10-Q 1 v230504_10q.htm QUARTERLY REPORT Unassociated Document
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

x
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2011
 
OR

o
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
For the transition period from                     to

Commission File Number 000-53877

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Nevada
20-5157768
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or
organization)
(IRS Employer Identification No.)

Calle 67 #7-35, Oficina 409
Bogotá, Colombia
 (Address of principal executive offices)

+57-941-870-5433
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

N.A.
(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

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 Web site, 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 required to submit and post such files).  Yes x No ¨

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 o
     
Accelerated filer o
Non-accelerated filer o
     
Smaller reporting company þ
(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

As of August 15, 2011, there were 46,328,410  shares of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share, issued and outstanding.

 
 

 

Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this Report including, without limitation, statements in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in this Report, regarding our financial condition, estimated working capital, business strategy, the plans and objectives of our management for future operations and those statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words “believe,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “projects,” “target,” “goal,” “plans,” “objective,” “should,” or similar expressions or variations on such expressions are forward-looking statements. We can give no assurances that the assumptions upon which the forward-looking statements are based will prove to be correct. Because forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. There are a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to: (i)  our ability to identify and exploit available corporate acquisition, farm-in and/or joint venture opportunities in the energy sector in Colombia and, more generally, in Latin America; (ii) our ability to establish technical and managerial infrastructure; (iii)  our ability to raise required capital on acceptable terms and conditions; (iv) our ability to take advantage of, and successfully participate in such opportunities; (v) our ability to successfully operate, or influence our joint venture partners’ operation of, the projects in which we participate in a cost effective and efficient way; and (vi) future economic conditions, political and regulatory stability and changes and volatility in energy prices.  A description of some of the risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those described by the forward-looking statements in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q appears in the section captioned “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on April 1, 2011.

Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, we disclaim any obligations or undertaking to publicly release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

 
2

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
  
Page
Part I – Financial Information
  
 
       
   
Item 1
  
Financial Statements
 
4
       
       
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) –
June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010
 
4
             
       
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) -
For the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010
 
5
             
       
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity (Unaudited)
- For the six months ended June 30, 2011
 
6
             
       
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) -
For the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010
 
7
             
       
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)
 
8
             
   
Item 2
  
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
 
30
             
   
Item 3
 
Qualitative and Quantitative Disclosure About Market Risk
 
43
       
   
Item 4
  
Controls and Procedures
 
43
   
Part II – Other Information
 
 
     
 
   
Item 1
 
Legal Proceedings
 
44
       
   
Item 1A
 
Risk Factors
 
44
             
   
Item 2
 
Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
 
44
             
   
Item 3
 
Defaults Upon Senior Securities
 
44
             
   
Item 4
 
(Removed and Reserved)
 
44
             
   
Item 5
 
Other Information
 
44
             
   
Item 6
  
 Exhibits
 
45
   
Signatures
  
47

 
3

 

PART I — FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010
(Unaudited)
 
   
June 30,
   
December 31,
 
   
2011
   
2010
 
             
Assets
           
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 5,316,153     $ 8,327,020  
Accrued oil receivables
    1,002,874       -  
Employee advances and other receivables
    3,601       14,603  
Prepaid expenses
    244,541       119,887  
Total current assets
    6,567,169       8,461,510  
Oil properties, at cost, using the full cost method of accounting:
               
Proved
    11,226,391       11,249,087  
Unproved
    11,990,218       11,897,508  
Accumulated depletion and impairment
    (10,509,184 )     (10,476,624 )
      12,707,425       12,669,971  
Other property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $222,618 and $175,309, respectively
    138,250       181,121  
Goodwill
    5,591,422       5,591,422  
Restricted cash
    2,675,118       2,777,057  
Total assets
  $ 27,679,384     $ 29,681,081  
                 
Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
               
Liabilities:
               
Accounts payable
  $ 681,859     $ 1,048,573  
Accrued liabilities
    637,493       371,927  
Other liabilities - current portion
    268,862       -  
Derivative warrant instruments
    1,060,607       7,457,125  
Total current liabilities
    2,648,821       8,877,625  
Other liabilities - non-current portion
    496,287       -  
Asset retirement obligation
    114,995       127,606  
Total  liabilities
    3,260,103       9,005,231  
Commitments and contingencies (Note 11)
               
Shareholders' equity:
               
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued or outstanding
    -       -  
Common stock, $.001 par value; 300,000,000 shares authorized;
46,315,910 and 46,190,910 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively
    46,315       46,190  
Additional paid-in capital
    39,245,645       38,744,339  
Accumulated deficit
    (14,872,679 )     (18,114,679 )
Total shareholders' equity
    24,419,281       20,675,850  
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity
  $ 27,679,384     $ 29,681,081  

See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.  

 
4

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
For the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010
(Unaudited)

   
Three Months Ended
   
Six Months Ended
 
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
 
   
2011
   
2010
   
2011
   
2010
 
Revenues:
                       
Oil revenues
  $ 639,441     $ 75,891     $ 1,002,874     $ 166,274  
Total revenues
    639,441       75,891       1,002,874       166,274  
                                 
Costs and expenses:
                               
Operating costs
    176,859       446,111       446,836       843,254  
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization
    42,634       56,967       89,954       93,975  
Impairment of oil properties
    -       273,318       -       273,318  
General and administrative
    1,300,837       1,617,876       3,581,879       2,670,369  
Total costs and expenses
    1,520,330       2,394,272       4,118,669       3,880,916  
Loss from operations
    (880,889 )     (2,318,381 )     (3,115,795 )     (3,714,642 )
                                 
Non-operating income (expense):
                               
Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of derivative warrant instruments, net
    1,861,196       (657,531 )     6,396,518       (102,023 )
Interest and other income
    51,147       27,142       56,829       32,823  
Interest expense
    (37,793 )     -       (74,049 )     -  
Total non-operating income (expense)
    1,874,550       (630,389 )     6,379,298       (69,200 )
Income (loss) before income taxes
    993,661       (2,948,770 )     3,263,503       (3,783,842 )
                                 
Income taxes
    (11,314 )     -       (21,503 )     -  
                                 
Net income (loss)
  $ 982,347     $ (2,948,770 )   $ 3,242,000     $ (3,783,842 )
                                 
Basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share
  $ 0.02     $ (0.07 )   $ 0.07     $ (0.10 )
                                 
Basic and diluted weighted average common shares outstanding
    46,288,300       44,672,533       46,252,305       37,539,525  
 
See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 
5

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity
  For the six months ended June 30, 2011
(Unaudited)

               
Additional
             
   
Common Stock
   
Paid-in
   
Accumulated
       
   
Shares
   
Par Value
   
Capital
   
Deficit
   
Total
 
Balance at December 31, 2010
    46,190,910     $ 46,190     $ 38,744,339     $ (18,114,679 )   $ 20,675,850  
Common stock for services
    125,000       125       104,125         -       104,250  
Stock-based compensation
    -       -       397,181         -       397,181  
Net income
    -       -       -         3,242,000       3,242,000  
Balance at June 30, 2011
    46,315,910     $ 46,315     $ 39,245,645     $ (14,872,679 )   $ 24,419,281  

See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 
6

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
For the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010
(Unaudited)

   
Six Months Ended
 
   
June 30,
 
   
2011
   
2010
 
Cash flows from operating activities:
           
Net income (loss)
  $ 3,242,000     $ (3,783,842 )
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
               
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization
    89,954       93,975  
Impairment of oil properties
    -       273,318  
Stock-based compensation
    397,181       306,514  
Unrealized loss (gain) on fair value of derivative warrant instruments, net
    (6,396,518 )     102,023  
Common stock for services
    104,250       86,500  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
               
Accrued oil receivables
    (1,002,874 )     193,488  
Employee advances and other receivables
    11,002       4,979  
Prepaid expenses and other assets
    (124,654 )     (44,000 )
Accounts payable
    (366,714 )     (2,086,820 )
Accrued liabilities
    265,566       81,528  
Other liabilities
    765,149       -  
Net cash used in operating activities
    (3,015,658 )     (4,772,337 )
Cash flows from investing activities:
               
Acquisition of Avante, net of cash received
    -       289,937  
Investments in unproved oil properties
    (92,710 )     (1,097,939 )
Restricted cash
    101,939       -  
Purchases of other property and equipment
    (4,438 )     -  
Net cash used in investing activities
    4,791       (808,002 )
Cash flows from financing activities:
               
Proceeds from the sale of common stock and derivative warrant instruments
    -       17,833,964  
Payments for offering costs
    -       (995,730 )
Net cash provided by financing activities
    -       16,838,234  
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
    (3,010,867 )     11,257,895  
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
    8,327,020       2,376,585  
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
  $ 5,316,153     $ 13,634,480  
                 
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
               
Cash paid during the period for:
               
Income taxes
  $ 41,008     $ -  
Interest
  $ -     $ -  
Non-cash investing  and financing transactions:
               
Change in asset retirement obligation estimate
  $ (22,696 )   $ -  
Issuance of common stock in connection with acquisition of Avante for:
               
Acquisition of accounts receivable
  $ -     $ 3,653  
Acquisition of prepaid expenses and other current assets
  $ -     $ 43,001  
Acquisition of unproved oil properties
  $ -     $ 9,808,470  
Acquisition of goodwill
  $ -     $ 5,591,422  
Acquisition of other property and equipment
  $ -     $ 48,743  
Assumption of accounts payable
  $ -     $ 240,445  
Assumption of accrued liabilities
  $ -     $ 72,626  
Assumption of asset retirement obligation
  $ -     $ 187,155  

See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. 

 
7

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

(1)
Organization, Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Organization and Basis of Presentation

La Cortez Energy, Inc. (“LCE,” “La Cortez” or the “Company”), together with its 100% owned subsidiaries, La Cortez Energy Colombia, Inc., a Cayman Islands corporation (“LA Cortez Colombia”), La Cortez Energy Colombia, E.U., a Colombia corporation in process of liquidation (“Colombia E.U.”) and Avante Colombia, Inc. (“Avante Colombia”), is an international oil and gas exploration and production (“E&P”) company concentrating on opportunities in South America. As discussed in Note 3 below, LCE acquired Avante Colombia on March 2, 2010.

The Company was incorporated under the name of La Cortez Enterprises, Inc. on June 9, 2006 in the State of Nevada. This entity was originally formed to create, market and sell gourmet chocolates wholesale and retail throughout Mexico, as more fully described in its registration statement on Form SB-2 as filed with the SEC on November 7, 2006 (the “Legacy Business”). This business has been discontinued. On February 8, 2008, the Company changed its name from La Cortez Enterprises, Inc. to La Cortez Energy, Inc.

Interim Financial Statements

In the opinion of management, the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) which are necessary to provide a fair presentation of operating results for the interim periods presented. Certain information and footnote disclosures, normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”), have been condensed or omitted in this Form 10-Q pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in connection with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010.  The results of operations presented for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year.  Interim financial data presented herein are unaudited.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.  Estimates which are particularly significant to the condensed consolidated financial statements include estimates of oil reserves, future cash flows from oil properties, depreciation, depletion, amortization, asset retirement obligations and accrued revenues and effects of purchase price allocations and calculations related to derivative warrant instruments.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid debt instruments with original maturities of three months or less when acquired to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents are maintained at financial institutions and, at times, balances may exceed government insured limits. The Company has never experienced any losses related to these balances. All of its non-interest bearing cash balances were fully insured at June 30, 2011 due to a temporary federal program in effect from December 31, 2010 through December 31, 2012. Under the program, there is no limit to the amount of insurance for eligible accounts. Beginning 2013, insurance coverage will revert to $250,000 per depositor at each financial institution, and our non-interest bearing cash balances may again exceed federally insured limits.

The Company had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $5.3 million and $8.3 million at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively.

 
8

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of cost over the net tangible assets and identifiable intangible assets of acquired businesses. The Company’s goodwill results from the acquisition of 100% of the outstanding stock of Avante Colombia (as defined below). In order to determine the fair value of goodwill on the Avante Colombia acquisition, the Company allocated the fair value (determined with the assistance of independent consultants) of all Avante Colombia’s assets and liabilities against an increase of Avante Colombia equity. The excess of the fair value of the reporting unit over the amounts assigned to the assets and liabilities is the fair value of goodwill.  As a result, the Company recorded goodwill in the amount of approximately $5.6 million at March 2, 2010 as a non-current asset.

In accordance with guidance of the FASB ASC - Topic no. 350-10, Goodwill and Other, the Company tests goodwill for impairment in the first quarter of each fiscal year or at any other time when impairment indicators exist by comparing the fair value of the reporting unit, generally based on discounted future cash flows, with its carrying amount including goodwill. Examples of such indicators, which would cause the Company to test goodwill for impairment between annual tests, include a significant change in the business climate, significant unexpected competition, significant deterioration in market share, and/or a loss of key personnel.  If goodwill is determined to be impaired, the loss is measured by the excess of the carrying amount of the reporting unit over its fair value. The Company’s annual goodwill impairment test derived no adjustment to its operating results.

Warrant derivative instruments

Effective January 1, 2009, the Company adopted FASB ASC Topic No. 815 – 40, Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Stock (formerly Emerging Issues Task Force Issue No. 07-5, Determining Whether an Instrument or Embedded Feature is Indexed to an Entity’s Own Stock ). The adoption of FASB ASC Topic No. 815 – 40’s requirements can affect the accounting for warrants and many convertible instruments with provisions that protect holders from a decline in the stock price (or “down-round” provisions). For example, warrants with such provisions will no longer be recorded in equity.  Downward provisions reduce the exercise price of a warrant or convertible instrument if a company either issues equity shares for a price that is lower than the exercise price of those instruments or issues new warrants or convertible instruments that have a lower exercise price. The Company evaluated whether warrants issued during various private placement offerings contained provisions that protect holders from declines in the Company’s stock price or otherwise could result in modification of the exercise price and/or shares to be issued under the respective warrant or preferred stock agreements based on a variable that is not an input to the fair value of a “fixed-for-fixed” option as defined under FASB ASC Topic No. 815 – 40.

