VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES ("VIE") - Summary of assets and liabilities of lessor VIEs (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Restricted cash	$ 486,426	$ 397,815
Long-term interest bearing debt - non-current portion	1,835,102	1,025,914
Total liabilities	2,980,804	2,967,983
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Restricted cash	176,428	130,063
Short-term interest bearing debt	646,513	833,664
Long-term interest bearing debt - non-current portion	1,200,774	252,691
Total liabilities	1,847,287	$ 1,086,355
ICBC Finance Leasing Co. Ltd Agreement \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary \| Golar Glacier
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Restricted cash	21,170
Short-term interest bearing debt	39,319
Long-term interest bearing debt - non-current portion	114,093
Total liabilities	153,412
ICBC Finance Leasing Co. Ltd Agreement \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary \| Golar Kelvin
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Restricted cash	71,924
Short-term interest bearing debt	182,540
Long-term interest bearing debt - non-current portion	0
Total liabilities	182,540
ICBC Finance Leasing Co. Ltd Agreement \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary \| Golar Snow
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Restricted cash	19,294
Short-term interest bearing debt	30,404
Long-term interest bearing debt - non-current portion	123,267
Total liabilities	153,671
ICBC Finance Leasing Co. Ltd Agreement \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary \| Golar Ice
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Restricted cash	8
Short-term interest bearing debt	117,888
Long-term interest bearing debt - non-current portion	0
Total liabilities	117,888
CMBL Lessor VIE \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary \| Golar Tundra
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Restricted cash	0
Short-term interest bearing debt	121,741
Long-term interest bearing debt - non-current portion	0
Total liabilities	121,741
CCBFL Lessor Agreement \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary \| Golar Seal
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Restricted cash	3,405
Short-term interest bearing debt	0
Long-term interest bearing debt - non-current portion	123,524
Total liabilities	123,524
COSCO Shipping Lessor Agreement \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary \| Golar Crystal
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Restricted cash	3,186
Short-term interest bearing debt	5,741
Long-term interest bearing debt - non-current portion	90,790
Total liabilities	96,531
China State Shipbuilding Corporation, CSSC \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary \| Hilli
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Restricted cash	57,441
Short-term interest bearing debt	148,880
Long-term interest bearing debt - non-current portion	749,100
Total liabilities	$ 897,980

Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all liabilities that are recognized. Liabilities are probable future sacrifices of economic benefits arising from present obligations of an entity to transfer assets or provide services to other entities in the future.

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