Commitments and Contingencies

Transportation and Gathering Agreements

The Company has entered into certain natural gas and oil transportation and gathering agreements with various pipeline carriers. Under certain of these agreements, the Company is obligated to ship minimum daily quantities, or pay for any deficiencies at a specified rate. The Company's forecasted production to be shipped on these pipelines is expected to exceed minimum daily quantities provided in the agreements. The Company is also obligated under certain of these arrangements to pay a demand charge for firm capacity rights on pipeline systems regardless of the amount of pipeline capacity utilized by the Company. If the Company does not utilize the capacity, it can release it to others, thus reducing its potential liability.

As of December 31, 2017, the Company's future minimum obligations under transportation and gathering agreements are as follows:



(In thousands)
2018	$	105,478
2019	163,017
2020	157,654
2021	157,224
2022	157,224
Thereafter	1,004,087
	$	1,744,684

Lease Commitments

The Company leases certain office space, warehouse facilities, vehicles, machinery and equipment under cancelable and non-cancelable leases. Rent expense under these arrangements totaled $9.7 million, $10.7 million and $13.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Future minimum rental commitments under non-cancelable leases in effect at December 31, 2017 are as follows:



(In thousands)
2018	$	6,541
2019	6,308
2020	5,990
2021	4,903
2022	1,720
Thereafter	4,543
	$	30,005

Legal Matters

The Company is a defendant in various legal proceedings arising in the normal course of business. All known liabilities are accrued when management determines they are probable based on its best estimate of the potential loss. While the outcome and impact of these legal proceedings on the Company cannot be predicted with certainty, management believes that the resolution of these proceedings will not have a material effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Contingency Reserves

When deemed necessary, the Company establishes reserves for certain legal proceedings. The establishment of a reserve is based on an estimation process that includes the advice of legal counsel and subjective judgment of management. While management believes these reserves to be adequate, it is reasonably possible that the Company could incur additional losses with respect to those matters in which reserves have been established. The Company believes that any such amount above the amounts accrued would not be material to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Future changes in facts and circumstances not currently foreseeable could result in the actual liability exceeding the estimated ranges of loss and amounts accrued.