UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-K
(Mark
One)
[X]
ANNUAL REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
ACT OF 1934
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For the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2009
[ ]
TRANSITION REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
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For the
transition period from __________ to __________
Commission
file number: 000-53766
SIBERIAN ENERGY GROUP
INC.
(Exact
name of small business issuer as specified in its charter)
NEVADA
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52-2207080
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(State
or other jurisdiction of
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(IRS
Employer Identification No.)
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incorporation
or organization)
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275 Madison Ave, 6th Floor,
New York, NY 10016
(Address
of principal executive offices)
(212)
828-3011
(Registrant's
telephone number)
Securities
registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act:
NONE
Securities
registered under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act:
Common
Stock, $0.001 par value
(Title of
Class)
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in
Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes [ ] No
[X]
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to
Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes [ ] No
[X]
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 filing requirements for
the past 90 days. Yes [X] No [ ]
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on
its corporate Website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be
submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this
chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was require to submit and post such files). Yes
[ ] No [ ]
Indicated
by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers in response to Item 405 of
Regulation S-K is not 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
or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [X]
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See
the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller
reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large
accelerated filer [ ]
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Accelerated
filer[ ]
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Non-accelerated
filer [ ]
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Smaller
reporting company [X]
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(Do not
check if a smaller reporting company)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes [ ] No [X].
The
issuer's revenues for the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 were
$0.
The
aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by
non-affiliates computed by reference to the closing value of the Registrant's
common stock on June 30, 2009, was approximately $657,776.
As of
April 13, 2010, the issuer had 18,705,585 shares of common stock, $.001 par
value per share outstanding, which number does not include 90,000 shares which
the registrant has agreed to issue to its President, Helen Teplitskaia for
services rendered during the months of July 2009 through March 2010, which
shares have not been issued to date and have not been included in the total
number of outstanding shares disclosed throughout this report.
Documents
Incorporated by Reference: NONE
Transitional
Small Business Disclosure Format: Yes [ ] No [X]
SIBERIAN
ENERGY GROUP INC.
FORM
10-K
YEAR
ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2009
INDEX
Part
I
Item
1. Business
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4 |
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Item
1A. Risk Factors
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12 |
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Item
2. Properties
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18 |
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Item
3. Legal Proceedings
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18 |
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Item
4. (Removed and Reserved)
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18 |
Part
II
Item
5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
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19 |
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Item
6. Selected Financial Data
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20 |
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Item
7. Management's Discussion and Analysis or Plan of
Operation
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21 |
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Item
8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
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F-1
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Item
9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and
Financial Disclosure
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25 |
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Item
9A. Controls and Procedures
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25 |
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Item
9B. Other Information
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26 |
Part
III
Item
10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
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27 |
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Item
11. Executive Compensation
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31 |
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Item
12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and
Related Stockholder Matters
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36 |
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Item
13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
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38 |
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Item
14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
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41 |
Part
IV
Item
15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules
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42 |
PART
I
SPECIAL
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
CERTAIN
STATEMENTS IN THIS ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K (THIS "FORM 10-K"), INCLUDING
STATEMENTS UNDER "ITEM 1. BUSINESS," AND "ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND
ANALYSIS", CONSTITUTE "FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS" WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION
27A OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED, AND THE PRIVATE SECURITIES
LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995 (COLLECTIVELY, THE "REFORM ACT"). CERTAIN, BUT NOT
NECESSARILY ALL, OF SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY THE USE
OF FORWARD-LOOKING TERMINOLOGY SUCH AS "BELIEVES", "EXPECTS", "MAY", "SHOULD",
OR "ANTICIPATES", OR THE NEGATIVE THEREOF OR OTHER VARIATIONS THEREON OR
COMPARABLE TERMINOLOGY, OR BY DISCUSSIONS OF STRATEGY THAT INVOLVE RISKS AND
UNCERTAINTIES. SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS INVOLVE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN RISKS,
UNCERTAINTIES AND OTHER FACTORS WHICH MAY CAUSE THE ACTUAL RESULTS, PERFORMANCE
OR ACHIEVEMENTS OF SIBERIAN ENERGY GROUP INC. AND KONDANEFTEGAZ, LLC, A RUSSIAN
LIMITED LIABILITY, THE REGISTRANT’S 44% OWNED SUBSIDIARY, AND ZAURALNEFTEGAZ
LIMITED, A COMPANY ORGANIZED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE COUNTRY OF ENGLAND, WHICH THE
REGISTRANT OWNS 50% OF (COLLECTIVELY "SIBERIAN", THE "COMPANY", "WE", "US" OR
"OUR") TO BE MATERIALLY DIFFERENT FROM ANY FUTURE RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR
ACHIEVEMENTS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED BY SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. REFERENCES
IN THIS FORM 10-K, UNLESS ANOTHER DATE IS STATED, ARE TO DECEMBER 31,
2009.
Investors
should also take note of the fact that some of the more technical terms relating
to the Company's operations as described below are explained in greater detail
under exhibit 99.1, incorporated by reference hereto.
BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT:
Siberian
Energy Group Inc. was formed as a Nevada corporation on August 13, 1997, as
Advanced Rehab Technology Corporation. Subsequently, on March 9, 2001, the
Company changed its name to Talking Cards, Inc.; on February 12, 2002, the
Company changed its name to Oysterking Incorporated; on December 3, 2002, the
Company changed its name to 17388 Corporation Inc., at which point the
controlling interest of the Company was sold and a new board of directors was
appointed; on May 5, 2003, the Company changed its name to Trans Energy Group
Inc.; and on December 3, 2003, the Company changed its name to Siberian Energy
Group Inc.
On
September 17, 1999, the Company affected a 1-for-30 reverse stock split. A
subsequent 3-for-1 forward split was consummated on October 2, 2000 and a
further 1:2 reverse stock split was affected on May 2, 2005 (collectively the
“Stock Splits”). All share amounts subsequently listed are retroactively
adjusted to reflect these stock splits unless otherwise provided.
In the
spring of 2003, a majority of the Company's shares were purchased by new
shareholders who stepped into the management of the Company and defined its new
business direction as an oil and gas exploration company.
On May 9,
2003, the Company entered into an Acquisition Agreement (the "Acquisition
Agreement") by and among the Company, Zaural Neftegaz, a Russian corporation
("ZNG"), the shareholders of ZNG and Oleg Zhuravlev, President of ZNG, and a
former Director of the Company. Pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement, the
Company acquired a 51% interest in ZNG by issuing to ZNG 2,000,000 shares of the
Company's common stock. In June 2004, the Company purchased the remaining 49% of
ZNG in exchange for 6,900,000 shares of the Company's common stock, making ZNG a
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. The Company had no affiliation with ZNG
prior to the acquisition in May 2003.
Currently,
the operating activities of ZNG are carried out through the Joint Venture
Shareholders' Agreement ("Joint Venture") entered into on October 14, 2005 with
Baltic Petroleum (E&P) Limited ("BP" or "Baltic") and Zauralneftegaz
Limited, the joint venture company ("ZNG, Ltd."), as contemplated by the Option
Agreement, as amended (the "Option"). The Company closed the Joint Venture and
transferred 100% of the outstanding stock of ZNG to ZNG, Ltd. in connection with
the terms and conditions of the Joint Venture. As a result of such transfer, the
Company holds 50% of the outstanding stock of ZNG, Ltd., which holds 100% of the
outstanding stock of the Company's former wholly-owned subsidiary,
ZNG. ZNG, Ltd. operates through ZNG and is engaged in the exploration
and development of, production and sale of, oil and gas assets in the Western
Siberian region of the Russian Federation and the former Soviet
Union.
On
December 13, 2006, we entered into an Interest Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase
Agreement") with Key Brokerage LLC ("Key Brokerage"), pursuant to which we
purchased 100% of the stock of Kondaneftegaz LLC ("KNG"), a Russian limited
liability company, which was created in 2004 for the purpose of oil and gas
exploration in the Khanty-Mansiysk district of Western Siberia, Russia. In
addition to acquiring 100% of the stock of KNG, we received the geological
information package on the Karabashski zone of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous
district (Tuymen region of Russian Federation) ("Geological Data").
On or
about September 30, 2008, we entered into an Agreement of Purchase and Sale with
Limited Liability Company Neftebitum, a Russian limited liability company, and
two Russian individuals, pursuant to which we sold fifty-six percent (56%) of
the ownership interest of KNG, as described in greater detail
below.
All
dollar amounts used throughout this Report are in United States dollars, unless
otherwise stated. All amounts in Canadian dollars used throughout this Report
are preceded by CDN, for example CDN $500, is referring to $500 Canadian
dollars.
BUSINESS
OPERATIONS:
We are a
development stage company which is seeking opportunities for investment in
and/or acquisition of small to medium companies in Russia, specifically in the
oil and gas industry.
We
currently hold investments in ZNG, Ltd. and KNG. Both companies are
operating in the Western Siberia region of Russia and are involved in oil and
gas exploration, provided however, as described below, ZNG, Ltd. has advised us
that it will no longer undertake any further exploration activities in Western
Siberia.
Moving
forward the Company plans to focus on those assets that involve less exploration
risk and is also actively seeking and negotiating the acquisition of production
or close-to-production assets in Russia and countries of the former Soviet
Union; however, the Company has not entered into any definitive agreements to
date, and there can be no assurance that any such agreements will be entered
into on favorable terms, if at all.
Description of
KNG
KNG was
created in 2004 for the purpose of oil and gas exploration in the
Khanty-Mansiysk district of Western Siberia, Russia. In October 2007, KNG was
awarded two oil and gas exploration licenses in Khanty-Mansiysk region in
Western Siberia, Russia for the Karabashsky-61 and Karabashsky-67 blocks located
in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Region, Russian Federation. The license
areas together cover 166,000 acres and are situated in the territory of the
Urals oil and gas bearing area. KNG also has eight more outstanding
applications for exploration licenses filed with the Russian authorities, which
auctions have not occurred to date.
The right
to use the subsurface resources of the Karabashsky-61 and Karabashky-67 Fields
is granted for the term of validity of the license (five (5) years), from the
date of its state registration (October 22, 2007), subject to the completion of
certain exploration activities on the license blocks. The term of use of the
subsurface resources can be extended to finish exploration and estimation of
deposit or for liquidation work, if the terms of usage of the subsurface
resources are not breached.
KNG has
prepared and coordinated with the Russian authorities an exploration works
program on the Karabashski-61 and Karabashski-67 license areas to stay in
compliance with the license agreements’ requirements described below in further
detail:
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o
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to
begin 2D seismic works during the 2009-2010 fieldwork season and to
perform not less than 176.26 linear kilometers of seismic profiles on
Karabashky-61 and 158 linear kilometers on Karabashky-67 (minimal density
of the profile not less than 1 linear kilometer per 1 square kilometer of
license area), and
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o
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no
later than 2011, to start drilling an exploratory well and to complete not
less than 2 exploratory wells by April 1,
2012.
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As of
December 31, 2009 KNG has re-interpreted the existing seismic data from prior
studies and updated its program of seismic works. 2D seismic studies are
currently planned to start in the fourth quarter of 2010.
On or
about September 30, 2008, we entered into an Agreement of Purchase and Sale with
Limited Liability Company Neftebitum, a Russian limited liability company
(“Neftebitum”), Sergey V. Prokopiev, an individual and Russian citizen, and Oleg
G. Shelepov, an individual and Russian citizen (collectively, the “Purchasers”
and the “Sale Agreement”). The Company’s Board of Directors approved
and ratified the Company’s entry into the Sale Agreement and the transactions
contemplated therein on or about October 30, 2008. Pursuant to the
Sale Agreement, the Company agreed to sell to the Purchasers an aggregate of
fifty-six percent (56%) of the registered capital of KNG for aggregate
consideration of 5,600 Russian Rubles (approximately
$223). Neftebitum agreed to purchase a 51% interest for total
consideration of 5,100 Russian Rubles (approximately $203) and Mr. Prokopiev and
Mr. Shelepov agreed to each purchase a 2.5% interest for consideration of 250
Russian Rubles each (approximately $10).
Pursuant
to the Sale Agreement, the Sellers are obligated to maintain KNG’s main priority
of performing geological studies and exploring for hydrocarbon deposits in the
Karabashsky-61 and Karabashsky-67 blocks (the “Blocks”). Further, the
Purchasers are obligated to provide financing, by way of direct financing or
third-party loans, in the amounts necessary to comply with the licensing
agreements for the Blocks. The Company’s and the Purchasers’
relationship is to be regulated by the Operating Agreement (as described below),
which was entered into in connection with the Sale Agreement. Lastly,
the Sale Agreement provides that in connection with Neftebitum obtaining a
majority interest in KNG, it is obligated to be a guarantor and accept joint
responsibility with KNG for repayment of any financing the Purchasers obtain for
KNG.
On or
about November 5, 2008, and in connection with their entry into the Sale
Agreement, Neftebitum, the Company and KNG entered into an Operating Agreement
that defines the rights and responsibilities of the parties (the “Operating
Agreement”). Pursuant to the Operating Agreement, Neftebitum is
designated the exclusive Operator of KNG and all of its current and future
mineral claims and has the right to appoint all members of KNG’s
management. As Operator, Neftebitum has exclusive control of all
technical, management, operational and associated matters involving KNG and the
Blocks and any potential hydrocarbon exploration and production licenses (the
“Operations”). Neftebitum must manage and conduct the Operations by
itself, its agents, independent contractors and/or servants in general
accordance with standard oil and gas field practices. Neftebitum must
use all reasonable endeavors to:
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·
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Prepare
annual programs and budgets pursuant to the Operating Agreement and the
licensing agreements for the
Blocks;
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·
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Begin
2D seismic works on the Blocks during the 2009-2010 fieldwork season and
perform not less than 176.26 linear kilometers of seismic profiles on the
Karabashky-61 Block and not less than 158 linear kilometers of seismic
works on the Karabashky-67 Block;
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·
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Start
drilling an exploratory well no later than 2011, and complete no less than
2 exploratory wells by April 1,
2012;
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·
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Provide
adequate financing to carry out KNG’s planned activities;
and
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·
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Supervise
implementation of all programs and budgets and provide written progress
reports on a quarterly basis relating to KNG’s activities and
programs.
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Further,
as Operator, Neftebitum may enter into and negotiate contracts on behalf of KNG
and the Company and represent KNG or the Company in all dealings with
governmental and regulatory bodies. Neftebitum must guarantee any
financial obligations entered into on KNG’s behalf. Neftebitum may be
reimbursed for expenses incurred in its role as Operator, and if KNG has
inadequate resources to reimburse such expenses, these unreimbursed expenses may
be accounted for at the time of the distribution of profits from KNG’s
operations, if any. Neftebitum, however, will not charge Operator’s
management fees in connection with its role as
Operator. Additionally, the Company made available to the Operator
all of the geological data, to be used in the program of geological studies in
the region and will not charge fees for the use of geological data it
provides. Neftebitum must also use its best efforts to maintain
insurance for the Company. Lastly, Neftebitum’s responsibilities as
Operator under the Operating Agreement may not be assigned or
transferred.
As of the
date of this filing, Neftebitum has raised approximately $155,000 through the
sale of debt to pay for the first stage of the seismic project and the
government fees for the subsoil use.
As of December 31, 2009, the Company
owned a 44% interest in KNG. Effective September 30, 2008, the Company's 44%
investment in KNG is recorded on the equity method of accounting. The operations
of KNG prior to September 30, 2008 are included in the consolidated accounts of
the Company in the accompanying financial statements.
After
careful consideration of the current financial position of KNG, the Company has
applied an impairment charge to the value of investment in KNG which resulted in
carrying it at zero value.
Description of
ZNG
ZNG has
been involved in the oil and gas research activities in the Kurgan region of the
Russian Federation. During 2003-2008 it has completed seismic studies and a
drilling program in the Kurgan region of Siberia, Russia. The Company believes
ZNG, Ltd. has created value through the geological results of the two
exploratory wells and other data gathered in the area and ZNG, Ltd. is
considering its options with regard to realizing this value in connection with a
potential direct sale of geophysical and seismic data to a third party operating
in the area.
Between
2003 and 2007, ZNG carried out extensive seismic and gas seismotomographic
studies on its 4 licensed blocks acquired in 2003 through a government tender
(which have since expired): the Privolny, Mokrousovsky, West-Suersky and
Orlovo-Pashkovsky blocks, and drilled 2 exploratory wells on the Privolny and
Mokrousovsky blocks. Based on the interpretation of seismic and
seismotomographic surveys and analysis of samples from the wells, ZNG
prepared a comprehensive analysis of geological resources of the Kurgan
region. Both the Privolny-1 and Mokrousovsky-1 studies confirmed the
presence of hydrocarbons and contributed greatly to the understanding of
geological resources in the region. However, a substantial amount of further
exploration studies and work is required before a conclusion on the future
potential of the blocks can be drawn. Upon the expiration of the license terms
of these blocks in March 2008, ZNG kept the preferential right to re-apply for
the licenses.
The
Company’s investment in the Joint Venture is recorded on the equity method of
accounting. Since cumulative losses of Joint Venture exceed the
Company’s investment, the investment asset is carried at zero value as of and
through December 31, 2009.
