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Employee Benefits
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]  
Employee Benefits [Text Block]
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits
The Company provides pension and other postretirement benefits to certain employees through three retiree benefit plans: the QEP Resources, Inc. Retirement Plan (the Pension Plan), the Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (the SERP), and a postretirement medical plan (the Medical Plan).

The Pension Plan is a closed, qualified, defined-benefit pension plan that is funded and provides pension benefits to certain QEP employees. During the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company made contributions of $4.0 million to the Pension Plan and expects to contribute an additional $1.0 million to the Pension Plan during the remainder of 2018. Contributions to the Pension Plan increase plan assets. The Pension Plan was amended in June 2015 and was frozen effective January 1, 2016, such that employees do not earn additional defined benefits for future services.

The SERP is a nonqualified retirement plan that is unfunded and provides pension benefits to certain QEP employees. During the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company made contributions of $0.6 million to its SERP and expects to contribute an additional $0.1 million to its SERP during the remainder of 2018. Contributions to the SERP are used to fund current benefit payments. The SERP was amended and restated in June 2015 and was closed to new participants effective January 1, 2016.

The Medical Plan is a self-insured plan. It is unfunded and provides other postretirement benefits including certain health care and life insurance benefits for certain retired QEP employees. During the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company made contributions of $0.2 million to its Medical Plan and does not expect to make additional contributions to its Medical Plan during the remainder of 2018. Contributions to the Medical Plan are used to fund current benefit payments.

In February 2017, the Company changed the eligibility requirements for active employees eligible for the Medical Plan, as well as retirees currently enrolled. Effective July 1, 2017, the Company no longer offers the Medical Plan to retirees and spouses that are both Medicare eligible. In addition, the Company no longer offers life insurance to individuals retiring on or after July 1, 2017.

The Company's Strategic Initiatives may trigger curtailments related to the Pension Plan, SERP and/or Medical Plan at the closing of the various transactions (refer to Note 8 – Restructuring for more information). The Company recognized a $0.3 million pension curtailment as part of the Uinta Basin Divestiture included in "Interest and other income (expense)" on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

The Company recognizes service costs related to SERP and Medical Plan benefits on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations within "General and administrative" expense. All other expenses related to the Pension Plan, SERP and Medical Plan are recognized on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations within "Interest and other income (expense)".

The following table sets forth the Company's net periodic benefit costs related to its Pension Plan, SERP and Medical Plan:
 
Three Months Ended
 
Nine Months Ended
 
September 30,
 
September 30,
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
Pension Plan and SERP benefits
(in millions)
Service cost
$
0.2

 
$
0.2

 
$
0.6

 
$
0.6

Interest cost
1.2

 
1.2

 
3.4

 
3.6

Expected return on plan assets
(1.4
)
 
(1.3
)
 
(4.3
)
 
(4.0
)
Amortization of prior service costs(1)
0.2

 
0.3

 
0.6

 
0.9

Amortization of actuarial losses(1)
—

 
0.1

 
0.6

 
0.3

Curtailment loss(2)
0.3

 
0.7

 
0.3

 
0.7

Periodic expense
$
0.5

 
$
1.2

 
$
1.2

 
$
2.1

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Medical Plan benefits
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest cost
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
0.1

 
$
0.1

Amortization of prior service costs(1)
(0.1
)
 
(0.1
)
 
(0.2
)
 
(0.2
)
Periodic expense
$
(0.1
)
 
$
(0.1
)
 
$
(0.1
)
 
$
(0.1
)

____________________________
(1) 
Amortization of prior service costs and actuarial losses out of accumulated other comprehensive income are recognized on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations within "Interest and other income (expense)".
(2) 
A curtailment is recognized when there is a significant reduction in, or an elimination of, defined benefit accruals for current employees' future services. These expenses relate to the Uinta Basin Divestiture for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and the Pinedale Divestiture for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017. The Uinta Basin Divestiture curtailment is recognized on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations within "Interest and other income (expense)" for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018. The Pinedale Divestiture curtailment is recognized on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations within "Net gain (loss) from asset sales, inclusive of severance costs" for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017.