2.2.0.25falsefalse0203 - Disclosure - Exploratory well coststruefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$Jan-01-2010_Dec-31-2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001358071duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDEPSDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0us-gaap_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCostsAbstractus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse| 1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse | Otherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalse
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<!-- Begin Block Tagged Note 3 - us-gaap:SuspendedWellCostsDisclosureTextBlock-->
<div style="margin-left: 0%">
<div style="margin-top: 12pt; font-size: 1pt"> 
</div>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica; color: #000000; background: transparent; text-align: left">
<tr>
<td width="8%"></td>
<td width="92%"></td>
</tr>
<tr valign="top">
<td>
<b><font style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times">Note C.  </font></b>
</td>
<td>
<b><i><font style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times">Exploratory
well costs</font></i></b>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt"> 
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 4%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent">
The Company capitalizes exploratory well costs until a
determination is made that the well has either found proved
reserves or that it is impaired. The capitalized exploratory
well costs are presented in unproved properties in the
consolidated balance sheets. If the exploratory well is
determined to be impaired, the well costs are charged to expense.
</div>
<div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt"> 
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 4%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent">
The following table reflects the Company’s capitalized
exploratory well activity during each of the years ended
December 31, 2010, 2009, and 2008:
</div>
<div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt"> 
</div>
<table border="0" width="100%" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent; text-align: left">
<!-- Table Width Row BEGIN -->
<tr style="font-size: 1pt" valign="bottom">
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<td width="2%"> </td><!-- colindex=02 type=gutter -->
<td width="1%" align="right"> </td><!-- colindex=02 type=lead -->
<td width="6%" align="right"> </td><!-- colindex=02 type=body -->
<td width="1%" align="left"> </td><!-- colindex=02 type=hang1 -->
<td width="3%"> </td><!-- colindex=03 type=gutter -->
<td width="1%" align="right"> </td><!-- colindex=03 type=lead -->
<td width="6%" align="right"> </td><!-- colindex=03 type=body -->
<td width="1%" align="left"> </td><!-- colindex=03 type=hang1 -->
<td width="3%"> </td><!-- colindex=04 type=gutter -->
<td width="1%" align="right"> </td><!-- colindex=04 type=lead -->
<td width="5%" align="right"> </td><!-- colindex=04 type=body -->
<td width="1%" align="left"> </td><!-- colindex=04 type=hang1 -->
</tr>
<!-- Table Width Row END -->
<!-- TableOutputHead -->
<tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom" align="center">
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td colspan="10" align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000">
<b>Years Ended December 31,</b>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom" align="center">
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000">
<b>2010</b>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000">
<b>2009</b>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000">
<b>2008</b>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom" align="center">
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td colspan="10" align="center" valign="bottom">
<b>(In thousands)</b>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="line-height: 3pt; font-size: 1pt">
<td> 
</td>
</tr>
<!-- TableOutputBody -->
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td align="left" valign="bottom">
<div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 10pt">
Beginning capitalized exploratory well costs
</div>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
$
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
8,668
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
$
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
25,553
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
$
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
21,056
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom">
<td align="left" valign="bottom">
<div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 20pt">
Additions to exploratory well costs pending the determination of
proved reserves
</div>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
175,343
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
135,656
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
25,621
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td align="left" valign="bottom">
<div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 20pt">
Reclassifications due to determination of proved reserves
</div>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
(137,185
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
)
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
(152,200
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
)
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
(18,327
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
)
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom">
<td align="left" valign="bottom">
<div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 20pt">
Exploratory well costs charged to expense
</div>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
—
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
(341
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
)
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
(2,797
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
)
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="font-size: 1pt">
<td>
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td align="left" valign="bottom">
<div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 10pt">
Ending capitalized exploratory well costs
</div>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
$
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
46,826
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
$
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
8,668
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
$
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
25,553
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="font-size: 1pt">
<td>
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 0%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent">
</div>
<div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt"> 
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 4%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent">
The following table provides an aging at December 31, 2010
and 2009 of capitalized exploratory well costs based on the date
the drilling was completed:
</div>
<div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt"> 
</div>
<table border="0" width="100%" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent; text-align: left">
<!-- Table Width Row BEGIN -->
<tr style="font-size: 1pt" valign="bottom">
<td width="83%"> </td><!-- colindex=01 type=maindata -->
<td width="2%"> </td><!-- colindex=02 type=gutter -->
<td width="1%" align="right"> </td><!-- colindex=02 type=lead -->
<td width="5%" align="right"> </td><!-- colindex=02 type=body -->
<td width="1%" align="left"> </td><!-- colindex=02 type=hang1 -->
<td width="3%"> </td><!-- colindex=03 type=gutter -->
<td width="1%" align="right"> </td><!-- colindex=03 type=lead -->
<td width="3%" align="right"> </td><!-- colindex=03 type=body -->
<td width="1%" align="left"> </td><!-- colindex=03 type=hang1 -->
</tr>
<!-- Table Width Row END -->
<!-- TableOutputHead -->
<tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom" align="center">
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td colspan="6" align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000">
<b>December 31,</b>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom" align="center">
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000">
<b>2010</b>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000">
<b>2009</b>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom" align="center">
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td colspan="6" align="center" valign="bottom">
<b>(In thousands)</b>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="line-height: 3pt; font-size: 1pt">
<td> 
</td>
</tr>
<!-- TableOutputBody -->
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td align="left" valign="bottom">
<div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 10pt">
Wells in drilling progress
</div>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
$
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
19,190
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
$
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
1,767
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom">
<td align="left" valign="bottom">
<div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 10pt">
Capitalized exploratory well costs that have been capitalized
for a period of one year or less
</div>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
27,636
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
6,901
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td align="left" valign="bottom">
<div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 10pt">
Capitalized exploratory well costs that have been capitalized
for a period greater than one year
</div>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
—
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
—
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="font-size: 1pt">
<td>
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom">
<td align="left" valign="bottom">
<div style="text-indent: -10pt; margin-left: 20pt">
Total capitalized exploratory well costs
</div>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
$
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
46,826
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
$
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="right" valign="bottom">
8,668
</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left" valign="bottom">
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="font-size: 1pt">
<td>
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">
 
</td>
<td style="border-top: 3px double #000000">
 
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 0%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent">
</div>
<div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 1pt"> 
</div>
<div align="left" style="margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 0%; text-indent: 4%; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; color: #000000; background: transparent">
At December 31, 2010, the Company had 48 gross
exploratory wells either drilling or waiting on results from
completion. There were 10 wells in the New Mexico Shelf
area, 12 wells in Delaware Basin area, 23 wells in the
Texas Permian area and 3 wells in our other non-core areas.
</div>
</div>
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<!-- Begin Block Tagged Notefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse | Otherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringThis block of text may be used to disclose parts or all of the information related to suspended well costs.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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