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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation and Nature of Operations Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation and its subsidiaries (the Company) are engaged in the development, exploitation, exploration, production and marketing of natural gas, and to a lesser extent oil and NGLs, exclusively within the continental United States. The Company's exploration and development activities are concentrated in areas with known hydrocarbon resources, which are conducive to multi-well, repeatable drilling programs. The Company operates in one segment, natural gas and oil development, exploitation, exploration and production. The Company's oil and gas properties are managed as a whole rather than through discrete operating segments or business units. Operational information is tracked by geographic area; however, financial performance is assessed as a single enterprise and not on a geographic basis. Allocation of resources is made on a project basis across the Company's entire portfolio without regard to geographic areas. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries after eliminating all significant intercompany balances and transactions. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year statements to conform with the current year presentation. These reclassifications have no impact on previously reported stockholders' equity, net income (loss) or cash flows. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements Revenue Recognition. In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Boards (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 606, as subsequently amended). ASC 606 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605 Revenue Recognition (ASC 605), and requires entities to recognize revenue when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to customers at an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. The Company adopted ASC 606 as of January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method. The adoption of ASC 606 also included the adoption and modification of other guidance, particularly the creation of ASC 340-40 on costs to obtain or fulfill contracts with customers and ASC 610-20 on gains or losses on derecognition of nonfinancial assets. ASC 340-40 provides additional capitalization, amortization and impairment guidance for certain costs associated with obtaining or fulfilling contracts subject to ASC 606. ASC 610-20 provides guidance on the measurement and recognition of gains and losses for disposals of assets that are not the outputs of ordinary activities, such as sales of fixed assets, when they are not businesses or deconsolidation of subsidiaries. The guidance in ASC 610-20 largely aligns with the guidance in ASC 606. It also supersedes most guidance on real estate sales that was contained in ASC 360-20; however, it does not apply to conveyances of oil and gas interests, which continue to be governed by guidance in ASC 932 for oil and gas extractive activities. There was no material effect from the adoption of ASC 340-40 or ASC 610-20 separate from those discussed from the adoption of ASC 606. Financial Instruments. In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall, as an amendment to ASC Subtopic 825-10. The amendments in this update address certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments. Among other items, this update will simplify the impairment assessment of equity investments without readily determinable fair values by requiring a qualitative assessment to identify impairment. When a qualitative assessment indicates that impairment exists, an entity is required to measure the investment at fair value. This impairment assessment reduces the complexity of the other-than-temporary impairment guidance that entities follow currently. The Company adopted ASU 2016-01 as of January 1, 2018. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on the Company's financial position, results of operation or cash flows. Statement of Cash Flows. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230), which is intended to reduce diversity in practice in how certain transactions are classified in the statement of cash flows. The guidance addresses eight specific cash flow issues for which current accounting guidance is either unclear or does not include specific guidance. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2018. In conjunction with the adoption, the Company made an accounting policy election to classify distributions it receives from its equity method investees using the cumulative earnings approach in which distributions received are classified as a return on investment (cash inflows from operating activities) unless the investor's cumulative distributions received less distributions received in prior periods that were determined to be returns of investment exceed cumulative equity in earnings recognized by the investor. When such an excess occurs, the current-period distribution up to this excess should be considered a return of investment (cash inflows from investing activities). The adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on the Company's cash flows. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, which provides for the reclassification of the stranded tax effect of remeasuring deferred tax balances related to items within accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) to retained earnings from the U.S. enacted tax legislation referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Tax Act). The amendment also includes disclosure requirements regarding an entity's accounting policy for releasing income tax effects from AOCI. The Company elected to early adopt this guidance as of January 1, 2018. The Company had $0.4 million of net stranded income tax effects in AOCI within the Consolidated Balance Sheet as a result of the lower U.S. federal corporate tax rate due to the enactment of the Tax Act. The net amount of stranded income tax effects within AOCI was determined under the portfolio approach and was derived from the deferred tax balances on the Company's post-retirement benefit plan. The adoption of the guidance resulted in the transfer of $0.4 million of net stranded income tax effects out of AOCI and into retained earnings with no impact to total stockholders' equity or results of operations. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Leases. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The new lease guidance supersedes Topic 840. The core principle of the guidance is that entities should recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases. This ASU does not apply to leases to explore for or use minerals, oil, natural gas and similar nonregenerative resources, including the intangible right to explore for those natural resources and rights to use the land in which those natural resources are contained. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements, which provides entities with an optional transition method that permits an entity to initially apply the new leases standard at the adoption date and recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. This ASU is to be adopted using a modified retrospective approach. The Company plans to adopt this guidance effective January 1, 2019 by applying the optional transition approach as of the beginning of the period of adoption. Comparative periods, including the disclosures related to those periods, will not be restated. The Company plans to make use of the following practical expedients which are provided in the leases standard:
• | an election not to apply the recognition requirements in the leases standard to short-term leases (a lease that at commencement date has a lease term of 12 months or less and does not contain a purchase option that the Company is reasonably certain to exercise);
• | a package of practical expedients to not reassess whether a contract is or contains a lease, lease classification and initial direct costs;
• | a practical expedient to use hindsight when determining the lease term;
• | a practical expedient that permits combining lease and non-lease components in a contract and accounting for the combination as a lease (elected by asset class); and
• | a practical expedient to not reassess certain land easements in existence prior to January 1, 2019.
On the adoption date, the Company expects to recognize a right of use asset for operating leases and an operating lease liability of between $40.0 million and $60.0 million, representing the present value of the minimum payment obligations associated with office leases, drilling rig commitments, surface use agreements and other leases. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material effect on its results of operations or cash flows. Significant Accounting Policies Cash and Cash Equivalents The Company considers all highly liquid short-term investments with a maturity of three months or less and deposits in money market funds that are readily convertible to cash to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents were primarily concentrated in one financial institution at December 31, 2018. The Company periodically assesses the financial condition of its financial institutions and considers any possible credit risk to be minimal. Allowance for Doubtful Accounts The Company records an allowance for doubtful accounts for receivables that the Company determines to be uncollectible based on the specific identification method. Inventories Inventories are comprised of tubular goods and well equipment and are carried at average cost. Equity Method Investments The Company accounts for its investments in entities over which the Company has significant influence, but not control, using the equity method of accounting. Under the equity method of accounting, the Company increases its investment for contributions made and records its proportionate share of net earnings, declared dividends and partnership distributions based on the most recently available financial statements of the investee. The Company records the activity for its equity method investments on a one month lag. In addition, the Company evaluates its equity method investments for potential impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that there is a decline in the value of the investment. Properties and Equipment The Company uses the successful efforts method of accounting for oil and gas producing activities. Under this method, acquisition costs for proved and unproved properties are capitalized when incurred. Exploration costs, including geological and geophysical costs, the costs of carrying and retaining unproved properties and exploratory dry hole drilling costs, are expensed. Development costs, including the costs to drill and equip development wells and successful exploratory drilling costs to locate proved reserves are capitalized. Exploratory drilling costs are capitalized when incurred pending the determination of whether a well has found proved reserves. The determination is based on a process which relies on interpretations of available geologic, geophysical, and engineering data. If a well is determined to be successful, the capitalized drilling costs will be reclassified as part of the cost of the well. If a well is determined to be unsuccessful, the capitalized drilling costs will be charged to exploration expense in the Consolidated Statement of Operations in the period the determination is made. If an exploratory well requires a major capital expenditure before production can begin, the cost of drilling the exploratory well will continue to be carried as an asset pending determination of whether reserves have been found only as long as: (i) the well has found a sufficient quantity of reserves to justify its completion as a producing well if the required capital expenditure is made and (ii) drilling of an additional exploratory well is under way or firmly planned for the near future. If drilling in the area is not under way or firmly planned, or if the well has not found a commercially producible quantity of reserves, the exploratory well is assumed to be impaired and its costs are charged to exploration expense. Development costs of proved oil and gas properties, including estimated dismantlement, restoration