In accordance with FASB ASC Topic No. 815 – 40, the Company, beginning on January 1, 2009, recognized the warrants that contain these down round provisions as liabilities at their respective fair values on each reporting date.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes under the provisions of FASB ASC Topic No. 740 (formerly SFAS No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes) which provides for an asset and liability approach in accounting for income taxes.  Under this approach, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on anticipated future tax consequences, using currently enacted tax laws, attributable to temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts calculated for income tax purposes.

In recording deferred income tax assets, the Company considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred income tax assets will be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred income tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those deferred income tax assets would be realizable. The Company considers the scheduled reversal of deferred income tax liabilities and projected future taxable income for this determination. The Company established a full valuation allowance and reduced its net deferred tax asset, principally related to the Company’s net operating loss carryovers, to zero as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010. The Company will continue to assess the valuation allowance against deferred income tax assets considering all available information obtained in future reporting periods.  If the Company achieves profitable operations in the future, it may reverse a portion of the valuation allowance in an amount at least sufficient to eliminate any tax provision in that period. The valuation allowance has no impact on the Company’s net operating loss (“NOL”) position for tax purposes, and if the Company generates taxable income in future periods prior to expiration of such NOLs, it will be able to use its NOLs to offset taxes due at that time.

 
9

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

Earnings (Loss) per Common Share

The Company accounts for earnings (loss) per share in accordance with FASB ASC Topic No. 260 – 10, which establishes the requirements for presenting earnings per share (“EPS”).  FASB ASC Topic No. 260 – 10 requires the presentation of “basic” and “diluted” EPS on the face of the statement of operations.  Basic EPS amounts are calculated using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during each period.  Diluted EPS assumes the exercise of all stock options and warrants having exercise prices less than the average market price of the common stock during the periods, using the treasury stock method. When a loss from operations exists, potential common shares are excluded from the computation of diluted EPS because their inclusion would result in an anti-dilutive effect on per share amounts.

For the six months ended June 30, 2011, the Company had potentially dilutive shares outstanding, including 2,292,334 options to purchase shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 15,515,203 shares of common stock, and restricted stock units issued to key directors and employees that enable grantees to obtain 418,311 shares of common stock.   There was no difference between basic and diluted earnings per share for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 as the average stock price of the Company’s common shares during the period did not exceed the exercise price of any of Company’s outstanding options and warrants to purchase shares of common stock.  For the six months ended June 30, 2010, the Company had potentially dilutive shares outstanding, including 2,551,667 options to purchase shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 15,515,203 shares of common stock.  There was no difference between basic and diluted loss per share for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010 as the effect of these potential common shares were anti-dilutive due to the net loss during the three and six months ended June 30, 2010.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The carrying value of cash and cash equivalents, accrued oil receivables, accounts payable,  accrued expenses and other liabilities associated with the Colombian equity-based tax approximates fair value due to the short term nature of these accounts.

Foreign Currency Translation

For the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, cumulative translation gains (losses) and foreign currency transaction gains (losses) were not significant.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-29, Business Combinations (Topic 805) Disclosure of Supplementary Pro Forma Information for Business Combinations, which addresses the diversity in practice regarding the interpretation of the pro forma revenue and earnings disclosure requirements for business combinations. The amended guidance specifies that if a public entity presents comparative financial statements, the entity should disclose revenue and earnings of the combined entity as though the business combination(s) that occurred during the current year had occurred as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period only. Additionally, the amended guidance expands the supplemental pro forma disclosures under Topic 805 to include a description of the nature and amount of material, nonrecurring pro forma adjustments directly attributable to the business combination included in the reported pro forma revenue and earnings.    The amended guidance is effective prospectively for business combinations for which the acquisition date is on or after the beginning of the first annual reporting period beginning on or after December 15, 2010. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted the amended guidance on January 1, 2011, the adoption of which is not expected to impact the Company’s consolidated results of operations, cash flows or financial position as this guidance provides only disclosure requirements.

 
10

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

 
In December of 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-28, When to Perform Step 2 of the Goodwill Impairment Test for Reporting Units with Zero or Negative Carrying Amounts (“ASU 2010-28”). ASU 2010-28 amends ASC Topic 350. ASU 2010-28 clarifies the requirement to test for impairment of goodwill. ASC Topic 350 requires that goodwill be tested for impairment if the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value. Under ASU 2010-28, when the carrying amount of a reporting unit is zero or negative an entity must assume that it is more likely than not that a goodwill impairment exists, perform an additional test to determine whether goodwill has been impaired and calculate the amount of that impairment. The modifications to ASC Topic 350 resulting from the issuance of ASU 2010-28 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010 and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is not permitted. This new guidance did not impact the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-04, Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs (ASU 2011-04), which amends ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement. ASU 2011-04 does not extend the use of fair value accounting, but provides guidance on how it should be applied where its use is already required or permitted by other standards within U.S. GAAP or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs). ASU 2011-04 changes the wording used to describe many requirements in U.S. GAAP for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements. Additionally, ASU 2011-04 clarifies the FASB’s intent about the application of existing fair value measurements. ASU 2011-04 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011 and is applied prospectively. The Company is still evaluating whether adoption of ASU 2011-04 will have an impact on the Company’s 2012 consolidated financial statements.

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220)-Presentation of Comprehensive Income.  ASU 2011-05 requires that all nonowner changes in stockholders’ equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements.  In both choices, an entity is required to present each component of net income along with total net income, each component of other comprehensive income along with a total for other comprehensive income, and a total amount for comprehensive income.  ASU 2011-05 is effective retrospectively for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011.  The adoption of this standard is not expected to impact the Company’s consolidated results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

(2)
Going Concern

At June 30, 2011, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $5,316,153 and a working capital of $3,918,348. The Company believes that its existing capital resources may not be adequate to enable it to execute its business plan.  The Company estimates that it will require additional cash resources during the start of the fourth quarter of 2011 based upon its current operating plan.

Through June 30, 2011, the Company has been primarily engaged in locating viable investment prospects and recruiting personnel. In the course of its development activities, the Company has sustained losses and expects such losses to continue through at least the next twelve months from the filing date of this report.  The Company anticipates that after September 2011, it will need to obtain additional capital to cover its administrative expenses and for general working capital to continue to execute its business plan and build its operations. The Company expects to finance its operations primarily through its existing cash and any future financing. However, there exists substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern because the Company will be required to obtain additional capital in the future to continue its operations and there is no assurance that it will be able to obtain such capital through equity or debt financing, or any combination thereof, or on satisfactory terms or at all. Additionally, no assurance can be given that any such financing, if obtained, will be adequate to meet the Company’s ultimate capital needs and to support the Company’s growth. If adequate capital cannot be obtained on a timely basis and on satisfactory terms, the Company’s operations would be materially negatively impacted.

The Company’s ability to complete additional offerings is dependent on the state of the debt and/or equity markets at the time of any proposed offering, and such market’s reception of the Company and the offering terms. In addition, the Company’s ability to complete an offering may be dependent on the status of its oil and gas exploration activities, which cannot be predicted. There is no assurance that capital in any form would be available to the Company, and if available, on terms and conditions that are acceptable.

 
11

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

As a result of the above discussed conditions, and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America, there exists substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, and the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern is contingent upon its ability to secure additional adequate financing or capital during the coming year. If the Company is unable to obtain additional sufficient funds during this time, the Company might lose its interest in the Petronorte, Emerald, Rio de Oro and Puerto Barco projects described in Note 4 below.  This action would have an adverse effect on the Company’s future operations, the realization of its assets and the timely satisfaction of its liabilities. The Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements are presented on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The condensed consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability of the recorded assets or the classification of liabilities that may be necessary should it be determined that the Company is unable to continue as a going concern.

Additionally, the Company’s independent auditors included an explanatory paragraph in their report on La Cortez’s consolidated financial statements included in its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on April 1, 2011, that raises substantial doubt about La Cortez’s ability to continue as a going concern.

(3)
Acquisition of Avante Colombia

On March 2, 2010 (the “Closing Date”), the Company entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “SPA”) with Avante Petroleum S.A., a Luxembourg public limited liability company (“Avante”), which closed on the same date.  Pursuant to the terms of the SPA, La Cortez acquired all of the outstanding capital stock (the “Acquisition”) of Avante’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Avante Colombia S.à.r.l., a Luxembourg private limited liability company (“Avante Colombia”), in exchange for 10,285,819 newly issued shares of its common stock (the “Purchase Price Shares”).

Avante Colombia currently has a 50% participation interest (acquired in late 2005) in, and is the operator of, the Rio de Oro and Puerto Barco production contracts with Ecopetrol S.A. in the Department of North Santander in the Catatumbo region of northeastern Colombia, under an operating joint venture with Vetra Exploración y Producción Colombia S.A.  Both production contracts are for a ten-year term expiring at the end of 2013.  The acquisition of Avante Colombia will provide new exploration opportunities.  The oil and gas properties derived from this acquisition have been classified as unproved on the condensed consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2011.

Under the terms of the SPA, the Company and Avante have also agreed to pursue certain opportunities in the Catatumbo area on a joint venture basis.  If the Company enters into such a joint venture with Avante, then the Company would own 70% of the joint venture and commit to pay 70% of the geological and geophysical costs, and Avante would own 30% of the joint venture and commit to pay 30% of the geological and geophysical costs, up to a maximum commitment by Avante of $1,500,000.  If the total costs of the venture exceed $5,000,000, then Avante may elect either (a) not to pay any additional costs of the venture and incur dilution of its ownership percent from future payments by the Company, (b) to continue to pay additional costs of the venture at 30% or (c) to pay a larger proportion of the costs of the venture, in which case Avante’s ownership percentage would be increased in proportion to the percentage of total venture costs paid by each party, up to a maximum ownership interest for Avante of 50%.

In connection with the Acquisition, on the Closing Date, La Cortez and Avante entered into a Subscription Agreement (the “Avante Subscription Agreement”), pursuant to which Avante purchased 2,857,143 shares of La Cortez’s common stock (the “Avante Shares”) and three-year warrants to purchase 2,857,143 shares of its common stock at an exercise price of $3.00 per share (the “Avante Warrants”), for an aggregate purchase price of $5,000,000 (or $1.75 per share of common stock purchased).

 
12

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

Lock-Up

The SPA provides that, without the Company’s prior written consent, Avante may not offer, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to purchase, hypothecate, pledge, transfer title to or otherwise dispose of any of Purchase Price Shares, Avante Shares or Avante Warrants or any of the shares issuable upon exercise of Avante Warrants (the “Avante Warrant Shares”) until September 2, 2011 (the “Lock-Up Period”).  The SPA also provides that, during such period, Avante may not effect or agree to effect any short sale or certain related transactions with respect to the Company’s common stock.

Share Escrow

In connection with the Acquisition, La Cortez entered into a Share Escrow Agreement with Avante, and an escrow agent, pursuant to which 1,500,000 of the 10,285,819 Purchase Price Shares are being held in escrow to secure certain indemnification obligations of Avante under the SPA.  Such escrowed shares will be released to Avante after March 2, 2012.

The SPA permits Avante to satisfy any indemnification obligations thereunder in whole or in part by surrender of shares of the Company’s common stock (including the shares held in escrow) in lieu of cash.  In addition, the SPA allows the Company to elect to receive Avante’s escrowed shares of Company common stock in lieu of cash to satisfy Avante’s indemnification obligations with respect to certain environmental matters.  Any shares of common stock surrendered to satisfy Avante’s indemnification obligations under the SPA shall be valued based on the volume-weighted average sale prices of the Company’s common stock for the 60 most recent trading days on which sales have occurred ending on the trading day immediately prior to the relevant date of determination.  The Company is not liable for any indemnification obligations as of the date of filing of this report.

Registration Rights Agreement

Pursuant to the SPA, the Company entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with Avante, dated as of March 2, 2010 (the “Avante RRA”).  The Avante RRA grants Avante certain “piggyback” registration rights with respect to the Purchase Price Shares, the Avante Shares and the Avante Warrant Shares; provided that in exercising such piggyback registration rights with respect to any proposed registration statement, Avante may not request inclusion in such registration statement of more than 10% of the number of shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding at such time.

The Avante RRA grants Avante one demand registration right covering the Avante Shares and the Avante Warrant Shares, exercisable if (a) the Company fails to either file a registration statement on which Avante can piggyback or to complete a listing of its common stock on a United States or Canadian national securities exchange within 180 days of April 19, 2010, which is the final closing of the Company’s private placement offering (“PPO”) during 2010, and (b) a Total Investment Majority (as defined in the Avante RRA) joins in such demand.  The Total Investment Majority may include holders of the Company’s securities purchased pursuant to the Avante Subscription Agreement as well as securities purchased pursuant to the PPO and pursuant to warrants purchased pursuant to either, taken together on an aggregate basis.  As this condition on (a) above was not satisfied, the demand registration rights are exercisable; however, no demand has been received to date. Registrable PPO Shares are not subject to the PPO RRA if they may be immediately sold under the Securities Act (whether pursuant to Rule 144 thereunder or otherwise).  The PPO RRA contains customary cutback, discontinuation and indemnification provisions.

The Avante RRA provides an additional demand registration, exercisable following the Lock-Up Period, if Avante (or its successors and permitted assignees under the Avante RRA) is an “affiliate” of the Company (within the meaning of Rule 144) at such time.  Each of the Avante Warrant Shares, the Avante Shares and the Purchase Price Shares will cease to be registrable under the Avante RRA if and for so long as they may be sold publicly in the United States without being subject to volume limitations (whether pursuant to Rule 144 or otherwise).  The Avante RRA contains customary cutback, discontinuation and indemnification provisions.

Stockholder Agreement

In connection with the Acquisition, La Cortez entered into a Stockholder Agreement with Avante; Nadine Smith, the Company’s Chairman of the Board; and Andrés Gutierrez, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, dated as of March 2, 2010 (the “Stockholder Agreement”).

 
13

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

Pursuant to the Stockholder Agreement, upon the closing of the SPA, the Company’s Board increased the number of directors constituting the entire Board by one and appointed Avante’s nominee, Alexander Berger, to fill the vacancy on the Board so created, to serve until the next annual meeting of the Company’s shareholders or until his successor is duly elected and qualified or his earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with the Company’s By-Laws.  The Stockholder Agreement provides that Avante shall continue to nominate one individual reasonably satisfactory to the Company at the next and subsequent annual meetings of its shareholders, and at any special meeting of its shareholders at which directors are to be elected (any “Election Meeting”) as long as Avante and/or its affiliates own outstanding shares representing 10% or more of the votes entitled to be cast at the applicable Election Meeting.  Avante’s nominee will be subject to election and re-election by the Company’s shareholders as provided in its By-Laws.  If Avante’s nominee is not elected by the Company’s shareholders, then Avante shall have the right to designate the same or another person as its nominee at the next Election Meeting, provided that Avante and/or its affiliates own outstanding voting shares representing 10% or more of the votes entitled to be cast at the applicable Election Meeting.

The Stockholder Agreement provides that each of Avante, Ms. Smith and Mr. Gutierrez shall vote any shares of the Company’s capital stock owned by such party, or cause any shares of the Company’s capital stock owned by any immediate family member or affiliate of such party to be voted, in favor of Avante’s nominee at any Election Meeting.

In addition, for so long as Avante is entitled to name a nominee for election as a director, as provided in the Stockholder Agreement, Avante shall have the right to appoint one additional non-voting observer to attend meetings of the Board, and said observer shall have the right to visit the Company’s offices, to have interaction with its management and to receive information and documents pertaining to the Company as reasonably requested, subject to the confidentiality provisions of the Stockholder Agreement.

For a period ending on the earlier of (i) September 2, 2011 or (ii) the first date on which Avante and/or its affiliates no longer own outstanding voting shares representing ten percent (10%) or more of the votes entitled to be cast at any annual or special meeting of shareholders (if a record date for such a meeting were established on any day), in the event that the Company (or its Board) should propose to: (a) merge or consolidate with or into any other corporation (if the holders of the Company’s voting capital stock immediately prior to the transaction would not hold a majority of the voting stock or other voting equity of the surviving entity immediately after completion of the transaction), or sell, assign, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, or recommend to the Company’s shareholders a third-party tender offer for a majority of its outstanding voting capital stock; or (b) acquire a business (whether by merger, stock purchase or asset purchase) in a transaction that would result in the issuance of a number of shares of the Company’s voting capital stock equal to or exceeding thirty percent (30%) of its voting capital stock outstanding after giving effect to the proposed transaction; or (c) appoint a new Chief Executive Officer (any of the foregoing, a “Covered Transaction”), then the Company’s Board shall establish a special committee of the Board pursuant to the By-Laws, which committee shall consist of Avante’s nominated director (or if there is no Avante nominee then serving on the Board, Avante’s observer), the Company’s Chairman of the Board, and the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (the “Special Committee”).  The Covered Transaction will require the unanimous approval of all of the members of the Special Committee before it can be submitted to the full Board for consideration; provided, however, that the foregoing requirement shall be subject and subordinate to the fiduciary duties of each director and any other restrictions under applicable law and the listing standards of any exchange on which the Company’s securities are then listed.

Description of Assets of Avante Colombia

Immediately following the Acquisition, Avante Colombia became La Cortez’s wholly-owned subsidiary.

Avante Colombia currently has a 50% participation interest (acquired in late 2005) in, and is the operator of, the Rio de Oro and Puerto Barco production contracts with Ecopetrol S.A. (“Ecopetrol”) in the Department of North Santander in the Catatumbo region of northeastern Colombia, under an operating joint venture with Vetra Exploración y Producción S.A. Colombia (“Vetra” ).  Both production contracts are for a ten-year term expiring at the end of 2013.

 
14

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

Under the Puerto Barco production contract, Ecopetrol has a 6% production participation, Vetra a 47% working interest and Avante Colombia a 47% working interest, in each case after royalties.  Royalties payable are 20% of audited production. The operator is Avante Colombia.  Production on the field began in 1958 and was stopped in July 2008, as a result of insurgent activity.

Under the Rio de Oro production contract, Ecopetrol has a 12% production participation, Vetra a 44% working interest and Avante Colombia a 44% working interest, in each case after royalties.  Royalties payable are 20% of audited production. The operator is Avante Colombia.  Production on the field began in 1950 and was stopped in June 1999, as a result of insurgent activity.

In the Rio de Oro field, the remediation of certain historical environmental conditions generated prior to the Acquisition will be the responsibility of previous operators.   In addition to the contractual responsibility of previous operators for these liabilities, Avante has agreed in the SPA to indemnify the Company for 50% of any environmental losses it incurs, up to a maximum of $2.5 million.

Purchase Price Allocation

The results of operations of Avante Colombia have been included in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations since the acquisition date.

The cost of the acquisition was allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on estimates of their respective fair values at the date of acquisition.  The estimates of the fair value of the assets acquired, liabilities assumed and the stock issued for the acquisition were prepared with the assistance of an independent valuations consultant.   The following is a summary of the purchase price allocation:

Assets acquired
     
Cash
 
$
289,937
 
Accounts receivable
   
3,653
 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
   
43,001
 
Unproved oil and gas properties
   
9,808,470
 
Goodwill
   
5,591,422
 
Other fixed assets
   
48,743
 
Total assets acquired
   
15,785,226
 
         
Liabilities assumed
       
Accounts payable and other current liabilities
   
313,071
 
Asset retirement obligation
   
187,155
 
Total liabilities assumed
   
500,226
 
     
  
 
Net assets acquired
 
$
15,285,000
 
     
  
 
Purchase price paid through issuance of 10,285,819 shares of common stock
 
$
15,285,000
 

Management believes that the goodwill acquired in the acquisition reflects the value associated with the potential to extend the term of the contracts on the acquired properties and to extend the contracts to other productive zones and development areas.  These contracts involve Ecopetrol and affect the properties acquired in the Avante acquisition.

The Company assesses the possible impairment of goodwill at least annually, on March 31, at the reporting unit level.  Impairment is the condition that exists when the carrying amount of goodwill exceeds its implied fair value.  The first step in the impairment process is to determine the fair value of the reporting unit and then compare it to the carrying value, including goodwill.

 
15

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

For purposes of the step one analysis, estimates of fair value are based on discounted cash flows (the “income approach”). Under the income approach, the fair value is based on the present value of estimated future cash flows. The income approach is dependent on a number of significant management assumptions including markets, oil production volumes and prices, costs to produce, capital spending, working capital changes and the discount rate. The discount rate is commensurate with the risk inherent in the projected cash flows and reflects the rate of return required by an investor in the current economic conditions in Colombia. As of June 30, 2011, the Company did not identify any potential impairment events or changes in circumstances related to its goodwill.

The following table reflects the unaudited pro forma results of operations as though the Avante Acquisition had occurred on January 1, 2010. The pro forma amounts are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be reported in the future:

   
Three Months
   
Six Months
 
   
Ended
   
Ended
 
   
June 30, 2010
   
June 30, 2010
 
Revenues
  $ 75,891     $ 166,274  
 
               
Net Loss
  $ (2,948,770 )   $ (3,823,790 )
 
               
Loss per share - basic and diluted:
  $ (0.07 )   $ (0.09 )
                 
Weighted average shares outstanding:
               
basic & diluted
    44,672,533       41,006,016  

The following table reflects the results of operations of Avante Colombia since the Closing Date that are included in the Company’s condensed consolidated statement of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010:

   
Three Months
   
Six Months
 
   
Ended
   
Ended
 
   
June 30, 2010
   
June 30, 2010
 
Revenues
  $ -     $ -  
 
               
Net loss
  $ (49,695 )   $ (69,669 )

(4)
Oil Properties

The Company uses the full cost method of accounting for its oil and natural gas producing activities.  Accordingly, all costs associated with acquisition, exploration, and development of oil and natural gas reserves are capitalized.  Under full cost accounting rules, capitalized costs, less accumulated depletion and amortization, shall not exceed an amount (the ceiling) equal to the sum of: (i) the present value of estimated future net revenues less future production, development, site restoration, and abandonment costs derived based on current costs assuming continuation of existing economic conditions and computed using a discount factor of ten percent; (ii) the cost of properties not being amortized; and (iii) the lower of cost or estimated fair value of unproven properties included in the costs being amortized.  If unamortized costs capitalized within the cost pool exceed the ceiling, the excess is charged to expense and separately disclosed during the period in which the excess occurs.  Amounts required to be written off are not reinstated for any subsequent increase in the cost center ceiling.  The Company recorded no impairment associated with its proved oil properties for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2011.   For the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2010, the Company incurred $273,318 of impairment on its proved oil properties. 

 
16

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

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.  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.  Once the assessment of unproved properties is complete and when major development projects are evaluated, the costs previously excluded from amortization are transferred to the full cost pool and amortization begins.

Depreciation, depletion, and amortization is provided using the unit-of-production method based upon estimates of proved oil and natural gas reserves with oil and natural gas production being converted to a common unit of measure based upon their relative energy content.  In arriving at depletion rates under the unit-of-production method, the quantities of recoverable oil reserves are established based on estimates made by the Company’s geologists and engineers which require significant judgment as does the projection of future production volumes and levels of future costs, including future development costs.  The amortizable base includes estimated future development costs and where significant, dismantlement, restoration and abandonment costs, net of estimated salvage value.  In addition, considerable judgment is necessary in determining when unproved properties become impaired and in determining the existence of proved reserves once a well has been drilled.  All of these judgments may have significant impact on the calculation of depletion and impairment expense.

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 oil and natural gas reserves, in which case the gain or loss would be recognized in the statement of operations.

As discussed in Note 6, asset retirement costs are recognized when the asset is placed in service, and are included in the amortization base and amortized over proved reserves using the units of production method. Asset retirement costs are estimated by management using existing regulatory requirements and anticipated future inflation rates.

Maranta Block

On February 6, 2009, the Company entered into a farm-in agreement (the “Farm-In Agreement”) with Emerald Energy Plc Sucursal Colombia (“Emerald”), a Colombian branch of Emerald Energy Plc. (“Emerald Energy”), a company existing under the laws of the United Kingdom, for a 20% participating interest (the “Participating Interest”) in the Maranta exploration and production block (“Maranta”).

On February 4, 2010, the Company signed a joint operating agreement with Emerald with respect to the Maranta Block, and the Company has asked Emerald to submit a request to the Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos (“ANH”) to approve the assignment of the Company’s 20% participating interest to the Company.  If the ANH does not approve this assignment, Emerald and the Company have agreed to use their best efforts to seek, in good faith, a legal way to enter into an agreement with terms equivalent to the Farm-In Agreement and the joint operating agreement, that shall privately govern the relations between the parties with respect to the Maranta Block and which will not require ANH approval.   

Emerald has filed a request with the ANH for the assignment of the 20% working interest in the Maranta Block to La Cortez. In order to qualify as a contractor with the ANH, the Company has submitted, on April 15, 2011, legal, operating, technical and financial information, including prior years’ audited financial statements, to be reviewed by the ANH.  On July 12, 2011, the Company was informed by Emerald that the request for transfer of the 20% interest was not approved because the ANH determined that the submitted information did not comply with the financial requirements demanded by the contract signed between the ANH and Emerald.  The Company plans to discuss the financial information with the ANH, including the accounting for the derivative warrant instruments liability, and send a new request for the assisgnment..  Non-approval by the ANH does not affect the current joint operating agreement between Emerald and La Cortez.

Emerald, the operator of the Maranta Block, completed drilling operations of the Mirto-2 exploratory well on August 15, 2010, after having conducted a sidetrack on the well. Mirto-2 production tests were initiated on September 23, 2010, for a 5-day period on the Villeta U sand. The well was put back on an extended production test on October 16, 2010 until December 10, 2010, and was then placed on long-term production testing in January 2011. The capitalized costs associated with the Mirto 2 well were categorized as proved properties as of December 31, 2010 and June 30, 2011 and were subject to depletion and impairment.

 
17

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

Given the favorable results of the long-term production test on the Mirto-2 well, the Company decided to initiate workover activities on the Mirto-1 well, which commenced on August 8, 2011.  The Company has been informed by Emerald that the initial workover is expected to last approximately 15 days, and, if successful, the well could be producing on a continuous basis by September 2011.  The objective of the workover is to initiate a long-term production test on the Mirto-1 Villeta N sand, which is the same zone currently producing from the Mirto-2 well.

Phase 3 of the initial exploration program was completed last year with the drilling of the Mirto-2 well.  Both Emerald and the Company have complied with the exploration obligations on this block in accordance with the contract signed with the ANH. Under the contract terms and conditions, and after completion of this phase, both the Company and Emerald are required to relinquish 50% of the area of the block, as selected by both parties, and there is the option to continue exploration activities in the remaining 50% of the area by committing to additional exploration activities with the ANH, such as new seismic acquisition or drilling a new exploration well.  This is a normal procedure and in accordance with the standard contract with the ANH. Emerald has received approval from the ANH, which was dated April 11, 2011, on the additional exploration program and has signed the amendment to the contract. Phase 1 of the subsequent exploratory program requires both Emerald and La Cortez to comply with the acquisition of 120 km of 2D seismic or the drilling of an exploration well on or before August 2012, with Phase 2 of the subsequent exploratory program requiring another acquisition of 120 km of 2D seismic or the drilling of an exploratory well on or before August 2014.

The Company reimbursed Emerald a total of $14.0 million as of June 30, 2011 for the Maranta Block, including production and development costs for the Mirto wells. $1.77 million of these Maranta Block costs remain in unproved oil and gas properties as of June 30, 2011.

Putumayo 4 Block

On December 22, 2008, the Company entered into a memorandum of understanding (the “MOU”) with Petroleos del Norte S.A. (“Petronorte”), a Colombian subsidiary of Petrolatina Energy Plc., that entitles the Company to a 50% net working interest in the Putumayo 4 block (the “Putumayo 4 Block”).  According to the MOU, the Company will have the exclusive right to a 50% net participation interest in the Putumayo 4 Block and in the exploration and production contract (the “E&P Contract”) after ANH production participation.  Petronorte signed an E&P Contract with the ANH in February 2009.  Petronorte will be the “operator” of the E&P Contract.

Petronorte and the Company have completed identification of the number and location of indigenous people and communities in the area along with representatives from the Colombian Ministry of the Interior.  Based on this information, the layout for the seismic acquisition has also been completed. The indigenous consultations continue to show significant progress in the northern part of the block with two communities consulted to date. One of them is ready with final agreements, while the other is still in the process of discussing the proposal, with final approval expected by early September 2011. Community consultations in the southern part of the block have been slightly more difficult, and while the negotiations continue in earnest, it has been agreed to focus all initial seismic activity in the northern area of the block in order to fulfill the commitments to the ANH.

In response to delays associated with the community consultation process on the block, Petronorte sent a letter to the ANH on May 23, 2011 asking for a suspension of the contract for about 7 months, due to delays on availability of the Ministry of Interior representative..  Petronorte is asking that an additional 7 months be added to the original commitment in order to compensate for the impact on the original schedule. The ANH answered the initial correspondence letter on June 20, 2011, with indications that they are studying this request, but did not give any indication on the final decision to be taken.

 
18

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

The near-term operational objective for the block is to shoot 2D seismic in October 2011. A detailed analysis of the planned seismic area is being conducted. The team will include technical experts (Petronorte and LCTZ) along with environmental and civil engineering specialist with the primary goal of defining focus areas such as access roads, both collection and disposal water points, and possible camp locations.

The bid specification for seismic is expected to be ready by the end of August 2011, to be awarded in September 2011, and work to be initiated in October 2011. It is expected that the Company will have the seismic volume interpretation no later than January 2012.  Under the terms of the contract signed with the ANH, the acquisition of seismic data, the drilling of an exploratory well and additional work for a value of $1.6 million have to be conducted before August 2012, when the 3-year term of Phase I ends.  The additional committed investment to the ANH of $1.6 million will be executed in the northern area. The initial area to be chosen will be void of communities to avoid further consultations.

Once the community consultations are finalized, the Company will commence work on the Environmental Impact Study.  It is planned by the end of 2011 to submit all of the necessary documentation to the Ministry of Environment (MAVDT). Subject to completion of permitting and civil works at the drill-site, the Company and Petronorte anticipate spudding the first commitment exploratory well by mid 2012. The Company remains optimistic on the potential of this block, and has recently been approached by several parties with a potential interest in partnering with the Company on future exploration and development at the Putumayo-4 Block.

Under the MOU and the joint operating agreement, the Company will be responsible for fifty percent (50%) of the costs incurred under the E&P Contract, entitling it to fifty percent (50%) of the revenues originated from the Putumayo 4 Block, net of royalty and production participation interest payments to the ANH, except that the Company will be responsible for paying two-thirds (2/3) of the costs originated from the first 103 kilometers of 2D seismic to be performed in the Putumayo 4 Block, in accordance with the expected Phase 1 minimum exploration program under the E&P Contract. If a prospective Phase 1 well in a prospect in the Putumayo 4 Block proves productive, Petronorte will reimburse the Company for its share of these seismic costs paid by the Company (which is one-sixth (1/6) share) with their revenues from production from the Putumayo 4 Block.

Rio de Oro and Puerto Barco Fields

La Cortez’ acquisition of Avante Colombia was in exchange for common stock of La Cortez.  The purchase includes Avante Colombia’s Colombian branch, Avante Colombia Ltd. Sucursal. Avante Colombia currently has a 50% participation interest and is the operator of the Rio de Oro and Puerto Barco production contracts with Ecopetrol S.A. in the Catatumbo area, under an operating joint venture with Vetra Exploración y Producción Colombia S.A.  Under the terms of the stock purchase agreement, La Cortez and Avante have also agreed to enter into a joint venture to develop further exploration opportunities in Colombia.

La Cortez, through Avante Colombia, as operator of the fields, and with its joint venture partner Vetra Exploración y Producción S.A., has continued to conduct social activities in the area, and it has completed a plan to re-initiate production operations on the Puerto Barco field by the fourth quarter of 2011. This plan includes conducting workover activities in some of the existing wells, not only to determine the mechanical conditions, but also to gather geological information.  The Company has completed its technical evaluation in the Rio de Oro and Puerto Barco fields, and has met with representatives from the local communities and with several local and regional government officials.

Upon completion of the technical evaluation of the Puerto Barco block, the Company developed a comprehensive civil works, community socialization, and operational work-over program designed to successfully re-initiate near-term production in the Puerto Barco field.

The comprehensive civil works improvement program is set to commence by mid August 2011.  Phase I  is expected to last approximately two months covering the area from La Gabarra to the Puerto Barco-2 pad, which is the planned location for the first work-over well. Phase II will commence in mid September 2011, and will consist primarily of road maintenance along specific points from La Gabarra to Tibu, Colombia.

 
19

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

Social activities related to the Puerto Barco area has been undertaken with community leaders in both La Gabarra and Tibu, including government authorities and clergymen. The next step, which is underway, is conducting social activities within the smaller communities.  The Company has contracted and stationed an experienced social professional in the area, who is based in La Gabarra.

Work-over rig mobilization is expected to begin in October 2011, with initial work-over activity set to commence immediately following completion of the civil works program in late October 2011. The Company has approved the initial Authorization for Expenditure (AFE) for the first work-over well, which is estimated to cost the Company approximately $1.87 million, net to La Cortez. Initial production is expected in late November 2011.  This activity will begin the process of securing more recent, complete technical data that could potentially allow for a reclassification of certain resource estimates to booked reserve quantities. The results will also provide us with the technical data needed in connection with the Company's ongoing negotiations with Ecopetrol regarding the amendment of the existing contract’s terms. The Company continues to be actively engaged with Ecopetrol regarding opportunities to amend the existing contract terms, though the final outcome of such discussions remains unknown at this point. The first well intervention will be conducted on the Puerto Barco-2 well, which is considered to be a strategic milestone event that will give Ecopetrol the opportunity to evaluate the Company's ability to implement exploration and development activity in the block beyond 2013.

(5)
Related Party Transactions

Common Stock Sales

On March 2, 2010, as part of a closing of its private placement offering, the Company sold 58,000 Units, at a price of $1.75 per Unit, for total consideration of $101,500 to the Company’s Chairman of the Board and Interim Chief Financial Officer, on the same terms as to other investors in the offering.

(6)
Asset Retirement Obligation
 
ASC 410-20 (formerly FAS No. 143), requires that an asset retirement obligation (“ARO”) associated with the retirement of a tangible long-lived asset be recognized as a liability in the period in which it is incurred and becomes determinable. Under this method, when liabilities for dismantlement and abandonment costs, excluding salvage values, are initially recorded, the carrying amount of the related oil gas properties is increased. The fair value of the ARO asset and liability is measured using expected future cash outflows discounted at the Company’s credit-adjusted risk-free interest rate. Accretion of the liability is recognized each period using the interest method of allocation, and the capitalized cost is depleted using the units-of-production method. Should either the estimated life or the estimated abandonment costs of a property change materially upon the Company’s quarterly review, a new calculation is performed using the same methodology of taking the abandonment cost and inflating it forward to its abandonment date and then discounting it back to the present using the Company’s credit-adjusted-risk-free rate. The carrying value of the asset retirement obligation is adjusted to the newly calculated value, with a corresponding offsetting adjustment to the asset retirement cost related to oil property accounts.  During the six months ended June 30, 2011, a revision was made to the Company’s estimates to reflect the effects of updated anticipated plugging date estimates.
 
The following table reflects the changes in the ARO during the six months ended June 30, 2011.  
 
   
Amount
 
Asset retirement obligation - beginning of period
  $ 127,606  
Current period revision to previous estimates
    (22,696 )
Current period accretion
    10,085  
Asset retirement obligation - end of period
  $ 114,995  

 
20

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

The following table reflects the changes in the ARO during the year ended December 31, 2010.
 
   
Amount
 
Asset retirement obligation - beginning of year
  $ 3,860  
Liabilities incurred in connection with Avante acquisition
    187,155  
Current year revision to previous estimates
    (71,292 )
Liabilities incurred with properties drilled
    4,799  
Current year accretion
    3,084  
Asset retirement obligation - end of year
  $ 127,606  

The credit-adjusted-risk-free rate used in calculating ARO was approximately 18% at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010. This rate approximates the Company’s borrowing rate. 

(7)
Shareholders’ Equity

As of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, there were 46,315,910 and 46,190,910 shares, respectively, of common stock and no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding.

Registration Rights on Common Stock Sales

2008  Unit Offering

On July 23, 2008, the Board of Directors authorized the Company to offer up to a maximum of 10,000,000 units (the “2008 Unit Offering”) at an offering price of $1.25 per Unit. Each Unit consisted of one share of common stock and a common stock purchase warrant to purchase one-half share of common stock, exercisable for a period of five years at an exercise price of $2.25 per share.  On September 10, 2008, the Company issued 4,784,800 shares of common stock as the result of the sale of 4,784,800 Units, and warrants to purchase 2,392,400 shares of common stock.

Investors in the 2008 Unit Offering have “piggyback” registration rights for the shares of common stock issued in the Unit Offering included in the Units and underlying the warrants included in the Units.

Additionally, investors in the 2008 Unit Offering have “demand” registration rights with respect to the shares of Common Stock included in the Units if the Company does not file a registration statement with the SEC in which the investors can exercise their ‘piggyback’ registration rights within six months of the Closing of the 2008 Unit Offering (which the Company did not do).  Therefore, at any time on or after the date that is six months after the Closing, one or more of the investors that in the aggregate beneficially own at least 50% of the Shares issued in the Unit Offering may make a demand that the Company effect the registration of all or part of the investors’ Shares (a "Demand Registration").  Investors have the right to one Demand Registration pursuant to these provisions.

The Company would be required to prepare a Registration Statement following receipt of the required investor demand, to be filed with the SEC and to become effective within two hundred ten (210) days from the receipt of the demand notice, registering for resale all shares of Common Stock issued in the 2008 Unit Offering included in the Units of those investors who choose to participate in such Demand Registration.  The Company will pay monetary penalties to these investors equal to one and one-quarter percent (1.25%) of the gross proceeds of the 2008 Unit Offering for each full month that the registration statement is late in being declared effective; provided, that in no event shall the aggregate of any such penalties exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the gross proceeds of the Unit Offering.  No penalties shall accrue with respect to any shares of Common Stock removed from the registration statement in respect to a comment from the SEC limiting the number of shares of Common Stock which may be included in the registration statement.  The holders of any common stock removed from the registration statement as a result of a comment from the SEC shall continue to have “piggyback” registration rights with respect to these shares.  There has been no request for a Demand Registration as of June 30, 2011.

 
21

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

2009 Mid-Year Unit Offering

On May 11, 2009, the Board of Directors authorized the Company to offer up to a maximum of 12,000,000 units (the “2009 Mid-Year Unit Offering”) at an offering price of $1.25 per Unit. Each Unit consisted of one share of common stock and a common stock purchase warrant to purchase one share of common stock, exercisable for a period of five years at an exercise price of $2.00 per share. On June 19, 2009 (“Initial Closing’), the Company issued 4,860,000 shares of common stock as the result of the sale of 4,860,000 Units, and warrants to purchase 4,860,000 shares of common stock.  On July 31, 2009, the Company completed its final closing (the “Final Closing”) of the 2009 Mid-Year Unit Offering and closed on the sale of 205,000 Units.  At the Final Closing, the Company issued 205,000 shares of common stock, and warrants to purchase 205,000 shares of common stock.  The 2009 Mid-Year Unit Offering was terminated on July 31, 2009.

The Company entered into a registration rights agreement with the investors purchasing Units in the 2009 Mid-Year Unit Offering.  The registration rights agreement requires that the Company prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 covering the resale of all shares of common stock issued in the Offering (the “Registrable Shares”). Shares of common stock underlying the Warrants included in the Units carry “piggyback” registration rights.  The registration rights agreement provides certain deadlines for the filing and effectiveness of the registration statement, including that the registration statement be declared effective by the SEC within 240 days after the final closing of the Offering.  If the Company is unable to comply with this deadline, the Company will be required to pay as partial liquidated damages to the investors a cash sum equal to 1% of any unregistered Registrable Shares for every month in which such registration statement has not been declared effective, up to maximum liquidated damages of 10% of each investor’s aggregate investment amount. The Company obtained a waiver of these penalties from a majority in interest of the investors in the offering.

December 2009 and 2010 Private Placement Offerings

In December 2009, January 2010, March 2010 and April 2010, the Company closed on a Private Placement Offering (“PPO”).  The details of the PPO which occurred during December 2009 and the year 2010 are as follows: (a) On December 29, 2009, the Company closed on the sale of 1,428,571 PPO Units; (b) on January 29, 2010, the Company closed on the sale of 571,428 PPO Units; (c) on March 2, 2010, the Company closed on the sale of 857,144 PPO Units, and (d) on April 19, 2010, the Company conducted the fourth and final closing of its PPO for an additional 5,905,121 PPO Units.  Each “PPO Unit” was sold at a price of $1.75 and consists of (i) one share of the Company’s common stock, and (ii) a warrant representing the right to purchase one-half (1/2) of one share of its common stock, for a period of three years commencing on the final closing date of the PPO, at an exercise price of $3.00 per whole share (the “PPO Warrants”).  

The Company has entered into a registration rights agreement (the “PPO RRA”) with the investors in the PPO.  The PPO RRA provide such investors with “piggyback” registration rights with respect to the PPO Shares and the shares of its common stock issuable upon exercise of the PPO Warrants (collectively, the “Registrable PPO Shares”).  The PPO RRA grants the holders of a majority of the Registrable PPO Shares subject to the PPO RRA with the right to demand registration of such shares if the Company fails to either file a registration statement on which they can piggyback or complete a listing of its common stock on a United States or Canadian national securities exchange (or, in the case of the investors in the December 29, 2009 closing, on the TSX Venture Exchange) within 180 days of the final closing of the PPO.  Registrable PPO Shares are not subject to the PPO RRA if they may be immediately sold under the Securities Act (whether pursuant to Rule 144 thereunder or otherwise).  The PPO RRA contains customary cutback, discontinuation and indemnification provisions.

 
22

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

Stock Option Awards

On March 28, 2011, the Company granted under the Amended and Restated 2008 Plan, options to purchase 24,000 shares of its common stock to a consultant. These options have a 10-year term, and 4,000 options vested at the date of grant and on the ninth day of each month beginning on April 9, 2011. They were granted with an exercise price equal to $0.99.  The Company recognized compensation expense of $4,913 for the six months ended June 30, 2011. The fair value of the unvested shares was $903 as of June 30, 2011.

A summary of stock option activity during the six months ended June 30, 2011 covering options granted to the Company’s employees and directors is presented in the table below:

   
Number of
Shares
   
Weighted-
average
Exercise
Price
   
Weighted-
average
Remaining
Contractual
Term (years)
   
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
 
Outstanding at December 31, 2010
    2,475,000     $ 2.04       7.93     $  
Granted
                       
Exercised
                       
Forfeited
    (366,666 )     1.43              
Expired
                       
Outstanding at June 30, 2011
    2,108,334     $ 2.14       7.28     $  

Of the above employee options outstanding at June 30, 2011, 1,283,339 options are vested or exercisable.   During the six months ended June 30, 2011, the Company recognized stock-based compensation expense of approximately $293,000 related to stock options, including approximately $288,000 related to options granted to employees.  As of June 30, 2011, there was approximately $147,000 of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested stock options ($146,000 of which is related to employee options), which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 0.28 years.

A summary of stock option activity during the six months ended June 30, 2011 covering options granted to the Company’s non-employees and non-directors is presented in the table below:

   
Number of
Shares
   
Weighted-
average
Exercise
Price
   
Weighted-
average
Remaining
Contractual
Term (years)
   
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
 
Outstanding at December 31, 2010
    160,000     $ 2.00       8.46     $  
Granted
    24,000       0.99              
Exercised
                       
Forfeited
                       
Expired
                       
Outstanding at June 30, 2011
    184,000     $ 1.87       8.20     $  

 
23

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

The fair value of the options granted during 2011 was estimated at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following assumptions:

Estimated market value of stock on grant date (1)
  $ 0.70  
Risk-free interest rate  (2)   
    2.23 %
Dividend yield   (3)
    0.00 %
Volatility factor   (4)
    68 %
Expected life  (5)
 
5.25 years
 
Expected forfeiture rate (6)
    10 %

 
(1)
The estimated market value of the stock on the date of grant was based on the reported public market prices.

 
(2)
The risk-free interest rate was determined by management using the U.S. Treasury zero-coupon yield over the contractual term of the option on date of grant.

 
(3)
Management determined the dividend yield to be 0% based upon its expectation that there will not be earnings available to pay dividends in the near term.

 
(4)
The volatility factor was estimated by management using the historical volatilities of comparable companies in the same industry and region, because the Company does not have adequate trading history to determine its historical volatility.

 
(5)
The expected life was estimated by management as the midpoint between the vesting date and the expiration date of the options.

 
(6)
Management estimated that the forfeiture rate at 10% based on its experience with companies in similar industries and regions.

Restricted Stock Units

Restricted stock unit activity during the six months ended June 30, 2011 is as follows:

   
Number of
Restricted
Stock
Shares
   
Weighted-
average
Grant
Price
   
Weighted-
average
Remaining
Contractual
Term (years)
 
Outstanding at December 31, 2010
    422,940     $ 1.68       2.73  
Granted
    10,000       1.08        
Exercised
                 
Forfeited
    (14,629 )     1.68        
Expired
                 
Outstanding at June 30, 2011
    418,311     $ 1.66       2.24  

As of June 30, 2011, none of the above restricted stock units were vested, and there was approximately $467,000 of unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested restricted stock unit compensation arrangements granted under the 2008 Equity Incentive Plan. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.24 years. The Company recognized compensation expense related to these restricted stock units amounting to $104,011 during the six months ended June 30, 2011.

 
24

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

(8)
Derivative Warrant Instruments (Liabilities)

During the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, the fair value of the warrant derivative instruments liability decreased by $1,861,196 and $6,396,518, respectively, and were recorded as unrealized gain on fair value of derivative warrant instruments in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations.

Activity for derivative warrant instruments during the six months ended June 30, 2011 was as follows:

               
Decrease in
       
         
Activity
   
Fair Value of
       
   
December 31,
   
during the
   
Derivative
   
June 30,
 
   
2010
   
period
   
Liability
   
2011
 
Derivative warrant  instruments
  $ 7,457,125     $ -     $ (6,396,518 )   $ 1,060,607  
    $ 7,457,125     $ -     $ (6,396,518 )   $ 1,060,607  

Activity for derivative warrant instruments during the six months ended June 30, 2010 was as follows:

               
Increase in
       
         
Activity
   
Fair Value of
       
   
December 31,
   
during the
   
Derivative
   
June 30,
 
   
2009
   
period
   
Liability
   
2010
 
Derivative warrant  instruments
  $ 7,500,138     $ 5,766,703     $ 102,023     $ 13,368,864  
    $ 7,500,138     $ 5,766,703     $ 102,023     $ 13,368,864  

The fair value of the derivative warrant instruments is estimated using a probability-weighted scenario analysis model with the following assumptions as of June 30, 2011 and 2010:

   
June 30,
   
June 30,
 
   
2011
   
2010
 
Common stock issuable upon exercise of warrants
    15,510,203       15,510,203  
Estimated market value of common stock on measurement date
  $ 0.46 (1)   $ 1.73 (2)
Exercise price
  $ 1.25 to $3.00     $ 1.25 to $3.00  
Risk free interest rate (3)
    0.32% - 1.29 %     1% - 1.79 %
Warrant lives in years
    1.50 - 3.81       2.50 - 4.80  
Expected volatility (4)
    63 %     73 %
Expected dividend yields (5)
 
None
   
None
 

 
(1)
The estimated market value of the stock is measured each period-end and is based on the reported public market prices.

 
(2)
The estimated market value of the stock is measured each period end and is based on a calculation by management after consideration of price per share received in private offerings and reported public market prices and adjusted for the effect of previously issued warrants.

 
(3)
The risk-free interest rate was determined by management using the U.S. Treasury zero-coupon yield over the contractual term of the warrant on date of grant.

 
25

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

 
(4)
The volatility factor was estimated by management using the historical volatilities of comparable companies in the same industry and region, because the Company does not have adequate trading history to determine its historical volatility.

 
(5)
Management determined the dividend yield to be 0% based upon its expectation that there will not be earnings available to pay dividends in the near term.

(9) 
Fair Value Measurements

As defined in FASB ASC Topic No. 820 – 10 (formerly SFAS 157, Fair Value Measurements), fair value is the price that would be received upon the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. FASB ASC Topic No. 820 – 10 requires disclosure that establishes a framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosure about fair value measurements. The statement requires fair value measurements be classified and disclosed in one of the following categories:

Level 1:
Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities. The Company considers active markets as those in which transactions for the assets or liabilities occur in sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis. 

Level 2:
Quoted prices in markets that are not active, or inputs which are observable, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability. This category includes those derivative instruments that La Cortez values using observable market data. Substantially all of these inputs are observable in the marketplace throughout the term of the derivative instruments, can be derived from observable data, or supported by observable levels at which transactions are executed in the marketplace.

Level 3:
Measured based on prices or valuation models that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and less observable from objective sources (i.e. supported by little or no market activity). La Cortez’s valuation models are primarily industry standard models.  Level 3 instruments include derivative warrant instruments.  La Cortez does not have sufficient corroborating evidence to support classifying these assets and liabilities as Level 1 or Level 2.

As required by FASB ASC Topic No. 820 – 10 (formerly SFAS 157), financial assets and liabilities are classified based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment, and may affect the valuation of the fair value of assets and liabilities and their placement within the fair value hierarchy levels. The estimated fair value of the derivative warrant instruments was calculated using a probability-weighted scenario analysis model (see Note 8).

Fair Value on a Recurring Basis
 
The following table sets forth, by level within the fair value hierarchy, the Company’s financial assets and liabilities that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis as of June 30, 2011:
 
   
Fair Value Measurements at June 30, 2011
 
   
Quoted Prices
                   
   
In Active
   
Significant
         
Total
 
   
Markets for
   
Other
   
Significant
   
Carrying
 
   
Identical
   
Observable
   
Unobservable
   
Value as of
 
   
Assets
   
Inputs
   
Inputs
   
June 30,
 
Description
 
(Level 1)
   
(Level 2)
   
(Level 3)
   
2011
 
Derivative warrant  instruments
  $ -     $ -     $ 1,060,607     $ 1,060,607  
Total
  $ -     $ -     $ 1,060,607     $ 1,060,607  
 
26

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

The following table sets forth, by level within the fair value hierarchy, the Company’s financial assets and liabilities that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis as of June 30, 2010:

   
Fair Value Measurements at June 30, 2010
 
   
Quoted Prices
                   
   
In Active
   
Significant
         
Total
 
   
Markets for
   
Other
   
Significant
   
Carrying
 
   
Identical
   
Observable
   
Unobservable
   
Value as of
 
   
Assets
   
Inputs
   
Inputs
   
June 30,
 
Description
 
(Level 1)
   
(Level 2)
   
(Level 3)
   
2010
 
Derivative warrant  instruments
  $ -     $ -     $ 13,368,864     $ 13,368,864  
Total
  $ -     $ -     $ 13,368,864     $ 13,368,864  

The following table sets forth a reconciliation of changes in the fair value of financial assets and liabilities classified as level 3 in the fair value hierarchy:

   
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
 
   
Three Months Ended
   
Six Months Ended
 
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
 
   
2011
   
2010
   
2011
   
2010
 
Beginning balance
  $ (2,921,803 )   $ (10,382,823 )   $ (7,457,125 )   $ (7,500,138 )
Total gains (losses)
    1,861,196       (657,531 )     6,396,518       (102,023 )
Settlements
    -       -       -       -  
Additions
    -       (2,328,510 )     -       (5,766,703 )
Transfers
    -       -       -       -  
Ending balance
  $ (1,060,607 )   $ (13,368,864 )   $ (1,060,607 )   $ (13,368,864 )
                                 
Change in unrealized gains (losses) included in earnings relating to derivatives still held as of June 30, 2011 and 2010
  $ 1,861,196     $ (657,531 )   $ 6,396,518     $ (102,023 )

Fair Value on a Non-Recurring Basis

On January 1, 2009, the Company adopted the provisions of ASC 820-10 for nonfinancial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis. As it relates to the Company, the adoption applies to certain nonfinancial assets and liabilities as may be acquired in a business combination and thereby measured at fair value; impaired unproved oil and gas property assessments; and the initial recognition of asset retirement obligations for which fair value is used.

The asset retirement obligation estimates are derived from historical costs as well as management’s expectation of future cost environments. As there is no corroborating market activity to support the assumptions used, La Cortez has designated these liabilities as Level 3. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the Company’s asset retirement obligation is presented in Note 6.

 
27

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

(10)
Sales to Major Customers

The Company, through its 20% interest in the Maranta field production, sold oil representing 10% or more of total revenues for the six month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 to the customers shown below: 

   
June 30,
   
June 30,
 
   
2011
   
2010
 
Customer A
    10 %     -  
Customer B
    51 %     45 %
Customer C
    19 %     26 %
Customer D
    20 %     -  
Customer E
    -       11 %
Customer F
    -       18 %

In the oil and gas industry, production is often sold to a relatively few customers. Substantially all of the Company’s customers are concentrated in the oil industry and revenue can be materially affected by current economic conditions, the price of certain commodities such as crude oil and natural gas and the availability of alternate purchasers. The Company believes that the loss of any of its major purchasers would not have a long-term material adverse effect on its operations.

(11)
Commitments and Contingencies

From time to time, the Company is a party to various legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. While the outcome of lawsuits cannot be predicted with certainty, the Company is not currently a party to any proceeding that management believes, if determined in a manner adverse to the Company, could have a potential material adverse effect on its consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

On October 25, 2010, the Alabama Securities Commission (“ASC”) issued a Cease and Desist (“C&D”) naming the Company and certain other parties.  ASC alleged that securities in the Company’s 2010 private placement of units were sold to Alabama residents in violation of the Alabama securities laws, in that the securities were not sold by a broker dealer or registered representative who was registered in the State of Alabama.  The Company has cooperated with the ASC and responded to the requests for information.  As of the date of filing of this report, the ASC has not taken any further action against the Company.  Although there can be no assurance as to the ultimate outcome, based on information currently available, the Company believes the amount, or range, of reasonably possible losses (if any) in connection with this matter will not be material to its consolidated financial condition  or cash flows. The total proceeds received from these Alabama residents associated with the private placement of units were approximately $160,000.
 
Additionally, the Company is subject to numerous laws and regulations governing the discharge of materials into the environment or otherwise relating to environmental protection. To the extent laws are enacted or other governmental action is taken that restricts drilling or imposes environmental protection requirements that result in increased costs to the oil and natural gas industry in general, the business and prospects of the Company could be adversely affected.

Effective May 1, 2010, the Company entered into a consulting agreement with a third party for the third party entity to provide investor relations services to the Company for a monthly fee of $15,000 and 25,000 shares of the Company’s common stock during the first twelve months of the agreement, and $10,000 and 20,000 shares of the Company’s common stock thereafter. This agreement expired in May 2011.  On April 25, 2011, the Company entered into a consulting agreement with another third party for such third party entity to provide investor relations services to the Company for a monthly fee of $10,000 and 12,500 shares of the Company’s common stock during the term of the agreement covering a period of three months.

 
28

 

LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
JUNE 30, 2011 (Unaudited)

Colombian Equity-Based Tax
 
The Colombian government recently enacted a tax reform act which, among other things, adopted a one-time, net-worth tax for all Colombian entities.  For purposes of this tax, the net worth of an entity was assessed on January 1, 2011, and is payable in eight semi-annual installments from 2011 through 2014. Based on the Company’s Colombian entities’ net equity, the Company’s total net-worth gross tax obligation was approximately $1.1 million.  The Company recognized the related expense arising from this tax obligation of approximately $779,000 (the present value of all future payments as of January 1, 2011) as a component of general and administrative expenses in the condensed consolidated statement of operations during the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, and recorded $37,793 and $74,049 as interest expense during the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively.  The present value of this obligation as of June 30, 2011 (using a discount rate of 18%, which approximates the Company’s borrowing rate) is reflected as other liabilities in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2011.

(12)
Subsequent Events

On July 13, 2011, the Company granted under the Amended and Restated 2008 Plan, options to purchase 200,000 shares of its common stock to its Production and Operations Manager. These options vest pro-rata in three annual installments beginning on the first anniversary of the date of grant and have a 10 year term. They were granted with an exercise price equal to $0.46.

 
29

 

ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion highlights the principal factors that have affected our financial condition and results of operations as well as our liquidity and capital resources for the periods described. This discussion contains forward-looking statements. Please see “Forward-Looking Statements” above and “Risk Factors” included in our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on April 1, 2011 (the “2010 Form 10-K”), for a discussion of the uncertainties, risks and assumptions associated with these forward-looking statements.

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our condensed consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared on the accrual basis of accounting, whereby revenues are recognized when earned, and expenses are recognized when incurred. These condensed consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2011, and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, are unaudited. In the opinion of management, such financial statements include the adjustments and accruals necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim periods. These interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year.  Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted in these financial statements as of June 30, 2011, and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010.

You should read this discussion and analysis together with such financial statements and the notes thereto.

Overview and Going Concern

We are an international, early stage oil and gas exploration and production company focusing our business in South America, and have established a corporate headquarters in Bogotá, Colombia. We have entered into two initial working interest agreements, with Petronorte and with Emerald, and have acquired a private company, Avante Colombia. We continue to diligently evaluate additional investment prospects, companies and existing exploration and production opportunities in Colombia, while remaining alert for opportunities in other South American countries.
 
We were initially incorporated in the State of Nevada on June 9, 2006 under the name La Cortez Enterprises, Inc. to pursue certain business opportunities in Mexico. During 2008, our Board of Directors decided to redirect the Company’s efforts towards identifying and pursuing business in the oil and gas sector in South America. As a reflection of this change in our strategic direction, we changed our name to La Cortez Energy, Inc.

 
30

 

Going Concern

In the course of our development activities, we have sustained losses and expect such losses to continue through at least the next twelve months from the filing date of this report.  We expect to finance our operations primarily through our existing cash and any future financing. However, there exists substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern because we will be required to obtain additional capital in the future to continue our operations and there is no assurance that we will be able to obtain such capital, through equity or debt financing, or any combination thereof, or on satisfactory terms or at all. Additionally, no assurance can be given that any such financing, if obtained, will be adequate to meet our ultimate capital needs and to support our growth. If adequate capital cannot be obtained on a timely basis and on satisfactory terms, our operations would be materially negatively impacted.   Therefore, there is substantial doubt as to our ability to continue as a going concern for a period longer than the next twelve months. Additionally, our independent auditors included an explanatory paragraph in their report on our consolidated financial statements included in our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, filed with the SEC on April 1, 2011, that raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.  Our ability to complete additional rounds of financing is dependent on the state of the debt and/or equity markets at the time of any proposed offering, and such market’s reception of the Company and offering terms. In addition, our ability to complete an offering may be dependent on the status of our oil and gas exploration activities, which cannot be predicted. There is no assurance that capital in any form would be available to us, and if available, on terms and conditions that are acceptable.
 
Our condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applicable to a going concern, which implies we will continue to meet our obligations and continue our operations for the next twelve months. Realization values may be substantially different from carrying values as shown, and our condensed consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability or classification of recorded asset amounts or the amount and classification of liabilities that might be necessary as a result of this uncertainty.

Operational Update

Maranta Block – Mirto Field

On February 6, 2009, we entered into a farm-in agreement (the “Farm-In Agreement”) with Emerald Energy Plc Sucursal Colombia (“Emerald”), a Colombian branch of Emerald Energy Plc. (“Emerald Energy”), a company existing under the laws of the United Kingdom, for a 20% participating interest (the “Participating Interest”) in the Maranta exploration and production block (“Maranta”), which covers 90,458 acres (36,608 hectares)  in the Putumayo Basin in Southwest Colombia.

On February 4, 2010, we signed a joint operating agreement with Emerald with respect to the Maranta Block, and we have asked Emerald to submit a request to the Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos (“ANH”) to approve the assignment of our 20% participating interest to us.  If the ANH does not approve this assignment, Emerald and La Cortez have agreed to use our best endeavors to seek in good faith a legal way to enter into an agreement with terms equivalent to the Farm-In Agreement and the joint operating agreement, that shall privately govern the relations between the parties with respect to the Maranta Block and which will not require ANH approval.   

Emerald has filed a request with the ANH for the assignment of the 20% working interest in the Maranta Block to La Cortez. In order to qualify as a contractor with the ANH, we have submitted, on April 15, 2011, legal, operating, technical and financial information, including prior years’ audited financial statements, to be reviewed by the ANH.  On July 12, 2011, we were informed by Emerald that the request for transfer of the 20% interest was not approved because the ANH determined that the submitted information did not comply with the financial requirements demanded by the contract signed between the ANH and Emerald.  We plan to discuss the financial information with the ANH, including the accounting for the derivative warrant instruments liability, and send a new request for the assisgnment.  Non-approval by the ANH does not affect the current joint operating agreement between Emerald and La Cortez.

 
31

 

Emerald Energy Plc. (“Emerald”), the operator of the Maranta Block, completed drilling operations of the Mirto-2 exploratory well on August 15, 2010, after having conducted a sidetrack on the well. Mirto-2 production tests were initiated on September 23, 2010, for a 5-day period on the Villeta U sand. The well was put back on an extended production test on October 16, 2010 until December 10, 2010, and was then placed on long-term production testing from a different zone (the Villeta N sand) in January 2011, and continues to produce at an average rate  (January 9 to August 9, 2011) of 493 bopd gross (99 bopd net to La Cortez before royalties) of 15.6 degrees API oil with an average Base Sediment and Water (BS & W) of 0.75%.  The capitalized costs associated with the Mirto 2 well were categorized as proved properties as of December 31, 2010 and June 30, 2011 and were subject to depletion and impairment.

Given the favorable results of the long-term production test on the Mirto-2 well – Villeta N sand, we decided to initiate workover activities on the Mirto-1 well, which commenced on August 8, 2011.  We have been informed by Emerald that the initial workover is expected to last approximately 15 days, and, if successful, the well could be producing on a continuous basis by September 2011.  The objective of the workover is to initiate a long-term production test on the Mirto-1 Villeta N sand, which is the same zone currently producing from the Mirto-2 well.  During its initial testing in 2009, the Mirto-1 well produced oil at 15 degrees API at an average rate of 247 bopd over a 48-hour period from the Villeta N sand, with an average water cut of 64%.

Phase 3 of the initial exploration program was completed last year with the drilling of the Mirto-2 well. Both Emerald and La Cortez have complied with the exploration obligations on this block in accordance with the contract signed with the ANH. Under the contract terms and conditions, and after completion of this phase, both La Cortez and Emerald are required to relinquish 50% of the area of the block, as selected by both parties, and there is an option to continue exploration activities in the remaining 50% of the area by committing to additional exploration activity with the ANH, such as new seismic acquisition or drilling a new exploration well. This is a normal procedure and in accordance with the standard contract with the ANH. Emerald has received approval from the ANH, which was dated April 11, 2011, on the additional exploration program and has signed the amendment to the contract.  Phase 1 of the subsequent exploratory program requires both Emerald and La Cortez to comply with the acquisition of 120 km of 2D seismic or the drilling of an exploration well on or before August 2012, with Phase 2 of the subsequent exploratory program requiring another acquisition of 120 km of 2D seismic or the drilling of an exploratory well on or before August 2014. 

Putumayo 4 Block
 
On December 22, 2008, the Company entered into a memorandum of understanding (the “MOU”) with Petroleos del Norte S.A. (“Petronorte”), a Colombian subsidiary of Petrolatina Energy Plc., that entitles the Company to a 50% net working interest in the Putumayo 4 block, which covers 126,845 acres (51,333 hectares) in the Putumayo Basin (the “Putumayo 4 Block”).  According to the MOU, the Company will have the exclusive right to a 50% net participation interest in the Putumayo 4 Block and in the exploration and production contract (the “E&P Contract”) after ANH production participation.  Petronorte signed an E&P Contract with the ANH in February 2009.  Petronorte will be the “operator” of the E&P Contract.

Petroleos del Norte S.A. (“Petronorte”), a subsidiary of Petrolatina Plc. (AIM: PELE), as operator of the block, and La Cortez have completed identification of the number and location of indigenous people and communities in the area along with representatives from the Colombian Ministry of the Interior.  Based on this information, the layout for the seismic acquisition has also been completed. The indigenous consultations continue to show significant progress in the northern part of the block with two communities consulted to date. One of them is ready with final agreements, while the other is still in the process of discussing the proposal, with final approval expected by early September 2011. Community consultations in the southern part of the block have been slightly more difficult, and while the negotiations continue in earnest, it has been agreed to focus all initial seismic activity in the northern area of the block in order to fulfill the commitments to the ANH.

 
32

 

In response to delays associated with the community consultation process on the block, Petronorte sent a letter to the ANH on May 23, 2011 asking for the suspension of the contract for about 7 months , due to delays on availability of the Ministry of Interior representative to carry on with the consultation process with communities.  Petronorte is asking that an additional 7 months be added to the original commitment in order to compensate for the impact on the original schedule. The ANH answered the initial correspondence letter on June 20, 2011, with indications that they are studying this request, but did not give any indication on the final decision to be taken.

The near-term operational objective for the block is to shoot 104.8 km of 2D seismic in October 2011. A detailed analysis of the planned seismic area is being conducted. The team includes technical experts (Petronorte and LCTZ) along with environmental and civil engineering specialist with the primary goal of defining focus areas such as access roads, both collection and disposal water points, and possible camp locations.

The bid specification for seismic is expected to be ready by the end of August 2011, to be awarded in September 2011, and work to be initiated in October 2011. It is expected that we will have the seismic volume interpretation no later than January 2012.  Under the terms of the contract signed with the ANH, the acquisition of seismic data, the drilling of an exploratory well and additional work for a value of $1.6 million have to be conducted before August 2012, when the 3-year term of Phase I ends.  The additional committed investment to the ANH of $1.6 million will be executed in the northern area. The initial area to be chosen will be void of communities to avoid further consultations.

