Commitments And Contingencies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Commitments And Contingencies [Abstract]
Commitments And Contingencies	Note 13 — Commitments and Contingencies The development, production and sale of oil and natural gas in the Gulf of Mexico and in the North Sea are subject to extensive laws and regulations, including environmental laws and regulations. We may be required to make large expenditures to comply with environmental and other governmental regulations. Under these laws and regulations, we could be liable for personal injuries, property damage, oil spills, discharge of hazardous materials, remediation and clean-up costs and other environmental damages. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations also may result in the suspension or termination of our operations and subject us to administrative, civil and criminal penalties. Moreover, these laws and regulations could change in ways that substantially increase our costs (see the discussion in Note 3, "Risks and Uncertainties"). Accordingly, any of these liabilities, penalties, suspensions, terminations or regulatory changes could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. We believe that we are in compliance with all of the laws and regulations which apply to our operations. Under the provisions of our limited partnership agreement with ATP-IP, we could be required to repurchase the Class A limited partner interest if certain change of control events were to occur. If a change of control were to become probable in a future period, we would be required to adjust the carrying amount of the redeemable noncontrolling interest to its redemption amount, to the extent it differed from the carrying amount, at the time the change of control was deemed to be probable. We do not currently believe a change of control is probable. We are a party to a multi-year (life of reserves) firm transportation agreement covering certain production in the North Sea that requires us to pay a pipeline tariff on our nominated contract quantity of natural gas during the contract period, whether or not the volumes are delivered to the pipeline. For any contract period where actual deliveries fall short of contract quantities, we can make up such amounts by delivering volumes over the subsequent four years free of tariff, within certain limitations. While we control our nominations, we are subject to the risk we may be required to prepay or ultimately pay transportation on undelivered volumes. In the normal course of business, we occasionally purchase oil and gas properties for little or no up-front costs and instead commit to pay consideration contingent upon the successful development and operation of the properties. The contingent consideration generally includes amounts to be paid upon achieving specified operational milestones, such as first commercial production and again upon achieving designated cumulative sales volumes. At March 31, 2012, the aggregate amount of such contingent commitments related to unmet operational milestones was $8.1 million. We maintain insurance to protect the Company and its subsidiaries against losses arising out of our oil and gas operations. Our insurance includes coverage for physical damage to our offshore properties, general (third party) liability, workers' compensation and employers' liability, seepage and pollution and other risks. Our insurance includes various limits and deductibles or retentions, which must be met prior to or in conjunction with recovery. Additionally, our insurance is subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of such policies. For losses emanating from offshore operations, we have up to an aggregate of $2.5 billion of various insurance coverages with individual policy limits ranging from $1 million to over $500 million each. While we maintain insurance levels, deductibles and retentions that we believe are prudent and responsible, there is no assurance that such coverage will adequately protect us against liability from all potential consequences and damages. In general, our current insurance policies cover physical damage to our oil and gas assets. The coverage is designed to repair or replace assets damaged by insurable events. Our excess liability policies generally provide coverage (dependent on the asset) for bodily injury and property damage, including coverage for negative environmental incidents such as seepage and pollution. This liability coverage would cover claims for bodily injury or death brought against the company by or on behalf of individuals who are not employees of the company. The liability limits scale to either our operating interest or the total insured interest including nonoperating partners. Our energy insurance package includes coverage for operator's extra expense, which provides coverage for control of well, re-drill and pollution arising from a covered event. We maintain a $150 million Oil Spill Financial Responsibility policy in order to provide a Certificate of Financial Responsibility to the BSEE under the requirements of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. Additionally, as noted above, our excess liability policies provide coverage (dependent on the asset) for bodily injury and property damage, including coverage for negative environmental incidents such as seepage and pollution. Legislation has been proposed but has not passed to increase the limit of the Oil Spill Financial Responsibility policy required for the certificate, and there is no assurance that we will be able to obtain this insurance should that happen. The occurrence of a significant accident or other event not fully covered by our insurance could have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial condition. Our insurance does not protect us against all operational risks. We do not carry business interruption insurance at levels that would provide enough funds for us to continue operating without access to other funds. For some risks, we may not obtain insurance if we believe the cost of available insurance is excessive relative to the risks presented. Because third-party contractors and other service providers are used in our offshore operations, we may not realize the full benefit of workers' compensation laws in dealing with their employees. In addition, pollution and environmental risks generally are not fully insurable. On January 29, 2010, Bison Capital Corporation ("Bison") filed suit against the Company in the United States District Court for the Southern district of New York alleging the Company owed fees totaling $102 million to Bison under a February 2004 agreement. The case was tried in January 2011. On March 8, 2011 the Court entered a judgment in favor of Bison for $1.65 million plus prejudgment interest and Bison's reasonable attorney's fees. The Company provided for this judgment in the financial statements as of December 31, 2010. Subsequently, Bison gave notice that it would appeal the judgment. On April 3, 2012 the Court of Appeals entered a Summary Order confirming the Company's position that a re-trial should not be granted. Unless further appealed by Bison, the case will now go back to the Trial Court for hearings on the amount of expenses and interest. We are, in the ordinary course of business, involved in various other legal proceedings from time to time. Management does not believe that the outcome of these proceedings as of March 31, 2012, either individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Note 13 — Commitments and Contingencies

