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3. Goodwill and Intangible Assets

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Goodwill And Intangible Assets Disclosure Abstract

3. Goodwill

The following presents our goodwill balance allocated by segment and changes in the balance for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012:

	Natural		Regulated
	Gas		Transmission
	Distribution		and Storage		Nonregulated		Total
	(In thousands)

Balance as of September 30, 2011	$	572,908	$	132,381	$	34,711	$	740,000
Deferred tax adjustments on prior acquisitions⁽¹⁾		642		41		-		683
Balance as of September 30, 2012	$	573,550	$	132,422	$	34,711	$	740,683

(1) During the preparation of the fiscal 2012 tax provision, we adjusted certain deferred taxes recorded in connection with acquisitions completed in fiscal 2001and fiscal 2004, which resulted in an increase to goodwill and net deferred tax liabilities of $0.7 million.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the aggregate amount of goodwill and a description of intangible assets, which may include (a) for amortizable intangible assets (also referred to as finite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, the amount of any significant residual value, and the weighted-average amortization period, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization (also referred to as indefinite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, and (c) the amount of research and development assets acquired and written off in the period, including the line item in the income statement in which the amounts written off are aggregated, if not readily apparent from the income statement. Also discloses (a) for amortizable intangibles assets in total and by major class, the gross carrying amount and accumulated amortization, the total amortization expense for the period, and the estimated aggregate amortization expense for each of the five succeeding fiscal years, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization the carrying amount in total and by major class, and (c) for goodwill, in total and for each reportable segment, the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill during the period (including the aggregate amount of goodwill acquired, the aggregate amount of impairment losses recognized, and the amount of goodwill included in the gain (loss) on disposal of a reporting unit). If any part of goodwill has not been allocated to a reportable segment, discloses the unallocated amount and the reasons for not allocating. For each impairment loss recognized related to an intangible asset (excluding goodwill), discloses: (a) a description of the impaired intangible asset and the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method for determining fair value, (c) the caption in the income statement or the statement of activities in which the impairment loss is aggregated, and (d) the segment in which the impaired intangible asset is reported. For each goodwill impairment loss recognized, discloses: (a) a description of the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method of determining the fair value of the associated reporting unit, and (c) if a recognized impairment loss is an estimate not finalized and the reasons why the estimate is not final. May also disclose the nature and amount of any significant adjustments made to a previous estimate of an impairment loss.

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