As of the
date of this filing, Baltic has advised us that Baltic and as a result, ZNG, has
withdrawn from any further exploration activities in the Kurgan region and that
they will not expend any further resources on such activities moving
forward. Baltic has however advised us that they believe they may be
able to sell ZNG’s previously prepared seismic and geological studies and data
in the future, assuming other exploration companies in the area desire to
purchase such information, of which there is no assurance.
Joint
Venture
The
operations of the Joint Venture were funded via loans provided to ZNG, Ltd. and
ZNG by Caspian Finance Limited ("Caspian"), a financing company wholly-owned by
Baltic. Loans are guaranteed by ZNG, Ltd.’s holdings in
ZNG. As of December 31, 2009, the total funding provided to ZNG, Ltd.
and ZNG by Baltic was equal to approximately $23.5 million plus accrued interest
of approximately $5 million. The loans are not dilutive to the Company's
ownership in ZNG.
ZNG
Loans
To date,
Caspian has provided ZNG various loans, as described below:
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·
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On
November 9, 2005, ZNG entered into a New Loan with Caspian (the "New
Loan"). Under the loan agreement, Caspian agreed to provide a loan of up
to $6,874,325 representing the assumed commitment under a prior loan and a
new commitment, to be used for operations in the Kurgan region in 2005 and
through the first half of 2006. The New Loan is available to ZNG until the
sixth anniversary of the date of the New Loan, or November 9, 2011 (the
"Term");
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·
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On
January 16, 2007, ZNG and Caspian entered into a Deed of Variation of the
Loan Agreement, whereby, inter alia, the Lender agreed to make available
to ZNG an additional loan facility of
US$2,000,000;
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|
·
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On
April 23, 2007, ZNG and Caspian further entered into a Deed of Variation
of the Loan Agreement whereby, inter alia, the Lender agreed to make
available to ZNG an additional loan facility of US$300,000;
and
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|
·
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On
June 18, 2007, ZNG and Caspian entered into another Deed of Variation to
the Loan Agreement, whereby Caspian agreed to make available to ZNG an
additional loan facility of US$7,359,190 (the “June 2007 Deed of
Variation”).
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Funding
to ZNG, Ltd. is provided by Caspian on the same terms as to ZNG, through the
mechanism of intercompany billing within Baltic and certain companies affiliated
with Baltic. As of December 31, 2009, the total loan to ZNG, Ltd. from Caspian
totaled $10,235,000, including $9,380,000 of principal and accrued interest of
$855,000. In addition, ZNG, Ltd. owes $1,482,000 directly to Baltic for unpaid
management fees and accrued interest through December 31, 2009.
Terms of loans to ZNG, Ltd.
and ZNG:
Interest
on any amounts loaned under the New Loan bears interest at the following rates,
calculated and compounded on a daily basis, 14% per annum during the first two
years of the Term, 13% per annum during the third year of the Term; and 12%
thereafter until the end of the Term.
Additionally,
under the terms of the June 2007 Deed of Variation, interest on the loans made
by Baltic to ZNG is payable on:
|
a)
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the
earlier of (i) the date on which ZNG’s monthly turnover as shown by its
monthly management accounts exceeds US $200,000 and (ii) the fifth
anniversary of the Deed of Variation dated June 18, 2007;
and
|
|
b)
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thereafter,
on a monthly basis on the final day of each calendar month using all
available turnover, provided that in the event the interest due thereafter
exceeds the monthly turnover of ZNG then all of the turnover except for
the direct budgeted operating expenses of ZNG and management fees agreed
to be paid to Siberian Energy Group Inc. under the Joint Venture Agreement
will be allocated prior to the payment of such interest and any interest
not able to be paid will accrue and be payable as soon as the level of
turnover (less the fees payable to us) permits (collectively the
“Interest Payments”).
|
In the
event that ZNG does not make the Interest Payments when due, interest on the
unpaid amounts shall be payable from the due date to the date paid at the rate
of 6% per annum, calculated and accrued on a daily basis. The New Loan is
unsecured by ZNG, but Caspian reserved the right to request security over all or
some of the assets and/or undertaking of ZNG at any time prior to any drawdown
of the New Loan, or while any money is outstanding under the New
Loan.
On
November 9, 2005, ZNG, Ltd. and Caspian entered into a Debenture, whereby ZNG,
Ltd. granted Caspian a security interest in substantially all of its assets,
including its 100% ownership of ZNG, to secure the repayment of the New Loan
Agreement. Pursuant to the Debenture, ZNG, Ltd. granted Caspian a continuing
security interest for the payment, performance and discharge of all of the
liabilities owing to Caspian by ZNG, Ltd., in the following assets, both present
and future, from time to time to the extent owned by ZNG, Ltd., or to the extent
in which it has an interest.
Additionally,
on November 9, 2005, ZNG, Ltd. and Caspian entered into an "Agreement for the
Pledge of the Participatory Interest in OOO Zauralneftegaz" (the "Pledge
Agreement"). Pursuant to the Pledge Agreement, ZNG, Ltd., pledged its 100%
ownership interest in ZNG to Caspian, which included any proceeds, dividends,
distributions or income deriving from ZNG and any compensation, whether monetary
or in-kind, deriving from ZNG, received due to the liquidation or reorganization
of ZNG. The Pledge Agreement shall remain in effect until all amounts owed to
Caspian by ZNG, Ltd. are repaid. Pursuant to the Pledge Agreement, ZNG, Ltd.,
agreed to hold all dividends, interest and other income deriving from and by it
for the account of Caspian, and agreed to pay such dividends, interest and other
income to Caspian upon Caspian's request.
If ZNG,
Ltd. fails to pay the amounts owed to Caspian pursuant to the Pledge Agreement,
Caspian can sell the 100% interest in ZNG at public auction, in one or several
sales, with an opening bid price of seventy five percent (75%) of the value set
forth for the value of ZNG in the Pledge Agreement ($7,705,079) at the first
public auction and fifty percent (50%) of the value set forth in the Pledge
Agreement at the second public auction. If the opening bid for ZNG is not met at
either the first or second public auction, Caspian shall have the right to
retain ZNG, with its value equal to 90% of the value set at the second auction,
and set-off its claims secured by ZNG, Ltd. by such value. If ZNG is sold at
public auction, any and all proceeds from such sale received by Caspian shall be
applied towards the discharge of the amounts owed by ZNG, Ltd. to
Caspian.
Estimate
of Amount of Time Spent On Research and Development
An
initial business plan was developed over the course of three months in 2003.
During that time period, market research was conducted. Research and development
activities on the licensed blocks in the Kurgan Region were directly borne by
the Company up to the time the Joint Venture was closed in October 2005. As a
result of the closing of the Joint Venture, these research and development costs
are now paid by both ZNG, Ltd. (as described above) and ZNG. Research activities
include gravimetric, seismic works and seismotomography studies on the
previously licensed areas. Costs incurred by ZNG and ZNG Ltd. in connection with
these studies as of December 31, 2009 totaled approximately $18
million.
Moving
forward we expect additional research and development costs will be paid by
Neftebitum in connection with KNG’s exploration of KNG’s blocks and any of the
blocks that KNG may obtain at auction in the future, of which there can be no
assurance.
Employees
Siberian
Energy Group Inc. currently employs three (3) employees in management. KNG,
which we own a 44% interest in, has two (2) part-time employees. Zauralneftegaz
("ZNG"), which is 50% owned by the Company through its joint venture ZNG, Ltd.,
currently employs two (2) part-time employees.
Critical
Accounting Policies and Estimates
The
Company prepares its consolidated financial statements in accordance with
accounting principals generally accepted in the United States. The preparation
of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that
affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and
related disclosure of any contingent assets and liabilities. On an on-going
basis, we evaluate our estimates. We base our estimates on various assumptions
that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which
form the basis for making judgments about carrying values of assets and
liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may
differ from these estimates under different assumptions or
conditions.
We
believe the following critical accounting policy affects our more significant
judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our financial
statements:
Going
Concern
The
Company's financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will
continue as a going concern; however, since inception of its current endeavors
in 2003, the Company has not earned any revenues from production of hydrocarbons
and is considered to be in the development stage, which raises substantial doubt
about its ability to continue as a going concern. The Company is of the opinion
that sufficient financing will be obtained from external sources to provide the
Company with the ability to continue the process of development to achieve
commercial production and sales of products. Since inception, the Company has
obtained cash financing from organizing stockholders and employees in the form
of loans, advances and deferred salaries, as well as through financing
previously received of $25,000 to $85,000 per month in management fees from its
Joint Venture, which management fees the Company has not received since October
2007, and which the Company can provide no assurances will ever resume. There
can be no certainty as to availability of continued financing in the future.
