Commitments and Contingencies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies Included below is a discussion of various future commitments of the Company as of September 30, 2014. The commitments under these arrangements are not recorded in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. Drilling commitments – As of September 30, 2014, the Company had drilling rig contracts with various terms extending through July 2018. These contracts were entered into in the ordinary course of business to ensure rig availability to allow the Company to execute its business objectives in its key strategic plays. Future commitments as of September 30, 2014 total approximately $675 million, of which $66 million is expected to be incurred in the remainder of 2014, $246 million in 2015, $213 million in 2016, $122 million in 2017, and $28 million in 2018. Pipeline transportation commitments – The Company has entered into firm transportation commitments to guarantee pipeline access capacity on operational crude oil and natural gas pipelines in order to reduce the impact of possible production curtailments that may arise due to limited transportation capacity. The commitments, which have varying terms extending as far as 2025, require the Company to pay per-unit transportation charges regardless of the amount of pipeline capacity used. Future commitments remaining as of September 30, 2014 under the operational pipeline transportation arrangements amount to approximately $1.0 billion, of which $40 million is expected to be incurred in the remainder of 2014, $181 million in 2015, $186 million in 2016, $180 million in 2017, $175 million in 2018, and $241 million thereafter. Further, the Company is a party to an additional firm transportation commitment for a future crude oil pipeline project being considered for development that is not yet operational. The project requires the granting of regulatory approvals and requires additional construction efforts by the counterparty before being completed. Future commitments under the non-operational arrangement total approximately $260 million at September 30, 2014. This commitment represents aggregate transportation charges expected to be incurred over the five year term beginning when the proposed pipeline project is completed and becomes operational. The exact timing of the commencement of pipeline operations is not known due to uncertainties involving matters such as regulatory approvals, resolution of legal and environmental disputes, construction progress, and the ultimate probability of pipeline completion. Accordingly, the timing of the Company’s obligations under this non-operational arrangement cannot be predicted with certainty and may not be incurred on a ratable basis over a calendar year or may not be incurred at all. The Company’s pipeline commitments are for production primarily in the North region where the Company allocates a significant portion of its capital expenditures. The Company is not committed under these contracts to deliver fixed and determinable quantities of crude oil or natural gas in the future. Cost sharing commitment – The Company has entered into an arrangement to share certain costs associated with a local utility company's construction and installation of electrical infrastructure that will provide service to parts of North Dakota where the Company operates. This arrangement extends through January 2016 and requires the Company to make scheduled periodic payments based on the projected total cost of the project and the progress of construction. Future commitments under the arrangement as of September 30, 2014 total approximately $13 million, of which $3 million is expected to be incurred in the remainder of 2014, $8 million in 2015, and $2 million in 2016. Litigation – In November 2010, an alleged class action was filed against the Company alleging the Company improperly deducted post-production costs from royalties paid to plaintiffs and other royalty interest owners as categorized in the petition from crude oil and natural gas wells located in Oklahoma. The plaintiffs have alleged a number of claims, including breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, and other claims and seek recovery of compensatory damages, interest, punitive damages and attorney fees on behalf of the alleged class. The Company has responded to the petition, denied the allegations and raised a number of affirmative defenses. Discovery is ongoing and information and documents continue to be exchanged. The Company is not currently able to estimate a reasonably possible loss or range of loss or what impact, if any, the action will have on its financial condition, results of operations or cash flows due to the preliminary status of the matter, the complexity and number of legal and factual issues presented by the matter and uncertainties with respect to, among other things, the nature of the claims and defenses, the potential size of the class, the scope and types of the properties and agreements involved, the production years involved, and the ultimate potential outcome of the matter. The class has not been certified. Plaintiffs have indicated that if the class is certified they may seek damages in excess of $165 million which may increase with the passage of time, a majority of which would be comprised of interest. The Company disputes plaintiffs’ claims, disputes that the case meets the requirements for a class action and is vigorously defending the case. The Company is involved in various other legal proceedings including, but not limited to, commercial disputes, claims from royalty and surface owners, property damage claims, personal injury claims and other matters. While the outcome of these legal matters cannot be predicted with certainty, the Company does not expect them to have a material effect on its financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. As of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the Company had recorded a liability in the condensed consolidated balance sheets under the caption “Other noncurrent liabilities” of $2.9 million and $1.7 million, respectively, for various matters, none of which are believed to be individually significant. Environmental risk – Due to the nature of the crude oil and natural gas business, the Company is exposed to possible environmental risks. The Company is not aware of any material environmental issues or claims.

