Diamondback Energy Inc

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Use of Estimates

Certain amounts included in or affecting the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements and related disclosures must be estimated by management, requiring certain assumptions to be made with respect to values or conditions that cannot be known with certainty at the time the condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared. These estimates and assumptions affect the amounts the Company reports for assets and liabilities and the Company’s disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Making accurate estimates and assumptions is particularly difficult in the oil and natural gas industry given the challenges resulting from volatility in oil and natural gas prices. For instance, the war in Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war and other conflicts in the Middle East, global supply chain disruptions, recent measures to combat persistent inflation and instability in the financial sector have contributed to recent economic and pricing volatility. The financial results of companies in the oil and natural gas industry have been impacted materially as a result of these events and changing market conditions. Such circumstances generally increase uncertainty in the Company’s accounting estimates, particularly those involving financial forecasts.

The Company evaluates these estimates on an ongoing basis, using historical experience, consultation with experts and other methods the Company considers reasonable in the particular circumstances. Nevertheless, actual results may differ significantly from the Company’s estimates. Any effects on the Company’s business, financial position or results of operations resulting from revisions to these estimates are recorded in the period in which the facts that give rise to the revision become known. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include estimates of proved oil and natural gas reserves and related present value estimates of future net cash flows therefrom, the carrying value of oil and natural gas properties, fair value estimates of derivative instruments, the fair value determination of acquired assets and liabilities assumed and estimates of income taxes, including deferred tax valuation allowances.

Variable Interest Entity

Viper is a publicly traded corporation formed by the Company in 2014 to provide an attractive return to its stockholders (the largest of which is Diamondback) by focusing on business results, maximizing dividends through organic growth and pursuing accretive growth opportunities through acquisitions of mineral, royalty, overriding royalty, net profits and similar interests from the Company and from third parties. Viper has no employees and the Company provides management, operating and administrative services to Viper under a services and secondment agreement, including the services of the executive officers and other employees.

In connection with the reduction of the Company’s ownership percentage in Viper to below 50% in March 2024, the Company re-evaluated whether Viper should continue to be consolidated in the Company’s financial statements. Viper meets the definition of a VIE under ASC 810 and the Company continues to be the primary beneficiary of the VIE through its ability, via existing contractual agreements, to direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of Viper. The Company also has the obligation to absorb losses and the right to receive benefits that could be significant to Viper. As such, the Company will continue to consolidate the activity of Viper. The Viper 2024 Equity Offering (as defined and discussed in Note 10—Stockholders' Equity and Earnings (Loss) Per Share) was not determined to be an event that would cause the Company to change its conclusion regarding Viper’s status as a VIE.

Viper maintains its own capital structure that is separate from the Company. The Company is not under any obligation to provide additional financial support or investment to Viper. Viper’s assets cannot be used by the Company for general corporate purposes, and the creditors of Viper’s liabilities do not have recourse to the Company’s assets. The assets and liabilities of Viper are included in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets and disclosed parenthetically, if material.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Pronouncements

In March 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-01, “Leases (Topic 842) – Common Control Arrangements.” This update (i) requires all lessees that are a party to a lease between entities under common control in which there are leasehold improvements to record amortization over the useful life of the leasehold improvements to the common control group, regardless of the lease term, and (ii) requires leasehold improvements to be accounted for as a transfer between entities under common control through an adjustment to equity if, and when, the lessee no longer controls the use of the underlying asset. The Company adopted this update effective January 1, 2024 by electing to apply the guidance in ASU 2023-01 prospectively to all new leasehold improvements recognized on or after January 1, 2024. As such, the adoption of this update did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, “Segment Reporting (Topic 280) – Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures,” which updates reportable segment disclosure requirements primarily through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses and information used to assess segment performance. The amendments are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2023, and for interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments should be applied retrospectively to all prior periods presented in the financial statements. Management is currently evaluating this ASU to determine its impact on the Company’s disclosures. Adoption of the update will not impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, “Income Taxes (Topic 740) – Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures,” which requires that certain information in a reporting entity’s tax rate reconciliation be disaggregated and provides additional requirements regarding income taxes paid. The amendments are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted, and should be applied either prospectively or retrospectively. Management is currently evaluating this ASU to determine its impact on the Company’s disclosures. Adoption of the update will not impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-03, “Income Statement—Reporting Comprehensive Income—Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40) – Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses,” which requires additional disclosure about specified categories of expenses included in relevant expense captions presented on the income statement. The amendments are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2026, and for interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2027. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments may be applied either prospectively or retrospectively. Management is currently evaluating this ASU to determine its impact on the Company’s disclosures. Adoption of the update will not impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

The Company considers the applicability and impact of all ASUs. ASUs not listed above were assessed and determined to be either not applicable, previously disclosed, or not material upon adoption.