and abandonment costs and acquisition costs, are depreciated and depleted on a field basis by the units-of-production method using proved developed and proved reserves, respectively. Properties related to gathering and pipeline systems and equipment are depreciated using the straight-line method based on estimated useful lives ranging from 10 to 25 years. Buildings are depreciated on a straight-line basis over 25 to 40 years. Certain other assets are depreciated on a straight-line basis over 3 to 10 years. Costs of sold or abandoned properties that make up a part of an amortization base (partial field) remain in the amortization base if the units-of-production rate is not significantly affected. If significant, a gain or loss, if any, is recognized and the sold or abandoned properties are retired. A gain or loss, if any, is also recognized when a group of proved properties (entire field) that make up the amortization base has been retired, abandoned or sold. The Company evaluates its proved oil and gas properties for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate an asset's carrying amount may not be recoverable. The Company compares expected undiscounted future cash flows to the net book value of the asset. If the future undiscounted expected cash flows, based on estimates of future commodity prices, operating costs and anticipated production from proved reserves and risk-adjusted probable and possible reserves, are lower than the net book value of the asset, the capitalized cost is reduced to fair value. Commodity pricing is estimated by using a combination of assumptions management uses in its budgeting and forecasting process as well as historical and current prices adjusted for geographical location and quality differentials, as well as other factors that management believes will impact realizable prices. Fair value is calculated by discounting the future cash flows. The discount factor used is based on rates utilized by market participants that are commensurate with the risks inherent in the development and production of the underlying natural gas and oil. Unproved oil and gas properties are assessed periodically for impairment on an aggregate basis through periodic updates to the Company's undeveloped acreage amortization based on past drilling and exploration experience, the Company's expectation of converting leases to held by production and average property lives. Average property lives are determined on a geographical basis and based on the estimated life of unproved property leasehold rights. During 2018, 2017 and 2016, amortization associated with the Company's unproved properties was $82.3 million, $52.8 million and $25.0 million, respectively, and is included in depreciation, depletion, and amortization in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Asset Retirement Obligations The Company records the fair value of a liability for an asset retirement obligation in the period in which it is incurred if a reasonable estimate of fair value can be made. The associated asset retirement cost is capitalized as part of the carrying amount of the long-lived asset. The asset retirement costs are depreciated using the units-of-production method. At December 31, 2018, there were no assets legally restricted for purposes of settling asset retirement obligations. Additional retirement obligations increase the liability associated with new oil and gas wells and other facilities as these obligations are incurred. Accretion expense is included in depreciation, depletion and amortization expense in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Derivative Instruments The Company enters into financial derivative contracts, primarily swaps, collars and basis swaps, to manage its exposure to price fluctuations on a portion of its anticipated future production volumes. The Company’s credit agreement restricts the ability of the Company to enter into commodity derivatives other than to hedge or mitigate risks to which the Company has actual or projected exposure or as permitted under the Company’s risk management policies and where such derivatives do not subject the Company to material speculative risks. All of the Company’s derivatives are used for risk management purposes and are not held for trading purposes. We have elected not to designate our financial derivative instruments as accounting hedges under the accounting guidance. The Company evaluates all of its physical purchase and sale contracts to determine if they meet the definition of a derivative. For contracts that meet the definition of a derivative, the Company may elect the normal purchase normal sale (NPNS) exception provided under the accounting guidance and account for the contract using the accrual method of accounting. Contracts that do not qualify for or for which the Company elects not to apply the NPNS exception are accounted for at fair value. All derivatives, except for derivatives that qualify for the NPNS exception, are recognized on the balance sheet and are measured at fair value. At the end of each quarterly period, these derivatives are marked to market. As a result, changes in the fair value of derivatives are recognized in operating revenues in gain (loss) on derivative instruments. The resulting cash flows are reported as cash flows from operating activities. Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities The Company follows the authoritative accounting guidance for measuring fair value of assets and liabilities in its financial statements. 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 (exit price). The Company utilizes market data or assumptions that market participants who are independent, knowledgeable and willing and able to transact would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk and the risks inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. The Company is able to classify fair value balances based on the observability of these inputs. The authoritative guidance for fair value measurements establishes three levels of the fair value hierarchy, defined as follows:
• | Level 1: Unadjusted, quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.
• | Level 2: Quoted prices in markets that are not considered to be active or financial instruments for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.
• | Level 3: Significant, unobservable inputs for use when little or no market data exists, requiring a significant degree of judgment.
The hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 measurements and the lowest priority to Level 3 measurements. Depending on the particular asset or liability, input availability can vary depending on factors such as product type, longevity of a product in the market and other particular transaction conditions. In some cases, certain inputs used to measure fair value may be categorized into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. For disclosure purposes under the accounting guidance, the lowest level that contains significant inputs used in the valuation should be chosen. Revenue Recognition On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and the related guidance in ASC 340-40 (the new revenue standard), and related guidance on gains and losses on derecognition of nonfinancial assets ASC 610-20, using the modified retrospective method applied to those contracts which were not completed as of January 1, 2018. Under the modified retrospective method, the Company recognizes the cumulative effect of initially applying the new revenue standard as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings; however, no significant adjustment was required as a result of adopting the new revenue standard. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2018 are presented under the new revenue standard. The comparative information has not been restated and continues to be reported under the historic accounting standards in effect for those periods. The impact of the adoption of the new revenue standard is expected to be immaterial to the Company’s net income on an ongoing basis. The Company’s revenue is typically generated from contracts to sell natural gas, crude oil or NGLs produced from interests in oil and gas properties owned by the Company. These contracts generally require the Company to deliver a specific amount of a commodity per day for a specified number of days at a price that is either fixed or variable. The contracts specify a delivery point which represents the point at which control of the product is transferred to the customer. These contracts frequently meet the definition of a derivative under ASC 815, and are accounted for as derivatives unless the Company elects to treat them as normal sales as permitted under that guidance. The Company typically elects to treat contracts to sell oil and gas production as normal sales, which are then accounted for as contracts with customers. The Company has determined that these contracts represent multiple performance obligations which are satisfied when control of the commodity transfers to the customer, typically through the delivery of the specified commodity to a designated delivery point. Revenue is measured based on consideration specified in the contract with the customer, and excludes any amounts collected on behalf of third parties. The Company recognizes revenue in the amount that reflects the consideration it expects to be entitled to in exchange for transferring control of those goods to the customer. The contract consideration in the Company’s variable price contracts are typically allocated to specific performance obligations in the contract according to the price stated in the contract. Amounts allocated in the Company’s fixed price contracts are based on the standalone selling price of those products in the context of long-term, fixed price contracts, which generally approximates the contract price. Payment is generally received one or two months after the sale has occurred. Gain or loss on derivative instruments is outside the scope of ASC 606 and is not considered revenue from contracts with customers subject to ASC 606. The Company may use financial or physical contracts accounted for as derivatives as economic hedges to manage price risk associated with normal sales, or in limited cases may use them for contracts the Company intends to physically settle but do not meet all of the criteria to be treated as normal sales. Taxes assessed by a governmental authority that are both imposed on and concurrent with a specific revenue-producing transaction, and that are collected by the Company from a customer, are excluded from revenue. Producer Gas Imbalances. The Company applies the sales method of accounting for natural gas revenue. Under this method, revenues are recognized based on the actual volume of natural gas sold to purchasers. Natural gas production operations may include joint owners who take more or less than the production volumes entitled to them on certain properties. Production volume is monitored to minimize these natural gas imbalances. Under this method, a natural gas imbalance liability is recorded if the Company's excess takes of natural gas exceed its estimated remaining proved developed reserves for these properties at the actual price realized upon the gas sale. A receivable is recognized only to the extent an imbalance cannot be recouped from the reserves in the underlying properties. The Company’s aggregate imbalance positions at December 31, 2018 and 2017 were not material. Brokered Natural Gas. Revenues and expenses related to brokered natural gas are reported gross as part of operating revenues and operating expenses in accordance with applicable accounting standards. The Company buys and sells natural gas utilizing separate purchase and sale transactions whereby the Company or the counterparty obtains control of the natural gas purchased or sold. Disaggregation of Revenue. The following table presents revenues disaggregated by product:
