UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023

or

Commission File Number 001-32318

DEVON ENERGY CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (405) 235-3611

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☑ No ☐

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 ☑

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 ☑ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted 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 required to submit such files). Yes ☑ No ☐

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

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☑

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No ☑

The aggregate market value of the voting common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2023 was approximately $30.8 billion, based upon the closing price of $48.34 per share as reported by the New York Stock Exchange on such date. On February 14, 2024, 635 million shares of common stock were outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

DEVON ENERGY CORPORATION

FORM 10-K

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEFINITIONS

Unless the context otherwise indicates, references to “us,” “we,” “our,” “ours,” “Devon,” the “Company” and “Registrant” refer to Devon Energy Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries. All monetary values, other than per unit and per share amounts, are stated in millions of U.S. dollars unless otherwise specified. In addition, the following are other abbreviations and definitions of certain terms used within this Annual Report on Form 10-K:

“2017 Plan” means the Devon Energy Corporation 2017 Long-Term Incentive Plan.

“2018 Senior Credit Facility” means Devon’s syndicated unsecured revolving line of credit, effective as of October 5, 2018.

“2022 Plan” means the Devon Energy Corporation 2022 Long-Term Incentive Plan.

“2023 Senior Credit Facility” means Devon’s syndicated unsecured revolving line of credit, effective as of March 24, 2023.

“AFSI” means adjusted financial statement income.

“ASU” means Accounting Standards Update.

“Bbl” or “Bbls” means barrel or barrels.

“Bcf” means billion cubic feet.

“BLM” means the United States Bureau of Land Management.

“Boe” means barrel of oil equivalent. Gas proved reserves and production are converted to Boe, at the pressure and temperature base standard of each respective state in which the gas is produced, at the rate of six Mcf of gas per Bbl of oil, based upon the approximate relative energy content of gas and oil. Bitumen and NGL proved reserves and production are converted to Boe on a one-to-one basis with oil.

“Btu” means British thermal units, a measure of heating value.

“CAMT” means corporate alternative minimum tax.

“Catalyst” means Catalyst Midstream Partners, LLC.

“CDM” means Cotton Draw Midstream, L.L.C.

“DD&A” means depreciation, depletion and amortization expenses.

“EHS” means environmental, health and safety.

“EPA” means the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

“ESG” means environmental, social and governance.

“FASB” means Financial Accounting Standards Board.

“G&A” means general and administrative expenses.

“GAAP” means U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

“GHG” means greenhouse gas.

“Inside FERC” refers to the publication Inside F.E.R.C.’s Gas Market Report.

“IRA” refers to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

“LOE” means lease operating expenses.

“Matterhorn” refers to Matterhorn Express Pipeline, LLC and as applicable, its direct parent, MXP Parent, LLC.

“MBbls” means thousand barrels.

“MBoe” means thousand Boe.

“Mcf” means thousand cubic feet.

“Merger” means the merger of Merger Sub with and into WPX, with WPX continuing as the surviving corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement.

“Merger Agreement” means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated September 26, 2020, by and among the Company, Merger Sub and WPX.

“Merger Sub” means East Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.

“MMBbls” means million barrels.

“MMBoe” means million Boe.

“MMBtu” means million Btu.

“MMcf” means million cubic feet.

“N/M” means not meaningful.

“NCI” means noncontrolling interests.

“NGL” or “NGLs” means natural gas liquids.

“NYMEX” means New York Mercantile Exchange.

“NYSE” means New York Stock Exchange.

“OPEC” means Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

“SEC” means United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Standardized measure” means the present value of after-tax future net revenues discounted at 10% per annum.

“STEM” means science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“S&P 500 Index” means Standard and Poor’s 500 index.

“TSR” means total shareholder return.

“U.S.” means United States of America.

“VIE” means variable interest entity.

“Water JV” means NDB Midstream L.L.C.

“WPX” means WPX Energy, Inc.

“WTI” means West Texas Intermediate.

“/Bbl” means per barrel.

“/d” means per day.

“/MMBtu” means per MMBtu.

INFORMATION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This report includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Such statements include those concerning strategic plans, our expectations and objectives for future operations, as well as other future events or conditions, and are often identified by use of the words and phrases “expects,” “believes,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “continue,” “may,” “aims,” “likely to be,” “intends,” “forecasts,” “projections,” “estimates,” “plans,” “expectations,” “targets,” “opportunities,” “potential,” “anticipates,” “outlook” and other similar terminology. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this report that address activities, events or developments that Devon expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Consequently, actual future results could differ materially and adversely from our expectations due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to:

The forward-looking statements included in this filing speak only as of the date of this report, represent management’s current reasonable expectations as of the date of this filing and are subject to the risks and uncertainties identified above as well as those described elsewhere in this report and in other documents we file from time to time with the SEC. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of our forward-looking statements, and readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made in this report and in other documents we file from time to time with the SEC. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Devon, or persons acting on its behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. We do not undertake, and expressly disclaim, any duty to update or revise our forward-looking statements based on new information, future events or otherwise.

PART I

Items 1 and 2. Business and Properties

General

A Delaware corporation formed in 1971 and publicly held since 1988, Devon (NYSE: DVN) is an independent energy company engaged primarily in the exploration, development and production of oil, natural gas and NGLs. Our operations are concentrated in various onshore areas in the U.S.

On January 7, 2021, Devon and WPX completed an all-stock merger of equals. WPX was an oil and gas exploration and production company with assets in the Delaware Basin in Texas and New Mexico and the Williston Basin in North Dakota. Our principal and administrative offices are located at 333 West Sheridan, Oklahoma City, OK 73102-5015 (telephone 405-235-3611).

Devon files or furnishes annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, as well as any amendments to these reports, with the SEC. Through our website, www.devonenergy.com, we make available electronic copies of the documents we file or furnish to the SEC, the charters of the committees of our Board of Directors and other documents related to our corporate governance. The corporate governance documents available on our website include our Code of Ethics for Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer, and any amendments to and waivers from any provision of that Code will also be posted on our website. Access to these electronic filings is available free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after filing or furnishing them to the SEC. Printed copies of our committee charters or other governance documents and filings can be requested by writing to our corporate secretary at the address on the cover of this report. Reports filed with the SEC are also made available on its website at www.sec.gov.

