Company leases its office space on a month to month basis.
NOTE
13 - SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
On March
28, 2005, the Company entered into an agreement to acquire Pleasant Valley
Energy Corporation, a private holder of leases estimated to contain about 24
million barrels of proven undeveloped oil reserves. The transaction is scheduled
to close on or before May 6, 2005.
TRI-VALLEY CORPORATIONNOTES TO CONSOLIDATED
FINANCIAL STATEMENTSDecember 31, 2004 and 2003 and
2002
SUPPLEMENTAL
INFORMATION (unaudited)
TRI-VALLEY CORPORATIONNOTES TO CONSOLIDATED
FINANCIAL STATEMENTSDecember 31, 2004 and 2003 and
2002
SUPPLEMENTAL
INFORMATION (unaudited)
The
following estimates of proved oil and gas reserves, both developed and
undeveloped, represent interests owned by the Company located solely in the
United States.
Disclosures
of oil and gas reserves, which follow, are based on estimates prepared by
independent engineering consultants for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003,
and 2002. Such analyses are subject to numerous uncertainties inherent in the
estimation of quantities of proved reserves and in the projection of future
rates of production and the timing of development expenditures. These estimates
do not include probable or possible reserves.
These
estimates are furnished and calculated in accordance with requirements of the
Financial Accounting Standards Board and the Securities and Exchange Commission
("SEC"). Because of unpredictable variances in expenses and capital forecasts,
crude oil and natural gas price changes, largely influenced and controlled by
U.S. and foreign government actions, and the fact that the basis for such
estimates vary significantly, management believes the usefulness of these
projections is limited. Estimates of future net cash flows presented do not
represent management's assessment of future profitability or future cash flows
to the Company. Management's investment and operating decisions are based upon
reserve estimates that include proved reserves as well as probable reserves, and
upon different price and cost assumptions from those used here.
It should
be recognized that applying current costs and prices and a 10 percent standard
discount rate does not convey fair market value. The discounted amounts arrived
at are only one measure of the value of proved reserves.
Capitalized
costs relating to oil and gas producing activities and related accumulated
depletion, depreciation and amortization were as follows:
|
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
2003 |
|
2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
|
|
Aggregate
capitalized costs: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proved
properties |
|
$ |
752,705 |
|
$ |
752,705 |
|
$ |
752,705 |
|
Unproved
properties |
|
|
1,381,667
|
|
|
1,251,953
|
|
|
1,654,117
|
|
Accumulated
depletion, depreciation and amortization |
|
|
(621,323 |
) |
|
(604,223 |
) |
|
(587,030 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
capitalized assets |
|
$ |
1,513,049 |
|
$ |
1,400,435 |
|
$ |
1,819,792 |
|
Supplemental
Information (unaudited)
Page
Two
The
following sets forth costs incurred for oil and gas property acquisition,
exploration and development activities, whether capitalized or expensed,
during:
|
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
2003 |
|
2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
|
|
Acquisition
of producing properties and productive and non-productive
acreage |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exploration
costs and development activities |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
- |
|
$ |
45,143 |
|
Results
Of Operations From Oil And Gas Producing Activities
The
results of operations from oil and gas producing activities are as
follows:
|
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
2003 |
|
2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
|
|
Sales
to unaffiliated parties |
|
$ |
830,148 |
|
$ |
932,268 |
|
$ |
771,621 |
|
Production
costs |
|
|
(144,101 |
) |
|
(183,362 |
) |
|
(224,320 |
) |
Depletion,
depreciation and amortization |
|
|
(17,100 |
) |
|
(26,551 |
) |
|
(24,719 |
) |
|
|
|
668,947 |
|
|
722,355
|
|
|
522,582
|
|
Income
tax expense |
|
|
(240,820 |
) |
|
(264,968 |
) |
|
(187,057 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Results
of operations from activities before |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
extraordinary
items (excluding corporate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Overhead
and interest costs) |
|
$ |
161,096 |
|
$ |
457,387 |
|
$ |
335,525 |
|
Supplemental
Information (unaudited)
Page
Three
Changes
In Estimated Reserve Quantities
The net
interest in estimated quantities of proved developed and undeveloped reserves of
crude oil and natural gas at December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002, and changes in
such quantities during each of the years then ended, were as
follows:
|
|
December
31, 2004 |
|
December
31, 2003 |
|
December
31, 2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oil |
|
Gas |
|
Oil |
|
Gas |
|
Oil |
|
Gas |
|
|
|
(BBL) |
|
(MCF) |
|
(BBL) |
|
(MCF) |
|
(BBL) |
|
(MCF) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proved
developed and undeveloped reserves: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginning
of year |
|
|
162 |
|
|
1,251,548 |
|
|
150 |
|
|
1,492,245 |
|
|
164 |
|
|
1,684,757 |
|
Revisions
of previous estimates extensions, discoveries and other
additions |
|
|
- |
|
|
(374,408 |
) |
|
37 |
|
|
(115,365 |
) |
|
15 |
|
|
40,066 |
|
Net
reserve additions |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
36,982 |
|
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
Production |
|
|
- |
|
|
(134,739 |
) |
|
(25 |
) |
|
(162,314 |
) |
|
(29 |
) |
|
(232,578 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
End
of year |
|
|
162 |
|
|
742,401 |
|
|
162 |
|
|
1,251,548 |
|
|
150 |
|
|
1,492,245 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proved
developed reserves: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginning
of year |
|
|
162 |
|
|
1,251,548 |
|
|
150 |
|
|
1,492,245 |
|
|
164 |
|
|
1,684,757 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
End
of year |
|
|
162 |
|
|
742,401 |
|
|
162 |
|
|
1,251,548 |
|
|
150 |
|
|
1,492,245 |
|
Standardized
Measure Of Discounted Future Net Cash Flows Relating To Proved Oil And Gas
Reserves
A
standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows is presented below for
the year ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002.