| Year Ended December 31,
(In thousands) | 2018 |  | 2017(1) |  | 2016(1)
OPERATING REVENUES |  |  |  |  |
Natural gas | $ | 1,881,150 |  |  | $ | 1,506,078 |  |  | $ | 1,022,590 |
Crude oil and condensate | 48,722 |  |  | 212,338 |  |  | 151,106 |
Brokered natural gas | 209,530 |  |  | 17,217 |  |  | 13,569 |
Other | 4,314 |  |  | 11,660 |  |  | 7,362 |
Total revenues from contracts with customers | 2,143,716 |  |  | 1,747,293 |  |  | 1,194,627 |
Gain (loss) on derivative instruments | 44,432 |  |  | 16,926 |  |  | (38,950 | )
Total operating revenues | $ | 2,188,148 |  |  | $ | 1,764,219 |  |  | $ | 1,155,677 |
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(1) | As noted above, prior period amounts have not been adjusted under the modified retrospective method.
All of the Company’s revenues from contracts with customers represent products transferred at a point in time as control is transferred to the customer and are generated in the United States. Transaction Price Allocated to Remaining Performance Obligations. A significant number of the Company’s product sales are short-term in nature with a contract term of one year or less. For those contracts, the Company has utilized the practical expedient exempting the Company from disclosure of the transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations if the performance obligation is part of a contract that has an original expected duration of one year or less. As of December 31, 2018, the Company has $10.1 billion of unsatisfied performance obligations related to natural gas sales that have a fixed pricing component and a contract term greater than one year. The Company expects to recognize these obligations over periods ranging from 5 to 20 years. Contract Balances. Receivables from contracts with customers are recorded when the right to consideration becomes unconditional, generally when control of the product has been transferred to the customer. Receivables from contracts with customers were $363.0 million and $215.5 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and are reported in accounts receivable, net on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The Company currently has no assets or liabilities related to its revenue contracts, including no upfront or rights to deficiency payments. Practical Expedients. The Company has made use of certain practical expedients in adopting the new revenue standard, including the value of unsatisfied performance obligations are not disclosed for (i) contracts with an original expected length of one year or less, (ii) contracts for which the Company recognizes revenue at the amount to which the Company has the right to invoice, (iii) contracts with variable consideration which is allocated entirely to a wholly unsatisfied performance obligation and meets the variable allocation criteria in the standard and (iv) only contracts that are not completed at transition. The Company has not adjusted the promised amount of consideration for the effects of a significant financing component if the Company expects, at contract inception, that the period between when the Company transfers a promised good or service to the customer and when the customer pays for that good or service will be one year or less. Income Taxes The Company follows the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to the differences between the financial carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the tax rate in effect for the year in which those temporary differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in the year of the enacted rate change. A valuation allowance is established to reduce deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not that the related tax benefits will not be realized. The Company follows the “equity first” approach when applying the limitation for certain executive compensation in excess of $1 million to future compensation. The limitation is first applied to stock-based compensation that vests in future tax years before considering cash compensation paid in a future period. Accordingly, the Company records a deferred tax asset for stock-based compensation expense recorded in the current period, and reverses the temporary difference in the future period, during which the stock-based compensation becomes deductible for tax purposes. The Company is required to make judgments, including estimating reserves for potential adverse outcomes regarding tax positions that the Company has taken. The Company accounts for uncertainty in income taxes using a recognition and measurement threshold for tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The tax benefit from an uncertain tax position is recognized when it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities based on technical merits of the position. The amount of the tax benefit recognized is the largest amount of the benefit that has a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. The effective tax rate and the tax basis of assets and liabilities reflect management's estimates of the ultimate