Commitments and Contingencies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	3. Commitments and Contingencies *Capital Commitments* As of March 31, 2024, the Fund’s estimated capital commitments related to its oil and gas properties were $5.9 million (which include asset retirement obligations for the Fund’s projects of $1.8 million), of which $1.3 million is expected to be spent during the next twelve months. Future results of operations and cash flows are dependent on the revenues from production and sale of oil and natural gas from the Fund’s producing projects. Based upon its current cash position, salvage fund and its current reserves estimates, the Fund expects cash flow from operations to be sufficient to cover its commitments and ongoing operations. Reserves estimates are projections based on engineering data that cannot be measured with precision, require substantial judgment, and are subject to frequent revision. *Impact from Market Conditions* The oil market demonstrated stability in early January 2024 despite the ongoing and evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East, which might otherwise cause upward pressure on oil prices. Although oil prices have increased during the first quarter of 2024, the outlook for the oil and gas market continues to be volatile. The physical crude market is currently tight, and it is expected to remain so for the remainder of the year. Oil prices continue to be supported by the active supply-side management of OPEC Plus and are constantly adjusting to reflect changes in both the current status and future expectations of the supply/demand balance, which is impacted by various market pressures. In addition, ongoing geopolitical conditions, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the evolving Israel-Hamas conflict, and acts of terrorism, will continue to influence oil and natural gas commodity prices. The impact of these issues on global financial and commodity markets and their corresponding effect on the Fund remains uncertain. *Environmental and Governmental Regulations* Many aspects of the oil and gas industry are subject to federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations. The Manager and operators of the Fund’s properties are continually taking action they believe appropriate to satisfy applicable federal, state and local environmental regulations. However, due to the significant public and governmental interest in environmental matters related to those activities, the Manager cannot predict the effects of possible future legislation, rule changes, or governmental or private claims. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there were no known environmental contingencies that required adjustment to, or disclosure in, the Fund’s financial statements. Oil and gas industry legislation and administrative regulations are periodically changed for a variety of political, economic, and other reasons. Any such future laws and regulations could result in increased compliance costs or additional operating restrictions, which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s operating results and cash flows. It is not possible at this time to predict whether such legislation or regulation, if proposed, will be adopted as initially written, if at all, or how legislation or new regulation that may be adopted would impact the Fund’s business. *BSEE and BOEM Supplemental Financial Assurance Requirements* On October 16, 2020, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (“BOEM”) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (“BSEE”) published a proposed new rule entitled “Risk Management, Financial Assurance and Loss Prevention” to update BOEM’s financial assurance criteria and other BSEE-administered regulations. Upon review of the 2020 joint proposed rule and analysis of public comments, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior (“Interior”) elected to separate the BOEM and BSEE portions of the supplemental bonding requirements. BSEE finalized some provisions from the 2020 proposal as discussed below. BOEM rescinded its portion of the 2020 proposed rule and issued its new rule below. On April 18, 2023, BSEE published a final rule at 88 FR 23569 on Risk Management, Financial Assurance and Loss Prevention effective May 18, 2023 to clarify and formalize its regulations related to decommissioning responsibilities of Outer Continental Shelf (“OCS”) oil, gas, and sulfur lessees and grant holders to ensure compliance with lease, grant, and regulatory obligations. The rule implements provisions of the proposed rule intended to clarify decommissioning responsibilities of right-of-use and easement grant holders and to formalize BSEE's policies regarding performance by predecessors ordered to decommission OCS facilities. The final rule withdraws the proposal set forth in the 2020 proposed rule to amend BSEE's regulations to require BSEE to proceed in reverse chronological order against predecessor lessees, owners of operating rights, and grant holders when requiring such entities to perform their accrued decommissioning obligations if the current lessees, owners, or holders have failed to perform. In addition, BSEE also decided not to finalize the proposed appeal bonding requirements in this final rule. On April 15, 2024, BOEM published a final rule (30 CFR parts 550, 556, and 590) on Risk Management and Financial Assurance for OCS Lease and Grant Obligations effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register that substantially revises the supplemental financial assurance requirements to decommission offshore wells and infrastructure once they are no longer in use. The rule establishes a simplified test using only two criteria by which BOEM would determine whether supplemental financial assurance should be required of OCS oil and gas lessees: (1) credit rating, and (2) the ratio of the value of proved oil and gas reserves of the lease to the estimated decommissioning liability associated with the reserves. If a current lessee meets one of these criteria, it will not be required to provide supplemental financial assurance. In addition, as it relates to supplemental financial assurance requirements for OCS oil and gas right-of-use and easement grant holders, BOEM will only consider the first criteria – i.e., credit rating. Under the rule, BOEM would no longer consider or rely upon the financial strength of prior grant holders and lessees in determining whether, or how much, supplemental financial assurance should be provided by the current grant holders and lessees. The rule would allow existing lessees and grant holders to request phased-in payments over three years to meet the new financial assurance amounts. The Fund is evaluating the impact of the new rule on its operations and financial condition and the impact is currently uncertain. *Insurance Coverage* The Fund is subject to all risks inherent in the oil and natural gas business. Insurance coverage as is customary for entities engaged in similar operations is maintained, but losses may occur from uninsurable risks or amounts in excess of existing insurance coverage. The occurrence of an event that is not insured or not fully insured could have a material adverse impact upon earnings and financial position. Moreover, insurance is obtained as a package covering all of the entities managed by the Manager. Depending on the extent, nature and payment of claims made by the Fund or other entities managed by the Manager, yearly insurance coverage may be exhausted and become insufficient to cover a claim by the Fund in a given year.

Commitments and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

3. Commitments and Contingencies

Capital Commitments

As of March 31, 2024, the Fund’s estimated capital commitments related to its oil and gas properties were $5.9 million (which include asset retirement obligations for the Fund’s projects of $1.8 million), of which $1.3 million is expected to be spent during the next twelve months. Future results of operations and cash flows are dependent on the revenues from production and sale of oil and natural gas from the Fund’s producing projects.

Based upon its current cash position, salvage fund and its current reserves estimates, the Fund expects cash flow from operations to be sufficient to cover its commitments and ongoing operations. Reserves estimates are projections based on engineering data that cannot be measured with precision, require substantial judgment, and are subject to frequent revision.

Impact from Market Conditions

The oil market demonstrated stability in early January 2024 despite the ongoing and evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East, which might otherwise cause upward pressure on oil prices. Although oil prices have increased during the first quarter of 2024, the outlook for the oil and gas market continues to be volatile. The physical crude market is currently tight, and it is expected to remain so for the remainder of the year. Oil prices continue to be supported by the active supply-side management of OPEC Plus and are constantly adjusting to reflect changes in both the current status and future expectations of the supply/demand balance, which is impacted by various market pressures. In addition, ongoing geopolitical conditions, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the evolving Israel-Hamas conflict, and acts of terrorism, will continue to influence oil and natural gas commodity prices. The impact of these issues on global financial and commodity markets and their corresponding effect on the Fund remains uncertain.

Environmental and Governmental Regulations

Many aspects of the oil and gas industry are subject to federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations. The Manager and operators of the Fund’s properties are continually taking action they believe appropriate to satisfy applicable federal, state and local environmental regulations. However, due to the significant public and governmental interest in environmental matters related to those activities, the Manager cannot predict the effects of possible future legislation, rule changes, or governmental or private claims. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there were no known environmental contingencies that required adjustment to, or disclosure in, the Fund’s financial statements.

Oil and gas industry legislation and administrative regulations are periodically changed for a variety of political, economic, and other reasons. Any such future laws and regulations could result in increased compliance costs or additional operating restrictions, which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s operating results and cash flows. It is not possible at this time to predict whether such legislation or regulation, if proposed, will be adopted as initially written, if at all, or how legislation or new regulation that may be adopted would impact the Fund’s business.

BSEE and BOEM Supplemental Financial Assurance Requirements

On October 16, 2020, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (“BOEM”) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (“BSEE”) published a proposed new rule entitled “Risk Management, Financial Assurance and Loss Prevention” to update BOEM’s financial assurance criteria and other BSEE-administered regulations. Upon review of the 2020 joint proposed rule and analysis of public comments, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior (“Interior”) elected to separate the BOEM and BSEE portions of the supplemental bonding requirements. BSEE finalized some provisions from the 2020 proposal as discussed below. BOEM rescinded its portion of the 2020 proposed rule and issued its new rule below.

On April 18, 2023, BSEE published a final rule at 88 FR 23569 on Risk Management, Financial Assurance and Loss Prevention effective May 18, 2023 to clarify and formalize its regulations related to decommissioning responsibilities of Outer Continental Shelf (“OCS”) oil, gas, and sulfur lessees and grant holders to ensure compliance with lease, grant, and regulatory obligations. The rule implements provisions of the proposed rule intended to clarify decommissioning responsibilities of right-of-use and easement grant holders and to formalize BSEE's policies regarding performance by predecessors ordered to decommission OCS facilities. The final rule withdraws the proposal set forth in the 2020 proposed rule to amend BSEE's regulations to require BSEE to proceed in reverse chronological order against predecessor lessees, owners of operating rights, and grant holders when requiring such entities to perform their accrued decommissioning obligations if the current lessees, owners, or holders have failed to perform. In addition, BSEE also decided not to finalize the proposed appeal bonding requirements in this final rule.

On April 15, 2024, BOEM published a final rule (30 CFR parts 550, 556, and 590) on Risk Management and Financial Assurance for OCS Lease and Grant Obligations effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register that substantially revises the supplemental financial assurance requirements to decommission offshore wells and infrastructure once they are no longer in use. The rule establishes a simplified test using only two criteria by which BOEM would determine whether supplemental financial assurance should be required of OCS oil and gas lessees: (1) credit rating, and (2) the ratio of the value of proved oil and gas reserves of the lease to the estimated decommissioning liability associated with the reserves. If a current lessee meets one of these criteria, it will not be required to provide supplemental financial assurance. In addition, as it relates to supplemental financial assurance requirements for OCS oil and gas right-of-use and easement grant holders, BOEM will only consider the first criteria – i.e., credit rating. Under the rule, BOEM would no longer consider or rely upon the financial strength of prior grant holders and lessees in determining whether, or how much, supplemental financial assurance should be provided by the current grant holders and lessees. The rule would allow existing lessees and grant holders to request phased-in payments over three years to meet the new financial assurance amounts. The Fund is evaluating the impact of the new rule on its operations and financial condition and the impact is currently uncertain.

Insurance Coverage

The Fund is subject to all risks inherent in the oil and natural gas business. Insurance coverage as is customary for entities engaged in similar operations is maintained, but losses may occur from uninsurable risks or amounts in excess of existing insurance coverage. The occurrence of an event that is not insured or not fully insured could have a material adverse impact upon earnings and financial position. Moreover, insurance is obtained as a package covering all of the entities managed by the Manager. Depending on the extent, nature and payment of claims made by the Fund or other entities managed by the Manager, yearly insurance coverage may be exhausted and become insufficient to cover a claim by the Fund in a given year.

Ridgewood Energy U Fund LLC 10-Q