The
future net cash inflows are developed as follows:
|
(1) |
Estimates
are made of quantities of proved reserves and the future periods during
which they are expected to be produced based on year-end economic
conditions. |
|
(2) |
The
estimated future production of proved reserves is priced on the basis of
year-end prices. |
|
(3) |
The
resulting future gross revenue streams are reduced by estimated future
costs to develop and to produce proved reserves, based on year end cost
estimates. |
Supplemental
Information (unaudited)
Page
Four
Standardized
Measure Of Discounted Future Net Cash Flows Relating To Proved Oil And Gas
Reserves
(Continued)
(4) The
resulting future net revenue streams are reduced to present value amounts by
applying a ten percent discount.
Disclosure
of principal components of the standardized measure of discounted future net
cash flows provides information concerning the factors involved in making the
calculation. In addition, the disclosure of both undiscounted and discounted net
cash flows provides a measure of comparing proved oil and gas reserves both with
and without an estimate of production timing. The standardized measure of
discounted future net cash flows relating to proved reserves reflects income
taxes.
|
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
2003 |
|
2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Future
cash in flows |
|
$ |
5,248,091 |
|
$ |
5,973,197 |
|
$ |
5,791,416 |
|
Future
production and development costs |
|
|
(989,549 |
) |
|
(1,376,902 |
) |
|
(1,297,906 |
) |
Future
income tax expenses |
|
|
(1,357,948 |
) |
|
(1,134,811 |
) |
|
(1,202,626 |
) |
Future
net cash flows |
|
|
2,900,595
|
|
|
3,461,484
|
|
|
3,290,884
|
|
10%
annual discount for estimated timing of cash flows |
|
|
942,358
|
|
|
1,190,852
|
|
|
1,066,614
|
|
Standardized
measure of discounted future net cash flow |
|
$ |
1,958,238 |
|
$ |
2,270,632 |
|
$ |
2,224,270 |
|
* Refer
to the following table for analysis in changes in standardized
measure.
Changes
In Standardized Measure Of Discounted Future Net Cash Flow From Proved Reserve
Quantities
This
statement discloses the sources of changes in the standardized measure from year
to year. The amount reported as "Net changes in prices and production costs"
represents the present value of changes in prices and production costs
multiplied by estimates of proved reserves as of the beginning of the year. The
"accretion of discount" was computed by multiplying the ten percent discount
factor by the standardized measure as of the beginning of the year. The "Sales
of oil and gas produced, net of production costs" is expressed in actual dollar
amounts. "Revisions of previous quantity estimates" is expressed at year-end
prices.
Supplemental
Information (unaudited)
Page
Five
Changes
In Standardized Measure Of Discounted Future Net Cash Flow From Proved Reserve
Quantities
(Continued)
The "Net
change in income taxes" is computed as the change in present value of future
income taxes.
|
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
December
31, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
2003 |
|
2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
|
|
Standardized
measure - beginning of period |
|
$ |
2,270,632 |
|
$ |
2,224,270 |
|
$ |
1,005,010 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales
of oil and gas produced, net of production costs |
|
|
(655,373 |
) |
|
(748,906 |
) |
|
(547,301 |
) |
Revisions
of estimates of reserves provided in prior years: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
changes in prices |
|
|
1,705,515
|
|
|
969,281
|
|
|
2,432,433
|
|
Revisions
of previous quantity estimates |
|
|
- |
|
|
(171,355 |
) |
|
166,536
|
|
Extensions
and discoveries |
|
|
270,891
|
|
|
102,382
|
|
|
-
|
|
Purchases
of minerals in place |
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
Accretion
of discount |
|
|
248,494
|
|
|
263,451
|
|
|
274,545
|
|
Changes
in production rates (timing) and other |
|
|
(1,658,785 |
) |
|
(436,306 |
) |
|
(334,874 |
) |
Net
change in income taxes |
|
|
223,137
|
|
|
67,815
|
|
|
(772,079 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
increase (decrease) |
|
|
(312,394 |
) |
|
46,362
|
|
|
1,219,260
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Standardized
measure - end of period |
|
$ |
1,958,238 |
|
$ |
2,270,632 |
|
$ |
2,224,270 |
|
Supplemental
Information (unaudited)
Page
Five
Quarterly
Financial Data (unaudited)
|
|
2004 |
|
|
|
First |
|
Second |
|
|
|
Third |
|
Fourth |
|
|
|
Quarter |
|
Quarter |
|
|
|
Quarter |
|
Quarter |
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
(restated) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating
Revenues |
|
$ |
1,386,281 |
|
$ |
1,134,910 |
|
|
|
|
$ |
223,006 |
|
$ |
1,754,473 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Income (Loss) |
|
$ |
255,258 |
|
$ |
(940,409 |
) |
|
|
|
$ |
(479,104 |
) |
$ |
(111,750 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Income (Loss) per Common Share |
|
$ |
0.01 |
|
$ |
(0.05 |
) |
|
|
|
$ |
(0.02 |
) |
$ |
(0.00 |
) |
|
|
|
(restated) |
|
2003 |
First |
|
|
|
|
|
Second |
|
Third |
|
Fourth |
|
Quarter |
|
|
|
|
|
Quarter |
|
Quarter |
|
Quarter |
|
(restated) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(restated |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating
Revenues |
|
$ |
276,780 |
|
$ |
1,190,371 |
|
$
3,137,062 |
$ |
1,860,032 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Income (Loss) |
|
$ |
(421,407 |
) |
$ |
(152,183 |
) |
$
172,570 |
$ |
896,129 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Income (Loss) per Common Share |
|
$ |
(0.02 |
) |
$ |
(0.01 |
) |
$
0.01 |
$ |
0.04 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 |
First |
|
|
|
|
|
Second |
|
Third |
|
Fourth |
|
Quarter |
|
|
|
|
|
Quarter |
|
Quarter |
|
Quarter |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating
Revenues |
|
$ |
182,734 |
|
$ |
857,241 |
|
$
3,923,875 |
$ |
1,321,058 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Income (Loss) |
|
$ |
(264,117 |
) |
$ |
(360,283 |
) |
$
1,071,553 |
$ |
321,977 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Income (Loss) per Common Share |
|
$ |
(0.01 |
) |
$ |
(0.02 |
) |
$
0.05 |
$ |
0.02 |
|
|
|
|
ITEM
9A Controls and Procedures
Evaluation
of Disclosure Controls
We
evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures
("Disclosure Controls") as of December 31, 2004. This evaluation ("Controls
Evaluation") was done with the participation of our president and chief
executive officer ("CEO") and chief financial officer ("CFO").