Commitments and Contingencies

Included below is a discussion of various future commitments of the Company as of September 30, 2014. The commitments under these arrangements are not recorded in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Drilling commitments – As of September 30, 2014, the Company had drilling rig contracts with various terms extending through July 2018. These contracts were entered into in the ordinary course of business to ensure rig availability to allow the Company to execute its business objectives in its key strategic plays. Future commitments as of September 30, 2014 total approximately $675 million, of which $66 million is expected to be incurred in the remainder of 2014, $246 million in 2015, $213 million in 2016, $122 million in 2017, and $28 million in 2018.

Pipeline transportation commitments – The Company has entered into firm transportation commitments to guarantee pipeline access capacity on operational crude oil and natural gas pipelines in order to reduce the impact of possible production curtailments that may arise due to limited transportation capacity. The commitments, which have varying terms extending as far as 2025, require the Company to pay per-unit transportation charges regardless of the amount of pipeline capacity used. Future commitments remaining as of September 30, 2014 under the operational pipeline transportation arrangements amount to approximately $1.0 billion, of which $40 million is expected to be incurred in the remainder of 2014, $181 million in 2015, $186 million in 2016, $180 million in 2017, $175 million in 2018, and $241 million thereafter.

Further, the Company is a party to an additional firm transportation commitment for a future crude oil pipeline project being considered for development that is not yet operational. The project requires the granting of regulatory approvals and requires additional construction efforts by the counterparty before being completed. Future commitments under the non-operational arrangement total approximately $260 million at September 30, 2014. This commitment represents aggregate transportation charges expected to be incurred over the five year term beginning when the proposed pipeline project is completed and becomes operational. The exact timing of the commencement of pipeline operations is not known due to uncertainties involving matters such as regulatory approvals, resolution of legal and environmental disputes, construction progress, and the ultimate probability of pipeline completion. Accordingly, the timing of the Company’s obligations under this non-operational arrangement cannot be predicted with certainty and may not be incurred on a ratable basis over a calendar year or may not be incurred at all.

The Company’s pipeline commitments are for production primarily in the North region where the Company allocates a significant portion of its capital expenditures. The Company is not committed under these contracts to deliver fixed and determinable quantities of crude oil or natural gas in the future.

Cost sharing commitment – The Company has entered into an arrangement to share certain costs associated with a local utility company's construction and installation of electrical infrastructure that will provide service to parts of North Dakota where the Company operates. This arrangement extends through January 2016 and requires the Company to make scheduled periodic payments based on the projected total cost of the project and the progress of construction. Future commitments under the arrangement as of September 30, 2014 total approximately $13 million, of which $3 million is expected to be incurred in the remainder of 2014, $8 million in 2015, and $2 million in 2016.

Litigation – In November 2010, an alleged class action was filed against the Company alleging the Company improperly deducted post-production costs from royalties paid to plaintiffs and other royalty interest owners as categorized in the petition from crude oil and natural gas wells located in Oklahoma. The plaintiffs have alleged a number of claims, including breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, and other claims and seek recovery of compensatory damages, interest, punitive damages and attorney fees on behalf of the alleged class. The Company has responded to the petition, denied the allegations and raised a number of affirmative defenses. Discovery is ongoing and information and documents continue to be exchanged. The Company is not currently able to estimate a reasonably possible loss or range of loss or what impact, if any, the action will have on its financial condition, results of operations or cash flows due to the preliminary status of the matter, the complexity and number of legal and factual issues presented by the matter and uncertainties with respect to, among other things, the nature of the claims and defenses, the potential size of the class, the scope and types of the properties and agreements involved, the production years involved, and the ultimate potential outcome of the matter. The class has not been certified. Plaintiffs have indicated that if the class is certified they may seek damages in excess of $165 million which may increase with the passage of time, a majority of which would be comprised of interest. The Company disputes plaintiffs’ claims, disputes that the case meets the requirements for a class action and is vigorously defending the case.

The Company is involved in various other legal proceedings including, but not limited to, commercial disputes, claims from royalty and surface owners, property damage claims, personal injury claims and other matters. While the outcome of these legal matters cannot be predicted with certainty, the Company does not expect them to have a material effect on its financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. As of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the Company had recorded a liability in the condensed consolidated balance sheets under the caption “Other noncurrent liabilities” of $2.9 million and $1.7 million, respectively, for various matters, none of which are believed to be individually significant.

Environmental risk – Due to the nature of the crude oil and natural gas business, the Company is exposed to possible environmental risks. The Company is not aware of any material environmental issues or claims.