The development, production and sale of oil and natural gas in the Gulf of Mexico and in the North Sea are subject to extensive laws and regulations, including environmental laws and regulations. We may be required to make large expenditures to comply with environmental and other governmental regulations. Under these laws and regulations, we could be liable for personal injuries, property damage, oil spills, discharge of hazardous materials, remediation and clean-up costs and other environmental damages. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations also may result in the suspension or termination of our operations and subject us to administrative, civil and criminal penalties. Moreover, these laws and regulations could change in ways that substantially increase our costs (see the discussion in Note 3, "Risks and Uncertainties"). Accordingly, any of these liabilities, penalties, suspensions, terminations or regulatory changes could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. We believe that we are in compliance with all of the laws and regulations which apply to our operations.

Under the provisions of our limited partnership agreement with ATP-IP, we could be required to repurchase the Class A limited partner interest if certain change of control events were to occur. If a change of control were to become probable in a future period, we would be required to adjust the carrying amount of the redeemable noncontrolling interest to its redemption amount, to the extent it differed from the carrying amount, at the time the change of control was deemed to be probable. We do not currently believe a change of control is probable.

We are a party to a multi-year (life of reserves) firm transportation agreement covering certain production in the North Sea that requires us to pay a pipeline tariff on our nominated contract quantity of natural gas during the contract period, whether or not the volumes are delivered to the pipeline. For any contract period where actual deliveries fall short of contract quantities, we can make up such amounts by delivering volumes over the subsequent four years free of tariff, within certain limitations. While we control our nominations, we are subject to the risk we may be required to prepay or ultimately pay transportation on undelivered volumes.

In the normal course of business, we occasionally purchase oil and gas properties for little or no up-front costs and instead commit to pay consideration contingent upon the successful development and operation of the properties. The contingent consideration generally includes amounts to be paid upon achieving specified operational milestones, such as first commercial production and again upon achieving designated cumulative sales volumes. At March 31, 2012, the aggregate amount of such contingent commitments related to unmet operational milestones was $8.1 million.

We maintain insurance to protect the Company and its subsidiaries against losses arising out of our oil and gas operations. Our insurance includes coverage for physical damage to our offshore properties, general (third party) liability, workers' compensation and employers' liability, seepage and pollution and other risks. Our insurance includes various limits and deductibles or retentions, which must be met prior to or in conjunction with recovery. Additionally, our insurance is subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of such policies. For losses emanating from offshore operations, we have up to an aggregate of $2.5 billion of various insurance coverages with individual policy limits ranging from $1 million to over $500 million each. While we maintain insurance levels, deductibles and retentions that we believe are prudent and responsible, there is no assurance that such coverage will adequately protect us against liability from all potential consequences and damages.

In general, our current insurance policies cover physical damage to our oil and gas assets. The coverage is designed to repair or replace assets damaged by insurable events.

Our excess liability policies generally provide coverage (dependent on the asset) for bodily injury and property damage, including coverage for negative environmental incidents such as seepage and pollution. This liability coverage would cover claims for bodily injury or death brought against the company by or on behalf of individuals who are not employees of the company. The liability limits scale to either our operating interest or the total insured interest including nonoperating partners.

Our energy insurance package includes coverage for operator's extra expense, which provides coverage for control of well, re-drill and pollution arising from a covered event. We maintain a $150 million Oil Spill Financial Responsibility policy in order to provide a Certificate of Financial Responsibility to the BSEE under the requirements of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. Additionally, as noted above, our excess liability policies provide coverage (dependent on the asset) for bodily injury and property damage, including coverage for negative environmental incidents such as seepage and pollution. Legislation has been proposed but has not passed to increase the limit of the Oil Spill Financial Responsibility policy required for the certificate, and there is no assurance that we will be able to obtain this insurance should that happen.

The occurrence of a significant accident or other event not fully covered by our insurance could have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial condition. Our insurance does not protect us against all operational risks. We do not carry business interruption insurance at levels that would provide enough funds for us to continue operating without access to other funds. For some risks, we may not obtain insurance if we believe the cost of available insurance is excessive relative to the risks presented. Because third-party contractors and other service providers are used in our offshore operations, we may not realize the full benefit of workers' compensation laws in dealing with their employees. In addition, pollution and environmental risks generally are not fully insurable.

On January 29, 2010, Bison Capital Corporation ("Bison") filed suit against the Company in the United States District Court for the Southern district of New York alleging the Company owed fees totaling $102 million to Bison under a February 2004 agreement. The case was tried in January 2011. On March 8, 2011 the Court entered a judgment in favor of Bison for $1.65 million plus prejudgment interest and Bison's reasonable attorney's fees. The Company provided for this judgment in the financial statements as of December 31, 2010. Subsequently, Bison gave notice that it would appeal the judgment. On April 3, 2012 the Court of Appeals entered a Summary Order confirming the Company's position that a re-trial should not be granted. Unless further appealed by Bison, the case will now go back to the Trial Court for hearings on the amount of expenses and interest.

We are, in the ordinary course of business, involved in various other legal proceedings from time to time. Management does not believe that the outcome of these proceedings as of March 31, 2012, either individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.