Disclosure
Controls are controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that
information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") is recorded
processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the
SEC's rules and forms. Disclosure Controls and procedures include, without
limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required
to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file under the Exchange Act is
accumulated and communicated to our management, including our CEO and CFO, as
appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosure.
Limitations
on the Effectiveness of Controls
Our
management, including our CEO and CFO, does not expect that our Disclosure
Controls or our internal control over financial reporting will prevent all error
and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can
provide only reasonable, but not absolute, assurance that the objectives of a
control system are met. Further, any control system reflects limitations on
resources, and the benefits of a control system must be considered relative to
its 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, within Tri-Valley Corporation 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
error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual
acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management
override of a control. A design of a control system is also based upon certain
assumptions about potential future conditions; over time, controls may become
inadequate because of changes in conditions, or the degree of compliance with
the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Because of the inherent limitations
in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may
occur and may not be detected.
Internal
Control over Financial Reporting
Our
management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal
control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-(f)
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We are required to include in our
annual report on Form 10-K, management’s assessment of internal control over
financial reporting as of December 31, 2004, and a related auditor’s report on
management’s assessment.
On
November 30, 2004, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued an exemptive
order extending for 45 days the time period in which an “accelerated filer”
under Commission rules, which had outstanding market equity of less than $700
million at the end of its second fiscal quarter in 2004, must file management’s
report on internal control over financial reporting. Tri-Valley qualifies for
the extension granted by the Commission’s exemptive order. We have not included
management’s assessment of internal control over financial reporting nor our
auditor’s report on management’s assessment in this 10-K Report. We will file
the required assessment and auditor’s report by amendment to this 10-K Report
within 45 days after the date that this 10-K Report is due, that is, on or
before April 30, 2005.
We expect
that our independent auditors will issue an adverse opinion on the effectiveness
of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31,
2004. The adverse opinion will be based on a finding that a material
weakness existed in Tri-Valley’s internal control on that date and is a separate
report from the audited financials, on which the Company expects an unqualified
opinion. None of these deficiencies has affected Tri-Valley’s cash flow or
ability to meet its obligations.
One other
issue of ineffective segregation of duties stemmed from Tri-Valley’s
historically lean staff wherein individual management members each “wear several
hats.” This was resolved after December 31, 2004 by expanding the internal
accounting staff to conform to an effective separation of check signing, access
to financial information, bank reconciliation and journal entry duties in
compliance with the new rules for internal controls.
In the
course of assessing internal control, we identified a couple of significant
deficiencies, one related to book entry of accounts and another related to
revenue recognition policies, and the company corrected these deficiencies
during the third quarter of 2004. In addition, as the year closed, we
decided that additional staff were needed to provide assurance that duties of
authorizing and recording financial entries were sufficiently separate to
provide adequate internal control. However, we were unable to hire the
required additional staff and make the desired internal control changes prior to
December 31, 2004, to provide this additional assurance.
Since our
efforts to segregate duties effectively were not completed until after the
December 31 close of the 2004 fiscal year, the first annual assessment of the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting will probably note these
items as a material weakness.
PART
III
ITEM
10 Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant
All
directors of the Company serve one year terms from the time of their election to
the time their successor is elected and qualified. The following information is
furnished with respect to each director and executive officer:
|
|
|
|
Year
First |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Became
Director or |
|
Position
With |
Name
of Director |
|
Age |
|
Executive
Officer |
|
Company
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
F.
Lynn Blystone |
|
69 |
|
1974 |
|
President,
CEO, Director, TVC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
CEO
and Director, TVOG |
|
|
|
|
|
|
President,
CEO, Director, TVPC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dennis
P. Lockhart(1) |
|
57 |
|
1982 |
|
Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Milton
J. Carlson(1) |
|
74 |
|
1985 |
|
Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Harold
J. Noyes (2) |
|
56 |
|
2002 |
|
Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loren
J. Miller(1) |
|
59 |
|
1992 |
|
Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C.
Chase Hoffman (2) |
|
81 |
|
2000 |
|
Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas
J. Cunningham |
|
62 |
|
1997 |
|
Treasurer,
Chief Financial Officer and |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Secretary,
TVC, TVOG, and TVPC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joseph
R. Kandle |
|
62 |
|
1999 |
|
President,
TVOG |
(1)-
Member of Audit Committee
(2)
Member of Compensation Committee
F.
Lynn Blystone - 69 |
President
and Chief Executive Officer of Tri-Valley Corporation and Tri-Valley Power
Corporation, CEO of Tri-Valley Oil & Gas Company and Select Resources
Corporation, which are three wholly owned subsidiaries of Tri-Valley
Corporation, Bakersfield, California, Chairman of Alpha Minerals &
Chemicals. LLC |
1974 |
|
|
|
Mr.
Blystone became president of Tri-Valley Corporation in October, 1981, and
was nominally vice president from July to October, 1981. His background
includes institution management, venture capital and various management
functions for a mainline pipeline contractor including the Trans Alaska
Pipeline Project. He has founded, run and sold companies in several fields
including Learjet charter, commercial construction, municipal finance and
land development. He is also president of a family corporation, Bandera
Land Company, Inc., with real estate interests in Kern, Riverside and
Orange Counties California. A graduate of Whittler College, California, he
did graduate work at George Williams College, Illinois in organization
management. He gives full time to Tri-Valley. |
|
Dennis
P. Lockhart - 57 |
Director |
1982 |
|
|
|
Mr.
