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Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Statement Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Policy Text Block]

(a) Cash and Cash Equivalents:  The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.
Restricted Cash [Policy Text Block]

(b) Restricted Cash:  Restricted cash represents cash received by the Company from production sold where the final division of ownership of the production is unknown or in dispute.
Accounts Receivable [Policy Text Block]

(c) Accounts Receivable: Accounts receivable are stated at the historical carrying amount net of write-offs and an allowance for uncollectible accounts. The carrying amount of the Company’s accounts receivable approximates fair value because of the short-term nature of the instruments. The Company routinely assesses the collectability of all material trade and other receivables.
Property, Plant and Equipment [Policy Text Block]

(d) Property, Plant and Equipment:  Capital assets are recorded at cost and depreciated using the declining-balance method based on their respective useful life.
Oil And Natural Gas Properties [Policy Text Block]

(e) Oil and Natural Gas Properties:  The Company uses the full cost method of accounting for exploration and development activities as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Release No. 33-8995, Modernization of Oil and Gas Reporting Requirements (“SEC Release No. 33-8995”) and Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 932, Extractive Activities – Oil and Gas (“FASB ASC 932”). Under this method of accounting, the costs of unsuccessful, as well as successful, exploration and development activities are capitalized as oil and gas properties. This includes any internal costs that are directly related to exploration and development activities but does not include any costs related to production, general corporate overhead or similar activities. The carrying amount of oil and natural gas properties also includes estimated asset retirement costs recorded based on the fair value of the asset retirement obligation when incurred. Gain or loss on the sale or other disposition of oil and natural gas properties is not recognized, unless the gain or loss would significantly alter the relationship between capitalized costs and proved reserves of oil and natural gas attributable to a country.

The sum of net capitalized costs and estimated future development costs of oil and natural gas properties are amortized using the units-of-production method based on the Company’s proved reserves. Oil and natural gas reserves and production are converted into equivalent units based on relative energy content. Asset retirement costs are included in the base costs for calculating depletion.

Under the full cost method, costs of unevaluated properties and major development projects expected to require significant future costs may be excluded from capitalized costs being amortized. The Company excludes significant costs until proved reserves are found or until it is determined that the costs are impaired. The Company reviews its unproved leasehold costs quarterly or when management determines that events or circumstances indicate that the recorded carrying value of the unevaluated properties may not be recoverable. The fair values of unproved properties are evaluated utilizing a discounted net cash flows model based on management’s assumptions of future oil and gas production, commodity prices, operating and development costs; as well as appropriate discount rates. The estimated prices used in the cash flow analysis are determined by management based on forward price curves for the related commodities, adjusted for average historical location and quality differentials. Estimates of cash flows related to probable and possible reserves are reduced by additional risk-weighting factors. The amount of any impairment is transferred to the capitalized costs being amortized.

Companies that use the full cost method of accounting for oil and natural gas exploration and development activities are required to perform a ceiling test calculation each quarter. The full cost ceiling test is an impairment test prescribed by SEC Regulation S-X Rule 4-10. The ceiling test is performed quarterly, on a country-by-country basis, utilizing the average of prices in effect on the first day of the month for the preceding twelve month period in accordance with SEC Release No. 33-8995. The ceiling limits such pooled costs to the aggregate of the present value of future net revenues attributable to proved crude oil and natural gas reserves discounted at 10%, plus the lower of cost or market value of unproved properties, less any associated tax effects. If such capitalized costs exceed the ceiling, the Company will record a write-down to the extent of such excess as a non-cash charge to earnings. Any such write-down will reduce earnings in the period of occurrence and results in a lower depletion, depreciation and amortization (“DD&A”) rate in future periods. A write-down may not be reversed in future periods even though higher oil and natural gas prices may subsequently increase the ceiling. The Company did not incur a ceiling test write-down for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 or 2015.
Deferred Financing Costs [Policy Text Block]

(f) Deferred Financing Costs: During the quarter ended June 30, 2016, a non-cash charge to write-off all of the unamortized debt issuance costs related to the unsecured Credit Agreement, unsecured Senior Notes (as defined below) issued by Ultra Resources, Inc., the unsecured 2018 Senior Notes (as defined below) issued by the Company and the unsecured 2024 Senior Notes (as defined below) issued by the Company is included in Reorganization items, net in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations as these debt instruments are expected to be impacted by the pendency of the Company’s chapter 11 cases. At December 31, 2015, other current assets includes costs associated with the issuance of our revolving credit facility while costs associated with the issuance of our Senior Notes, 2018 Notes and 2024 Notes are presented as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt liability.
Derivatives [Policy Text Block]

(g) Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities:  The Company follows FASB ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging (“FASB ASC 815”). The Company records the fair value of its commodity derivatives as an asset or liability in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, and records the changes in the fair value of its commodity derivatives in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company does not offset the value of its derivative arrangements with the same counterparty. (See Note 6).
Income Tax [Policy Text Block]

(h) Income Taxes:  Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. Valuation allowances are recorded related to deferred tax assets based on the “more likely than not” criteria described in FASB ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes. In addition, the Company recognizes the financial statement benefit of a tax position only after determining that the relevant tax authority would more likely than not sustain the position following an audit.
Earnings Per Share [Policy Text Block]

(i) Earnings Per Share:  Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net earnings attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during each period. Diluted earnings per share is computed by adjusting the average number of common shares outstanding for the dilutive effect, if any, of common stock equivalents. The Company uses the treasury stock method to determine the dilutive effect.

Three Months Nine Months
Ended September 30,Ended September 30,
2016201520162015
(Share amounts in 000's)
Net income (loss)$98,407$(3,096)$90,577$(2,581)
Weighted average common shares outstanding - basic153,392153,250153,368153,171
Effect of dilutive instruments729-709-
Weighted average common shares outstanding - diluted154,121153,250154,077153,171
Net income (loss) per common share - basic$0.64$(0.02)$0.59$(0.02)
Net income (loss) per common share - diluted$0.64$(0.02)$0.59$(0.02)
Number of shares not included in dilutive earnings per share that would have been anti-dilutive because the exercise price was greater than the average market price of the common
shares (1)(2)503-1,450-
(1) Due to the net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2015, 1.7 million shares for options and restricted stock units were anti-dilutive and excluded from the computation of net loss per share.
(2) Due to the net loss for the three months ended September 30, 2015, 1.6 million shares for options and restricted stock units were anti-dilutive and excluded from the computation of net loss per share.
Use Of Estimates [Policy Text Block]

(j) Use of Estimates:  Preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires 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. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Compensation Related Costs [Policy Text Block]

(k) Accounting for Share-Based Compensation:  The Company measures and recognizes compensation expense for all share-based payment awards made to employees and directors, including employee stock options, based on estimated fair values in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation.
Fair Value Measurement [Policy Text Block]

(l) Fair Value Accounting:  The Company follows FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (“FASB ASC 820”), which defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value under GAAP, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. This statement applies under other accounting topics that require or permit fair value measurements. See Note 7 for additional information.
Asset Retirement Obligations and Environmental Cost [Policy Text Block]

(m) Asset Retirement Obligation:  The initial estimated retirement obligation of properties is recognized as a liability with an associated increase in oil and gas properties for the asset retirement cost. Accretion expense is recognized over the estimated productive life of the related assets. If the fair value of the estimated asset retirement obligation changes, an adjustment is recorded to both the asset retirement obligation and the asset retirement cost. Revisions in estimated liabilities can result from revisions of estimated inflation rates, changes in service and equipment costs and changes in the estimated timing of settling asset retirement obligations. As a full cost company, settlements for asset retirement obligations for abandonment are adjusted to the full cost pool. The asset retirement obligation is included within other long-term obligations in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Revenue Recognition [Policy Text Block]

(n) Revenue Recognition:  The Company generally sells oil and natural gas under both long-term and short-term agreements at prevailing market prices. The Company recognizes revenues when the oil and natural gas is delivered, which occurs when the customer has taken title and has assumed the risks and rewards of ownership, prices are fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured. The Company accounts for oil and natural gas sales using the “entitlements method.” Under the entitlements method, revenue is recorded based upon the Company’s ownership share of volumes sold, regardless of whether it has taken its ownership share of such volumes. Any amount received in excess of the Company’s share is treated as a liability. If the Company receives less than its entitled share, the underproduction is recorded as a receivable.