Failure to obtain sufficient financing may require the Company to reduce its
operating activities. A failure to continue as a going concern would require
stated amounts of assets and liabilities to be reflected on a liquidation basis
which could differ from the going concern basis.
Competition
Competition
among Russian producers occurs in two distinct tiers. The first tier includes
large corporations such as Surgutneftegaz, LUKoil, Sibneft, Tatneft, Slaveft,
YUKOS, TNK, Bashneft, Rosneft and Sidanco which together control more than 90%
of the Russian oil and gas market. These companies operate large-scale fields
and are primarily oriented towards exportation. The second tier, so called
junior players, includes a large number of smaller companies that operate small
and medium sized oil and gas fields. These companies enjoy a limited but stable
range of customers within Russia's domestic market, and their customers include
the larger companies which purchase this product for export. Like other junior
players, the Company believes it has potential to succeed given the continued
high demand for oil both domestically and internationally.
A healthy
level of competition currently exists among local oil service companies and
recent reductions in demand for their services are leading to a surplus of
supply. The Company believes that having the wide range of service companies
within such close proximity creates an opportunity for ZNG and KNG to choose the
best combination of price and quality while signing the service contract, due to
the fact that service companies may compete with each other for providing
exploration, drilling and other services to ZNG and/or KNG.
Additionally,
the Company believes ZNG's geographic location presents a significant
competitive advantage that should provide for cost reductions in the development
of its fields and the necessary support infrastructure. The specific factors
contributing to this competitive advantage include:
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The
relatively flat topography which is dry and bog free;
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Non
permafrost lands which reduce drilling costs;
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Significantly
short distances to major pipelines which reduce the time and cost of
installing the collector infrastructure from the wells to the main
pipelines; and
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Proximity
to main railroads and highways which allow for greater and easier access
to the producing site as well as for initial delivery of
product.
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We
believe that KNG’s license areas, and those which KNG has applied for, have the
following advantages:
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the
licenses are within existing oil deposits;
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the
licenses are close to a previously developed river transportation system
on the Ob river and the North Sosva river, close to the river port of
Igrim, through which KNG will be able to deliver equipment for the
wells;
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the
licensed blocks for which KNG applied are close to other developed
deposits; and
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the
blocks are close to major oil and gas
pipelines.
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Another
type of competition, which ZNG and KNG expect to face is competition in the
process of acquisition of new licenses. The Company expects that competitive
pressures will further increase if hydrocarbon reservoirs are found in the
Kurgan province and/or Khanty-Mansiysk district of Western Siberia, Russia.
However, the Company believes that by the time new parcels become available for
distribution in this region, the Company will have an advantage over companies
with less experience in the region. The Company believes this will be due to its
acquired experience and through the expertise of its employees, of which there
can be no assurance. Many of the Company’s directors and officers have many
years of experience in the oil and gas industry, specifically in the
West-Siberian Basin. Additionally, the Company feels that it will have a
competitive advantage because many of its Directors and employees reside in the
West-Siberian Basin and are dedicated to developing the local
infrastructure.
Dependence
on One or A Few Major Customers
The
nature of the oil industry is not based on individual customers. Crude and
refined products are sold to local and international brokers as well as to
refineries.
Patents,
Trademarks and Licenses
KNG
currently holds two five-year oil and gas exploration licenses, awarded in
October 2007. KNG has also applied for 8 other licenses in Western Siberia,
Russia, with no date currently planned for the remaining auctions as
of the date of this filing.
Need
For Government Approval
Federal
and local government approval will not be required for conversion of exploration
licenses to production licenses and for extension of licenses beyond their
initial term. The Company has already received approval for its exploration
licenses, however, additional approval is required if the Company is to deliver
its crude or refined products on the national pipeline system. These approvals
can only be guaranteed once the Company has proved reserves. Alternatively, the
Company has also developed plans to deliver crude and product by truck and via
rail transport for the early years if there are any delays in gaining pipeline
approval, and the Company finds hydrocarbon reserves, of which there can be no
assurance.
Additionally,
under new federal laws the Company does not require the approval of state and/or
federal agencies for conversion of the Company's exploration licenses to
production licenses and extension of production licenses beyond their initial
term as they automatically convert to 25 year production licenses upon the
discovery of oil and gas, of which the Company provides no
assurance.
Costs and Effects of Compliance with
EnvironmentalLaws
According
to the laws and regulations of the Russian Federation, organizations are
permitted to carry out seismic and other development activities on licensed
fields, provided the companies conform to ecological standards. Accordingly, ZNG
and KNG have encountered two costs associated with environmental law compliance:
costs associated with obtaining licenses and costs associated with obtaining
permission from the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources (the "Ministry").
ZNG’s costs have totaled approximately $186,900, which includes $2,000 relating
to the ecological review by the Ministry and $184,900 in legal costs and fees to
obtain the Company's licenses. ZNG has also previously successfully passed a
review by the Ministry and KNG will need to pass an ecological review at the
drilling stage of activities, which has not yet started.
The
Company will face additional costs to comply with environmental laws, which may
be significant. In addition, the Ministry imposes certain environmental
obligations on the Company, such as clean-up procedures.
ITEM 1A. RISK
FACTORS
Our
securities are highly speculative and should only be purchased by persons who
can afford to lose their entire investment in our Company. If any of the
following risks actually occur, our business and financial results could be
negatively affected to a significant extent. The Company's business is subject
to many risk factors, including the following:
RISK OF CONTINUING OUR BUSINESS PLAN
WITHOUT ADDITIONAL FINANCING.
We depend
to a great degree on the ability to attract external financing in order to
conduct future exploratory and development activities. The Company believes it
can satisfy its cash requirements during the next twelve months, estimated at
approximately $300,000, through funding provided by existing stockholders. As of
December 31, 2009, the total funding provided to ZNG, Ltd. and ZNG by Baltic was
equal to $23.5 million plus accrued interest of approximately $5 million, which
has been spent on various purposes, including seismic and gas seismotomography
surveys, drilling of two exploratory wells, and paying consultants for services
performed in connection with surveys performed on the previously licensed area.
Our partner in ZNG, Baltic has informed us that they do not plan to move forward
with any further exploration activities through ZNG. The Company’s partner in
KNG, Neftebitum, is responsible for financing the research work of KNG.
Neftebitum is currently attempting to raise external funds; however, no
significant amounts have been raised to date. If you invest in our Company and
we are unable to raise the required funds, your investment could become
worthless.
KNG
WILL NEED SUBSTANTIAL FINANCING AND SUBSTANTIAL TIME BEFORE WE ANTICIPATE
GENERATING REVENUES THROUGH KNG, IF ANY.
The
Company anticipates the need for approximately $15,000,000 prior to KNG's
expected generation of any revenues. In connection with the Agreement of
Purchase and Sale, as described in more detail above, the Company sold a 56%
interest in KNG to Neftebitum and various individuals in September
2008. Pursuant to this agreement and the related Operating Agreement,
Neftebitum is responsible for providing financing for the operations of KNG.
Currently, the Company is aware of Neftebitum raising only a small part of this
financing and the Company can make no assurances that sufficient financing will
ever be raised. The Company also does not expect to generate any revenues
through the operations of KNG, until such financing can be raised, of which
there can be no assurance. Therefore, investors should keep in mind that even if
Neftebitum is able to raise the substantial amounts of additional financing that
KNG requires for its operations, it could still be years before KNG generates
any revenue, if ever. If Neftebitum does not raise the $15,000,000 which the
Company anticipates KNG needs to generate revenues, which, even if generated,
will likely not be great enough to sustain KNG if no revenues are generated and
hydrocarbon reserves are not discovered, KNG may be forced to abandon its
business plan, and the Company could be forced to abandon or curtail its
business plan as well, which could cause the value of the Company's common stock
to substantially decline or become worthless.
OUR AUDITORS HAVE EXPRESSED
SUBSTANTIAL DOUBT AS TO WHETHER OUR COMPANY CAN CONTINUE AS A GOING
CONCERN.
Our
Company is in its early development stage, as planned principal activities have
not begun. We have generated only minimal revenues since inception and have
incurred substantial losses including a net loss of $666,116 for the year ended
December 31, 2009, a net loss of $5,863,560 for the year ended December 31,
2008, and had a total accumulated deficit of $15,522,505 as of December 31,
2009. These factors among others indicate that the Company may be unable to
continue as a going concern, particularly in the event that it cannot generate
sufficient cash flow to conduct its operations and/or obtain additional sources
of capital and financing.
WE LACK AN OPERATING HISTORY WHICH
YOU CAN USE TO EVALUATE US, MAKING ANY INVESTMENT IN OUR
COMPANY RISKY.