Our Strategy

Our business strategy is focused on delivering a consistently competitive shareholder return among our peer group. Because the business of exploring for, developing and producing oil and natural gas is capital intensive, delivering sustainable, capital efficient cash flow growth is a key tenet to our success. While our cash flow is highly dependent on volatile and uncertain commodity prices, we pursue our strategy throughout all commodity price cycles with four fundamental principles.

Proven and responsible operator – We operate our business with the interests of our stakeholders and our ESG values in mind. With our vision to be a premier independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company, the work our employees do every day contributes to the local, national and global economies. We produce a valuable commodity that is fundamental to society, and we endeavor to do so in a safe, environmentally responsible and ethical way, while striving to deliver strong returns to our shareholders. We have an ongoing commitment to transparency in reporting our ESG performance. We continue to establish new environmental performance targets for our Company and further incorporate ESG initiatives into our compensation structure.

Premier, sustainable portfolio of assets – As discussed in more detail later in this section, we own a portfolio of assets located in the Delaware Basin, Eagle Ford, Anadarko Basin, Williston Basin and Powder River Basin. We strive to own premier assets capable of generating cash flows in excess of our capital and operating requirements, as well as competitive rates of return. We also desire to own a portfolio of assets that can deliver sustainable production extending many years into the future and provide reliable and affordable energy needed to support the world's growing population and energy demands.

Superior execution – As we pursue cash flow growth, we continually work to optimize the efficiency of our capital programs and production operations, with an underlying objective of reducing absolute and per unit costs and enhancing our returns. We also strive to leverage our culture of health, safety and environmental stewardship in all aspects of our business.

Financial strength and flexibility – Commodity prices are uncertain and volatile, so we strive to maintain a strong balance sheet, as well as adequate liquidity and financial flexibility, in order to operate competitively in all commodity price cycles. Our capital allocation decisions are made with attention to these financial stewardship principles, as well as the priorities of funding our core operations, protecting our investment-grade credit ratings and paying and growing our shareholder dividend. While maintaining financial strength is a top priority, we remain committed to maximizing shareholder value which is evidenced by making opportunistic share repurchases, growing our fixed dividend and paying a variable dividend.

Environmental, Social and Governance

Devon is focused on producing reliable, affordable and accessible energy that the world needs, while continuing to find ways to produce and deliver it more responsibly. We consider the potential impacts of our operations when planning activities and making decisions. We promote a culture of compliance with environmental laws and regulations and encourage performance that often goes above and beyond what is required. In the process, Devon incorporates technology, tools and processes that enable us to minimize or avoid effects on air, water, land and wildlife. We are also evaluating and selectively investing in opportunities to generate value in a world that is transitioning to ever-cleaner forms of energy.

We have a strong organization in place to manage environmental performance, encompassing our Board of Directors, our EHS/ESG and Sustainability leadership teams, and our field-level EHS and operations teams. Our governance philosophy in this space elevates EHS and ESG oversight and discussion, including matters related to climate change and energy transition opportunities. Our Board and the Board's Governance, Environmental, and Public Policy Committee frequently review our environmental initiatives and are keenly interested in the operational measures, technological advancements, planning, forecasting and other actions the Company takes in advancing our status in this important area. We have established standalone teams of subject matter experts on sustainability and ESG. Those teams provide advisory support across Devon to continue our progress with ESG and sustainability.

Our organizational efforts assure that our environmental objectives and targets are considered in capital allocation decisions, corporate and business unit planning and team strategies to integrate sustainability into our business activities. To support our commitment to improve our environmental footprint, we spent approximately $115 million in 2023 on capital projects that will directly or indirectly result in emissions reduction, and we anticipate similar spending in 2024.

Devon has established environmental performance targets that reflect our dedication and commitment to continuing to provide affordable energy while achieving meaningful emissions reductions and pursuing our ultimate goal of net zero GHG emissions for Scopes 1 and 2. Our GHG and methane targets shown below are calculated from a 2019 baseline. Devon’s emission reduction strategy involves a range of potential actions, including expanding our leak detection and repair program; deploying advanced leak detection technologies; reducing the volume of natural gas that is flared; electrifying facilities to reduce the use of natural gas and diesel consumed onsite; and optimizing facility design to minimize leaks and eliminate common equipment failures.

Devon is also focused on conserving and reusing water and interacting with our value chain on our overall environmental goals. We have set a target to advance our recycled water rate by using 90% or more non-freshwater for completions activities in our most active operating areas within the Delaware Basin. We are confident we can deliver strong operational and financial results and reduce our environmental impact while safeguarding our workforce and the communities in which we operate.

Human Capital

Delivering strong operational and financial results in a safe, environmentally and socially responsible way requires the expertise and positive contributions of every Devon employee. Our people are the Company’s most important resource and we seek to hire people who share and demonstrate our core values of integrity, relationships, courage and results. We value our people and invest in their success. Devon focuses on providing personally and professionally fulfilling careers, meaningful benefits and compensation, and a sense of belonging and inclusion. Our workforce is central to and drives our long-term success. Devon’s Executive Committee and Compensation Committee of the Board routinely engage in discussions regarding a wide range of human capital strategies, outcomes and activities. As of December 31, 2023, Devon and its consolidated subsidiaries had approximately 1,900 employees, all located in the U.S.

Employee Safety and Wellness

We prepare our workforce to work safely with comprehensive training and orientation, on-the-job guidance and tools, safety engagements, recognition and other resources. Employees and contractors are expected to comply with safety rules and regulations and are accountable for stopping at-risk work, immediately reporting incidents and near-miss events and informing visitors of emergency alarms and evacuation plans. To safeguard workers on our well sites and neighbors nearby, we plan, design, drill, complete and produce wells using proven best practices, technologies, tools and materials. We work continuously to prevent disruptions and provide training and drills so our employees are prepared and ready to respond to a wide variety of issues.

Devon also prioritizes the physical, mental and financial wellness of our employees. We offer competitive health and financial benefits with incentives designed to promote well-being, including an Employee Assistance Program (“EAP”) that provides counseling services for employees and their family members free of charge. Access to experienced counselors, financial experts, staff attorneys, elder-care consultants and other services are included in EAP services available 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Devon also provides virtual mental health counseling resources available through talk and text, as well as a digital mental health platform providing mental health assessment and education. Devon encourages employees to take advantage of our wellness programs and activities by getting an annual physical exam, attending preventive health screenings and completing a financial wellness series, all at no cost to our workforce.