Make-up provisions and ultimate settlements of volume imbalances are generally governed by agreements between the Company and its partners with respect to specific properties or, in the absence of such agreements, through negotiation. The value of volumes over- or under-produced can change based on changes in commodity prices. The Company prefers the entitlements method of accounting for oil and natural gas sales because it allows for recognition of revenue based on its actual share of jointly owned production, results in better matching of revenue with related operating expenses, and provides balance sheet recognition of the estimated value of product imbalances. The Company’s imbalance obligations as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 were immaterial.
Interest Expense [Policy Text Block]

(o) Capitalized Interest: Interest is capitalized on the cost of unevaluated gas and oil properties that are excluded from amortization and actively being evaluated, if any.
Reclassifications [Policy Text Block]

(p) Reclassifications:  Certain amounts in the financial statements of prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current period financial statement presentation.
Capital Cost Accrual [Policy Text Block]

(q) Capital Cost Accrual: The Company accrues for exploration and development costs in the period incurred, while payment may occur in a subsequent period.
Deposits And Retainers [Policy Text Block]

(r) Deposits and Retainers: Deposits and retainers primarily consists of payments related to surety bonds.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements [Policy Text Block]

(s) Recent Accounting Pronouncements not yet Adopted: In March 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (“ASU No. 2016-09”) to simplify some of the provisions in stock compensation accounting. The update simplifies the accounting for a stock payment’s tax consequences and amends how excess tax benefits and a business’s payments to cover the tax bills for the shares’ recipients should be classified. The amendments allow companies to estimate the number of stock awards expected to vest and revises the withholding requirements for classifying stock awards as equity. For public companies, the standard will take effect for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2016 with earlier application permitted. The Company is still evaluating the impact of ASU No. 2016-09 on its financial position and results of operations.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (“ASU No. 2016-02”). The guidance requires that lessees will be required to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for the rights and obligations created by all leases with terms of more than 12 months. The ASU will also require disclosures designed to give financial statement users information on the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. These disclosures include qualitative and quantitative information. For public companies, the standard will take effect for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018 with earlier application permitted. The Company is still evaluating the impact of ASU No. 2016-02 on its financial position and results of operations.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory (“ASU No. 2015-11”). Public companies will have to apply the amendments for reporting periods that start after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. This ASU requires an entity to measure inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. The company does not expect the adoption of ASU No. 2015-11 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Interest—Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30)—Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-15, Interest—Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30)—Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements. These ASUs require capitalized debt issuance costs, except for those related to revolving credit facilities, to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt liability, rather than as an asset. The Company adopted these ASUs on January 1, 2016, using a retrospective approach. The adoption resulted in a reclassification that reduced current assets and current maturities of long-term debt by $19.4 million on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2015. A non-cash charge to write-off all of the unamortized debt issuance costs is included in Reorganization items, net at June 30, 2016 as the related debt instruments are expected to be impacted by the pendency of the Company’s chapter 11 cases.

The FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), ASU 2016-08, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net), and ASU 2016-10, Revenues from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing, which supersede the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, and industry-specific guidance in Subtopic 932-605, Extractive Activities-Oil and Gas-Revenue Recognition and require an entity to recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services.  The Company is required to adopt the new standards in the first quarter of 2018 using one of two retrospective application methods. The Company is continuing to evaluate the provisions of these ASUs, and has not determined the impact these standards may have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures or decided upon the method of adoption.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15, Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern (“ASU No. 2014-15”) that requires management to evaluate whether there are conditions and events that raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the financial statements are issued on both an interim and annual basis. Management is required to provide certain footnote disclosures if it concludes that substantial doubt exists or when its plans alleviate substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. ASU No. 2014-15 becomes effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and for interim reporting periods thereafter. The Company does not expect the adoption of this ASU to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.