Our
Company lacks a long standing operating history which investors can use to
evaluate our Company's previous earnings. Therefore, an investment in our
Company is risky because we have no business history and it is hard to predict
what the outcome of our business operations will be in the future.
WE MAY CONTINUE TO BE UNPROFITABLE
AND MAY NOT GENERATE PROFITS TO CONTINUE OUR BUSINESS
PLAN.
As a
development stage company, we have had limited revenues and no profits to date
and our net cumulative deficit attributable to our development stage as of
December 31, 2009, was $15,072,720, and our total cumulative deficit was
$15,522,505 which included $449,785 of pre-development stage deficit. We had
$1,152,054 in accrued and unpaid salaries and a working capital deficit of
$2,350,319 as of December 31, 2009. The Company is currently being funded by
existing shareholders, but there can be no assurance this amount will be
sufficient to continue our planned operations or that we will have enough money
to repay our outstanding debts. If throughout KNG’s future oil exploration, if
any, no viable wells are found, and consequently, we generate only minimal
revenues through KNG, we will likely be forced to curtail or abandon our
business plan. If this happens, you could lose your investment in our Company.
If we are unable to generate profits, we will be forced to rely on external
financing, of which there is no guarantee, to continue with our business
plan.
LICENSES
TO A TOTAL OF FOUR OF ZNG’S LICENSED BLOCKS EXPIRED IN MARCH 2008 AND THREE
ADDITIONAL LICENSES HAVE SINCE EXPIRED, AND THERE IS A RISK THAT THE RIGHTS TO
SUCH LICENSED BLOCKS MAY NOT BE RENEWED.
In or
around March 2008, ZNG’s rights to four licensed blocks acquired in 2003, the
Privolny, Mokrousovsky, West-Suersky and Orlovo-Pashkovsky blocks, expired and
since that time, additional rights to three license blocks have expired. Between
2003 and 2007, ZNG carried out extensive seismic and gas seismotomographic
studies on the four licensed blocks, and drilled 2 exploratory wells on the
Privolny and Mokrousovsky blocks. Based on the interpretation of seismic and
seismotomographic surveys and analysis of samples from the wells, ZNG prepared a
comprehensive analysis of geological resources of the Kurgan region. Both the
Privolny and Mokrousovsky studies confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons;
however, a substantial amount of further exploration studies and work is
required before a conclusion on the future potential of the blocks can be drawn.
The licenses to four of the blocks expired in March 2008 and an additional three
licenses have expired since then, and although ZNG kept the preferential right
to re-apply for the licenses to continue exploration works on these blocks in
the event it decides to restart exploration activities, there can be no
assurance that such blocks will be able to be re-licensed by ZNG and/or that
they will not be re-auctioned and awarded to alternative parties. If ZNG were to
decide to re-license the blocks and they had already been auctioned off to other
parties and/or were not eligible to be re-licensed, all of ZNG’s exploration
work and studies performed on the previously licensed areas may become worthless
and any exploration expenditures made by ZNG for exploration wells and other
expenditures will likely not be able to be recouped by ZNG. Additionally, if ZNG
were unable to re-license the blocks, the value of the Company’s securities
could decline in value and/or become worthless.
WE HAVE A POOR FINANCIAL POSITION AND
IF WE DO NOT GENERATE REVENUES, WE MAY BE FORCED TO ABANDON
OUR BUSINESS PLAN.
Our
Company currently has a poor financial position. We have generated only minimal
revenues to date, and we have not discovered any hydrocarbon reserves or begun
production on any wells. There is a risk that we will not find enough, or even
any, viable wells which we require to generate enough profits for your
investment in our Company to appreciate. If we never generate any revenues, our
Company may be forced to curtail or abandon its business plan and your shares
may become worthless.
OUR BUSINESS IS SPECULATIVE AND RISKY
AND IF KNG DOES NOT FIND
HYDROCARBON RESERVES, WE MAY BE FORCED TO CURTAIL OUR BUSINESS PLAN.
There is
a risk that KNG will not find any hydrocarbon reserves and the cost of
exploration will become too high for us to continue KNG’s business plan. As our
only current operations are through our 44% ownership of KNG, if KNG were to
cease operations, your investment in our Company could become devalued or could
become worthless.
OUR INDUSTRY IS COMPETITIVE AND AS
SUCH, COMPETITIVE PRESSURES COULD PREVENT US FROM OBTAINING
PROFITS.
The main
factor determining success in the oil exploration and extraction industry is
finding viable wells. If our Company, through ZNG, Ltd., KNG or other joint
ventures we may enter into in the future, are unable to find producing wells and
our competition is, it is likely that our Company will be driven out of
business. Additionally, our industry is subject to significant capital
requirements and as such, larger companies may have an advantage should they
compete with us for exploration licenses, because they may have resources
substantially greater than ours. Investors should take into account the above
factors and understand that if we are unable to raise additional capital or
generate profits, the Company may be forced to liquidate its assets and an
investment in our Company could become worthless.
OUR
GROWTH WILL PLACE SIGNIFICANT STRAINS ON OUR RESOURCES.
The
Company's growth is expected to place a significant strain on the Company's
managerial, operational and financial resources. Furthermore, as the Company
receives contracts, the Company will be required to manage multiple
relationships with various customers and other third parties. These requirements
will be exacerbated in the event of further growth of the Company or in the
number of its contracts. There can be no assurance that the Company's systems,
procedures or controls will be adequate to support the Company's operations or
that the Company will be able to achieve the rapid execution necessary to
succeed and implement its business plan. The Company's future operating results
will also depend on its ability to add additional personnel commensurate with
the growth of its business. If the Company is unable to manage growth
effectively, the Company's business, results of operations and financial
condition will be adversely affected.
WE
RELY ON KEY PERSONNEL AND IF THEY LEAVE OUR COMPANY OUR BUSINESS PLAN COULD BE
ADVERSELY AFFECTED.
We rely
on the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, David
Zaikin and Elena Pochapski, for the success of our Company, who are not
currently employed under employment agreements. Their experience and input
create the foundation for our business and they are responsible for the
directorship and control over the Company's development activities. The Company
does not hold "key man" insurance on either member of management. Moving
forward, should they be lost for any reason, the Company will incur costs
associated with recruiting replacement personnel and any potential delays in
operations. If we are unable to replace Mr. Zaikin and/or Ms. Pochapski, or if
Mr. Zaikin or Ms. Pochapski are unable to spend a sufficient amount of time on
Company matters, the Company may be forced to scale back or curtail its business
plan. As a result of this, any securities you hold in our Company could become
devalued.
ZNG’S
OR KNG’S PROJECTIONS, ESTIMATES AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS MAY BE INACCURATE OR
SUBSTANTIALLY WRONG, WHICH MAY PREVENT ZNG AND/OR KNG FROM EXECUTING THEIR
BUSINESS PLANS.
Projections
on future revenues as well as costs and required capital expenditures are based
on estimates. Business statistical analysis is used in projection of drilling
success ratios, average production costs, world oil price fluctuations and their
correspondence to Russian domestic market. If ZNG’s or KNG’s projections or
estimates are wrong or our statistical analysis faulty, ZNG's or KNG’s revenues
may be adversely affected which could prevent ZNG and/or KNG from executing
their business strategy. As an investor, if this happens your securities in our
Company could be adversely affected and you could lose your investment in our
Company.
THERE
IS UNCERTAINTY AS TO OUR ABILITY TO ENFORCE CIVIL LIABILITIES BOTH IN AND
OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES DUE TO THE FACT THAT OUR OFFICERS, DIRECTORS AND
ASSETS ARE NOT LOCATED IN THE UNITED STATES.
Our
officers and Directors, our properties and licenses, and the majority of our
assets are located in countries other than the United States, including Canada
and Russia. As a result, it may be difficult for shareholders to effect service
of process within the United States on our officers and Directors. In addition,
investors may have difficulty enforcing judgments based upon the civil liability
provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state thereof,
both in and outside of the United States.
WE
FACE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FACT THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR OPERATIONS THROUGH
OUR HOLDINGS ARE CONDUCTED IN RUSSIA, AND THE LICENSES OWNED THROUGH OUR
HOLDINGS ARE IN RUSSIA.
Zauralneftegaz,
Ltd. which we own 50% of through our Joint Venture, and KNG, which we own 44%
of, hold certain licenses and rights to reapply for licenses to certain oil and
gas properties in the Kurgan Region of Russia. As a result, we are
subject to various risks associated with doing business in Russia relating to
Russia's economic and political environment. As is typical of an emerging
market, Russia does not possess a well-developed business, legal and regulatory
infrastructure that would generally exist in a more mature free market economy
and, in recent years, Russia has undergone substantial political, economic and
social change. Furthermore, in recent years the Russian government has
unilaterally annexed certain oil and gas properties and companies for the
government, and there can be no assurance that if commercially exploitable oil
and gas reserves are found on our properties, that such properties will not be
annexed or otherwise claimed by the Russian government. Our failure
to manage the risks associated with doing business in Russia could have a
material adverse effect upon our results of operations.
