Financial Data Associated with Unevaluated Costs (Detail) (Unevaluated Costs, USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Unevaluated Costs
Capitalized Costs of Unproved Properties Excluded from Amortization [Line Items]
Acquisition costs	$ 258,580
Exploration costs	108,248
Capitalized interest	80,967
Total unevaluated costs	447,795
Acquisition costs	43,544	39,984	104,154	70,898
Exploration costs	81,246	2,335	5,151	19,516
Capitalized interest	30,989	27,818	13,762	8,398
Total unevaluated costs	$ 155,779	$ 70,137	$ 123,067	$ 98,812

The capitalized costs incurred during the period (excluded from amortization) in identifying areas that may warrant examination and in examining specific areas that are considered to have prospects of containing oil and gas reserves, including costs of drilling exploratory wells and exploratory-type stratigraphic test wells. Exploration costs may be incurred both before acquiring the related property (sometimes referred to in part as prospecting costs) and after acquiring the property. Principal types of exploration costs, which include depreciation and applicable operating costs of support equipment and facilities and other costs of exploration activities, are: costs of topographical, geographical and geophysical studies, rights of access to properties to conduct those studies, and salaries and other expenses of geologists, geophysical crews, and others conducting those studies. Collectively, these are sometimes referred to as geological and geophysical or "G&G" costs. Exploration costs also include costs of carrying and retaining undeveloped properties, such as delay rentals, ad valorem taxes on properties, legal costs for title defense, the maintenance of land and lease records, dry hole contributions and bottom hole contributions, costs of drilling and equipping exploratory wells and costs of drilling exploratory-type stratigraphic test wells.

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The capitalized costs incurred (excluded from amortization), as of the date of the balance sheet, in identifying areas that may warrant examination and in examining specific areas that are considered to have prospects of containing oil and gas reserves, including costs of drilling exploratory wells and exploratory-type stratigraphic test wells. Exploration costs may be incurred both before acquiring the related property (sometimes referred to in part as prospecting costs) and after acquiring the property. Principal types of exploration costs, which include depreciation and applicable operating costs of support equipment and facilities and other costs of exploration activities, are: costs of topographical, geographical and geophysical studies, rights of access to properties to conduct those studies, and salaries and other expenses of geologists, geophysical crews, and others conducting those studies. Collectively, these are sometimes referred to as geological and geophysical or "G&G" costs. Exploration costs also include costs of carrying and retaining undeveloped properties, such as delay rentals, ad valorem taxes on properties, legal costs for title defense, the maintenance of land and lease records, dry hole contributions and bottom hole contributions, costs of drilling and equipping exploratory wells and costs of drilling exploratory-type stratigraphic test wells.

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