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Basis of Presentation, Significant Accounting Policies, and Recently Issued Accounting Standards (Policies) | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Non-qualified Deferred Compensation Plan [Policy Text Block] | Non-qualified Deferred Compensation Plan In January 2014, the Company established a non-qualified deferred compensation (“NQDC”) plan intended to provide plan participants with the ability to plan for income tax events and the opportunity to receive a benefit for matching contributions in excess of Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) limits applicable to the Company’s 401(k) plan. The NQDC plan is designed to allow employee participants to defer a portion of base salary and cash bonuses paid pursuant to the Company’s cash bonus plan and director participants to defer a portion of the cash retainer paid to directors. Each year, participating employees may elect to defer (i) between 0% and 50% of their base salary and (ii) between 0% and 100% of the cash bonus paid pursuant to the cash bonus plan, and participating directors may elect to defer between 0% and 100% of their cash retainer. The NQDC plan requires the Company to make contributions for each eligible employee equal to 100% of the deferred amount for such employee, limited to 6% of such employee’s base salary and cash bonus. Each eligible employee’s interest in contributions made by the Company will vest 40% after the second year of such employee’s service to the Company, and 20% per year thereafter. A participant’s account will be distributed based upon the participant’s payment election made at the time of deferral. A participant may elect to have distributions made in lump sum or in annual installments ranging for a period from 1 to 10 years. Participants in the NQDC plan are currently limited to the Company’s officers and directors.
Description and terms of the Performance Share Awards | Performance Share Units Under the Equity Incentive Compensation Plan The Company grants performance share units (“PSUs”) as part of its equity compensation program. The number of shares of the Company’s common stock issued to settle PSUs ranges from 0% to 200% of the number of PSUs awarded and is determined based on the Company’s performance over a three-year measurement period. The performance criteria for the PSUs are based on a combination of the Company’s annualized total shareholder return (“TSR”) for the measurement period and the relative performance of the Company’s TSR compared with the annualized TSRs of a group of peer companies for the measurement period. Expense associated with PSUs is recognized as G&A expense and exploration expense over the vesting period of the award.
Fair value of financial instruments measured on a recurring Basis | The Company uses Level 2 inputs to measure the fair value of oil, gas, and NGL commodity derivatives. Fair values are based upon interpolated data. The Company derives internal valuation estimates taking into consideration the counterparties’ credit ratings, the Company’s credit rating, and the time value of money. These valuations are then compared to the respective counterparties’ mark-to-market statements. These factors result in an estimated exit-price that management believes provides a reasonable and consistent methodology for valuing derivative instruments. The derivative instruments utilized by the Company are not considered by management to be complex, structured, or illiquid. The oil, gas, and NGL commodity derivative markets are highly active. Generally, market quotes assume that all counterparties have near zero, or low, default rates and have equal credit quality. However, an adjustment may be necessary to reflect the credit quality of a specific counterparty to determine the fair value of the instrument. The Company monitors the credit ratings of its counterparties and may require counterparties to post collateral if their ratings deteriorate. In some instances, the Company will attempt to novate the trade to a more stable counterparty. Valuation adjustments are necessary to reflect the effect of the Company’s credit quality on the fair value of any liability position with a counterparty. This adjustment takes into account any credit enhancements, such as collateral margin that the Company may have posted with a counterparty, as well as any letters of credit between the parties. The methodology to determine this adjustment is consistent with how the Company evaluates counterparty credit risk, taking into account the Company’s credit rating, current credit facility margins, and any change in such margins since the last measurement date. All of the Company’s derivative counterparties are members of the Company’s credit facility lender group. The methods described above may result in a fair value estimate that may not be indicative of net realizable value or may not be reflective of future fair values and cash flows. While the Company believes that the valuation methods utilized are appropriate and consistent with authoritative accounting guidance and with other marketplace participants, the Company recognizes that third parties may use different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments that could result in a different estimate of fair value at the reporting date. Refer to Note 10 - Derivative Financial Instruments for more information regarding the Company’s derivative instruments.

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- Definition Non-qualified Deferred Compensation Plan [Policy Text Block] + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of the accounting policy for performance share awards. This disclosure may include (1) the groups that participate in (or are covered by) the plan (2) significant plan provisions and (3) how stock compensation is measured, and the methodologies and significant assumptions used to determine that measurement. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for determining the fair value of financial instruments. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35750535&loc=d3e13279-108611 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 60 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7493716&loc=d3e21868-110260 + Details
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