The rippling effects of the plunge in oil prices over the past year continue to hit harder on the banking sector. Energy lending, which once aided the U.S. oil boom, now seems to give jitters to banks as they face continuous regulatory pressure to limit exposure in the sector.

Concern arises on the fact that amid  still low oil prices, credit quality of the loans made to the energy companies will continue to deteriorate, which may ultimately hit banks’ profitability. This is because higher provisioning to cover the bad loans of the energy companies is likely to shrink the banks’ overall earnings.

A report released by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) in June 2015, on Semiannual Risk Perspective, placed oil and gas lending on the top of its list of risks that demand awareness among bankers and examiners. It stated that, “The significant decline in oil prices in 2014 could put pressure on loan portfolios in the oil and gas production and services sector.”

Regarding credit underwriting, the report highlighted, “where indicated, examiners will also assess banks’ actions to assess, monitor, and manage both direct and indirect exposures to the oil and gas sector, given the recent decline in oil prices and the potential for a protracted period of low or volatile prices.”

Banks extend loans to energy companies on the basis of the value of their oil and natural gas reserves. Owing to the acute drop in oil prices, which is currently trading below the key psychological level of $50-a-barrel, after hitting new 6-1/2 year low of $37.75 last month, the worth of several of those reserves dropped to around half compared to previous year.

Banks adjust the revolving credit lines, termed “redetermination,” twice a year which is generally around April and October. Notably, the redeterminations of these reserve-based loans, which are expected to occur this fall are likely to hit the small and midcap exploration and production companies harder compared to the larger-cap companies because the smaller companies depend more on bank debt placing the energy reserves as collateral.

Banks, which have extended credit to troubled energy firms in order to avoid large amounts of defaults, are however tightening their finding pipeline to these companies. Amid regulatory pressure, banks have commenced their fall reviews on the collateral quality placed by the small and mid-sized firms.
 
The Concerns

Banks, which continue to embrace stricter rules and regulations post crisis, are currently in a rift with regulators with loan reviews in the energy portfolio.

Notably, the issues came into light after major U.S regulators – the OCC, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Federal Reserve Board, increased their scrutiny on the banks that lend to the energy sector, as a part of the Shared National Credit (SNC) review program that is currently underway.