Lockhart is a professor at Georgetown University. He was previously
Managing Partner of Zephyr Management L.P., an international private
equity investment fund sponsor/manager headquartered in New York. He
remains a partner in this firm. He is also (non-executive) Chairman of the
Small Enterprise Assistance Funds (SEAF),a not-for-profit operator of
emerging markets venture capital funds focused on the small and mid-sized
company sector. He is a director of CapitalSource Inc. (NYSE) and SMELoan
Asia/Maveo Systems (private, Hong Kong based). In 2002 and 2003 he was an
Adjunct Professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced
International Studies. From 1988 to 2001, he was President of Heller
International Group Inc., a non-bank corporate and commercial finance
company operating in 20 countries, and a director of the group’s parent,
Heller Financial Inc. From 1971 to 1988 he held a variety of international
and domestic positions at Citibank/Citicorp (now Citigroup) including
assignments in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Greece, Iran and the bank’s Latin
American group in New York. In 1999, he was Chairman of the Advisory
Committee of the U.S. Export Import Bank. He is a graduate of Stanford
University and The John Hopkins University School of Advanced
International Studies. He also attended the Senior Executive Program at
the Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mr.
Lockhart is an independent member of our Board of
Directors. |
|
Milton
J. Carlson - 74 |
Director |
1985 |
|
|
|
Since
1989, Mr. Carlson has been a principal in Earthsong Corporation, which, in
part, consults on environmental matters and performs environmental audits
for government agencies and public and private concerns. Mr. Carlson
attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of
Denver. Mr. Carlson is an independent member of our Board of
Directors. |
|
|
|
Loren
J. Miller, CPA - 59 |
Director |
1992 |
|
|
|
Mr.
Miller has served in a treasury and other senior financial capacities at
the Jankovich Company since 1994. Prior to that he served successively as
vice president and chief financial officer of Hershey Oil Corporation from
1987 to 1990 and Mock Resources from 1991 to 1992. Prior to that he was
vice president and general manager of Tosco Production Finance Corporation
from 1975 to 1986 and was a senior auditor the accounting firm of Touche
Ross & Company from 1968 to 1973. He is experienced in exploration,
production, product trading, refining and distribution as well as
corporate finance. He holds a B.S. in accounting and a M.B.A. in finance
from the University of Southern California. Mr. Miller is an independent
member of our Board of Directors. |
|
|
|
Harold
J. Noyes - 56 |
Director,
President of Select Resources Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of
Tri-Valley Corporation, Director of Tri-Valley Corporation, Director of
Alpha Minerals & Chemicals, LLC |
2002 |
|
|
|
Since
January 2005 he has been president of Select Resources Corporation, a
newly formed wholly owned subsidiary of Tri-Valley Corporation. Prior to
that he was the president of H.J. Noyes and Associates, Inc., a firm that
provides consulting and business development services to the minerals
industry. Dr. Noyes is currently a senior program manager with Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory. He served October 2001 through October 2002
as vice president, marketing and business development for Blake Street
Investments, Inc., a money management and investment advisory firm. From
1997 to 2000 he was president of North Star Exploration, Inc. He was
manager, resource development for Doyon Limited from 1983 to 1997. Dr.
Noyes graduated from the University of Minnesota Magna Cum Laude in
geology and took his Ph.D. in geology and geochemistry at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Later he earned a Masters in
Business Administration at the University of Chicago. In 2004, Mr. Noyes
was an independent member of our board of directors. |
|
|
|
C.
Chase Hoffman - 81 |
Director |
2000 |
|
|
|
Since
1965 Mr. Hoffman has owned and operated a milk cow dairy and farmed 4,000
acres of land. Additionally, he has been a commercial and residential land
developer in California and Hawaii since 1978. From 1973 to 1978 he was a
senior vice president and general manager for Knudsen for the State of
California. Mr. Hoffman also sits as a director for two companies whose
shares are listed on the Canadian Venture Exchange: Seine River Resources,
Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia, with California gold operations and
Guatemala oil properties, and International Powerhouse Energy Corporation,
a British Columbia, Canada, hydroelectric project. He is a graduate of
Stanford University with a degree in Economics and Business Administration
from Graduate School of Business. Mr. Hoffman is an independent member of
our Board of Directors. |
|
|
|
Thomas
J. Cunningham - 62 |
Secretary,
Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of Tri-Valley Corporation, and its
wholly owned subsidiaries, Tri-Valley Oil & Gas Company, Tri-Valley
Power Corporation and Select Resources Corporation, Bakersfield,
California,
CFO
and Director of Alpha Minerals & Chemicals |
1997 |
|
|
|
Named
as Tri-Valley Corporation’s treasurer and chief financial officer in
February 1997, and as corporate secretary on December 1998. From 1987 to
1997 he was a self employed management consultant in finance, marketing
and human resources. Prior to that he was executive vice president, chief
financial officer and director for Star Resources from 1977 to 1987. He
was the controller for Tucker Drilling Company from 1974 to 1977. He has
over 25 years experience in corporate finance, Securities Exchange
Commission public company reporting, shareholder relations and employee
benefits. He received his education from Angelo State University,
Texas. |
|
Joseph
R. Kandle - 62 |
President
and Chief Operating Officer Tri-Valley Oil & Gas Company, wholly owned
subsidiary of Tri-Valley Corporation Bakersfield,
California |
1998 |
|
Mr.
Kandle was named as president of Tri-Valley Oil & Gas Co. February
1999 after joining the Company June 1998 as vice president - engineering.
From 1995 to 1998 he was employed as a petroleum engineer for R & R
Resources, self-employed as a consulting petroleum engineer from 1994 to
1995. He was vice president - engineering for Atlantic Oil Company from
1983 to 1994. From 1981 to 1983 he was vice president for Star Resources.
He was vice president and chief engineer for Great Basins Petroleum from
1973 to 1981. He began his career with Mobil Oil (from 1965 to 1973) after
graduating from the Montana School of Mines in
1965. |
Audit
Committee
The
independent directors that serve on the audit committee are Loren J. Miller,
Dennis P. Lockhart and Milton J. Carlson. The board of directors has determined
that Loren J. Miller is considered to be the audit committee financial expert.
Please see his biography above.
