Basis of Presentation (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

The unaudited condensed financial statements and notes should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, included in the 2013 Annual Report of Energen Corporation (the Company) and Alabama Gas Corporation (Alagasco) on Form 10-K. Alagasco has a September 30 fiscal year for rate-setting purposes (rate year) and reports on a calendar year for the Securities and Exchange Commission and all other financial accounting reporting purposes. The accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the disclosures required for complete financial statements. The Company’s natural gas distribution business is seasonal in character and influenced by weather conditions. Results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year. All adjustments to the unaudited condensed financial statements that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim periods have been recorded. Such adjustments consist of normal recurring items.

Derivatives

Energen Resources Corporation, Energen’s oil and gas subsidiary, periodically enters into derivative commodity instruments to hedge its exposure to price fluctuations on oil, natural gas liquids and natural gas production. Such instruments may include over-the-counter (OTC) swaps and basis swaps typically executed with investment and commercial banks and energy-trading firms. Derivative transactions are pursuant to standing authorizations by the Board of Directors, which do not authorize speculative positions.

The Company is at risk for economic loss based upon the creditworthiness of its counterparties. Energen Resources was in a net gain position with two of its active counterparties and in a net loss position with the remaining twelve at March 31, 2014. The largest counterparty net gain position at March 31, 2014, Macquarie Bank Limited, constituted approximately $3.0 million of Energen Resources’ total net loss on fair value of derivatives.

The current policy of the Company is to not enter into agreements that require the posting of collateral. The majority of the Company’s counterparty agreements include provisions for net settlement of transactions payable on the same date and in the same currency. Most of the agreements include various contractual set-off rights, which may be exercised by the non-defaulting party in the event of an early termination due to a default.

Prior to June 30, 2013, the Company utilized cash flow hedge accounting where applicable for its derivative transactions. The effective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative instrument was recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income as a component of shareholders’ equity and subsequently reclassified as operating revenues when the forecasted transaction affects earnings. The ineffective portion of a derivative’s change in fair value was required to be recognized in operating revenues immediately. All other derivative transactions not designated as cash flow hedge accounting are accounted for as mark-to-market transactions with gains or losses recognized in operating revenues in the period of change.

Effective March 31, 2013 and June 30, 2013, Energen Resources dedesignated from cash flow hedge accounting 5,078 thousand barrels (MBbl) and 2,353 MBbl, respectively, of various New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) oil contracts associated with the Permian Basin due to lack of correlation. Gains and losses from inception of the hedge to the dedesignation date were frozen and will remain in accumulated other comprehensive income until the forecasted transactions actually occur. Subsequent gains or losses will be accounted for as mark-to-market and recognized immediately through operating revenues.

Effective June 30, 2013, the Company elected to discontinue the use of cash flow hedge accounting and to dedesignate all remaining derivative commodity instruments that were previously designated as cash flow hedges. As a result of discontinuing hedge accounting, any gains or losses from inception of the hedge to June 30, 2013 were frozen and will remain in accumulated other comprehensive income until the forecasted transactions actually occur. Any subsequent gains or losses will be accounted for as mark-to-market and recognized immediately through operating revenues. As a result of the Company’s election to discontinue hedge accounting, all derivative transactions entered into subsequent to June 30, 2013 will be accounted for as mark-to-market transactions with gains or losses recognized in operating revenues in the period of change.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-08, Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity. This update defines a discontinued operation as a disposal of a component or a group of components that is disposed of or is classified as held-for-sale and represents a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results. The amendment is effective for all annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this ASU.