The marketability of our production depends in part upon the availability, proximity and capacity of natural gas gathering systems, pipelines and processing facilities. We generally deliver natural gas through gas gathering systems and gas pipelines that we do not own under interruptible or short-term transportation agreements. Under the interruptible transportation agreements, the transportation of our gas may be interrupted due to capacity constraints on the applicable system, for maintenance or repair of the system, or for other reasons as dictated by the particular agreements. Our ability to produce and market natural gas on a commercial basis could be harmed by any significant change in the cost or availability of such markets, systems or pipelines.

Our future acquisitions may yield revenues or production that varies significantly from our projections.

In acquiring producing properties, we assess the recoverable reserves, future natural gas and oil prices, operating costs, potential liabilities and other factors relating to the properties. Our assessments are necessarily inexact and their accuracy is inherently uncertain. Our review of a subject property in connection with our acquisition assessment will not reveal all existing or potential problems or permit us to become sufficiently familiar with the property to assess fully its deficiencies and capabilities. We may not inspect every well, and we may not be able to observe structural and environmental problems even when we do inspect a well. If problems are identified, the seller may be unwilling or unable to provide effective contractual protection against all or part of those problems. Any acquisition of property interests may not be economically successful, and unsuccessful acquisitions may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and future results of operations.

Our business may suffer if we lose key personnel.

We depend to a large extent on the services of certain key management personnel, including our executive officers and other key employees, the loss of any of whom could have a material adverse effect on our operations. We have entered into employment agreements with each of S.P. Johnson IV, our President and Chief Executive Officer, Paul F. Boling, our Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, J. Bradley Fisher, our Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Gregory E. Evans, our Vice President of Exploration and Richard H. Smith, our Vice President of Land. We do not maintain key-man life insurance with respect to any of our employees. Our success will be dependent on our ability to continue to employ and retain skilled technical personnel.

We may experience difficulty in achieving and managing future growth.

We have experienced growth in the past primarily through the expansion of our drilling program. Future growth may place strains on our financial, technical, operational and administrative resources and cause us to rely more on project partners and independent contractors, possibly negatively affecting our financial condition and results of operations. Our ability to grow will depend on a number of factors, including:

 
 
our ability to obtain leases or options on properties, including those for which we have 3-D seismic data;
our ability to acquire additional 3-D seismic data;
our ability to identify and acquire new exploratory prospects;
our ability to develop existing prospects;
our ability to continue to retain and attract skilled personnel;
our ability to maintain or enter into new relationships with project partners and independent contractors;
the results of our drilling program;
hydrocarbon prices; and
our access to capital.
 
 

We may not be successful in upgrading our technical, operations and administrative resources or in increasing our ability to internally provide certain of the services currently provided by outside sources, and we may not be able to maintain or enter into

 
 
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