IF
WE ARE LATE IN FILING OUR QUARTERLY OR ANNUAL REPORTS WITH THE SEC, WE MAY BE
DE-LISTED FROM THE OVER-THE-COUNTER BULLETIN BOARD.
Under
Over-The-Counter Bulletin Board ("OTCBB") rules relating to the timely filing of
periodic reports with the SEC, any OTCBB issuer who fails to file a periodic
report (Form 10-Q's or 10-K's) by the due date of such report (not withstanding
any extension granted to the issuer by the filing of a Form 12b-25), three (3)
times during any twenty-four (24) month period are de-listed from the OTCBB.
Such removed issuer would not be re-eligible to be listed on the OTCBB for a
period of one-year, during which time any subsequent late filing would reset the
one-year period of de-listing. Therefore, if we are late in filing a periodic
report three times in any twenty-four (24) month period and are de-listed from
the OTCBB, our securities may become worthless and we may be forced to curtail
or abandon our business plan.
WE
INCUR SIGNIFICANT COSTS AS A RESULT OF OPERATING AS A FULLY REPORTING COMPANY IN
CONNECTION WITH SECTION 404 OF THE SARBANES OXLEY ACT, AND OUR MANAGEMENT IS
REQUIRED TO DEVOTE SUBSTANTIAL TIME TO NEW COMPLIANCE INITIATIVES.
We
anticipate incurring significant legal, accounting and other expenses in
connection with our status as a fully reporting public company. The
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the "Sarbanes-Oxley Act") and new rules subsequently
implemented by the SEC have imposed various new requirements on public
companies, including requiring changes in corporate governance practices. As
such, our management and other personnel will need to devote a substantial
amount of time to these new compliance initiatives. Moreover, these rules and
regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make
some activities more time-consuming and costly. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective internal controls
for financial reporting and disclosure of controls and procedures. In
particular, for fiscal year 2010, Section 404 will require us to obtain a report
from our independent registered public accounting firm attesting to the
assessment made by management. Our testing, or the subsequent testing
by our independent registered public accounting firm, may reveal deficiencies in
our internal controls over financial reporting that are deemed to be material
weaknesses. Our compliance with Section 404 will require that we incur
substantial accounting expense and expend significant management efforts. We
currently do not have an internal audit group, and we may need to hire
additional accounting and financial staff with appropriate public company
experience and technical accounting knowledge. Moreover, if we are not able to
comply with the requirements of Section 404 in a timely manner, or if we or our
independent registered public accounting firm identifies deficiencies in our
internal controls over financial reporting that are deemed to be material
weaknesses, the market price of our stock could decline, and we could be subject
to sanctions or investigations by the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which
would require additional financial and management resources.
AS
THERE IS CURRENTLY ONLY A LIMITED MARKET FOR OUR COMMON STOCK, THE MARKET FOR
OUR COMMON STOCK MAY CONTINUE TO BE ILLIQUID, SPORADIC AND
VOLATILE.
There is
currently only a limited market for our common stock, and as such, we anticipate
that such market will be illiquid, sporadic and subject to wide fluctuations in
response to several factors moving forward, including, but not limited
to:
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actual
or anticipated variations in our results of operations;
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(2)
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our
ability or inability to generate new revenues;
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(3)
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the
number of shares in our public
float;
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(4)
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increased
competition;
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(5)
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the
political atmosphere in Russia; and
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(6)
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conditions
and trends in the oil, gas, and energy industries in
general.
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Furthermore,
because our common stock is traded on the Over-The-Counter Bulletin Board, our
stock price may be impacted by factors that are unrelated or disproportionate to
our operating performance. These market fluctuations, as well as general
economic, political and market conditions, such as recessions, interest rates or
international currency fluctuations may adversely affect the market price of our
common stock. Additionally, at present, we have a limited number of shares in
our public float, and as a result, there could be extreme fluctuations in the
price of our common stock.
INVESTORS
FACE A RISK THAT THE COMPANY WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
OR WILL ENTER INTO A TRANSACTION THAT RESULTS IN NEW MANAGEMENT AND A NEW
OPERATING BUSINESS OF THE COMPANY.
Management
of the Company is analyzing steps to no longer be subject to the reporting
requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and/or
considering entering into a reverse merger transaction. In the event
that the Company is no longer subject to the reporting requirements of the SEC,
the Company’s stock would likely trade on the Pinksheets and would likely have
less liquidity on such market and may trade at a lower share price than it
currently trades. In the event that the Company enters into a reverse
merger transaction, new management would run the Company and would likely
operate a new business which may result in a loss on your
investment.
STATE
SECURITIES LAWS MAY LIMIT SECONDARY TRADING, WHICH MAY RESTRICT THE STATES IN
WHICH AND CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH YOU CAN SELL SHARES.
Secondary
trading in our common stock may not be possible in any state until the common
stock is qualified for sale under the applicable securities laws of the state or
there is confirmation that an exemption, such as listing in certain recognized
securities manuals, is available for secondary trading in the state. If we fail
to register or qualify, or to obtain or verify an exemption for the secondary
trading of the common stock in any particular state, the common stock cannot be
offered or sold to, or purchased by, a resident of that state. In the event that
we do not apply for registration in, there is not a valid exemption for, and/or
a significant number of states refuse to permit secondary trading in our common
stock, the liquidity for the common stock could be significantly
impacted.
INVESTORS
MAY FACE SIGNIFICANT RESTRICTIONS ON THE RESALE OF OUR COMMON STOCK DUE TO
FEDERAL REGULATIONS OF PENNY STOCKS.
Our
common stock will be subject to the requirements of Rule 15(g)9, promulgated
under the Securities Exchange Act as long as the price of our common stock is
below $5.00 per share. Under such rule, broker-dealers who recommend low-priced
securities to persons other than established customers and accredited investors
must satisfy special sales practice requirements, including a requirement that
they make an individualized written suitability determination for the purchaser
and receive the purchaser's consent prior to the transaction. The Securities
Enforcement Remedies and Penny Stock Reform Act of 1990, also requires
additional disclosure in connection with any trades involving a stock defined as
a penny stock.
Generally,
the Commission defines a penny stock as any equity security not traded on an
exchange or quoted on NASDAQ that has a market price of less than $5.00 per
share. The required penny stock disclosures include the delivery, prior to any
transaction, of a disclosure schedule explaining the penny stock market and the
risks associated with it. Such requirements could severely limit the market
liquidity of the securities and the ability of purchasers to sell their
securities in the secondary market.
In
addition, various state securities laws impose restrictions on transferring
"penny stocks" and as a result, investors in the common stock may have their
ability to sell their shares of the common stock impaired.
ITEM 2.
PROPERTIES
The
Company's United States office is located at 275 Madison Avenue, 6th Floor, New
York, New York 10016, USA. The lease is at a monthly rate of $250 and is on a
month to month basis. This space is leased from Office Escape, an operator of
business centers in New York and other United States cities. The Company is not
the sole occupant of the space and consequently the cost of the rental is shared
with other occupants. The Company does not use the office for any purposes
falling outside of its business needs. The Company is currently
taking steps to move its New York office space, and as such, the Chief Executive
Officer has been personally paying the Company’s office space rent and not
billing the Company since approximately December 31, 2008, which resulted in the
Company having no rent or occupancy expense for the year ended December 31,
2009.
KNG
currently rents office space in Khanty-Mansiysk City, Russia, under a one year
lease expiring in December 2009, at a monthly rental cost of approximately
$650.
ITEM 3. LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS
In
January 2007, we learned that certain of our former officers, Directors and
shareholders, had attempted to transfer shares of our common stock, which those
individuals had agreed to cancel in connection with the purchase of a majority
of the Company’s outstanding shares from those individuals by our current
officers, Directors and majority shareholders in April 2003. In February 2007,
we filed for a Temporary Restraining Order and Motion for Preliminary Injunction
against those individuals in the District Court of Clark County,
Nevada.
On
February 20, 2007, our Temporary Restraining Order and Motion for Preliminary
Injunction was heard by the District Court of Clark County, Nevada, and we were
granted an indefinite injunction without a hearing by the court. As such, those
individuals who previously attempted to transfer and sell the shares which they
held will be prevented from transferring or selling such shares until they can
show good cause with the court why such indefinite injunction should be
lifted.
