INCOME TAXES Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]

The table below presents the components of our provision for income taxes from continuing operations for the years presented:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2012			2011			2010
	(in thousands)
Current:
Federal	$	—		$	3,172		$	1,616
State	(199		)	172			(904		)
Total current income taxes	(199		)	3,344			712
Deferred:
Federal	78,425			(2,868		)	(3,990		)
State	10,609			(293		)	2,626
Total deferred income taxes	89,034			(3,161		)	(1,364		)
Provision for income taxes from continuing operations	$	88,835		$	183		$	(652	)

Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

The following table presents a reconciliation of the statutory rate to the effective tax rate related to our provision for income taxes from continuing operations:

	Year Ended December, 31,
	2012		2011		2010
Statutory tax rate	35.0	%	35.0	%	35.0	%
State income tax, net	2.9		(9.4	)	1.3
Percentage depletion	0.3		(29.5	)	(11.3	)
Non-deductible compensation	(0.1	)	—		4.4
Non-deductible meals and entertainment	(0.1	)	3.1		1.2
State deferred rate change	—		15.4		(26.2	)
Unrecognized tax benefits	—		(30.3	)	2.4
State tax credits	—		—		(3.3	)
Federal return examination adjustments	—		4.2		4.7
Return to provision adjustments	—		3.7		—
Other	—		1.5		1.5
Effective tax rate	38.0	%	(6.3	)%	9.7	%

Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]

The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities at December 31, 2012 and 2011 are presented below:

	As of December 31,
	2012		2011
	(in thousands)
Deferred tax assets:
Provision for underpayment of natural gas sales	$	—	$	3,334
Deferred compensation	7,216		4,319
Asset retirement obligations	10,325		9,438
State NOL and tax credit carryforwards, net	6,117		5,240
Percentage depletion - carryforward	4,702		3,733
Alternative minimum tax - credit carryforward	2,351		2,351
Federal NOL carryforward	21,281		12,210
Other	2,276		2,621
Deferred tax assets	54,268		43,246
Deferred tax liabilities:
Properties and equipment	122,742		184,657
Investment in PDCM	31,445		30,919
Unrealized gains - derivatives	7,163		12,612
Convertible debt	5,194		6,504
Total gross deferred tax liabilities	166,544		234,692
Net deferred tax liability	$	112,276	$	191,446
Classification in the balance sheets:
Deferred income tax assets	$	36,151	$	16,127
Deferred income tax liability	148,427		207,573
Net deferred tax liability	$	112,276	$	191,446

Schedule Of Unrecognized Tax Benefits RollForward [Table Text Block]

The following table presents a reconciliation of the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits:

	2012		2011			2010
	(in thousands)
Balance beginning of year, January 1	$	179	$	1,093		$	566
Additions for tax positions of prior years	—		—			253
Additions for tax positions of current year	—		—			274
Reductions due to settlements	—		(782		)	—
Reductions due to lapse of statute of limitations	—		(132		)	—
Balance end of year, December 31	$	179	$	179		$	1,093