Employee Compensation, Benefits, Development and Retention

We strive to attract and retain high-performing individuals across our workforce. One way we do this is by providing competitive compensation and benefits, including annual bonuses; a 401(k) savings plan with a Devon contribution up to 14% of the employee’s earnings; stock awards for all employees; medical, dental and vision health care coverage; health savings and dependent-care flexible spending accounts; maternity and parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child; an adoption assistance program; alternate work schedules; flexible work hours; part-time work options; and telecommuting support; among other benefits. Devon also provides a four-week Paid Family and Medical Leave Policy for all employees to take care of themselves and their families. In 2022, Devon suspended collection of all employee health care premiums, and has elected to maintain this practice. We believe these benefits help contribute to strong productivity, low absenteeism and high retention rates.

Devon also looks to our core values to build the workforce we need. We develop our employees’ knowledge and creativity and advance continual learning and career development through ongoing performance, training and development conversations.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Devon’s success depends on employees who demonstrate integrity, accountability, perseverance and a passion for building our business and delivering results. Our efforts to create a workforce with these qualities start with offering equal opportunity in all aspects of employment. We do this with company policies and leadership commitment, and by providing employees opportunities to help shape Devon’s diversity, equity and inclusion direction and actions.

We strive to demonstrate inclusion, equity and diversity throughout the Company to bring a range of thoughts, experiences and points of view to our problem-solving and decision-making. Along with senior leadership efforts, Devon’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (“DEI”) Team works to proactively increase diversity and inclusion awareness, identify challenges and find innovative ways to achieve Devon’s inclusion and diversity vision and priorities. In 2023, our workforce was comprised of 24% females and 24% minorities. Along with our workforce efforts, we invest in DEI through community partnerships. One way we are achieving this is by creating STEM centers in elementary schools in the areas in which we operate. Devon has helped open 160 STEM centers that orient children of all backgrounds to skills that will be essential for the future workforce. Devon works with school districts to ensure all students have access to the same state-of-the-art STEM tools and resources in each STEM Center. In 2023, Devon awarded 28 DEI grants to diverse community organizations throughout New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming, totaling $280,000.

Compliance Culture

Devon reinforces the high expectations we have for ethical conduct by our employees through our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (“Code”). The Code sets out basic principles for all employees to follow and incorporates specific guidance on critical areas such as our prohibition of harassment and discrimination, our protocols for avoiding conflicts of interest and our policies related to anti-corruption laws, privacy, cybersecurity and confidential information. On an annual basis, Devon employees, as well as our

directors and officers, are required to acknowledge and agree to abide by our Code and complete a training course on the Code and its related policies. We encourage our employees to help enforce the Code, and we maintain reporting systems that are designed to minimize concerns that reports will result in retaliation.

Oil and Gas Properties

Property Profiles

Key summary data from each of our areas of operation as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023 are detailed in the map below.

Delaware Basin – The Delaware Basin is our largest and most active program in the portfolio with operations in southeast New Mexico and across the state line into west Texas. Over the past several years, we have built an industry-leading position in this basin. Through capital efficient drilling programs, it offers exploration and low-risk development opportunities from many geologic reservoirs and play types, including the oil-rich Wolfcamp, Bone Spring, Avalon and Delaware formations. With a significant inventory of oil and liquids-rich drilling opportunities that have multi-zone development potential, Devon has a robust platform to deliver high-margin drilling programs for many years to come. At December 31, 2023, we had 17 operated rigs developing this asset in the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring formations. The Delaware Basin is our top funded asset and is expected to receive approximately 60% of our capital allocation in 2024.

Eagle Ford – Our Eagle Ford operations are located in Texas' DeWitt and Karnes counties, situated in the economic core of this south Texas play. Its production is leveraged to oil and has low-cost access to premium Gulf Coast pricing, providing for strong operating margins. At December 31, 2023, we had one operated and two non-operated rigs developing this asset.

Anadarko Basin – Our Anadarko Basin development, located primarily in western Oklahoma’s Canadian, Kingfisher and Blaine counties, is one of the largest in the industry, providing substantial long-term inventory optionality. We have an agreement with Dow to jointly develop a portion of our Anadarko Basin acreage and, as of December 31, 2023, we had a four-operated rig program associated with this joint venture.

Williston Basin – Our position in the Williston is located entirely on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota, and its operations are focused in the oil-prone Bakken and Three Forks formations. Our Williston Basin asset is a high-margin oil resource located in the core of the play and generated substantial cash flow in 2023.

Powder River Basin – This asset is focused on emerging oil opportunities in Wyoming's Powder River Basin. We are currently targeting several Cretaceous oil objectives, including the Turner, Parkman, Teapot and Niobrara formations. Recent drilling success in this basin has expanded our drilling inventory, and we expect further growth as we continue to de-risk this emerging light-oil opportunity. At December 31, 2023, we had one operated rig developing this asset.

Proved Reserves

Proved oil and gas reserves are those quantities of oil, gas and NGLs which can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be economically producible from known reservoirs under existing economic conditions, operating methods and government regulations. To be considered proved, oil and gas reserves must be economically producible before contracts providing the right to operate expire, unless evidence indicates that renewal is reasonably certain. Also, the project to extract the hydrocarbons must have commenced or the operator must be reasonably certain that it will commence within a reasonable time. We establish our proved reserves estimates using standard geological and engineering technologies and computational methods, which are generally accepted by the petroleum industry. We primarily prepare our proved reserves additions by analogy using type curves that are based on decline curve analysis of wells in analogous reservoirs. We further establish reasonable certainty of our proved reserves estimates by using one or more of the following methods: geological and geophysical information to establish reservoir continuity between penetrations, rate-transient analysis, analytical and numerical simulations, or other proprietary technical and statistical methods. For estimates of our proved developed and proved undeveloped reserves and the discussion of the contribution by each property, see Note 20 in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this report.

The process of estimating oil, gas and NGL reserves is complex and requires significant judgment, as discussed in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” of this report. As a result, we have developed internal policies for estimating and recording reserves in compliance with applicable SEC definitions and guidance. Our policies assign responsibilities for compliance in reserves bookings to our Reserve Evaluation Group (the “Group”). The Group, which is led by Devon’s Manager of Reserves and Economics, is responsible for the internal review and certification of reserves estimates. We ensure the Manager and key members of the Group have appropriate technical qualifications to oversee the preparation of reserves estimates and are independent of the operating groups. The Manager of the Group has over 15 years of industry experience, a degree in engineering and is a registered professional engineer. The Group also oversees audits and reserves estimates performed by a qualified third-party petroleum consulting firm. During 2023, we engaged DeGolyer and MacNaughton to audit approximately 90% of our proved reserves. Additionally, our Board of Directors has a Reserves Committee that provides additional oversight of our reserves process. The committee consists of five independent members of our Board of Directors who collectively have skills and backgrounds that are relevant to the reserves estimation processes, reporting systems and disclosure requirements.

The following tables present production, price and cost information for each significant field in our asset portfolio and the total company.

Drilling Statistics

The following table summarizes our development and exploratory drilling results.

Productive Wells

The following table sets forth our producing wells as of December 31, 2023.

The day-to-day operations of oil and gas properties are the responsibility of an operator designated under pooling or operating agreements. The operator supervises production, maintains production records, employs field personnel and performs other functions. We are the operator of approximately 6,482 gross wells. As operator, we receive reimbursement for direct expenses incurred to perform our duties, as well as monthly per-well producing, drilling and construction overhead reimbursement at rates customarily charged in the respective areas. In presenting our financial data, we record the monthly overhead reimbursements as a reduction of G&A, which is a common industry practice.

Acreage Statistics

The following table sets forth our developed and undeveloped lease and mineral acreage as of December 31, 2023. Of our 2.0 million net acres, approximately 1.3 million acres are held by production. The acreage in the table below does not include any material net acres subject to leases that are scheduled to expire during 2024, 2025 and 2026. For the net acres that are set to expire by December 31, 2026, we anticipate performing operational and administrative actions to continue the lease terms for portions of the acreage that we intend to further assess. However, we do expect to allow a portion of the acreage to expire in the normal course of business. Less than 20% of our total net acres are located on federal lands.

Title to Properties

Title to properties is subject to contractual arrangements customary in the oil and gas industry, liens for taxes not yet due and, in some instances, other encumbrances. We believe that such burdens do not materially detract from the value of properties or from the respective interests therein or materially interfere with their use in the operation of the business.

As is customary in the industry, a preliminary title investigation, typically consisting of a review of local title records, is made at the time of acquisitions of undeveloped properties. More thorough title investigations, which generally include a review of title records and the preparation of title opinions by outside legal counsel, are made prior to the consummation of an acquisition of producing properties and before commencement of drilling operations on undeveloped properties.

Marketing Activities

Oil, Gas and NGL Marketing

The spot markets for oil, gas and NGLs are subject to volatility as supply and demand factors fluctuate. As detailed below, we sell our production under both long-term (one year or more) and short-term (less than one year) agreements at prices negotiated with third parties. Regardless of the term of the contract, the vast majority of our production is sold at variable, or market-sensitive, prices.

Additionally, we may enter into financial hedging arrangements or fixed-price contracts associated with a portion of our oil, gas and NGL production. These activities are intended to support targeted price levels and to manage our exposure to price fluctuations. See Note 3 in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this report for further information.

As of January 2024, our production was sold under the following contract terms.

Delivery Commitments

A portion of our production is sold under certain contractual arrangements that specify the delivery of a fixed and determinable quantity. As of December 31, 2023, we were committed to deliver the following fixed quantities of production.

We expect to fulfill our delivery commitments primarily with production from our proved developed reserves. Moreover, our proved reserves have generally been sufficient to satisfy our delivery commitments during the three most recent years, and we expect such reserves will continue to be the primary means of fulfilling our future commitments. However, where our proved reserves are not sufficient to satisfy our delivery commitments, we can and may use spot market purchases to satisfy the commitments.

Competition

See “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

Public Policy and Government Regulation

Our industry is subject to a wide range of governmental regulation and oversight. Laws, regulations, taxes, fees and other policy implementation actions affecting our industry have been pervasive and are under constant review for amendment or expansion. Numerous government agencies have issued extensive regulations which are binding on our industry and its individual members, some of which carry substantial penalties for failure to comply. These laws and regulations increase the cost of doing business and consequently affect profitability. Public policy changes are commonplace, and changes to existing laws and regulations are frequently proposed or implemented. Moreover, it is often difficult to quantify all associated compliance costs as such amounts may be indistinguishable components of our general capital expenditures and operating expenses. Accordingly, we are unable to predict the future cost or impact of regulatory compliance, though we do not expect such compliance costs or impacts to affect our operations materially differently than other similarly situated companies. However, based on regulatory trends and increasingly stringent laws and permitting requirements, our capital expenditures and operating expenses related to environmental and other regulations have

increased over the years and will likely continue to increase. For more information on our environmental capital expenditures specifically, see the environmental, social and governance discussion earlier in this Annual Report.

The following are significant areas of government control and regulation affecting our operations. For additional information on the Company’s regulatory risks, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Legal, Regulatory and Environmental Risks” of this report.

Exploration and Production Regulation

Our operations are subject to various federal, state, tribal and local laws and regulations relating to exploration and production activities, including with respect to:

Our operations are also subject to conservation regulations, including the regulation of the size of drilling and spacing units or proration units; the number of wells that may be drilled in a unit; the rate of production allowable from oil and gas wells; and the unitization or pooling of oil and gas properties. Some states allow the forced pooling or unitization of tracts to facilitate exploration and development, while other states rely on voluntary pooling of lands and leases. Such rules often impact the ultimate timing of our exploration and development plans. In addition, federal and state conservation laws generally limit the venting or flaring of natural gas, and state conservation laws impose certain requirements regarding the ratable purchase of production. These regulations limit the amounts of oil and gas we can produce from our wells and the number of wells or the locations at which we can drill.

Certain of our leases are granted or approved by the federal government and administered by the BLM or Bureau of Indian Affairs of the Department of the Interior. Such leases require compliance with detailed federal regulations and orders that regulate, among other matters, drilling and operations on lands covered by these leases and calculation and disbursement of royalty payments to the federal government, tribes or tribal members. Moreover, the permitting process for oil and gas activities on federal and Indian lands can sometimes be subject to delay, including as a result of challenges to permits or other regulatory decisions brought by non-governmental organizations or other parties, which can hinder development activities or otherwise adversely impact operations. The federal government has, from time to time, evaluated and, in some cases, promulgated new rules and regulations regarding competitive lease bidding, venting and flaring, oil and gas measurement and royalty payment obligations for production from federal lands.

