Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

6. Commitments and Contingencies

Environmental

     Basic is subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations that establish standards and requirements for protection of the environment. Basic cannot predict the future impact of such standards and requirements which are subject to change and can have retroactive effectiveness. Basic continues to monitor the status of these laws and regulations. Management believes that the likelihood of any of these items resulting in a material adverse impact to Basic’s financial position, liquidity, capital resources or future results of operations is remote.

     Currently, Basic has not been fined, cited or notified of any environmental violations that would have a material adverse effect upon its financial position, liquidity or capital resources. However, management does recognize that by the very nature of its business, material costs could be incurred in the near term to bring Basic into total compliance. The amount of such future expenditures is not determinable due to several factors, including the unknown magnitude of possible contamination, the unknown timing and extent of the corrective actions which may be required, the determination of Basic’s liability in proportion to other responsible parties and the extent to which such expenditures are recoverable from insurance or indemnification.

     During April 2011, Basic received notice from the Travis County District Attorney of a pending investigation of a potential felony criminal case referred by Texas Parks & Wildlife and the Texas Environmental Enforcement Task Force, to be presented to a Travis County grand jury. The potential matter relates to a land farm owned by Basic located in Jefferson County, Texas. While Basic is currently responding to additional inquiries regarding the investigation and believes the investigation may also relate to alleged unlawful discharges, Basic has not been informed of any specific potential charges at this time. Basic does not believe it is probable or reasonably possible that this matter will result in any material adverse effect on its financial condition, results of operations or liquidity; however, there can be no assurance as to the ultimate outcome of this matter.

Litigation

     From time to time, Basic is a party to litigation or other legal proceedings that Basic considers to be a part of the ordinary course of business. Basic is not currently involved in any legal proceedings that it considers probable or reasonably possible, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a material adverse effect on its financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Self-Insured Risk Accruals

     Basic is self-insured up to retention limits as it relates to workers’ compensation, general liability claims, and medical and dental coverage of its employees. Basic generally maintains no physical property damage coverage on its workover rig fleet, with the exception of certain of its 24-hour workover rigs and newly manufactured rigs. Basic has deductibles per occurrence for workers’ compensation, general liability claims, and medical and dental coverage of $750,000, $750,000, and $250,000, respectively. Basic has lower deductibles per occurrence for automobile liability. Basic maintains accruals in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets related to self-insurance retentions based upon third-party data and claims history.

     At September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, self-insured risk accruals totaled approximately $17.8 million net of a $9,000 receivable for medical and dental coverage and $16.6 million net of a $164,000 receivable for medical and dental coverage, respectively.