Fair Value Measurements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Note 4 Fair Value Measurements

The following table sets forth, by level within the fair value hierarchy, our financial assets and liabilities that are accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2014. Our debt securities could transfer into or out of a Level 1 or 2 measure depending on the availability of independent and current pricing at the end of each quarter. During the three months ended March 31, 2014, there were no transfers of our financial assets between Level 1 and Level 2 measures. Our financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

	Fair Value as of March 31, 2014
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	(In thousands)
Assets:
Short-term investments:
Available-for-sale equity securities (energy industry)	$	76,729	$	862	$	—	$	77,591
Available-for-sale debt securities:
Corporate debt securities	—		19,525		—		19,525
Mortgage-backed debt securities	—		209		—		209
Mortgage-CMO debt securities	—		20		—		20
Asset-backed debt securities	541		—		—		541
Total short-term investments	$	77,270	$	20,616	$	—	$	97,886

Nonrecurring Fair Value Measurements

Fair value measurements were applied with respect to our nonfinancial assets and liabilities measured on a nonrecurring basis, which would consist of measurements primarily to assets held-for-sale, goodwill, intangible assets and other long-lived assets, assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination, asset retirement obligations and our pipeline contractual commitment.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The fair value of our financial instruments has been estimated in accordance with GAAP. The fair value of our long-term debt, revolving credit facility, commercial paper and subsidiary preferred stock is estimated based on quoted market prices or prices quoted from third-party financial institutions. The carrying and fair values of these liabilities were as follows:

	March 31, 2014				December 31, 2013
	Carrying Value		Fair Value		Carrying Value		Fair Value
	(In thousands)
2.35% senior notes due September 2016	$	349,836	$	357,851	$	349,820	$	354,694
6.15% senior notes due February 2018	970,234		1,102,511		969,928		1,097,480
9.25% senior notes due January 2019	339,607		427,966		339,607		428,733
5.00% senior notes due September 2020	698,208		748,720		697,947		731,955
4.625% senior notes due September 2021	698,024		723,030		698,148		709,793
5.10% senior notes due September 2023	348,797		362,250		348,765		349,731
Subsidiary preferred stock	69,188		69,000		69,188		69,000
Revolving credit facility	117,500		117,500		170,000		170,000
Commercial paper	290,250		290,250		329,844		329,844
Other	5,316		5,316		10,243		10,243
Total	$	3,886,960	$	4,204,394	$	3,983,490	$	4,251,473

The fair values of our cash equivalents, trade receivables and trade payables approximate their carrying values due to the short-term nature of these instruments.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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