Basis of Presentation

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation [Text Block]

Nature of Business

QEP Resources, Inc. (QEP or the Company) is an independent crude oil and natural gas exploration and production company with operations in two regions of the United States: the Southern Region (primarily in Texas) and the Northern Region (primarily in North Dakota). Unless otherwise specified or the context otherwise requires, all references to "QEP" or the "Company" are to QEP Resources, Inc. and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. QEP's corporate headquarters are located in Denver, Colorado and shares of QEP's common stock trade on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol "QEP".

Basis of Presentation of Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

The interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contain the accounts of QEP and its majority-owned or controlled subsidiaries. The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements were prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) in the United States and with the instructions for Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements reflect all normal recurring adjustments and accruals that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair statement of financial position and results of operations for the interim periods presented. Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and the year-end balance sheet do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for audited annual consolidated financial statements. These Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.

The preparation of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes in conformity with GAAP requires that management make estimates and assumptions that affect revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from estimates. The results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2019.

Reclassifications

Certain prior period balances on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. Such reclassifications had no effect on the Company's net income (loss), earnings (loss) per share or retained earnings previously reported.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

During the six months ended June 30, 2019, QEP recorded impairment charges of $5.0 million related to an office building lease.

During the six months ended June 30, 2018, QEP recorded impairment charges of $404.4 million, of which $402.8 million of proved and unproved properties impairment was triggered due to the signing of a purchase and sale agreement for the divestiture of the Uinta Basin assets. Additionally, QEP recorded $1.6 million related to expiring leaseholds on unproved properties and impairment of proved properties for a divestiture in the Other Northern area.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

Cash equivalents consist principally of highly liquid investments in securities with original maturities of three months or less made through commercial bank accounts that result in available funds the next business day. Restricted cash are funds that are legally or contractually reserved for a specific purpose and therefore not available for immediate or general business use.

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets to the amounts shown in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows:

	June 30,
	2019		2018
	(in millions)
Cash and cash equivalents	$	97.1	$	—
Restricted cash(1)	29.2		26.1
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash shown in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows	$	126.3	$	26.1

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⁽¹⁾ As of June 30, 2019 and 2018, the restricted cash balance is cash held in an escrow account related to a title dispute between outside parties in the Williston Basin, and the restricted cash balance is recorded within "Other noncurrent assets" on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which requires lessees to recognize the lease assets and lease liabilities classified as operating leases on the balance sheet and disclose key quantitative and qualitative information about leasing arrangements. The FASB subsequently issued various ASUs which provided additional implementation guidance. The Company adopted ASU 2016-02 on January 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective approach and elected to not adjust periods prior to January 1, 2019. The Company elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard, which, among other things, allowed the carry forward of the historical lease classification, including accounting treatment for land easements. This standard does not apply to QEP's leases that provide the right to explore for minerals, oil or natural gas resources. The adoption of this guidance resulted in the recognition of net operating lease right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities on QEP's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. These leases primarily relate to office buildings, compressors and generators. This guidance did not have a significant impact on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations or the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Refer to Note 8 – Leases for more information.