Other Expense (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Other Expense [Abstract]

Schedule Of Components Of Other Expense

	Year Ended December 31,
	2011			2010			2009
	(in thousands)
Transportation commitment charge (a)	$	23,248		$	1,589		$	6,839
Above market drilling and rig termination costs (b)		20,132			37,516			54,223
Other		5,503			4,758			4,151
Contingency and environmental accrual adjustments		4,057			5,581			7,796
Inventory impairment (c)		3,126			10,729			2,275
Cancelled wells		3,009			1,591			2,047
Legal settlements		2,725			501			315
Loss on extinguishment of debt		2,366			—			—
Tax penalties and adjustments		693			3,516			263
Well servicing operations (d)		—			13,065			12,437
Bad debt expense (recovery)		(1,693	)		(442	)		4,356
Total other expense	$	63,166		$	78,404		$	94,702

(a) Primarily represents contract deficiency payments on excess pipeline capacity.

(b) Primarily represents rig termination fees and charges for the portion of Pioneer's contracted drilling rig rates that are above market rates and are not charged to joint operations.

(c) Represents impairment charges on excess materials and supplies inventories.

(d) Represents idle well servicing costs.