Asset Retirement Obligations (Tables) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Asset retirement obligations table
Beginning balance	$ 230,834	$ 236,418	$ 272,815	$ 224,110
Activity in the period
Accretion of liability	1,264	1,350	3,158	2,698
Retirement obligations incurred	0	0	0	0
Revisions in estimated cash flows	16,045	4,902	25,809	22,184
Settlement of retirement obligations	(103,618)	(26,523)	(157,257)	(32,845)
Ending balance	$ 144,525	$ 216,147	$ 144,525	$ 216,147

- Definition

Amount of accretion expense recognized in the income statement during the period that is associated with asset retirement obligations. Accretion expense measures and incorporates changes due to the passage of time into the carrying amount of the liability. Such accretion expense representing changes in the liability for an asset retirement obligation due to passage of time is the result of applying an interest method of allocation to the amount of the liability at the beginning of the period. The interest rate used to measure that change shall be the credit-adjusted risk-free rate that existed when the liability, or portion thereof, was initially measured. That amount shall be recognized as an increase in the carrying amount of the liability and as an expense classified as an operating item in the statement of income. Accretion expense shall not be considered to be interest cost for purposes of capitalization of interest.

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