Basis of Presentation of Interim Consolidated Financial Statements (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Basis of Presentation of Interim Consolidated Financial Statements [Abstract]

De-designation of commodity derivative contracts

De-designation of commodity derivative contracts

Effective January 1, 2012, QEP elected to discontinue hedge accounting prospectively for all of its derivative instruments. Accordingly, all realized and unrealized gains and losses will be recognized in earnings immediately each quarter as derivative contracts are settled and marked-to-market. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 unrealized losses of $38.4 million and unrealized gains of $89.9 million were included in income that, prior to January 1, 2012, would have been deferred in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI) under hedge accounting. Refer to Note 6 - Derivative Contracts for additional information.

Transportation and other handling costs

Transportation and other handling costs

In the fourth quarter of 2011, QEP revised its reporting of transportation and handling costs to reflect revenues in accordance with industry practice and GAAP. Transportation and handling costs, previously netted against revenues, were recast on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income from "Revenues" to "Natural gas, oil and NGL transportation and other handling costs" for prior periods presented. The impact of this revision was immaterial to the accompanying financial statements and had no effect on income from continuing operations, net income, or earnings per share. The following table details the impact for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income.

	Three Months Ended June 30, 2011							Six Months Ended June 30, 2011
	As reported (1)		As revised		Change			As reported (1)		As revised		Change
	(in millions)							(in millions)
REVENUES
Natural gas sales	$	258.1	$	298.7	$	40.6		$	529.1	$	611.3	$	82.2
Oil sales		80.0		80.7		0.7			142.3		143.7		1.4
NGL sales		61.6		63.8		2.2			107.4		111.7		4.3
Gathering, processing and other		78.4		58.9		(19.5	)		147.7		105.5		(42.2	)
OPERATING EXPENSES
Natural gas, oil and NGL transportation and other handling costs		-		24.0		24.0			-		45.7		45.7

(1) The "As reported" numbers reflect QEP Field Services NGL sales of $45.1 million and $73.7 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, which were reclassified from "Gathering, processing and other" into "NGL sales" for consistency with current period presentation. In its second quarter 2011 Form 10-Q, QEP reported "NGL sales" of $16.5 million and $33.7 million, and "Gathering, processing and other" of $123.5 million, and $221.4 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively. The QEP Field Services NGL reclassification is all within "Revenues" and has no effect on income from continuing operations, net income or earnings per share.

Impairment of long-lived assets

Impairment of long-lived assets

Proved gas and oil properties are evaluated on a field-by-field basis for potential impairment. Other properties are evaluated on a specific-asset basis or in groups of similar assets, as applicable. Impairment is indicated when a triggering event occurs and/or the sum of the estimated undiscounted future net cash flows of an evaluated asset is less than the asset's carrying value. Triggering events could include, but are not limited to, an impairment of gas and oil reserves caused by mechanical problems, faster-than-expected decline of reserves, lease-ownership issues, other-than-temporary decline in natural gas, NGL and crude oil prices and changes in the utilization of midstream gathering and processing assets. If impairment is indicated, fair value is calculated using a discounted-cash flow approach. Cash flow estimates require forecasts and assumptions for many years into the future for a variety of factors, including commodity prices, operating costs, and estimates of probable and possible reserves. Cash flow estimates relating to future cash flows from probable and possible reserves are reduced by additional risk-weighting factors. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2012, QEP Energy recorded non-cash, price-related impairment charges of $48.9 million and $49.3 million, respectively, on some of its proved properties. The impairment charges are related to the reduced value of certain fields resulting from lower natural gas, crude oil and NGL prices. The assets were written down to their estimated fair values. Of the $49.3 million impairment charge during six months ended June 30, 2012, $48.9 million is related to proved properties in the Southern Region and $0.4 million is related to proved properties in the Northern Region.

The Company also performs periodic assessments of unproved gas and oil properties for impairment and recognizes a loss at the time of impairment. In determining whether an unproved property is impaired the Company considers numerous factors including current development and exploration plans, results of development or exploration activity on adjacent leaseholds, technical personnel evaluations of the properties, and the remaining lease term. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2012, QEP recorded non-cash impairment charges of $6.1 million and $12.1 million, respectively,  on some of its unproved properties relating to the various factors described. Of the $6.1 million and $12.1 million impairment charges during the three and six months ended June 30, 2012, $3.1 million and $6.1 million, respectively, related to unproved properties in the Southern Region and $3.0 million and $6.0 million, respectively, related to unproved properties in the Northern Region.

New accounting pronouncements

New accounting pronouncements

In May of 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-04, which develops common measurement and disclosure requirements regarding an entity's fair value measurements and aligns GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. The amendments are required for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of these requirements did not have a material impact on the financial statements of QEP.

In June of 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05, which revises the manner in which entities are able to present the components of comprehensive income in their financial statements. The new guidance requires entities to report the components of comprehensive income in either (1) a continuous statement of comprehensive income or (2) two separate but consecutive statements. However, this ASU does not change the items that are reported in other comprehensive income. The amendments are effective for reporting periods (including interim periods) beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of this ASU required minor disclosure changes to QEP's financial statements and footnotes.

In December of 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-11, which enhances disclosure requirements regarding an entity's financial instruments and derivative instruments that are offset or subject to a master netting arrangement. This information about offsetting and related netting arrangements will enable users of financial statements to understand the effect of those arrangements on the entity's financial position, including the effect of rights of setoff. The amendments are required for annual reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2013, and interim periods within those annual periods. QEP is evaluating the impact of this ASU on its disclosure requirements.