From time
to time, we may become party to other litigation or other legal proceedings that
we consider to be a part of the ordinary course of our business. We are not
currently involved in legal proceedings that could reasonably be expected to
have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition
or results of operations, other than the proceeding described above. We may
become involved in material legal proceedings in the future.
ITEM 4. (REMOVED AND
RESERVED)
PART
II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR
REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF
EQUITY SECURITIES
On March
22, 2005, the Company's common stock began trading on the OTC Bulletin Board
under the symbol "SIBE." Effective May 2, 2005, in connection with the Company's
1:2 reverse stock split, the Company's common stock began trading under the
symbol "SIBN." We had 3,025,640 shares of common stock subject to
outstanding options and warrants to purchase, or securities convertible into,
the Company's common stock as of December 31, 2009. We have no outstanding
shares of preferred stock. As of April 13, 2010, there were 18,705,585 shares of
common stock outstanding, held by approximately 125 shareholders of record,
which number does not include 90,000 shares which the Company has agreed to
issue to its President, Helen Teplitskaia for services rendered during the
months of July 2009 through March 2010, which shares have not been issued to
date and have not been included in the total number of outstanding shares
disclosed throughout this report.
The
following table sets forth the high and low closing prices for the Company's
common stock, rounded to the nearest one cent, for the periods indicated as
reported by the NASDAQ OTC-Bulletin Board. The quotations reflect inter-dealer
prices, without retail mark-up, mark-down or commission and may not represent
actual transactions.
Closing
Prices
Quarter Ended
|
|
High
|
|
|
Low
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December
31, 2009
|
|
$ |
0.12 |
|
|
$ |
0.05 |
|
September
30, 2009
|
|
$ |
0.25 |
|
|
$ |
0.05 |
|
June
30, 2009
|
|
$ |
0.13 |
|
|
$ |
0.05 |
|
March
31, 2009
|
|
$ |
0.07 |
|
|
$ |
0.03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December
31, 2008
|
|
$ |
0.19 |
|
|
$ |
0.04 |
|
September
30, 2008
|
|
$ |
0.39 |
|
|
$ |
0.10 |
|
June
30, 2008
|
|
$ |
0.50 |
|
|
$ |
0.25 |
|
March
31, 2008
|
|
$ |
0.61 |
|
|
$ |
0.25 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dividends
We have
never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock, and we do not
anticipate paying any dividends in the foreseeable future. We intend
to devote any earnings to fund the operations and the development of our
business.
Common
Stock
Holders
of shares of common stock are entitled to one vote per share on each matter
submitted to a vote of shareholders. In the event of liquidation, holders of
common stock are entitled to share pro rata in the distribution of assets
remaining after payment of liabilities, if any. Holders of common stock have no
cumulative voting rights, and, accordingly, the holders of a majority of the
outstanding shares have the ability to elect all of the directors. Holders of
common stock have no preemptive or other rights to subscribe for shares. Holders
of common stock are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by the Board
out of funds legally available therefore. The outstanding shares of common stock
are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
EQUITY
COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION
The
following table provides information as of December 31, 2009 regarding
compensation plans (including individual compensation arrangements) under which
equity securities are authorized for issuance:
Plan
Category
|
|
Number
of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants
and rights
|
|
Weighted-average
exercise price of outstanding options,
warrants
and rights
|
|
Number
of securities available for future issuance under equity compensation
plans (excluding those in first column)
|
Equity
compensation plans approved by the security holders
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
Equity
compensation plans not approved by the security holders
|
|
2,492,000
|
|
$0.44
|
|
-
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RECENT
SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES
The
Company has previously agreed to pay its President, Helen Teplitskaia, 10,000
shares of common stock per month for her service to the Company. As
such, in June 2009, the Company issued Ms. Teplitskaia an aggregate of 60,000
shares, 10,000 shares per month from January 2009 to June 2009. The
Company also owes Ms. Teplitskaia an additional 90,000 shares for services
rendered during the months of July, August, September, October, November and
December 2009 and the months of January, February and March 2010, which shares
the Company has agreed to issue to its President, Helen Teplitskaia for services
rendered during the months of July 2009 through March 2010, which shares have
not been issued to date and have not been included in the total number of
outstanding shares disclosed throughout this report.
The
Company claims an exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(2) of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, since the foregoing issuance did not involve
a public offering, the recipient took the securities for investment and not
resale and the Company took appropriate measures to restrict
transfer.
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL
DATA
Not
required.
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OR PLAN OF OPERATION
THIS
REPORT CONTAINS FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 27A OF
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 AND SECTION 21E OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934. THESE FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RISKS AND
UNCERTAINTIES THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM
HISTORICAL RESULTS OR ANTICIPATED RESULTS, INCLUDING THOSE SET FORTH UNDER "RISK
FACTORS" IN THIS MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS" AND ELSEWHERE IN THIS REPORT. THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION
AND ANALYSIS SHOULD BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH "SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA" AND
THE COMPANY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES THERETO INCLUDED ELSEWHERE IN THIS
REPORT.
PLAN
OF OPERATIONS FOR THE NEXT TWELVE MONTHS
In
coordination with Neftebitum, the Company plans to focus on the exploration
activities of KNG in the Khanty-Mansiysk region of Russia, to satisfy the
requirements of the licensing agreements and to conduct preparatory work for the
seismic surveys on these areas, funding permitting (which funding is the
responsibility of Neftebitum), of which there can be no assurance.
Moving
forward, we anticipate targeting other potential long term investments in Russia
and countries in the former Soviet Union, separate from our involvement in the
Joint Venture and KNG, funding permitting, of which there can be no assurance.
Additionally, the Company currently plans to change its business focus from
targeting early stage exploration projects to acquiring assets in producing
fields, funding permitting, of which there can be no assurance, in order to
decrease its exploration risks.
Currently
we are evaluating different business opportunities in the oil and gas industry,
including advanced development stage and revenue-producing enterprises and are
in preliminary discussions with a potential partner which owns several oil and
gas producing properties in Western Siberia; however, as no definitive agreement
has been reached, we can provide no assurances that the discussions will result
in any definitive understandings or partnerships, and it is likely that any
agreement would be conditioned on us raising substantial additional funding,
which we can provide no assurances will be available on favorable terms, if at
all.
Historically,
we have obtained cash financing from organizing stockholders in the form of
loans and advances. Additionally, during the fourth quarter of 2005, we
restructured much of our debt through the issuance of shares of our common
stock to our creditors and obtained waiver letters, postponing certain of
our liabilities until such time as we have generated sufficient profits to pay
such debts. These waiver letters related to the payment of certain trade debts
as well as shareholder loans and accrued salaries.
In
connection with the Joint Venture, the Company previously received
monthly management fees, which varied from $25,000 to $85,000 per month.
Due to the “transition period” of the Joint Venture’s exploration activities and
subsequent decision of Baltic not to pursue further exploration activities
through ZNG, no management fees have been paid since October 2007, and the
Joint Venture will not pay any management fees in the future. As the
Company will not receive any management fees moving forward, the Company
believes that its organizing stockholders will continue to provide financing for
the Company, of which there can be no assurance.
In the
past, we have obtained cash financing from organizing stockholders in the form
of loans and advances, as a result, amounts totaling $523,906 and $447,663 were
payable to the stockholders as of December 31, 2009 and December 31, 2008,
respectively. However, there can be no certainty as to the availability of
continued financing in the future. Failure to obtain sufficient financing may
require us to reduce our operating activities. A failure to continue as a going
concern would then require stated amounts of assets and liabilities to be
reflected on a liquidation basis which could differ from the going concern
basis.
COMPARISON
OF OPERATING RESULTS
RESULTS
OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2009, COMPARED TO THE YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 2008
We had no
revenues and other income for the year ended December 31, 2009 or
2008. Until October 2007, the Company received monthly management
fees of between $25,000 and $85,000 pursuant to terms of the Joint
Venture. However, the Company has not received any management fees
since October 2007, and does not anticipate receiving any such fees moving
forward.
We have
not generated any revenues to date through the sale of oil and/or
gas.
We had
total expenses of $636,616 for the year ended December 31, 2009, compared to
total expenses for the year ended December 31, 2008, of $740,043, which
represented a decrease in total expenses from the prior period of $103,427 or
14.0%.
The main
reasons for the decrease in total expenses for the year ended December 31, 2009,
compared to the year ended December 31, 2008, were an $84,851 or 26.9% decrease
in professional and consulting fees to $231,132 for the year ended December 31,
2009, compared to $315,983 for the year ended December 31, 2008, which decrease
is largely attributable to the fact that the Company used less third party
consultants and advisors during the year ended December 31, 2009, compared to
the same period of 2008; a $24,656 or 45.5% decrease in marketing and other
expenses, to $29,569 for the year ended December 31, 2009, compared to $54,225
for the year ended December 31, 2008; and a $14,101 decrease in rent and
occupancy expenses to no rent and occupancy expenses for the year ended December
31, 2009, compared to $14,101 for the year ended December 31, 2008, partially
offset by a $21,543 or 6.2% increase in salaries to $368,253 for the year ended
December 31, 2009, compared to $346,710 for the year ended December 31,
2008. The Company is currently taking steps to move its New York
office space, and as such, the Chief Executive Officer has been personally
paying the Company’s office space rent and not billing the Company since
approximately December 31, 2008, which resulted in the Company having no rent or
occupancy expense for the year ended December 31, 2009.
We had
certain one-time additional expenses during the year ended December 31, 2008,
which were not represented during the year ended December 31, 2009, including
$669,570 of loss from sale of investment (described
below), $3,928,000 of loss on deemed disposition of oil and gas
properties, unproved (described below), and $525,947 of impairment charge on
investment. Since 56% of KNG was sold for a nominal amount, a non-cash
impairment charge of $525,947 was recorded to reduce the carrying value of the
44% investment in KNG to zero. The $669,570 of loss from sale of
investment for the year ended December 31, 2008 can be attributed to our sale of
a controlling interest in KNG as described in greater detail
above. The $3,928,000 loss on deemed disposition of oil and gas
properties, unproved, for the year ended December 31, 2008 can be attributed to
the fact that the Company no longer has any plans to utilize the geological data
associated with KNG, valued at $3,928,000, other than through KNG’s activities,
and no consideration was received for the use of such geological data in
connection with the sale of the controlling interest in KNG, although the
Company has committed to providing such information to Neftebitum.
We had a
net loss of $666,116 for the year ended December 31, 2009, which included
$636,616 of operating expenses discussed above and a $29,500 loss from
disposition of a loan to KNG, since the Company is not expecting repayment of
this loan. Net loss of $666,116 represented a decrease in net loss of $5,197,444
or 88.6% from net loss of $5,863,560 for the year ended December 31, 2008, which
decrease in net loss was mainly due to the certain one-time expenses associated
with the Company’s accounting for the sale of KNG during the year ended December
31, 2008, as described above, which were not repeated during the year ended
December 31, 2009.
LIQUIDITY
AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
We had
current assets of $1,320 as of December 31, 2009, which included cash of $751;
and prepaid expenses and other current assets of $569.
We had
total assets of $2,587 as of December 31, 2009, which included current assets of
$1,320 and non-current assets of $1,267 representing property and equipment,
net.
We had
total liabilities of $2,351,639 as of December 31, 2009, which were solely
current liabilities and which included $523,906 of accounts payable to related
party stockholders in connection with those shareholders paying certain of our
expenses from the period between January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2009; $68,848
of accounts payable to Baltic in connection with a $29,000 loan advanced to the
Company from Baltic and certain other expenses owed to Baltic; $606,831 of
accounts payable to others for advisory and professional services rendered; and
$1,152,054 of accrued payroll, which included $652,500 payable to our Chief
Executive Officer, David Zaikin, of which $540,000 was accrued in 2007-2009, and
$112,500 which was owed to Mr. Zaikin for services rendered prior to
September 2005, at which time he agreed to stop accruing salary until January
2007, when he provided us notice of his intent to once again begin accruing
salary until such time as we have sufficient funds to pay such accrued salary,
$239,529 payable to our Chief Financial Officer, Elena Pochapski, and $69,242 of
accrued salary payable to our former Chief Executive Officer, Shakeel
Adam.
We had
negative working capital of $2,350,319 and a total pre-development and
development stage accumulated deficit of $15,522,505 as of December 31,
2009.
Because
our cumulative losses associated with the operations of ZNG exceeded our
investment as of the date of the Joint Venture, ZNG, Ltd. is carried on our
balance sheet at $-0- as of December 31, 2009. Our investment in ZNG,
Ltd. will exceed $-0- at such time as ZNG, Ltd. has cumulative
earnings sufficient to repay all loans to Baltic as provided in the Joint
Venture, if ever.
As of
December 31, 2009, the Company owns a 44% interest in KNG. The Company’s
investment in KNG is recorded on the equity method of accounting
effective October 1, 2008. After careful consideration of the current financial
position of KNG, the Company applied an impairment charge to the value of the
investment in KNG which resulted in carrying it at zero value.
We had
$19,831 of net cash flows from operating activities for the year ended December
31, 2009, which was attributable to adjustments to reconcile $666,116 of net
loss, offset by $606,422 of accounts payable and accrued expenses, $621 of
depreciation and amortization, $49,452 of common stock and warrants issued for
services and increased by $48 of prepaid expenses and other
assets.
In
connection with the Joint Venture (described under "Joint Venture," above), the
Company historically received management fees, which varied from $25,000 to
$85,000 per month. Due to the “transition period” of the Joint Venture’s
exploration activities, no management fees were paid during the years ended
December 31, 2008 and 2009, and the Company does not anticipate receiving any
such fees moving forward. If the Company does not receive any
management fees moving forward, the Company anticipates that its stockholders
and management will continue to provide financing for the Company, of which
there can be no assurance.
In
connection with the activities of KNG, we are not currently receiving
compensation for the use of the Company’s geological data. According to the
Operating agreement with Neftebitum, such fees may be paid to us in future years
depending on the financial position of KNG, of which there can be no
assurance.
We are
taking steps to raise equity capital and/or to borrow additional funds. There
can be no assurance that any new capital will be available to us or that
adequate funds for our operations, whether from our financial markets, or other
arrangements will be available when needed or on terms satisfactory to us, if at
all. We have no commitments from officers, directors or affiliates to provide
funding. Our failure to obtain adequate financing may require us to delay,
curtail or scale back some or all of our operations. Additionally, any
additional financing may involve dilution to our then-existing
shareholders.
Critical
Accounting Policies
Use
of Estimates:
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) requires management to
make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial
statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those
estimates.
Principles
of Consolidation:
The
accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the
Company and its then wholly-owned subsidiaries, ZNG (through October 14, 2005),
Siberian Energy Group (Canada) and KNG (December 31, 2006 through September 30,
2008). All intercompany transactions and balances have been
eliminated. After October 14, 2005, the Company’s investment in ZNG
is accounted for on the equity method of accounting. After September
30, 2008, the Company’s investment in KNG is accounted for on the equity method
of accounting. Accordingly, the assets, liabilities and equity are no longer
presented on the Company’s balance sheet.
Foreign
Currency Translation:
The
Russian subsidiaries ZNG and KNG use the Ruble as their functional currency;
Siberian Energy Group (Canada) uses the Canadian dollar as its functional
currency. The books and records of ZNG, KNG and Siberian Energy Group
(Canada) are kept in their functional currencies. The Company
translates to U.S. dollars the assets and liabilities of ZNG, KNG, and Siberian
Energy Group (Canada) at the year-end exchange rates; and income statement
amounts are converted at the average rates of exchange for the
year. Translation gains and losses are included within other
comprehensive income (loss).
Oil
and Gas Properties:
The
Company follows the full cost method of accounting for oil and gas
properties. Accordingly, all costs associated with acquisition,
exploration, and development of oil and gas reserves, including directly related
overhead costs, are capitalized.
All
capitalized costs of oil and gas properties, including the estimated future
costs to develop proved reserves, will be amortized on the unit-of production
method using estimates of proved reserves. Investments in unproved
properties and major development projects are not amortized until proved
reserves associated with the projects can be determined or until impairment
occurs. When applicable, if the results of an assessment indicate
that the properties are impaired, the amount of the impairment is added to the
capitalized costs to be amortized.
In
addition, the capitalized costs are subject to a “ceiling test,” which basically
limits such costs to the aggregate of the “estimated present value,” discounted
at a 10-percent interest rate of future net revenues from proved reserves, based
on current economic and operating conditions, plus the lower of cost or fair
market value of unproved properties.
Sales of
proved and unproved properties are accounted for as adjustments of capitalized
costs with no gain or loss recognized, unless such adjustments would
significantly alter the relationship between capitalized costs and proved
reserves of oil and gas, in which case the gain or loss is recognized in
income. Abandonments of properties are accounted for as adjustments
of capitalized costs with no loss recognized.
Property
and Equipment:
Property
and equipment is stated at cost, net of accumulated
depreciation. Depreciation is provided using the straight-line
method.
Long-Lived
Assets:
Long
lived assets to be held and used or disposed of other than by sale are reviewed
for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the
carrying amount may not be recoverable. When required, impairment
losses on assets to be held and used or disposed of other than by sale are
recognized based on the fair value of the asset. Long-lived assets to
be disposed of by sale are reported at the lower of its carrying amount or fair
value less cost to sell.
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA