What's Market: Executive Compensation Snapshot: Compensation of Chief Financial Officers in the Oil and Gas Industry | Practical Law

What's Market: Executive Compensation Snapshot: Compensation of Chief Financial Officers in the Oil and Gas Industry | Practical Law

A comparison of select compensation and benefit provisions from the employment agreements of oil and gas industry chief financial officers, including agreements from CW Petroleum Corp., Epsilon Energy Ltd., and Ranger Energy Services, Inc., using the What's Market, Executive Employment Agreements: Detailed Analysis database.

What's Market: Executive Compensation Snapshot: Compensation of Chief Financial Officers in the Oil and Gas Industry

by Practical Law Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
Published on 03 Jan 2023USA (National/Federal)
A comparison of select compensation and benefit provisions from the employment agreements of oil and gas industry chief financial officers, including agreements from CW Petroleum Corp., Epsilon Energy Ltd., and Ranger Energy Services, Inc., using the What's Market, Executive Employment Agreements: Detailed Analysis database.
The chief financial officer (CFO) is the highest-ranking finance professional in an organization and is charged with making sure that the business's finances are in proper order. The most effective CFOs:
  • Have a vision for the future.
  • Work closely with other C-suite executives.
  • Suggest strategic actions that strengthen the financial health of the organization.
Traditionally, the CFO had two primary duties, which were to:
  • Oversee the organization's internal finances, including overseeing the finance and accounting professionals who handle operational tasks.
  • Act as a strategic advisor to the chief executive officer and other C-suite executives.
The increase in the number of natural disasters, geopolitical conflicts, and technological changes over the past decade has caused the role of CFOs in industries such as oil and gas to expand. Today, CFOs must be able to:
  • Gather and analyze pertinent financial data.
  • Foresee any potential threats and opportunities presented by the data.
  • Extrapolate how these potential threats and opportunities might affect the viability of their business.
According to a recent study conducted by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, current-day oil and gas CFOs face a myriad of obstacles to the long-term sustainability of their businesses, including:
  • Declining demand for oil and gas as major global economies mature and transition from heavy industry to services industry.
  • Increasing difficulty in reaching and extracting new oil and gas deposits.
  • A global shift towards alternative non-fossil-based energy sources.
  • Increasing sophistication of cybersecurity attacks on energy delivery systems.
  • Increasing pressure from investors seeking greater transparency and lower financial risk.
To overcome some of these obstacles, oil and gas CFOs are:
  • Investing in new oil and gas exploration and extraction technologies.
  • Implementing improved cybersecurity protocols and cyber-attack testing systems.
  • Identifying and procuring alternative capital funding from non-traditional sources like sovereign wealth funds.
  • Implementing new business analytics to improve financial reporting and forecasting.
  • Developing contingency plans to address unexpected financial and natural disasters.
  • Building redundancies and diversity into supply chain management to avoid or minimize business disruptions.
  • Improving recruitment methods to attract, recruit, and retain financial personnel that can drive business growth while reducing costs.
The expansion of the CFO role may explain the recent rise in their compensation. Overall, CFOs saw a 2.5% median increase in base pay in 2021, according to Compensation Advisory Partners. CFOs in the oil and gas industry fared a bit better. A 2022 survey conducted by WorldatWork revealed that the median and average salary increase amount for CFOs in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industry was 4.0% and 4.3%, respectively, up from 2.3% and 4% in 2021. Another survey conducted by the Large Public Power Council in 2022 revealed that CFOs in the energy and utility industry received a median base salary of $332,250 and an average base salary of $352,044, representing a 10% increase over 2021.
In addition to base salary and annual bonuses, long-term equity incentives, such as performance awards, time-vested restricted stock, and stock options, are typically a significant component of oil and gas CFO compensation packages. According to a Grayhawk Search survey, performance awards are the dominant form of equity used to reward these CFOs, with time-vested restricted stock nudging ahead of stock options in importance.
The responsibilities of CFOs in the oil and gas industry are unlikely to decrease anytime soon. One can therefore expect the compensation paid to oil and gas CFOs to continue to increase. Use the chart below to compare the compensation provisions of the employment agreements of three oil and gas CFOs. For complete summaries of these and other agreements, see the What's Market, Executive Employment Agreements: Detailed Analysis database.
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Chief Financial Officer
July 21, 2022
Chief Financial Officer
July 1, 2022  
Chief Financial Officer of Ranger Energy Services, LLC and Ranger Energy Services, Inc. (Parent).
June 15, 2022 
MARKET CAPITALIZATION AT FILING
Approximately $2 million.
Approximately $138 million.
Approximately $267 million.
ANNUAL RATE OF BASE SALARY
$150,000, subject to review by the board at least annually for increase but not decrease.
$230,000, subject to increase by the employer
$400,000, subject to discretionary increases by the board.
ANNUAL BONUS AND CASH INCENTIVES
Eligible to receive an annual bonus of up to 50% of base salary based on the employer and executive attaining certain business goals established by the board.
May be entitled to receive additional bonus amounts as determined by the board in its discretion, with the additional bonus amounts determined based on criteria such as the executive's contributions to the employer's achievement of its long-range business goals, the success of various corporate strategies in which the executive participated, and the executive's unique services in connection with the maintenance of or increase in stockholder value.
Eligible to receive an annual target incentive bonus of $150,000 (Target Bonus) payable based on achieving performance goals established by the board with a minimum bonus amount equal to 0% of the Target Bonus and a maximum bonus amount equal to 150% of the Target Bonus. The executive must be employed on the bonus payment date to be eligible for the bonus payment. The Target Bonus is pro-rated for 2022.
Eligible for a discretionary cash bonus with a target opportunity of 100% of base salary (Annual Bonus), payable based on the achievement of performance goals determined by the board. The executive must be employed on the payment date to be eligible for the bonus payment.
For 2022, eligible for a pro-rated Annual Bonus.
SIGN-ON EQUITY GRANTS
None specified.
On the effective date, entitled to receive restricted stock units (RSUs) with a grant date value of $250,000 based on the closing price of the employer's common stock on the effective date under the Parent's 2020 equity incentive plan (EIP). The RSUs vest over a four-year period beginning on the effective date with 25% of the RSUs vesting on the first anniversary of the effective date, and an additional 6.25% of the RSUs vesting on the first day of each subsequent quarter, until fully vested on July 1, 2026.
Entitled to a one-time award of restricted stock (Inducement Time-Based Award) and a one-time award of performance stock (Inducement Performance-Based Award and, together with the Inducement Time-Based Award, Inducement Equity Awards) granted under the employer's 2017 long term incentive plan (LTIP). The grant date value of the Inducement Time-Based Award is equal to not less than 50% of the executive's base salary and the award will vest in three substantially equal installments on the first three anniversaries following the grant date. The grant date value of the Inducement Performance-Based Award is equal to not less than 50% of the executive's base salary and the award will vest based on satisfying performance conditions established by the board.
ONGOING EQUITY GRANTS
None specified.
Eligible to receive an annual equity award under the EIP on such terms and conditions as determined by the board.
Eligible for an annual award of restricted stock (Annual Time-Based Award) and an annual award of performance stock (Annual Performance-Based Award) granted under the employer's LTIP. The grant date value of the Annual Time-Based Award is equal to not less than 50% of the executive's base salary and the award will vest in three substantially equal installments on the first three anniversaries following the grant date. The grant date value of the Annual Performance-Based Award is equal to not less than 50% of the executive's base salary and the award will vest based on satisfying performance conditions established by the board.
BENEFITS AND PERQUISITES
Entitled to all ordinary and customary perquisites generally available to executive officers including any qualified or non-qualified pension, profit sharing and savings plans, death benefit and disability benefit plans, life insurance coverage, medical, dental, health and welfare plans or insurance coverages, and any stock purchase programs that are approved by the board.
Entitled to the number of paid vacation days in each calendar year as determined by the board for its senior executive officers prorated in any calendar year during which the executive is employed for less than the entire calendar year.
Eligible to participate in the employer's medical, dental, life and disability insurance plans, and savings and investment plan which includes a 401K plan with an employer match.
Eligible to participate in the employer's flexible perquisites plan which provides up to 5% of base salary each year to cover financial planning expenses.
Eligible to participate in the employer's management car allowance program with an annual cash car allowance of $15,000.
Eligible to participate in the employer's senior executive deferred compensation plan that allows for the deferral of a portion of base salary and annual bonus.
Eligible for relocation assistance, however, if the executive voluntarily terminates employment within the first year of employment, the executive will be required to reimburse the employer in full for the cost of any and all relocation assistance provided.
Entitled to senior executive-level outplacement services for a period of 12 months.
Entitled to 4 weeks of paid vacation.
Eligible to participate in the same employer benefit plans, practices, policies, and programs applicable to similarly situated executives.
Entitled to paid vacation time each calendar year according to the employer's plans, policies, programs, and practices applicable to similarly situated executives.
For additional employment agreement terms and summaries see the What's Market, Executive Employment Agreements: Detailed Analysis database, which provides employment agreement summaries for a variety of executive positions and a diverse group of employers, based on size, industry, and location. The summaries cover terms that are typically heavily negotiated, such as compensation, severance, and non-competition provisions, and often reflect emerging trends.