PetroQuest Energy seeks to grow our production, proved reserves, cash flow and earnings at low finding and development costs through a balanced mix of exploration, development and acquisition activities. From the commencement of our operations through 2002, we were focused exclusively in the Gulf Coast Basin with onshore properties principally in southern Louisiana and offshore properties in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico shelf. During 2003, we began the implementation of our strategic goal of diversifying our reserves and production into longer life and lower risk onshore properties with our acquisition of the Carthage Field in East Texas. From 2005 through 2015, we further implemented this strategy by focusing our efforts in the Woodford Shale play in Oklahoma. In response to lower commodity prices and to strengthen our balance sheet, we sold all our Oklahoma assets in three transactions that closed in June 2015, April 2016 and October 2016. In December 2017, we acquired approximately 24,600 gross acres in central Louisiana targeting the Austin Chalk to attempt to increase our oil production and reserves. During January 2018, we sold all our Gulf of Mexico assets to further reduce our liabilities and strengthen our liquidity position. Our current efforts are focused on developing our Cotton Valley assets in East Texas, where we have approximately 50,000 gross acres in Carthage Field as well as testing our newly acquired Louisiana Austin Chalk properties.
PetroQuest Energy, Inc. is an independent energy company engaged in the exploration, development, acquisition and production of oil and natural gas reserves in Texas and Louisiana.