Commitments and Contingencies |
9 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sep. 30, 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies Litigation We are involved in various legal proceedings that arise from time to time in the ordinary course of doing business and believe that adequate reserves have been established for any probable losses. We do not believe that the outcome of any of these proceedings should have a significant adverse effect on our financial position, long-term results of operations or cash flows. However, it is possible that charges related to these matters could be significant to our results or cash flows in any one accounting period. Environmental Environmental remediation liabilities arise from time to time in the ordinary course of doing business, and we believe we have established adequate reserves for any probable losses that we can reasonably estimate. We own 288 acres near Antioch, California, portions of which were sites of a former paper manufacturing operation that are in remediation. We have received certificates of completion on all but one 80 acre tract, a portion of which includes subsurface contamination. In third quarter 2015, we increased our reserves for environmental remediation by $388,000 due to additional testing and remediation requirements by state regulatory agencies. We estimate the remaining cost to complete remediation activities will be approximately $600,000, which is included in other accrued expenses. It is possible that remediation or monitoring activities could be required in addition to those included within our estimate, but we are unable to determine the scope, timing or extent of such activities. We have asset retirement obligations related to the abandonment and site restoration requirements that result from the acquisition, construction and development of oil and gas properties. We record the fair value of a liability for an asset retirement obligation in the period in which it is incurred and a corresponding increase in the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset. Accretion expense related to the asset retirement obligation and depletion expense related to capitalized asset retirement cost is included in cost of oil and gas producing activities on our consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income. At third quarter-end 2015 and year-end 2014, our asset retirement obligation was $1,748,000 and $1,807,000, which is included in other liabilities. Unallocated Severance-related Costs In connection with the departures of our former Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer in September 2015, we recorded one-time severance-related charges of $3,314,000 which are included in general and administrative expense on our consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income. Approximately $2,721,000 of these severance-related charges will be paid in fourth quarter 2015 with the balance to be paid in 2016. Oil and Gas Restructuring Costs In connection with review of strategic alternatives with respect to our oil and gas business that was announced in December 2014, we offered retention bonuses to key personnel provided they remain our employees through December 2015. We are expensing retention bonus costs over the retention period. In first nine months 2015, we incurred severance expenses related to staff reductions, paid a portion of the December 2014 accrual under written severance agreements and incurred costs associated with closure of our Fort Worth office. Office closure costs include a $1,750,000 lease termination charge and $391,000 for write off of leasehold improvements which were partially offset by a deferred lease credit of $364,000. These restructuring costs are included in other operating expense on our consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income. We may incur additional costs related to our strategic initiatives associated with lowering capital expenditures and operating costs in our oil and gas segment. The following table summarizes activity related to liabilities associated with our oil and gas restructuring activities in first nine months 2015:
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