Compliance
with Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act
Section
16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Securities and Exchange
Commission regulations require that the Company's directors, certain officers,
and greater than 10 percent shareholders file reports of ownership and changes
in ownership with the SEC and must furnish the Company with copies of all such
reports they file. Based solely on the information furnished to the Company, we
believe that no person failed to file required Section 16(a) reports on a timely
basis during or in respect of 2001.
Code
of Ethics
We have
adopted a code of ethics that applies to our chief executive officer and chief
financial officer. A copy of the code of ethics is attached to this 10-K Report
as and exhibit.
ITEM
11 Executive Compensation
The
following table summarizes the compensation of the chairman of the board and the
president of the Company and its subsidiaries, F. Lynn Blystone (the "Named
Officer"), for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and
2002.
Independent
directors C. Chase Hoffman and Harold J. Noyes served as the compensation
committee for fiscal year 2004.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long
Term |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Compensation |
|
|
|
|
Annual
Compensation |
|
Awards |
(a) |
|
(b) |
|
( c
) |
|
(d) |
|
(e) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other |
|
Securities |
Name |
|
Period
Covered |
|
Salary |
|
Compensation |
|
Underlying
Options |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
F.
Lynn |
|
FYE
12/31/04 |
|
$108,900
|
|
$25,000 |
|
|
Blystone,
CEO |
|
FYE
12/31/03 |
|
$
99,000 |
|
$50,000 |
|
|
|
|
FYE
12/31/02 |
|
$
99,000 |
|
$50,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Employment
Agreement with Our President
We have
an employment agreement with F. Lynn Blystone, our President and Chief Executive
Officer, which ended in August 2002, and was automatically renewable for three
one-year periods after 2002, unless terminated by giving 90 days written notice.
The base salary amount is $99,000 per year plus 5,000 shares of our common stock
at the end of each year of service. Mr. Blystone is also entitled to a bonus
(not to exceed $25,000) equal to 10% of net operating cash flow before taxes,
including interest income and excluding debt service. Mr. Blystone is also
entitled to a bonus of 4% of the company's annual net after-tax income. The
total of the bonuses from cash flow and net income may not exceed $50,000 per
year. The
employment agreement also provides a severance payment to Mr. Blystone if he is
terminated within 12 months after a sale of control of Tri-Valley. The severance
payment equals $150,000. For purposes of the severance provision, a sale of
control is deemed to be the sale of ownership of 30% of the outstanding stock of
Tri-Valley or the acquisition by one person of enough stock to appoint a
majority of the board of directors of the company.
We carry
key man life insurance of $500,000 on Mr. Blystone's life.
Compensation
Committee Report
The
Compensation Committee Report will be filed with the proxy statement for the
annual shareholders meeting.
Aggregated
2004
Option Exercises and Year-End Values
The
following table summarizes the number and value of all unexercised stock options
held by the Named Officer and the Directors at the end of 2004.
(
a ) |
(b) |
(c) |
(d) |
(e) |
|
|
|
Number
of Securities |
Value
of Unexercised In- |
|
|
|
Underlying
Unexercised |
The-Money
Options/SARs |
|
|
|
Options/SARs
at FY-End (#) |
at
FY-End ($)* |
|
Shares
Acquired
On
Exercise (#) |
|
|
|
Name
|
Value
Realized ($) |
Exercisable/Unexercisable |
Exercisable/Unexercisable |
F.
Lynn Blystone |
17,000 |
$41,970 |
857,600/0 |
$9,414,148/0 |
C.
Chase Hoffman |
200,000 |
$1,049,000 |
|
|
Loren
J.Miller |
220,000 |
$1,324,500 |
50,000 |
$490,000 |
*Based on
a fair market value of $12.23 per share, which was the closing price of the
Company's Common Stock on the American Stock Exchange on December 31,
2004.
No
additional stock options were granted in 2004.
Compensation
of Directors
The
Company compensates non-employee directors for their service on the board of
directors.
The
following table sets forth information regarding the cash compensation paid to
outside directors in 2004.
(a) |
(b) |
(c) |
Name |
Fees |
Restricted
Shares |
|
|
|
Harry
J. Noyes |
$5,650 |
4,000 |
|
|
|
Milton
Carlson |
$6,600 |
4,000 |
|
|
|
Dennis
P. Lockhart |
$6,350 |
4,000 |
|
|
|
Loren
J. Miller |
$7,000 |
4,000 |
|
|
|
C.
Chase Hoffman |
$6,050 |
4,000 |
Performance
Graph
The
following stock price performance graph is included in accordance with the SEC's
executive compensation disclosure rules and is intended to allow stockholders to
review our executive compensation policies in light of corresponding stockholder
returns, expressed in terms of the appreciation of our common stock relative to
two broad-based stock performance indices. The information is included for
historical comparative purposes only and should not be considered indicative of
future stock performance. The graph
compares the yearly percentage change in the cumulative total stockholder return
on our common stock with the cumulative total return of Royale Energy, Inc.,
Parallel Petroleum Corporation and Equity Oil Company from December 31, 2000
through December 31, 2004. On July 20, 2004, Whiting Petroleum Corporation and
Equity Oil Company completed their merger, resulting in Equity becoming a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Whiting.
Total
returns assume $100 invested on December 31, 2000 in shares of Tri-Valley
Corporation, Royale
Energy Inc., Parallel Petroleum Corporation, and Equity Oil Company, assuming
reinvestment of dividends for each measurement period.
Total
Return Analysis |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12/31/2000 |
|
12/31/2001 |
|
12/31/2002 |
|
12/31/2003 |
|
12/31/2004 |
|
Tri-Valley
Corp |
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
$ |
98.77 |
|
$ |
86.42 |
|
$ |
271.60 |
|
$ |
754.94 |
|
Royale
Energy, Inc. |
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
$ |
101.18 |
|
$ |
92.34 |
|
$ |
241.06 |
|
$ |
141.45 |
|
Parallel
Petroleum Corp. |
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
$ |
83.46 |
|
$ |
71.92 |
|
$ |
114.17 |
|
$ |
141.47 |
|
Equity
Oil Co. |
|
$ |
100.00 |
|
$ |
51.43 |
|
$ |
57.14 |
|
$ |
112.29 |
|
$ |
864.29 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ITEM
12 Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and
Management
As of
December 31, 2004, there were 21,836,052 shares of the Company's common stock
outstanding. The following persons were known by the Company to be the
beneficial owners of more than 5% of such outstanding common stock:
|
|
Number
of |
|
Percent
of |
Name
and Address |
|
Shares |
|
Total |
|
|
|
|
|
F.
