Earnings Per Share (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Earnings Per Share [Abstract]

Earnings Per Share Table

	For the three months ended		For the nine months ended
	September 30,		September 30,
	2011	2010	2011	2010
Net income attributable to Southwestern Energy (in thousands)	$        175,173	$         160,741	$        479,236	$       454,607
Number of common shares:
Weighted average outstanding	347,239,793	345,587,569	347,070,330	345,326,985
Issued upon assumed exercise of outstanding stock options	2,490,783	3,438,923	2,591,687	3,747,293
Effect of issuance of nonvested restricted common stock	268,213	202,084	229,868	234,679
Weighted average and potential dilutive outstanding(1)	349,998,789	349,228,576	349,891,885	349,308,957
Earnings per share:
Net income attributable to Southwestern  Energy stockholders - basic	$             0.50	$             0.47	$             1.38	$             1.32
Net income attributable to Southwestern  Energy stockholders - diluted	$             0.50	$             0.46	$             1.37	$             1.30