Environmental, Health and Safety Regulations

We strive to conduct our operations in a socially and environmentally responsible manner, which includes compliance with applicable law. We are subject to many federal, state, tribal and local laws and regulations concerning occupational safety and health as well as the discharge of materials into, and the protection of, the environment and natural resources. Environmental, health and safety laws and regulations relate to, among other things:

Failure to comply with these laws and regulations can lead to the imposition of remedial liabilities, administrative, civil or criminal fines or penalties or injunctions limiting our operations in affected areas. Moreover, multiple environmental laws provide for citizen suits, which can allow environmental organizations to sue operators for alleged violations of environmental law. Environmental organizations also can assert legal and administrative challenges to certain actions of oil and gas regulators, such as the BLM, for allegedly failing to comply with environmental laws, which can result in delays in obtaining permits or other necessary authorizations. In recent years, federal and state policy makers and regulators have increasingly implemented or proposed new laws and regulations designed to reduce methane emissions and other GHG, which have included mandates for new leak detection and retrofitting requirements, stricter emission standards and a fee on methane emissions. For example, in November 2022, the BLM proposed a rule that would limit flaring as well as allow the delay or denial of permits upon a finding that an operator’s methane waste minimization plan is insufficient. This rule could be finalized in 2024. In addition, in December 2023, the EPA finalized more stringent methane rules for new, modified and reconstructed facilities and, for the first time ever, established standards for existing sources.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Our business and operations, and our industry in general, are subject to a variety of risks. The risks described below may not be the only risks we face, as our business and operations may also be subject to risks that we do not yet know of, or that we currently believe are immaterial. If any of the following risks should occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity could be materially and adversely impacted. As a result, holders of our securities could lose part or all of their investment in Devon.

Risks Related to Our Industry

Volatile Oil, Gas and NGL Prices Significantly Impact Our Business

Our financial condition, results of operations and the value of our properties are highly dependent on the general supply and demand for oil, gas and NGLs, which impact the prices we ultimately realize on our sales of these commodities. Historically, market prices and our realized prices have been volatile. For example, over the last five years, monthly NYMEX WTI oil and NYMEX Henry Hub gas prices ranged from highs of over $120 per Bbl and $9.50 per MMBtu, respectively, to lows of under $30 per Bbl and $1.50 per MMBtu, respectively. Such volatility is likely to continue in the future due to numerous factors beyond our control, including, but not limited to:

Estimates of Oil, Gas and NGL Reserves Are Uncertain and May Be Subject to Revision

The process of estimating oil, gas and NGL reserves is complex and requires significant judgment in the evaluation of available geological, engineering and economic data for each reservoir, particularly for new discoveries. Because of the high degree of judgment involved, different reserve engineers may develop different estimates of reserve quantities and related revenue based on the same data. In addition, the reserve estimates for a given reservoir may change substantially over time as a result of several factors, including additional development and appraisal activity and the related impact to spacing assumptions for future drilling locations, the viability of production under varying economic conditions, including commodity price declines, and variations in production levels and associated costs. Consequently, material revisions to our existing reserves estimates may occur as a result of changes in any of these or other factors. Such revisions to proved reserves could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and the value of our properties, as well as the estimates of our future net revenue and profitability. Our policies and internal controls related to estimating and recording reserves are included in “Items 1 and 2. Business and Properties” of this report.

Discoveries or Acquisitions of Reserves Are Needed to Avoid a Material Decline in Reserves and Production, and Such Activities Are Capital Intensive

The production rates from oil and gas properties generally decline as reserves are depleted, while related per unit production costs generally increase due to decreasing reservoir pressures and other factors. Moreover, our current development activity is focused on unconventional oil and gas assets, which generally have significantly higher decline rates as compared to conventional assets. Therefore, our estimated proved reserves and future oil, gas and NGL production will decline materially as reserves are produced unless we conduct successful exploration and development activities, such as identifying additional producing zones in existing properties, utilizing secondary or tertiary recovery techniques or acquiring additional properties containing proved reserves. Consequently, our future oil, gas and NGL production and related per unit production costs are highly dependent upon our level of success in finding or acquiring additional reserves.

Our business requires significant capital to find and acquire new reserves. Although we plan to primarily fund these activities from cash generated by our operations, we have also from time to time relied on other sources of capital, including by accessing the debt and equity capital markets. There can be no assurance that these or other financing sources will be available in the future on acceptable terms, or at all. If we are unable to generate sufficient funds from operations or raise additional capital for any reason, we may be unable to replace our reserves, which would adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our Operations Are Uncertain and Involve Substantial Costs and Risks

Our operating activities are subject to numerous costs and risks, including the risk that we will not encounter commercially productive oil or gas reservoirs. Drilling for oil, gas and NGLs can be unprofitable, not only from dry holes, but from productive wells that do not return a profit because of insufficient revenue from production or high costs. Substantial costs are required to locate, acquire and develop oil and gas properties, and we are often uncertain as to the amount and timing of those costs. Our cost of drilling, completing, equipping and operating wells is often uncertain before drilling commences. Declines in commodity prices and overruns in budgeted expenditures are common risks that can make a particular project uneconomic or less economic than forecasted. While both exploratory and developmental drilling activities involve these risks, exploratory drilling involves greater risks of dry holes or

failure to find commercial quantities of hydrocarbons. In addition, our oil and gas properties can become damaged, our operations may be curtailed, delayed or canceled and the costs of such operations may increase as a result of a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:

Many of the factors described above have negatively impacted and currently impact our operations and may do so again in the future. The occurrence of one or more of these factors could result in a partial or total loss of our investment in a particular property, as well as significant liabilities. Moreover, certain of these events historically have, and in the future could, result in environmental pollution and impact to third parties, including persons living in proximity to our operations, our employees and employees of our contractors, leading to possible injuries, death or significant damage to property and natural resources. For example, we have from time to time experienced well-control events that have resulted in various remediation and clean-up costs and certain of the other impacts described above.

