Commitments and Contingencies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Long-term Purchase Commitment [Table Text Block]

At December 31, 2011, CONSOL Energy has provided the following financial guarantees, unconditional purchase obligations and letters of credit to certain third parties, as described by major category in the following table. These amounts represent the maximum potential total of future payments that we could be required to make under these instruments. These amounts have not been reduced for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions. Generally, recoveries under reclamation bonds would be limited to the extent of the work performed at the time of the default. No amounts related to these financial guarantees and letters of credit are recorded as liabilities on the financial statements. CONSOL Energy management believes that these guarantees will expire without being funded, and therefore the commitments will not have a material adverse effect on financial condition.

	Amount of Commitment Expiration Per Period
	Total Amounts Committed		Less Than 1  Year		1-3 Years		3-5 Years		Beyond 5  Years
Letters of Credit:
Employee-Related	$	198,447	$	128,645	$	69,802	$	—	$	—
Environmental	56,994		23,076		33,918		—		—
Other	80,508		43,561		36,947		—		—
Total Letters of Credit	335,949		195,282		140,667		—		—
Surety Bonds:
Employee-Related	204,895		204,895		—		—		—
Environmental	442,698		439,435		3,263		—		—
Other	27,776		27,763		12		—		1
Total Surety Bonds	675,369		672,093		3,275		—		1
Guarantees:
Coal	79,800		30,752		26,548		18,500		4,000
Gas	100,223		54,613		14,988		—		30,622
Other	451,640		80,237		139,642		86,721		145,040
Total Guarantees	631,663		165,602		181,178		105,221		179,662
Total Commitments	$	1,642,981	$	1,032,977	$	325,120	$	105,221	$	179,663

Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligations Disclosure

s. These purchase obligations are not recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. As of December 31, 2011, the purchase obligations for each of the next five years and beyond were as follows:

Obligations Due	Amount
Less than 1 year	$	242,982
1 - 3 years	396,516
3 - 5 years	471,047
More than 5 years	1,649,325
Total Purchase Obligations	$	2,759,870

Supply Commitment [Table Text Block]

Costs related to these purchase obligations include:

	For The Years Ended December 31,
	2011		2010		2009
Gas drilling obligations	$	108,167	$	28,641	$	—
Firm transportation expense	59,606		40,274		21,668
Major equipment purchases	43,698		56,723		89,261
Other	891		497		120
Total costs related to purchase obligations	$	212,362	$	126,135	$	111,049