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Asset Retirement Obligations (Tables)
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Asset Retirement Obligations [Abstract]  
Schedule Of Asset Retirement Obligations
     Three Months Ended
March  31,		  
     2012     2011  
     (In thousands)  

ARO liability, January 1:

    $ 96,446      $ 69,265   

Accretion of discount

      1,101        874   

Liability incurred

      1,204        1,559   

Liability settled

      (1,052 )      (359 ) 

Revision of estimates

      (5,050 )(1)      (1 ) 
  

 

 

    

 

 

  

ARO liability, March 31:

      92,649        71,338   

Less current portion

      2,904        1,836   
  

 

 

    

 

 

  

Total long-term plugging liability

    $ 89,745      $ 69,502   
  

 

 

    

 

 

  

  (1) Plugging liability estimates were revised in March 2012 for updates in the cost of services used to plug wells over the preceding year. Although cost per well increased, a slight decrease in the inflation factor resulted in a decrease in estimated cost.