Once the community consultations are finalized, we will commence work on the Environmental Impact Study.  It is planned by the end of 2011 to submit all of the necessary documentation to the Ministry of Environment (MAVDT). Subject to completion of permitting and civil works at the drill-site, we and Petronorte anticipate spudding the first commitment exploratory well by mid 2012. We remain optimistic on the potential of this block, and have recently been approached by several parties with a potential interest in partnering with us on future exploration and development at the Putumayo-4 Block.

Under the terms of the contract signed with the ANH, we must complete the acquisition of at least 103 km of seismic, the drilling of an exploratory well and additional work for a value of $1.6 million before August 25, 2012, when the 3-year term of Phase I ends.
 
The Putumayo 4 Block covers 126,845 acres (51,333 hectares) located in the Putumayo Basin.
 
Rio de Oro and Puerto Barco Fields

Through our subsidiary, Avante Colombia, as operator of the fields, and with our joint venture partner Vetra Exploración y Producción S.A. Colombia (“Vetra”), we continue to conduct social activities in the area covering Rio de Oro and Puerto Barco fields, and we have completed a plan to re-initiate production operations on the Puerto Barco field during the fourth  quarter of 2011.  This plan includes conducting workover activities in some of the existing wells, not only to determine the mechanical conditions, but also to gather geological information. We have completed our technical evaluation in the Rio de Oro and Puerto Barco fields, and have met with representatives from the local communities and with several local and regional government officials.

Upon completion of the technical evaluation of the Puerto Barco block, we developed a comprehensive civil works, community socialization, and operational work-over program designed to successfully re-initiate near-term production in the Puerto Barco field.

 
33

 

The comprehensive civil works improvement program is set to commence by mid August 2011.  Phase I  is expected to last approximately two months covering the area from La Gabarra to the Puerto Barco-2 pad, which is the planned location for the first workover well. Phase II will commence in mid September 2011, and will consist primarily of road maintenance along specific points from La Gabarra to Tibu, Colombia.

Social activities related to the Puerto Barco area has been undertaken with community leaders in both La Gabarra and Tibu, including government authorities and clergymen. The next step, which is underway, is to conducting social activities within the smaller communities.  We have contracted and stationed an experienced social professional in the area, who is based in La Gabarra.

Work-over rig mobilization is expected to begin in October 2011, with initial work-over activity set to commence immediately following completion of the civil works program in late October 2011. We have approved the initial Authorization for Expenditure (AFE) for the first work-over well, which is estimated to cost us approximately $1.87 million, net to La Cortez.  Initial production is expected in late November 2011.  This activity will begin the process of securing more recent, complete technical data that could potentially allow for a reclassification of certain resource estimates to booked reserve quantities. The results will also provide us with the technical data needed in connection with our ongoing negotiations with Ecopetrol regarding the amendment of the existing contract’s terms. We continue to be actively engaged with Ecopetrol regarding opportunities to amend the existing contract terms, though the final outcome of such discussions remains unknown at this point. The first well intervention will be conducted on the Puerto Barco-2 well, which is considered to be a strategic milestone event that will give Ecopetrol the opportunity to evaluate our ability to implement exploration and development activity in the block beyond 2013.

Listing Application

We have applied to list our common stock on the TSX Venture Exchange (“Exchange”).  However, the application is subject to Exchange review and to our fulfilling all of the listing requirements of the Exchange.   There can be no assurance that our application will be accepted.

Results of Operations

Three Months Ended June 30, 2011, Compared with Three Months Ended June 30, 2010

A summary of our results for the three month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 is as follows:

   
Three Months Ended
June 30,
   
Percentage
Increase /
 
   
2011
   
2010
   
(Decrease)
 
                   
Revenues
  $ 639,441     $ 75,891       743 %
Costs and expenses
    (1,520,330 )     (2,394,272 )     (37 ) %
Non-operating income, net
    1,874,550       (630,389 )     (397 ) %
Income tax expense
    (11,314 )     -       -  
Net income (loss)
  $ 982,347     $ (2,948,770 )     (133 ) %
 
 
34

 
 
Revenues

We earned oil and gas revenues of $639,441 for the three months ended June 30, 2011, compared to $75,891 for the three months ended June 30, 2010.  The increase in revenues is primarily due to the successful results of the workover conducted in the Mirto-2 well and the production testing initiated on January 9, 2011. Revenues recognized for the three months ended June 30, 2010 are related to the Mirto-1 well which started producing during the fourth quarter of 2009 and continued producing until the fourth quarter of 2010. Given the favorable results of the long-term production test on the Mirto-2 well, we decided to initiate workover activities on the Mirto-1 well, which commenced on August 8, 2011.  We have been informed by Emerald that the initial workover is expected to last approximately 15 days, and, if successful, the well could be producing on a continuous basis by September 2011.  The objective of the workover is to initiate a long-term production test on the Mirto-1 Villeta N sand, which is the same zone currently producing from the Mirto-2 well.

Costs and Expenses

Our operating costs and expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, consisted of the following:

   
Three Months Ended
June 30,
   
Percentage
Increase /
 
   
2011
   
2010
   
(Decrease)
 
                   
Operating costs
  $ 176,859     $ 446,111       (60 )%
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization
    42,634       56,967       (25 )%
Impairment expense
    -       273,318       -  
General and administrative
    1,300,837       1,617,876       (20 )%
Total
  $ 1,520,330     $ 2,394,272       (37 )%

Operating costs

Our operating costs for the three months ended June 30, 2011, which pertain to our costs incurred in production activities for the Mirto-2 well, which began producing in January 2011, amounted to $176,859.  Our operating costs during the second quarter of 2010 included significant costs to work over the Mirto-1 well which were not capitalizable.

Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion, and Amortization Expenses

The decrease in our depreciation, depletion, accretion, and amortization expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2011 as compared to 2010 is mainly attributed to the decrease in our depletion expense on our proved oil properties recognized for the three months ended June 30, 2011 of $15,866 compared to depletion expense recognized during the three months ended June 30, 2010 of $35,794, which in turn was mainly due to the increase in the estimated quantities of our proved reserves in 2011.

Impairment Expenses

There was no impairment expense on our oil properties during the three months ended June 30, 2011, as compared to $273,318 during the same 2010 period.  These reflected the results of our ceiling test calculations and our reserve estimates at the end of each quarter.

 
35

 
 
General and Administrative Expenses

We incurred total general and administrative expenses of $1,300,837 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 compared to $1,617,876 for the three months ended June 30, 2010. This was primarily due to a decrease in professional fees to $516,593 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 from $955,258 for the three months ended June 30, 2010.  This decrease was partially offset by an increase in payroll expenses to $498,300 in the 2011 period from $463,346 during the three months ended June 30, 2010; an increase in travel expense to $73,976 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 from $22,607 for the comparable period of 2010; an increase in rent expense to $33,939 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 from $30,603 for the comparable period of 2010; and an increase in other expenses to $178,029 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 from $146,062 for the 2010 period. In particular, the decrease in professional fees and other general and administrative expenses during the 2011 period as compared to the 2010 period is primarily due to higher audit, accounting, legal and consultancy expenses incurred during the 2010 period in relation to the Avante acquisition.

Non-operating Income, Net

Net non-operating income for the three months ended June 30, 2011, was $1,874,550, compared to net non-operating expense of $630,389 for the three months ended June 30, 2010. During the three months ended June 30, 2011, we recognized an unrealized gain from the decrease in the fair value of derivative warrant instruments liability of $1,861,196 compared to an unrealized loss of $657,531 during the three months ended June 30, 2010.  The decrease in the derivative warrant instruments’ fair value was due to several factors, the most significant of which was due the larger decrease in the market value of our common stock measured from March 31, 2011 to June 30, 2011 as compared to the market value of our common stock measured from March 31, 2010 to June 30, 2010.   We estimate our derivative warrant instruments liability calculations using a probability-weighted scenario analysis model.

Net Income (Loss)

Our net income for the three months ended June 30, 2011 was $982,347 compared to a net loss of $2,948,770 for the three months ended June 30, 2010.  The increase in net income is mainly due to: an increase in our revenues to $639,441 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 from $75,891 in the same period of 2010, the decrease in general and administrative expenses to $1,300,837 in the 2011 period from $1,617,876 in the 2010 period , and the increase in the non-operating income to $1,874,550 (due to the unrealized gain on fair value of derivative warrant instruments recognized of $1,861,196) compared to non-operating expense of $630,389 for the three months ended June 30, 2010.
 
 
36

 
 
Adjusted EBITDA

In evaluating our business, we consider earnings before interest income, taxes, depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization, impairment expenses on oil properties, and unrealized gains and loss on fair value of derivative warrants instruments  (“Adjusted EBITDA”) as a key indicator of financial operating performance and as a measure of the ability to generate cash for operational activities and future capital expenditures.  We believe Adjusted EBITDA presents a more realistic picture of our performance than income from operations or cash flow from operations as presented in our consolidated financial statements and a more meaningful measure of our current liquidity. We believe that this measure may also be useful to investors for the same purpose and as an indication of our ability to generate cash flow at a level that can sustain or support our operations and capital investment program. Investors should not consider this measure in isolation or as a substitute for income from operations, or cash flow from operations determined under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), or any other measure for determining operating performance that is calculated in accordance with GAAP. In addition, because Adjusted EBITDA is not a GAAP measure, it may not necessarily be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other companies.

Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010  is calculated as follows:

   
Three months ended
June 30,
 
   
2011
   
2010
 
             
Net income (loss)
  $ 982,347     $ (2,948,770 )
Adjustments:
               
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization
    42,634       56,967  
Impairment expense
    -       273,318  
Income taxes
    11,314       -  
Unrealized loss (gain) on fair value of derivative warrant instruments, net
    (1,861,196 )     657,531  
Stock-based compensation expense
    193,683       156,257  
Interest income, net
    (13,354 )     (27,142 )
Adjusted EBITDA
  $ (644,572 )   $ (1,831,839 )

Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended June 30, 2011 was a loss of $0.6 million, compared to a loss of $1.8  million for the three months ended June 30, 2010.  The decrease in the loss was primarily caused by the increase in our revenues for the three months ended June 30, 2011 as compared to the 2010 period and the decrease in operating costs and professional fees during the 2011 period compared to the 2010 period. 
 
 
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Six Months Ended June 30, 2011, Compared with Six Months Ended June 30, 2010

A summary of our results for the six month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 is as follows:

   
Six Months Ended
June 30,
   
Percentage
Increase /
 
   
2011
   
2010
   
(Decrease)
 
                   
Revenues
  $ 1,002,874     $ 166,274       503 %
Costs and expenses
    (4,118,669 )     (3,880,916 )     6 %
Non-operating income, net
    6,379,298       (69,200 )     (9,319 )%
Income tax expense
    (21,503 )     -       -  
Net income (loss)
  $ 3,242,000     $ (3,783,842 )     (186 )%
 
Revenues

We earned oil and gas revenues of $1,002,874 for the six months ended June 30, 2011, compared to $166,274 for the six months ended June 30, 2010.  The increase in revenues is primarily due to the successful results of the workover conducted in the Mirto-2 well and the production testing initiated on January 9, 2011.  Revenues recognized for the six months ended June 30, 2010 are related to the Mirto-1 well which started producing during the fourth quarter of 2009 and continued producing until the fourth quarter of 2010. Given the favorable results of the long-term production test on the Mirto-2 well, we decided to initiate workover activities on the Mirto-1 well, which commenced on August 8, 2011.  We have been informed by Emerald that the initial workover is expected to last approximately 15 days, and, if successful, the well could be producing on a continuous basis by September 2011.  The objective of the workover is to initiate a long-term production test on the Mirto-1 Villeta N sand, which is the same zone currently producing from the Mirto-2 well.

Costs and Expenses

Our operating costs and expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, consisted of the following:

   
Six Months Ended
June 30,
   
Percentage
Increase /
 
   
2011
   
2010
   
(Decrease)
 
                   
Operating costs
  $ 446,836     $ 843,254       (47 )%
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization
    89,954       93,975       (4 )%
Impairment expense
    -       273,318       -  
General and administrative
    3,581,879       2,670,369       34 %
Total
  $ 4,118,669     $ 3,880,916       6 %

Operating costs

Our operating costs for the six months ended June 30, 2011, which pertain to our costs incurred in production activities for the Mirto-2 well, which began producing in January 2011, amounted to $446,836.  Our operating costs during the first half of 2010 included significant costs to work over the Mirto-1 well which were not capitalizable.

 
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Depreciation, Depletion, Accretion, and Amortization Expenses

The decrease in our depreciation, depletion, accretion, and amortization expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2011 as compared to 2010 is mainly attributed to the decrease in our depletion expense on our proved oil properties recognized for the six months ended June 30, 2011 of $32,560 compared to depletion expense recognized during the six months ended June 30, 2010 of $56,268, which in turn was mainly due to the increase in the estimated quantities of our proved reserves in 2011.

Impairment Expenses

There was no impairment expense on our oil properties during the six months ended June 30, 2011, as compared to $273,318 during the same 2010 period.  These reflected the results of our ceiling test calculations and our reserve estimates at the end of each quarter.

General and Administrative Expenses

We incurred total general and administrative expenses of $3,581,879 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 compared to $2,670,369 for the six months ended June 30, 2010. This was primarily due to an increase in payroll expenses to $1,023,400 in the 2011 period from $891,464 during the six months ended June 30, 2010; an increase in travel expense to $112,782 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 from $75,489 for the comparable period of 2010; an increase in rent expense to $65,763 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 from $59,729 for the comparable period of 2010; and an increase in other expenses to $1,115,310 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 (which includes approximately $779,000 arising from an equity-based tax during the six months ended June 30, 2011, as discussed below) from $247,719 for the 2010 period.  These increases were partially offset by a decrease in professional fees to $1,264,624 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 from $1,395,968 for the six months ended June 30, 2010. In particular, the increase in other general and administrative expenses during the 2011 period as compared to the 2010 period is primarily due to an expense recognized during the 2011 period of approximately $779,000 arising from an equity-based tax effective January 1, 2011 by the Colombian tax authorities on all Colombian entities. 
 
Non-operating Income, Net

Net non-operating income for the six months ended June 30, 2011, was $6,379,298, compared to net non-operating expense of $69,200 for the six months ended June 30, 2010. During the six months ended June 30, 2011, we recognized an unrealized gain from the decrease in the fair value of derivative warrant instruments liability of $6,396,518 compared to an unrealized loss of $102,023 during the six months ended June 30, 2010.  The decrease in the derivative warrant instruments’ fair value was due to several factors, the most significant of which was due the larger decrease in the market value of our common stock measured from December 31, 2010 to June 30, 2011 as compared to the market value of our common stock measured from December 31, 2009  to June 30, 2010.   We estimate our derivative warrant instruments liability calculations using a probability-weighted scenario analysis model.

Net Income (Loss)

Our net income for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was $3,242,000 compared to a net loss of $3,783,842 for the six months ended June 30, 2010.  The increase in net income is mainly due to an increase in our revenues to $1,002,874 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 from $166,274 in the same period of 2010 and the increase in the non-operating income to $6,379,298 (due to the unrealized gain on fair value of derivative warrant instruments recognized of $6,396,518) compared to non-operating expense of $69,200 for the six months ended June 30, 2010.

 
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Adjusted EBITDA

In evaluating our business, we consider earnings before interest income, taxes, depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization, impairment expenses on oil properties, and unrealized gains and loss on fair value of derivative warrants instruments  (“Adjusted EBITDA”) as a key indicator of financial operating performance and as a measure of the ability to generate cash for operational activities and future capital expenditures.  We believe Adjusted EBITDA presents a more realistic picture of our performance than income from operations or cash flow from operations as presented in our consolidated financial statements and a more meaningful measure of our current liquidity. We believe that this measure may also be useful to investors for the same purpose and as an indication of our ability to generate cash flow at a level that can sustain or support our operations and capital investment program. Investors should not consider this measure in isolation or as a substitute for income from operations, or cash flow from operations determined under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), or any other measure for determining operating performance that is calculated in accordance with GAAP. In addition, because Adjusted EBITDA is not a GAAP measure, it may not necessarily be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other companies.

Adjusted EBITDA for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010  is calculated as follows:

   
Six months ended
June 30,
 
   
2011
   
2010
 
             
Net income (loss)
  $ 3,242,000     $ (3,783,842 )
Adjustments:
               
Depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization
    89,954       93,975  
Impairment expense
    -       273,318  
Income taxes
    21,503       -  
Unrealized loss (gain) on fair value of derivative warrant instruments, net
    (6,396,518 )     102,023  
Stock-based compensation expense
    397,181       306,514  
Interest expense (income), net
    17,220       (32,823 )
Adjusted EBITDA
  $ (2,628,660 )   $ (3,040,835 )

Adjusted EBITDA for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was a loss of $2.6 million, compared to a loss of $3.0  million for the six months ended June 30, 2010.  The decrease in the loss was primarily due to the increase in our revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2011 as compared to the 2010 period. 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our cash and cash equivalents balance as of June 30, 2011, was $5,316,153 compared to $8,327,020 as of December 31, 2010.  This decrease was mainly due to payments for our administrative expenses during the six months ended June 30, 2011.

We presently do not have any available credit, bank financing or other external sources of liquidity.  Due to our brief history and historical operating losses, our operations have not been a source of liquidity.

For further discussion on going concern, please see Overview and Going Concern section above.

 
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We have entered into a memorandum of understanding and joint operating agreement with Petronorte for the Putumayo-4 Block and a farm-in agreement and joint operating agreement with Emerald for the Maranta Block.  

In November 2009, we deposited $2.7 million into a trust account as our portion of the ANH-required performance guarantee under Petronorte’s E&P contract, which funds will not be able to be used for other corporate purposes during the life of the guarantee.

In accordance with the terms of the Emerald farm-in agreement, we have borne 65% ($1.2 million) of the currently estimated $1.8 million Mirto-1 completion costs.  We made this $1.2 million payment to Emerald on July 27, 2009.    Additional Phase 2 costs were paid by us as needed, following cash calls by Emerald, as follows: $948,044 for seismic on the Mirto-1 well (equivalent to 60% share) and $7,440,354 for drilling on the Mirto-1 well (equivalent to 65% share), totaling $8,388,398.  With Phase 2 work completed, we will pay 20% of all subsequent costs related to the Maranta Block.

While the purchase price for Avante Colombia consisted solely of shares of our common stock, Avante Colombia currently has a 50% participation interest and is the operator of the Rio de Oro and Puerto Barco exploration and production contracts with Ecopetrol in the Catatumbo area in eastern Colombia.  Accordingly, we will incur operating expenses in connection with Avante Colombia’s projects going forward.  Moreover, our agreement with Avante also provides that we and Avante could enter into a joint venture to develop another exploration opportunity in Colombia, which will require further commitment of our capital if the joint venture goes forward.

We are currently utilizing cash of approximately $368,000  per month in the day-to-day operations of our business, including payroll, professional fees and office expenses.  We expect this rate of cash utilization to increase over the next twelve months.
 
Over the next twelve months, we expect to use approximately:

 
·
$8.0 million in order to bear our share of commitments with respect to the Putumayo 4 Block, related to Phase 1 seismic acquisition, permitting activities and exploration activities (although we have until August 2012 to complete the work);
 
 
·
$1.8 million  to carry out our proposed activities on Avante Colombia’s projects, and on Puerto Barco, related to road and facilities upgrading and existing well workovers;

 
·
$1.0 million of additional investment in the Maranta Block which will be determined once further information on the Mirto-2 well is acquired and evaluated; and

 
·
Up to an additional $5.3 million to cover our administrative expenses and for general working capital to continue to execute our business plan and build our operations.
 
Since costs on certain of our projects are calculated in Colombian pesos, changes in the exchange rate, among other things, could cause our capital commitments in U.S. dollars to differ materially from the amounts that we have budgeted. We have not to date engaged in any formal hedging activity with regard to foreign currency risk.
 
 
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Additionally, foreign exchange gains/losses result from the fluctuation of the U.S. dollar to the Colombian peso due to our deferred tax liability, a monetary liability, which is mainly denominated in the local currency of the Colombian foreign operations. As a result, a foreign exchange gain/loss must be calculated on conversion to the U.S. dollar functional currency. A strengthening in the Colombian peso against the U.S. dollar results in foreign exchange losses, estimated at $0.0005 for each one-peso decrease in the exchange rate of the Colombian peso to one U.S. dollar.

Further, local operations may require funding that exceeds operating cash flow, and there may be restrictions on expatriating proceeds and/or adverse tax consequences associated with such funding.  To the extent that funding is required, there may be exchange controls limiting such funding or adverse tax consequences associated with such funding. In addition, taxes and exchange controls may affect the dividends that we receive from foreign subsidiaries. 

In the course of our development activities, we have sustained losses and expect such losses to continue through at least August 2012.   We expect to finance our operations primarily through our existing cash, revenues from current production and future financing.  Note 2 to the audited consolidated financial statements contained in the 2010 Form 10-K reported that as of the date of the filing of the 2010 Form 10-K on April 1, 2011, there existed substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, and the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm included in our 2010 Form 10-K included an explanatory paragraph with respect thereto.

If we fulfill our obligations for $8 million under Petronorte’s E&P contract, upon completion of the first exploration well to be drilled on Putomayo-4, which is required to be completed by August 2012, the $2.7 million we deposited into a trust account as our portion of the ANH-required performance guarantee will become available for our use.

We anticipate that after September 2011, we will need to obtain additional capital for the purposes described above.  In addition, the listing standards of the TSX Venture Exchange require that we demonstrate that we have adequate working capital and financial resources to carry out our stated work program or execute our business plan for the 12 month period following listing, plus $100,000 in unallocated funds.  We estimate that (based on current oil production levels only) we will need to  raise at least $7 million of additional capital to fund our work program and obligations and to cover our administrative expenses and general working capital needs over the next twelve months.  In order to obtain capital, we may need to sell additional shares of our equity or debt securities, or borrow funds from private or institutional lenders. Because of the recent volatility in the credit, stock, and commodities markets, and our status as an early stage company, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in obtaining additional funding in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have a current or future effect on our financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenues or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources that is material to investors.
 
 
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ITEM 3.  QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK

As a smaller reporting company, as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act, we are not required to provide disclosure under this Item 3.

ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

We carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) as of June 30, 2011. Based upon that evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that, as of June 30, 2011, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed in reports filed by us under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the required time periods and is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. 

Our management, including our principal executive officer and interim principal financial officer, does not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal controls will prevent all error or fraud. A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Due to the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

During the quarterly period ended June 30, 2011, there was no change in our internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
 
 
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PART II - OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1.  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

See Part I, Item 3, “Legal Proceedings,” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, for a complete description of certain proceedings previously reported by us; there have been no significant subsequent developments in such proceedings.

From time to time, we may become involved in various lawsuits and legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business. Litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties, and an adverse result in these or other matters may arise from time to time that may harm our business. Although there can be no assurance as to the ultimate outcome, we believe, based on information currently available, that the amount, or range, of reasonably possible losses (if any) in connection with the pending matter will not be material to our consolidated financial condition or cash flows.  Except as described in the Form 10-K, there are no material pending legal proceedings to which we or any of our subsidiaries is a party or of which any of our or their property is the subject, and, as far as we are aware, no governmental authority is contemplating any such proceeding.

ITEM 1A.  RISK FACTORS

There have been no material changes from the risk factors disclosed in our 2010 Form 10-K under Part I, Item 1A, therein.

ITEM 2.  UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

Except as previously disclosed in Current Reports on Form 8-K that we have filed, we have not sold any of our equity securities during the period covered by this Report that were not registered under the Securities Act.

ITEM 3.  DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

None.

ITEM 4.  (Removed and Reserved)


ITEM 5.  OTHER INFORMATION

None.
 
 
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ITEM 6. EXHIBITS

The following exhibits are filed as part of (or are furnished with, as indicated below) this Quarterly Report or, where indicated, were heretofore filed and are hereby incorporated by reference.

In reviewing the agreements included or incorporated by reference as exhibits to this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, please remember that they are included to provide you with information regarding their terms and are not intended to provide any other factual or disclosure information about us or the other parties to the agreements. The agreements may contain representations and warranties by each of the parties to the applicable agreement. These representations and warranties have been made solely for the benefit of the parties to the applicable agreement and:

 
·
should not in all instances be treated as categorical statements of fact, but rather as a way of allocating the risk to one of the parties if those statements prove to be inaccurate;

 
·
have been qualified by disclosures that were made to the other party in connection with the negotiation of the applicable agreement, which disclosures are not necessarily reflected in the agreement;

 
·
may apply standards of materiality in a way that is different from what may be viewed as material to you or other investors; and

 
·
were made only as of the date of the applicable agreement or such other date or dates as may be specified in the agreement and are subject to more recent developments.

Accordingly, these representations and warranties may not describe the actual state of affairs as of the date they were made or at any other time. Additional information about us may be found elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and our other public filings, which are available without charge through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 
45

 
 
Exhibit
Number
 
SEC
Report
Reference
Number
 
 
Description
         
31.1*
     
Certification of Principal Executive Officer, pursuant to SEC Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a), adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
         
31.2*
     
Certification of Interim Principal Financial Officer, pursuant to SEC Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a), adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
         
32.1*§
     
Certification of Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
         
32.2*§
     
Certification of Interim Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
         
101*§§
     
The following financial information from the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2011, formatted in Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL): (i) the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, (ii) the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, (iii) the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, and (iv) Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
 

*
Filed herewith.

§
This certification is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” with the SEC for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except to the extent that the registrant specifically incorporates it by reference.

§§
Pursuant to Rule 406T of Regulation S-T, the XBRL related information in Exhibit 101 to this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, and shall not be deemed part of a registration statement, prospectus or other document filed under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filings.
 
 
46

 
 
SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

Date:  August  15, 2011
LA CORTEZ ENERGY, INC.
 
       
 
By:
 
/s/ Andres Gutierrez Rivera
 
   
Name: 
Andres Gutierrez Rivera
 
   
Title:
Chief Executive Officer
 
     
(Principal Executive Officer)
 
       
 
By:
 
/s/ Nadine C. Smith
 
   
Name:
Nadine C. Smith
 
   
Title:
Interim Chief Financial Officer
 
     
(Principal Financial Officer)
 
 
 
47

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
   
Number
 
Description
     
31.1
 
Certification of Principal Executive Officer, pursuant to SEC Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a), adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
     
31.2
 
Certification of Interim Principal Financial Officer, pursuant to SEC Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a), adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
     
32.1§
 
Certification of Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
     
32.2§
 
Certification of Interim Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
     
101*§§
 
The following financial information from the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2011, formatted in Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL): (i) the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, (ii) the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, (iii) the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, and (iv) Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
 

§
This certification is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” with the SEC for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except to the extent that the registrant specifically incorporates it by reference.

§§
Pursuant to Rule 406T of Regulation S-T, the XBRL related information in Exhibit 101 to this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, and shall not be deemed part of a registration statement, prospectus or other document filed under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filings.
 
 
48