Lynn Blystone
P.O.
Box 1105
Bakersfield,
CA 93302 |
|
1,295,603(1) |
|
5.7% |
|
|
|
|
|
Includes
857,600 shares of stock Mr. Blystone has the right to acquire upon the exercise
of options.
The
following table sets forth the beneficial ownership of the Company's common
stock as of December 31, 2004 by each director, by each of the executive
officers named in Item 11, and by the executive officer named in Item 10 and
directors as a group:
|
|
Number
of |
|
Percent
of |
Directors |
|
Shares(1) |
|
Total(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
F.
Lynn Blystone |
|
1,295,603 |
|
5.7% |
|
|
|
|
|
Dennis
P. Lockhart |
|
345,191 |
|
1.6% |
|
|
|
|
|
Milton
J. Carlson |
|
349,000 |
|
1.6% |
|
|
|
|
|
Loren
J. Miller |
|
309,300 |
|
1.4% |
|
|
|
|
|
Harold
J. Noyes |
|
114,000 |
|
0.5% |
|
|
|
|
|
C.
Chase Hoffman |
|
271,500 |
|
1.2% |
|
|
|
|
|
Total
group
(all directors and |
|
|
|
|
Executive
officers - 6 persons) |
|
2,684,594 |
|
12.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Includes
shares which the listed shareholder has the right to acquire from options
as follows: Dennis P. Lockhart 270,000; Milton J. Carlson 268,000; Loren
J. Miller 50,000, Harold J. Noyes 100,000; F. Lynn Blystone
857,600. |
(2) |
Based
on total outstanding shares of 21,836,052 as of December 31, 2004. The
persons named herein have sole voting and investment power with respect to
all shares of common stock shown as beneficially owned by them, subject to
community property laws where applicable. |
ITEM
14 Principal Accountant Fees and Services
YEAR |
AUDIT
SERVICES |
TAX
SERVICES |
SEC
SERVICES |
2004 |
$50,832.68 |
$14,392.72 |
$
5,182.60 |
2003 |
$45,509.82 |
$16,784.18 |
$
6,286.00 |
ITEM
15 Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
Exhibit |
|
|
Number |
|
Description
of Exhibit |
|
|
|
3.1 |
|
Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, incorporated by reference to
Exhibit A of the Company’s 2000 Proxy Statement and Definitive Schedule
14A, filed with the SEC on July 26, 2000. |
3.2 |
|
Amended
and Restated Bylaws, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 of the
Company's Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 1999, filed with the
SEC on March 24, 2000. |
4.1 |
|
Rights
Agreement, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 of the Company’s Form
10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 1999, filed with the SEC on March
24, 2000. |
10.1
|
|
Employment
Agreement with F. Lynn Blystone, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1
of the Company's Form 10-KSB/A, Amendment No. 3 to Form 10-KSB for the
year ended December 31, 2000, filed with the SEC on December 14, 2001.
|
10.2 |
|
Tri-Valley
Corporation 1999 Stock Option Plan, as amended, incorporated by reference
to Exhibit B of the Company’s 1999 Proxy Statement and Definitive Schedule
14A, filed with the SEC on October 1, 1999. |
14.1 |
|
Code
of Business Conduct & Ethics |
21.1
|
|
Subsidiaries
of the Registrant |
31.1 |
|
Certification
Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) / 15d-14(a) |
31.2 |
|
Certification
Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) / 15d-14(a) |
32.1 |
|
Certification
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1350. |
32.2 |
|
Certification
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1350. |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
|
March
24, 2005 |
|
By:/s/
F. Lynn Blystone |
|
|
|
F.
Lynn Blystone |
|
|
|
President,
Chief Executive Officer and |
|
|
|
Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March
24, 2005 |
|
By:/s/
Thomas J. Cunningham |
|
|
|
Thomas
J. Cunningham |
|
|
|
Secretary,
Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer |
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this Report has been
signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the
capacities and on the dates included:
|
March
24, 2005 |
|
By:/s/
Milton J. Carlson |
|
|
|
Milton
J. Carlson, Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March
24, 2005 |
|
By:/s/
C. Chase Hoffman |
|
|
|
C.
Chase Hoffman, Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March
24, 2005 |
|
By:/s/
Dennis P. Lockhart |
|
|
|
Dennis
P. Lockhart, Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March
24, 2005 |
|
By:/s/
Loren J. Miller |
|
|
|
Loren
J. Miller, Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March
24, 2005 |
|
By:/s/
Harold J. Noyes |
|
|
|
Harold
J. Noyes, Director |
EXHIBIT
14.1
TRI-VALLEY
CORPORATION
CODE
OF BUSINESS CONDUCT & ETHICS
General
Philosophy
Tri-Valley
Corporation and its subsidiaries (“Tri-Valley”) and each of its directors,
officers and employees must conduct their affairs with uncompromising honesty
and integrity. Business ethics are no different than personal ethics. The same
high standard applies to both. As an employee of Tri-Valley or any of its
subsidiaries, you are required to adhere to the highest standard. The ethical
standards set forth in this code reflect who we are and are the standards by
which we choose to be judged.
Our
employees are expected to be honest and ethical in dealing with each other, with
clients, vendors, and all other third parties. Doing the right thing means doing
it right every time.
You must
also respect the rights of your fellow co-workers and third parties. Your
actions must be free from discrimination, libel, slander or harassment. Each
person must be accorded equal opportunity regardless of age, race, sex, color,
creed, religion, national origin, marital status, veteran’s status, handicap or
disability.
Misconduct
cannot be excused because it was directed or requested by another. In this
regard, you are expected to alert management whenever an illegal, dishonest or
unethical act is discovered or suspected. You will never be penalized for
reporting your discoveries or suspicions. There will be no reprisals for the
good faith reporting of a perceived violation. Reports of a violation will be
investigated promptly and the matter will be treated, to the extent possible, as
confidential. In addition to (or instead of) reporting the matter to
Tri-Valley’s management, employees may report violations by senior management
(and must report violations involving financial accounting and reporting) to the
chairperson of our audit committee, who is an independent director and who does
not report to our president or other senior management of
Tri-Valley.
The
following statements concern frequently raised ethical concerns. Violations of
this code are serious matters that may result in disciplinary actions, up to and
including termination. In addition, violations of the law may result in fines,
penalties or other legal remedies imposed by regulatory and law enforcement
authorities.
Conflicts
of Interest
You must
avoid any personal activity, investment or association which could appear to
interfere with good judgment concerning Tri-Valley’s best interests. You may not
exploit your position or relationship with Tri-Valley for personal gain. You
should avoid even the appearance of such a conflict. For example, there is a
likely conflict of interest if you:
|
cause
Tri-Valley to engage in business transactions with relatives or
friends;
|
|
use
nonpublic Tri-Valley, client or vendor information for personal gain by
you, relatives or friends (including securities transactions based on such
information);
|
|
have
more than a modest financial interest in Tri-Valley’s vendors, clients or
competitors;
|
|
receive
a loan or guarantee of obligations from Tri-Valley or a third party as a
result of your position at Tri-Valley;
|
|
work
simultaneously for Tri-Valley and a competitor, customer or supplier;
or
|
|
compete,
or prepare to compete, with Tri-Valley while still employed by
Tri-Valley.
|
A
conflict of interest exists when a person’s private interest interferes in any
way with the interests of Tri-Valley. If you have concerns about any situation,
management (with the help of our legal counsel) can assist you.
Gifts,
Bribes and Kickbacks
Other
than for modest gifts given or received in the normal course of business
(including travel or entertainment), neither you nor your relatives may give
gifts to, or receive gifts from, Tri-Valley’s clients or vendors. Other gifts
may be given or accepted only with prior approval of your senior management and
in no event should you put Tri-Valley or yourself in a position that would be
embarrassing if the gift was made public.
Dealing
with government employees is often different than dealing with private persons.
Many governmental bodies strictly prohibit the receipt of any gratuities by
their employees, including meals and entertainment. You must be aware of and
strictly follow these prohibitions.
Any
employee who pays or receives bribes or kickbacks will be immediately terminated
and reported, as warranted, to the appropriate authorities. A kickback or bribe
includes any item intended to improperly obtain favorable
treatment.
Loans
You may
not request or accept a loan from Tri-Valley.
Improper
Use or Theft of Tri-Valley Property
Every
employee must safeguard Tri-Valley property from loss or theft, and may not take
such property for personal use. Tri-Valley property includes confidential
information, software, computers, office equipment and supplies. You must
appropriately secure all Tri-Valley property within your control to prevent its
unauthorized use.
Covering
Up Mistakes; Falsifying Records
Mistakes
should never be covered up, but should be immediately fully disclosed and
corrected. Falsification of any Tri-Valley, client or third party record is
prohibited.
Abuse
of Tri-Valley, Client or Vendor Information
You may
not use or reveal Tri-Valley, client or vendor confidential or proprietary
information to others. This includes business methods, pricing and marketing
data, strategy, computer code, screens, forms, experimental research, and
information about our current, former and prospective clients and
associates.
Fair
Dealing
No
Tri-Valley employee should take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation,
concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material
facts, or any other unfair-dealing practice.
Fair
Competition and Antitrust Laws
Tri-Valley
must comply with all applicable fair competition and antitrust laws. These laws
attempt to ensure that businesses compete fairly and honestly and prohibit
conduct seeking to reduce or restrain competition. If you are uncertain whether
a contemplated action raises unfair competition or antitrust issues, management
(with the help of our legal counsel) can assist you.
Securities
Trading
It is
usually illegal to buy or sell securities using material information not
available to the public. This “inside” information includes, but is not limited
to, information that Tri-Valley has not released to the general public about
significant contracts, claims, liabilities, major litigation, potential sales,
mergers or acquisitions, and oil, gas and mineral plans, activities,
discoveries, forecasts or budgets.
If you
give such undisclosed inside information to others, you as well as the
recipients may be liable as persons who illegally trade securities while
possessing such information. Securities laws may be violated if you, or any of
your relatives or friends trade in securities of Tri-Valley, or any of its
clients or vendors, while possessing information. If you are uncertain,
management (with the help of our legal counsel) can assist you.
Provisions
Applicable to the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial
Officer
Our chief
executive officer (“CEO”) and chief financial officer (“CFO”) are responsible
for full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in our periodic
reports required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a
result, in addition to the remaining provisions in this code, the CEO and CFO
shall:
|
promptly
bring to the attention of the audit committee any information they may
have concerning (a) significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
internal controls which could adversely affect our ability to record,
process, summarize and report financial data or (b) any fraud, whether or
not material, that involves management or other employees who have a
significant role in our financial reporting, disclosures or internal
controls; |
|
Promptly
bring to the attention of our legal counsel and the audit committee any
information they may have concerning any violation of this code or of the
securities or other laws, rules and regulations applicable to Tri-Valley
and the operation of its business; |
|
promptly
bring to the attention of our legal counsel and the audit committee any
material transaction or relationship that arises and of which they become
aware that could be expected to give rise to an actual or apparent
conflict of interest; |
|
develop
and maintain the skills necessary and relevant to Tri-Valley’s needs with
respect to maintenance of adequate disclosure controls and internal
controls and procedures; and |
|
proactively
promote ethical and honest behavior within
Tri-Valley. |
Waivers
This code
applies to all Tri-Valley employees and its board of directors. There shall be
no waiver of any part of this code, except by a vote of the board of directors
or a designated committee, which will ascertain whether a waiver is appropriate
and ensure that the waiver is accompanied by appropriate controls designed to
protect Tri-Valley. In the event that any waiver is granted, the waiver must be
disclosed publicly in a filing with the SEC and will be posted on the Tri-Valley
website, thereby allowing the Tri-Valley shareholders to evaluate the merits of
the particular waiver.
Reporting
Ethical Violations
Your
conduct can reinforce an ethical atmosphere and positively influence the conduct
of fellow employees. If you are powerless to stop suspected misconduct or
discover it after it has occurred, you should report it to the president or
another senior officer. If the suspected misconduct involves the president or
another senior officer, you may report it to the chairperson of the audit
committee. If the suspected misconduct involves financial accounting or
reporting, it must be reported to the chairperson of the audit
committee.
Employees
may forward complaints on a confidential or anonymous basis to the president or
to the chairperson of the audit committee.
Accounting
and Financial Reporting Matters
Suspected
misconduct concerning accounting and financial reporting must be reported to the
chairperson of the audit committee. Accounting and financial reporting
misconduct includes, without limitation, the following:
|
fraud
or deliberate error in the preparation, evaluation, review or audit of any
or our financial statements; |
|
fraud
or deliberate error in recording and maintaining our financial
records; |
|
deficiencies
in or noncompliance with our internal accounting
controls; |
|
misrepresentations
or false statements to or by a senior officer with respect to a matter
contained in our financial records, financial reports or audit reports,
or |
|
deviation
from full and fair reporting of our financial
condition. |
Reports
to the secretary of the audit committee may be made to:
Milt
Carlson
2620
Mission Trail Way
Kalispell,
MT 59901
Conclusion
In the
final analysis, you are the guardian of Tri-Valley’s ethics. While there are no
universal rules, when in doubt ask yourself:
|
Will
my actions be ethical in every respect and fully comply with the law and
with Tri-Valley policies?
|
|
Will
my actions have the appearance of impropriety?
|
|
Will
my actions be questioned by my supervisors, associates, clients, family
and the general public?
|
|
Am
I trying to fool anyone, including myself, as to the propriety of my
actions?
|
If you
are uncomfortable with your answer to any of the above, you should not take the
contemplated actions without first discussing them with management.
Any
employee who ignores or violates any of Tri-Valley’s ethical standards, and any
manager who penalizes a subordinate for trying to follow these ethical
standards, will be subject to corrective action, including immediate dismissal.
However, it is not the threat of discipline that should govern your actions. We
hope you share our belief that a dedicated commitment to ethical behavior is the
right thing to do and is good business.
Exhibit
21.1
Tri-Valley
Corporation
Subsidiaries
The
following are wholly owned subsidiaries of Tri-Valley Corporation:
Tri-Valley
Oil and Gas Company, a California corporation
Tri-Valley
Power Corporation, a Delaware corporation
Select
Resources Corporation, Inc., a Delaware corporation
Exhibit
31.1
Certification
I, F.
Lynn Blystone, certify that:
1. I have
reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Tri-Valley Corporation;
2. Based on
my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in
light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading
with respect to the period covered by this report;
3. Based on
my knowledge, the financial statements and other financial information included
in this report fairly present, in all material respects, the financial
condition, results of operations and cash flows of registrant as of, and for,
the periods presented in this report;
4. The
registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and
maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in the Exchange Act
Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as
defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) for registrant and
have:
a. designed
such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and
procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material
information relating to registrant including its consolidated subsidiaries, is
made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period
in which this report is being prepared;
b. designed
such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control
over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide
reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles;
c. evaluated
the effectiveness of registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and
presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the
disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this
report based on such evaluation; and
d. disclosed
in this report any change in registrant’s internal control over financial
reporting that occurred during the small business issuer’s most recent fiscal
quarter (registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report)
that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect,
registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5. The
registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most
recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to our auditors
and the audit committee of registrant’s board of directors:
a. all
significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal control over
financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect registrant’s
ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information;
and
b. any
fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who
have a significant role in registrant’s internal control over financial
reporting.
Date:
March 24, 2005 |
|
By: |
|
/s/F.
Lynn Blystone |
|
|
|
|
F.
Lynn Blystone, President and Chief Executive
Officer |
Exhibit
31.2
Certification
I, Thomas
J. Cunningham, certify that:
1. I have
reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Tri-Valley Corporation;
2. Based on
my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in
light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading
with respect to the period covered by this report;
3. Based on
my knowledge, the financial statements and other financial information included
in this report fairly present, in all material respects, the financial
condition, results of operations and cash flows of registrant as of, and for,
the periods presented in this report;
4. The
registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and
maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in the Exchange Act
Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as
defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) for registrant and
have:
a. designed
such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and
procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material
information relating to registrant including its consolidated subsidiaries, is
made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period
in which this report is being prepared;
b. designed
such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control
over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide
reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles;
c. evaluated
the effectiveness of registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and
presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the
disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this
report based on such evaluation; and
d. disclosed
in this report any change in registrant’s internal control over financial
reporting that occurred during the small business issuer’s most recent fiscal
quarter (registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report)
that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect,
registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5. The
registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most
recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to our auditors
and the audit committee of registrant’s board of directors:
a. all
significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal control over
financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect registrant’s
ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information;
and
b. any
fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who
have a significant role in registrant’s internal control over financial
reporting.
Date:
March 24, 2005 |
|
By: |
|
/s/Thomas
J. Cunningham |
|
|
|
|
Thomas
J. Cunningham, Secretary, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (Principal
Financial Officer) |
Exhibit
32.1
Certification
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350
The
undersigned officer certifies that this Annual Report on Form 10-K complies with
the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and the information contained in such report fairly
represents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of
operations of the Company.
Date:
|
|
March
24, 2005 |
By: |
|
F.
Lynn Blystone |
|
|
F.
Lynn Blystone, Chief Executive Officer,
Tri-Valley Corporation |
Exhibit
32.2
Certification
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350
The
undersigned officer certifies that this Annual Report on Form 10-K complies with
the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and the information contained in such report fairly
represents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of
operations of the Company.
Date: |
|
March
24, 2005 |
By: |
|
Thomas
J. Cunningham |
|
|
Thomas
J. Cunningham, Chief Financial Officer |