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Fair Value
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block]
8.  Fair Value
 
As defined in FASB ASC 820, fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.  The Company utilizes market data or assumptions that the Company believes market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk and the risks inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique.  FASB ASC 820 establishes a three-tiered fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:
 
Level 1 - Observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets;
 
Level 2 - Inputs, other than quoted prices, that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets and quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active; and
 
Level 3 - Unobservable inputs in which there is little or no market data, which require the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.  Included in this category is the Company's determination of the value of its asset retirement obligation liability.  The obligation has increased $18,311 during the six months ended June 30, 2013 as a result of normal accretion expense and the drilling of a new well.
 
The carrying amount of our cash and cash equivalents, short and long term investments reported in the balance sheets approximates fair value because of the short maturity of those instruments.
 
Fair Value on Nonrecurring Basis
 
Certain assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in accordance with GAAP (for example, when there is evidence of impairment). There were no instances of impairment recorded in the quarter ending June 30, 2013.