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Asset Retirement Obligation
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATION 
ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATION
NOTE 3 — ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATION
The Partnership recognizes an estimated liability for the plugging and abandonment of its oil and gas wells and related facilities. It also recognizes a liability for future asset retirement obligations if a reasonable estimate of the fair value of that liability can be made. The associated asset retirement costs are capitalized as part of the carrying amount of the long-lived asset. The Partnership also considers the estimated salvage value in the calculation of depletion.
The estimated liability is based on the MGP's historical experience in plugging and abandoning wells, estimated remaining lives of those wells based on reserve estimates, external estimates as to the cost to plug and abandon the wells in the future and federal and state regulatory requirements. The liability is discounted using an assumed credit-adjusted risk-free interest rate. Revisions to the liability could occur due to changes in estimates of plugging and abandonment costs or remaining lives of the wells or if federal or state regulators enact new plugging and abandonment requirements. The Partnership has no assets legally restricted for purposes of settling asset retirement obligations. Except for its oil and gas properties, the Partnership has determined that there are no other material retirement obligations associated with tangible long-lived assets.
A reconciliation of the Partnership's liability for well plugging and abandonment costs for the periods indicated is as follows:
                                 
    Three Months Ended     Nine Months Ended  
    September 30,     September 30,  
    2011     2010     2011     2010  
Asset retirement obligation at beginning of period
  $ 1,438,600     $ 1,172,600     $ 1,396,700     $ 1,138,400  
Accretion expense
    21,000       17,000       62,900       51,200  
 
                       
Asset retirement obligation at end of period
  $ 1,459,600     $ 1,189,600     $ 1,459,600     $ 1,189,600