In addition, we rely on our employees, consultants and independent contractors to conduct our operations in compliance with applicable laws and standards. Any violation of such laws or standards by these individuals, whether through negligence, harassment, discrimination or other misconduct, could result in significant liability for us and adversely affect our business. For example, negligent operations by employees could result in serious injury, death or property damage, and sexual harassment or racial, gender or age discrimination could result in legal claims and reputational harm.

Our Hedging Activities Limit Participation in Commodity Price Increases and Involve Other Risks

We enter into financial derivative instruments with respect to a portion of our production to manage our exposure to oil, gas and NGL price volatility. To the extent that we engage in price risk management activities to protect ourselves from commodity price declines, we will be prevented from fully realizing the benefits of commodity price increases above the prices established by our hedging contracts. In addition, our hedging arrangements may expose us to the risk of financial loss in certain circumstances, including instances in which the contract counterparties fail to perform under the contracts. Moreover, many of our contract counterparties have become subject to increasing governmental oversight and regulations in recent years, which could adversely affect the cost and availability of our hedging arrangements.

We Have Limited Control Over Properties and Investments Operated by Others or through Joint Ventures

Certain of the properties and investments in which we have an interest are operated by other companies and may involve third-party working interest owners. We have limited influence and control over the operation or future development of such properties and investments, including compliance with environmental, health and safety regulations or the amount and timing of required future

capital expenditures. In addition, we conduct certain of our operations through joint ventures in which we may share control with third parties, and the other joint venture participants may have interests or goals that are inconsistent with those of the joint venture or us. These limitations and our dependence on such third parties could result in unexpected future costs or liabilities and unplanned changes in operations or future development, which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. Moreover, any bankruptcy involving, or any misconduct or other improper activities committed by, our business partners or other counterparties could negatively impact our own business or reputation.

Midstream Capacity Constraints and Interruptions Impact Commodity Sales

We rely on midstream facilities and systems owned and operated by others to process our gas production and to gather and transport our oil, gas and NGL production to downstream markets. All or a portion of our production in one or more regions may be interrupted or shut in from time to time due to losing access to plants, pipelines or gathering systems. Such access could be lost due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to, weather conditions and natural disasters, terrorism or sabotage, cybersecurity incidents, accidents, field labor issues or strikes. Additionally, midstream operators have in the past been, and in the future may be, subject to constraints that limit their ability to construct, maintain or repair the facilities needed to gather, process and transport our production. Such interruptions or constraints could adversely impact our operations, including by requiring us to curtail our production or obtain alternative takeaway capacity on less favorable terms.

Competition for Assets, Materials, People and Capital Can Be Significant

Strong competition exists in all sectors of the oil and gas industry. We compete with major integrated and independent oil and gas companies for the acquisition of oil and gas leases and properties. We also compete for the equipment, services and personnel required to explore, develop and operate properties, such as drilling rigs and oilfield services. The rising costs and scarcity caused by this competitive pressure will generally increase during periods of higher commodity prices and can be further exacerbated by higher inflation rates and supply chain disruptions in the broader economy. For example, we experienced higher operating costs throughout 2023 due to steep cost inflation, and these inflationary pressures could continue in 2024. Competition is also prevalent in the marketing of oil, gas and NGLs. Certain of our competitors have resources substantially greater than ours and may have established superior strategic long-term positions and relationships. As a consequence, we may be at a competitive disadvantage in bidding for assets or services and accessing capital and downstream markets. In addition, many of our larger competitors may have a competitive advantage when responding to factors that affect demand for oil and gas production, such as changing worldwide price and production levels, the cost and availability of alternative energy sources and the application of government regulations.

Legal, Regulatory and Environmental Risks

We Are Subject to Extensive Governmental Regulation, Which Can Change and Could Adversely Impact Our Business

Our operations are subject to extensive federal, state, tribal and local laws and regulations, including with respect to environmental matters, worker health and safety, wildlife conservation, the gathering and transportation of oil, gas and NGLs, conservation policies, reporting obligations, royalty payments, unclaimed property and the imposition of taxes. Such regulations include requirements for permits to drill and to conduct other operations and for provision of financial assurances (such as surety bonds) covering drilling, completion and well operations and decommissioning obligations. If permits are not issued, or if unfavorable restrictions or conditions are imposed on our drilling or completion activities, we may not be able to conduct our operations as planned. Moreover, certain regulations require the plugging and abandonment of wells, removal of production facilities and other restorative actions by current and former operators, including corporate successors of former operators, which means that we are exposed to the risk that owners or operators of assets acquired from us (or our predecessors) become unable to satisfy plugging or abandonment and other restorative obligations that attach to those assets. In that event, due to operation of law, we may be required to assume such obligations, which could be material. We have incurred and will continue to incur substantial capital, operating and remediation costs as a result of these and other laws, regulations, permits and orders to which we are subject.

Changes in public policy have affected, and in the future could further affect, our operations. For example, President Biden and certain members of his administration and Congress have expressed support for, and have taken steps to implement, efforts to transition the economy away from fossil fuels and to promote stricter environmental regulations, and such proposals could impose new and more onerous burdens on our industry and business. The IRA, for instance, contains hundreds of billions of dollars in incentives for the development of renewable energy, clean fuels and carbon capture and sequestration, among other provisions, potentially further accelerating the transition toward lower-or zero-carbon emissions alternatives to fossil fuels. These and other regulatory and public policy developments could, among other things, restrict production levels, delay necessary permitting, impose

price controls, change environmental protection requirements, impose restrictions on pipelines or other necessary infrastructure, raise taxes, royalties and other amounts payable to governments or governmental agencies and otherwise increase our operating costs. In addition, changes in public policy may indirectly impact our operations by, among other things, increasing the cost of supplies and equipment and fostering general economic uncertainty. Although we are unable to predict changes to existing laws and regulations, such changes could significantly impact our profitability, financial condition and liquidity, particularly changes related to the matters discussed in more detail below.

Federal Lands – President Biden and certain members of his administration have expressed support for, and have taken steps to implement, additional regulation of oil and gas leasing and permitting on federal lands. For example, President Biden issued an executive order in January 2021, imposing a near total pause on entering new oil and gas leases on public lands. Although the pause on leasing was subsequently lifted in April 2022, the Department of the Interior issued a report on the federal leasing program in November 2021 that recommended various changes, including, among other things, enhancing bonding requirements and applying a more rigorous land-use planning process prior to leasing. The IRA responded, in part, to the report’s recommendations by increasing onshore royalty rates on all new federal leases. In July 2023, the Department of Interior released a proposed rule revising various terms for future federal leases and wells, including bonding requirements, royalty rates, rental rates and minimum bids, of the onshore federal oil and gas leasing program, integrating recommendations from the November 2021 report. While it is not possible at this time to predict the ultimate impact of these actions or any other future regulatory changes, any additional restrictions or burdens on our ability to operate on federal lands could adversely impact our business in the Delaware and Powder River Basins, as well as other areas where we operate under federal leases.

Hydraulic Fracturing – Various federal agencies have asserted regulatory authority over certain aspects of the hydraulic fracturing process. For example, the EPA has issued regulations under the federal Clean Air Act establishing performance standards for oil and gas activities, including standards for the capture of air emissions released during hydraulic fracturing, and it previously finalized regulations that prohibit the discharge of wastewater from hydraulic fracturing operations to publicly owned wastewater treatment plants. Moreover, several state and local governments in areas in which we operate have adopted, or stated intentions to adopt, laws or regulations that mandate further restrictions on hydraulic fracturing, such as requiring disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, imposing more stringent permitting, disclosure and well-construction requirements on hydraulic fracturing operations and establishing standards for the capture of air emissions released during hydraulic fracturing. Beyond these regulatory efforts, various policy makers, regulatory agencies and political leaders at the federal, state and local levels have proposed implementing even further restrictions on hydraulic fracturing, including prohibiting the technology outright. Although it is not possible at this time to predict the outcome of these or other proposals, any new restrictions on hydraulic fracturing that may be imposed in areas in which we conduct business could potentially result in increased compliance costs, delays or cessation in development or other restrictions on our operations.

Environmental Laws Generally – In addition to regulatory efforts focused on hydraulic fracturing, we are subject to various other federal, state, tribal and local laws and regulations relating to discharge of materials into, and protection of, the environment. These laws and regulations may, among other things, impose liability on us for the cost of remediating pollution that results from our operations or prior operations on assets we have acquired. Environmental laws may impose strict, joint and several liability, and failure to comply with environmental laws and regulations can result in the imposition of administrative, civil or criminal fines and penalties, as well as injunctions limiting operations in affected areas. Any future environmental costs of fulfilling our commitments to the environment are uncertain and will be governed by several factors, including future changes to regulatory requirements. Any such changes could have a significant impact on our operations and profitability.

Seismic Activity – Earthquakes in southeastern New Mexico, western Texas, northern and central Oklahoma and elsewhere have prompted concerns about seismic activity and possible relationships with the oil and gas industry, particularly the disposal of wastewater in salt-water disposal wells. Legislative and regulatory initiatives intended to address these concerns may result in additional levels of regulation or other requirements that could lead to operational delays, increase our operating and compliance costs or otherwise adversely affect our operations. For example, New Mexico implemented protocols in November 2021 requiring operators to take various actions with respect to salt-water disposal wells within a specified proximity of certain seismic activity, including a requirement to limit injection rates if the seismic event is of a certain magnitude. Separately, the Railroad Commission of Texas has shown increasing regulatory focus on seismicity and the oil and gas industry in recent years, and has imposed limits on certain salt-water disposal well activities in portions of the Delaware and Midland Basins. For example, effective January 2024, the Railroad Commission suspended all disposal well permits that inject into deep strata within the Northern Culberson-Reeves area due to increasing seismicity concerns. These or similar actions directed at our operating areas could limit the takeaway capacity for produced water in the impacted area, which could increase our operating expense, require us to curtail our development plans or otherwise adversely impact our operations.

Changes to Tax Laws – We are subject to U.S. federal income tax as well as income or capital taxes in various state and foreign jurisdictions, and our operating cash flow is sensitive to the amount of income taxes we must pay. In the jurisdictions in which we operate or previously operated, income taxes are assessed on our earnings after consideration of all allowable deductions and credits. Changes in the types of earnings that are subject to income tax, the types of costs that are considered allowable deductions and the timing of such deductions, or the rates assessed on our taxable earnings could significantly increase our tax obligations, adversely impacting our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. In addition, the IRA includes various changes to the federal tax laws beginning in 2023, including a new 15% CAMT imposed on certain financial statement income of “applicable corporations.” Incremental taxes attributable to the CAMT are possible and such taxes may be significant.

Climate Change and Related Regulatory, Social and Market Actions May Adversely Affect Our Business

Continuing and increasing political and social attention to the issue of climate change has resulted in legislative, regulatory and other initiatives, including international agreements, to reduce GHG emissions, such as carbon dioxide and methane. Policy makers and regulators at both the U.S. federal and state levels have already imposed, or stated intentions to impose, laws and regulations designed to quantify and limit the emission of GHG. For example, in December 2023, the EPA finalized more stringent methane rules for new, modified and reconstructed facilities, known as OOOOb, as well as standards for existing sources for the first time ever, known as OOOOc. The final rule includes, among other things, enhanced leak detection survey requirements using optical gas imaging and other advanced monitoring, zero-emission requirements for certain devices, and reduction of emissions by 95% through capture and control systems. The final rule also establishes a “super emitter” response program that allows third parties to make reports to the EPA of large methane emissions events, triggering certain investigation and repair requirements. Moreover, in August 2022, the IRA was passed into law, imposing a new charge or fee with respect to excess methane emissions from certain petroleum and natural gas facilities starting in 2024 and annually increasing through 2026. In addition to these federal efforts, several states where we operate, including New Mexico, Texas and Wyoming, have already imposed, or stated intentions to impose, laws or regulations designed to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas exploration and production activities, including by mandating new leak detection and retrofitting requirements.

Policy makers have also advocated for expanding existing, or creating new, reporting and disclosure requirements regarding GHG emissions and other climate-related matters. For example, the EPA proposed amendments in June 2022 to its Green House Gas Reporting Program, which would, among other things, add well blowouts and other abnormal events as new categories of sources for GHG emissions reporting. In addition, the SEC proposed rules in March 2022 that would require public companies to include extensive climate-related disclosures in their SEC filings. Among other things, the proposed SEC rules, if adopted as written, would mandate disclosures on (i) GHG emissions, including Scope 3 emissions if material or part of a company’s emissions goal, (ii) financial impact and expenditure metrics relating to severe weather and climate change and (iii) a company’s use of scenario analysis and climate targets. Similarly, California enacted legislation in October 2023 requiring extensive climate-related disclosures for companies deemed to be doing business in California, and other states are considering similar laws. While we are assessing the applicability of the California legislation and await further SEC rulemaking, we would expect to incur substantial additional compliance costs to the extent these or similar disclosure requirements apply to us. We further anticipate the costs and other risks associated with any such disclosure requirements to be particularly heightened, given that reporting frameworks on GHG emissions and other climate-related metrics are still maturing and often require the use of numerous assumptions and judgments.

Additionally, public statements with respect to emissions reduction goals, environmental targets or, more broadly, ESG-related goals, are becoming increasingly subject to heightened scrutiny from public and governmental authorities with respect to the risk of potential “greenwashing,” i.e., misleading information or false claims overstating potential ESG benefits. For example, the SEC has established a Climate and ESG Task Force in the Division of Enforcement to identify and address potential ESG-related misconduct, including greenwashing. Certain non-governmental organizations and other private actors have filed lawsuits under various securities and consumer protection laws alleging that certain ESG-statements were misleading, false, or otherwise deceptive. As a result, we may face increased litigation risks which could, in turn, lead to further negative sentiment against us and our industry.

With respect to more comprehensive regulation, policy makers and political leaders have made, or expressed support for, a variety of proposals, such as the development of cap-and-trade or carbon tax programs. In addition, President Biden has continued to highlight addressing climate change as a priority of his administration, and he previously released an energy plan calling for a number of sweeping changes to address climate change, including, among other measures, a national mobilization effort to achieve net-zero emissions for the U.S. economy by 2050, through increased use of renewable power, stricter fuel-efficiency standards and support for zero-emission vehicles. President Biden issued a number of executive orders in January 2021 with the purpose of implementing certain of these changes, including the rejoining of the Paris Agreement. President Biden subsequently announced a target of reducing economy-wide net GHG emissions in the U.S. by 50% to 52% below 2005 levels by 2030. At the international level, the United States

and the European Union jointly announced the launch of a Global Methane Pledge at the 26th Conference of the Parties in 2021, pursuant to which over 130 participating countries have pledged to a collective goal of reducing global methane emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030. At the 28th Conference of the Parties in 2023, parties signed onto an agreement to transition “away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly and equitable manner” and increase renewable energy capacity so as to achieve net zero by 2050, though no timeline for doing so was set. Although the full impact of these actions is uncertain at this time, the adoption and implementation of these or other initiatives may result in the restriction or cancellation of oil and natural gas activities, greater costs of compliance or consumption (thereby reducing demand for our products) or an impairment in our ability to continue our operations in an economic manner.

In addition to regulatory risk, other market and social initiatives relating to climate change present risks for our business. For example, in an effort to promote a lower-carbon economy, there are various public and private initiatives subsidizing or otherwise encouraging the development and adoption of alternative energy sources and technologies, including by mandating the use of specific fuels or technologies. These initiatives may reduce the competitiveness of carbon-based fuels, such as oil and gas. Moreover, an increasing number of financial institutions, funds and other sources of capital have begun restricting or eliminating their investment in oil and natural gas activities due to their concern regarding climate change. Such restrictions in capital could decrease the value of our business and make it more difficult to fund our operations. In addition, governmental entities and other plaintiffs have brought, and may continue to bring, claims against us and other oil and gas companies for purported damages caused by the alleged effects of climate change. The increasing attention to climate change may result in further claims or investigations against us, and heightened societal or political pressures may increase the possibility that liability could be imposed on us in such matters without regard to our causation of, or contribution to, the asserted damage or violation, or to other mitigating factors.

Finally, climate change may also result in various enhanced physical risks, such as an increased frequency or intensity of extreme weather events or changes in meteorological and hydrological patterns, that may adversely impact our operations. Such physical risks may result in damage to our facilities or otherwise adversely impact our operations, such as if we are subject to water use curtailments in response to drought, or demand for our products, such as to the extent warmer winters reduce demand for energy for heating purposes. These and the other risks discussed above could result in additional costs, new restrictions on our operations and reputational harm to us, as well as reduce the actual and forecasted demand for our products. These effects in turn could impair or lower the value of our assets, including by resulting in uneconomic or “stranded” assets, and otherwise adversely impact our profitability, liquidity and financial condition.

Price Controls, Export Restrictions and Other Governmental Interventions in Energy Markets May Adversely Impact our Business

Domestic and foreign governmental bodies have from time to time intervened in energy markets by imposing price controls, restricting exports, limiting production or otherwise taking actions to impact the availability and price of oil, natural gas and NGLs. For instance, members of the European Union agreed to a price-cap framework in December 2022 for the trading of natural gas in response to rising energy costs in Europe. Similarly, during 2021 and 2022, President Biden authorized several releases from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an effort to lower domestic energy prices. More recently, in January 2024, the Biden Administration announced a temporary pause on any new approvals of liquified natural gas export projects, pending a Department of Energy review of its evaluation process for such authorizations. Governments may take similar actions in the future, particularly in the event of disruption in energy markets or national emergency. Any such interventions could adversely impact our business, including by depressing the price of our production and generally introducing greater uncertainty to our operations.

General and Other Risks Facing our Business

The Credit Risk of Our Counterparties Could Adversely Affect Us

We enter into a variety of transactions that expose us to counterparty credit risk. For example, we have exposure to financial institutions and insurance companies through our hedging arrangements, our 2023 Senior Credit Facility and our insurance policies. Disruptions in the financial markets or otherwise may impact these counterparties and affect their ability to fulfill their existing obligations and their willingness to enter into future transactions with us.

In addition, we are exposed to the risk of financial loss from trade, joint interest billing and other receivables. We sell our oil, gas and NGLs to a variety of purchasers, and, as an operator, we pay expenses and bill our non-operating partners for their respective share of costs. We also frequently look to buyers of oil and gas properties from us or our predecessors to perform certain obligations associated with the disposed assets, including the removal of production facilities and plugging and abandonment of wells. Certain of these counterparties or their successors may experience insolvency, liquidity problems or other issues and may not be able to meet