2.2.0.25falsefalse006180 - Disclosure - COMMITMENTStruefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $c00032http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000072020duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00u000Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170u001Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0u002Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0gas_NotesToFinancialStatementsAbstractgasfalsenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalseNotes to Financial Statements [Abstract]3false0us-gaap_CommitmentsDisclosureTextBlockus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><table style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" align="center" border="0"><tr style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="top"><td style="WIDTH: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">17.</font></div></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">COMMITMENTS</font></div></td></tr></table></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><br /></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">At December 31, 2010, Nicor had purchase commitments with payments due as follows (in millions):</font></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><br /></div><div style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" align="center"><table style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"><tr style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" width="18%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">  </font></td><td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid" valign="bottom" width="9%" colspan="2"><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Unconditional purchase obligations</font></div></td><td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid" valign="bottom" width="9%" colspan="2"><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Operating leases</font></div></td><td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td></tr><tr><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" width="18%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">  </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" width="9%" colspan="2"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" width="9%" colspan="2"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td></tr><tr bgcolor="#e2eef5"><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="18%"><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">2011</font></div></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$</font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: right" valign="bottom" width="8%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">45.6</font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$</font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: right" valign="bottom" width="8%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">17.5</font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td></tr><tr bgcolor="white"><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="18%"><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">2012</font></div></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: right" valign="bottom" width="8%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="MARGIN-LEFT: 11.35pt"></font>6.3</font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: right" valign="bottom" width="8%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="MARGIN-LEFT: 4.7pt"></font>10.1</font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td></tr><tr bgcolor="#e2eef5"><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="18%"><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">2013</font></div></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: right" valign="bottom" width="8%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="MARGIN-LEFT: 11.35pt"></font>1.8</font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: right" valign="bottom" width="8%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="MARGIN-LEFT: 11.35pt"></font>4.6</font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td></tr><tr bgcolor="white"><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="18%"><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">2014</font></div></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: right" valign="bottom" width="8%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="MARGIN-LEFT: 11.35pt"></font>1.5</font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: right" valign="bottom" width="8%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="MARGIN-LEFT: 11.35pt"></font>3.0</font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td></tr><tr bgcolor="#e2eef5"><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="18%"><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">2015</font></div></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: right" valign="bottom" width="8%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="MARGIN-LEFT: 11.35pt"></font>1.6</font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: right" valign="bottom" width="8%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="MARGIN-LEFT: 11.35pt"></font>2.3</font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td></tr><tr bgcolor="white"><td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="18%"><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">After 2015</font></div></td><td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid; TEXT-ALIGN: right" valign="bottom" width="8%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="MARGIN-LEFT: 11.35pt"></font>1.6</font></td><td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid; TEXT-ALIGN: right" valign="bottom" width="8%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="MARGIN-LEFT: 4.7pt"></font>11.5</font></td><td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td></tr><tr bgcolor="#e2eef5"><td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" width="18%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">  </font></td><td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$</font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double; TEXT-ALIGN: right" valign="bottom" width="8%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">58.4</font></td><td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="bottom" align="left" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$</font></td><td style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 4px double; TEXT-ALIGN: right" valign="bottom" width="8%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">49.0</font></td><td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: left" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> </font></td></tr></table></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><br /></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Unconditional purchase obligations consist of a natural gas transportation agreement and property, plant and equipment purchases.  Operating leases are primarily for vessels, containers and equipment in the shipping business, office space and equipment in the gas distribution business and office space for the company’s other energy ventures.</font></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"> </div><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Tropical Shipping has certain equipment operating leases which include escalation clauses for adjusting rent to reflect changes in price indices, various renewal options and options to purchase leased equipment.  Rental expense under operating leases was $25.7 million, $31.4 million and $41.7 million in 2010, 2009 and 2008, respectively.</font></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><br /></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The Merger Agreement contains termination rights for both Nicor and AGL Resources and provides that if Nicor terminates the Merger Agreement under specified circumstances, Nicor may be required to pay a termination fee of $67 million.</font></div>17.COMMITMENTSAt December 31, 2010, Nicor had purchase commitments with payments due as follows (in millions):   Unconditional purchasefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringDescription of significant arrangements with third parties, which includes operating lease arrangements and arrangements in which the entity has agreed to expend funds to procure goods or services, or has agreed to commit resources to supply goods or services, and operating lease arrangements. Descriptions may include identification of the specific goods and services, period of time covered, minimum quantities and amounts, and cancellation rights.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 25 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 17 -Article 9 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 19 -Article 7 falsefalseCOMMITMENTS12COMMITMENTSUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue