Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net loss	$ (112,359,000)	$ (52,243,000)	$ (174,104,000)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depletion, depreciation and amortization	70,521,000	79,044,000	109,319,000
Impairment of oil and gas properties	0	0	220,197,000
Amortization of debt issuance costs	866,000	1,396,000	1,561,000
Gain on debt extinguishment	(5,053,000)		(10,563,000)
Write-off of debt issuance costs		563,000
Commodity derivative loss (gain)	262,000	5,484,000	(19,275,000)
Settlements of commodity derivatives	(4,359,000)	6,132,000	52,489,000
Exploration expense	3,522,000	3,753,000	1,836,000
Share-based compensation expense	4,656,000	6,279,000	7,954,000
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense	76,487,000	(24,418,000)	(93,140,000)
Other non-cash items	(32,000)	(92,000)	(172,000)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	400,000	2,250,000	7,878,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	83,000	534,000	(325,000)
Accounts payable	907,000	358,000	964,000
Oil, NGLs and gas sales payable	919,000	(55,000)	(4,291,000)
Accrued liabilities	634,000	(2,904,000)	2,388,000
Cash provided by operating activities	37,454,000	26,081,000	102,716,000
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to oil and gas properties	(47,051,000)	(19,788,000)	(151,178,000)
Additions to furniture, fixtures and equipment, net	(14,000)	(16,000)	(67,000)
Change in working capital related to investing activities	(5,344,000)	(4,086,000)	(66,102,000)
Cash used in investing activities	(52,409,000)	(23,890,000)	(217,347,000)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Borrowings under credit facility	111,250,000	50,100,000	272,000,000
Repayment of amounts outstanding under credit facility	(93,250,000)	(50,100,000)	(149,000,000)
Extinguishment of senior notes			(8,722,000)
Tax withholdings related to restricted stock	(650,000)	(797,000)	(210,000)
Equity issuance costs	(2,780,000)
Debt issuance costs	(977,000)	(197,000)
Change in working capital related to financing activities	1,362,000	(1,776,000)	731,000
Cash (used in) provided by financing activities	14,955,000	(2,770,000)	114,799,000
CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS		(579,000)	168,000
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS , beginning of year	21,000	600,000	432,000
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS , end of year	21,000	21,000	600,000
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
Cash paid for interest	20,584,000	25,972,000	23,634,000
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF NON-CASH TRANSACTION:
Asset retirement obligations capitalized	$ 39,000	$ 36,000	$ 151,000

Non-cash exploration expenses (including prospecting) related to oil and gas producing entities and would be included in operating expenses of that entity. Costs incurred 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: (i) 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. (ii) Costs of carrying and retaining undeveloped properties, such as delay rentals, ad valorem taxes on properties, legal costs for title defense, and the maintenance of land and lease records. (iii) Dry hole contributions and bottom hole contributions. (iv) Costs of drilling and equipping exploratory wells. (v) Costs of drilling exploratory-type stratigraphic test wells.

No definition available.