outcome of various tax uncertainties. The Company recognizes accrued interest related to uncertain tax positions in interest expense and accrued penalties related to such positions in general and administrative expense in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Stock-Based Compensation The Company accounts for stock-based compensation under the fair value method of accounting. Under this method, compensation cost is measured at the grant date for equity-classified awards and remeasured each reporting period for liability-classified awards based on the fair value of an award and is recognized over the service period, which is generally the vesting period. To calculate fair value, the Company uses either a Monte Carlo or Black-Scholes valuation model depending on the specific provisions of the award. Stock-based compensation cost for all types of awards is included in general and administrative expense in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Effective January 1, 2017, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which requires the Company to record excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies on stock-based compensation in the income statement upon vesting of the respective awards. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2016-09, excess benefits were recorded in additional paid-in capital in the Consolidated Balance Sheet and tax deficiencies reduced additional paid-in capital to the extent they offset previously recorded tax benefits. As a result of the adoption of ASU 2016-09, excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies are included in cash flows from operating activities. Cash paid by the Company when directly withholding shares from employee stock-based compensation awards for tax-withholding purposes are classified as financing activities in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flow. Environmental Matters Environmental expenditures are expensed or capitalized, as appropriate, depending on their future economic benefit. Expenditures that relate to an existing condition caused by past operations, and that do not have future economic benefit are expensed. Liabilities related to future costs are recorded on an undiscounted basis when environmental assessments and/or remediation activities are probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated. Any insurance recoveries are recorded as assets when received. Credit and Concentration Risk Substantially all of the Company's accounts receivable result from the sale of natural gas and oil and joint interest billings to third parties in the oil and gas industry. This concentration of purchasers and joint interest owners may impact the Company's overall credit risk, either positively or negatively, in that these entities may be similarly affected by changes in economic or other conditions. The Company does not anticipate any material impact on its financial results due to non-performance by the third parties. During the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, three customers accounted for approximately 20 percent, 11 percent and nine percent, two customers accounted for approximately 18 percent and 11 percent and two customers accounted for approximately 19 percent and 10 percent, respectively, of the Company's total sales. The Company does not believe that the loss of any of these customers would have a material adverse effect because alternative customers are readily available. Use of Estimates In preparing financial statements, the Company follows accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. These principles require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The most significant estimates pertain to proved natural gas and oil reserves and related cash flow estimates which are used to compute depreciation, depletion and amortization and impairments of proved oil and gas properties. Other significant estimates include natural gas and oil revenues and expenses, fair value of derivative instruments, estimates of expenses related to legal, environmental and other contingencies, asset retirement obligations, postretirement obligations, stock-based compensation and deferred income taxes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure, and significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. May be provided in more than one note to the financial statements, as long as users are provided with an understanding of (1) the significant judgments and assumptions made by an enterprise in determining whether it must consolidate a VIE and/or disclose information about its involvement with a VIE, (2) the nature of restrictions on a consolidated VIE's assets reported by an enterprise in its statement of financial position, including the carrying amounts of such assets, (3) the nature of, and changes in, the risks associated with an enterprise's involvement with the VIE, and (4) how an enterprise's involvement with the VIE affects the enterprise's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. Describes procedure if disclosures are provided in more than one note to the financial statements. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122149 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2197479 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122369 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2134479 + Details
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