Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Organization	Organization Adams Resources & Energy, Inc. is a publicly traded Delaware corporation organized in 1973, the common shares of which are listed on the NYSE American LLC under the ticker symbol “AE”. Through our subsidiaries, we are primarily engaged in the business of crude oil marketing, transportation and storage in various crude oil and natural gas basins in the lower 48 states of the United States (“U.S.”). We also conduct tank truck transportation of liquid chemicals and dry bulk primarily in the lower 48 states of the U.S. with deliveries into Canada and Mexico, and with terminals in the Gulf Coast region of the U.S. Unless the context requires otherwise, references to “we,” “us,” “our” or “Company” are intended to mean the business and operations of Adams Resources & Energy, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. We operate and report in two business segments: (i) crude oil marketing, transportation and storage, and (ii) tank truck transportation of liquid chemicals and dry bulk. See Note 8 for further information regarding our business segments.
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation Our results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of results expected for the full year of 2020. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments consisting of normal recurring accruals necessary for fair presentation. The condensed consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial statements and the rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures required by GAAP for complete annual financial statements have been omitted and, therefore, these interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 (the “2019 Form 10-K”) filed with the SEC on March 6, 2020. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
Use of Estimates	Use of EstimatesThe preparation of our financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to use estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. We base our estimates and judgments on historical experience and on various other assumptions and information we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Estimates and assumptions about future events and their effects cannot be perceived with certainty and, accordingly, these estimates may change as new events occur, as more experience is acquired, as additional information is obtained and as the operating environment changes. While we believe the estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of these condensed consolidated financial statements are appropriate, actual results could differ from those estimates.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash	Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted CashRestricted cash represents an amount held in a segregated bank account by Wells Fargo as collateral for outstanding letters of credit.
Earnings Per Share	Earnings Per ShareBasic earnings (losses) per share is computed by dividing our net earnings (losses) by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings (losses) per share is computed by giving effect to all potential shares of common stock outstanding, including our stock related to unvested restricted stock unit awards. Unvested restricted stock unit awards granted under the Adams Resources & Energy, Inc. 2018 Long-Term Incentive Plan (“2018 LTIP”) are not considered to be participating securities as the holders of these shares do not have non-forfeitable dividend rights in the event of our declaration of a dividend for common shares (see Note 11 for further discussion).
Fair Value Measurements	Fair Value Measurements The carrying amounts reported in the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets for cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable approximates fair value because of the immediate or short-term maturity of these financial instruments. Marketable securities are recorded at fair value based on market quotations from actively traded liquid markets. A three-tier hierarchy has been established that classifies fair value amounts recognized in the financial statements based on the observability of inputs used to estimate these fair values. The hierarchy considers fair value amounts based on observable inputs (Levels 1 and 2) to be more reliable and predictable than those based primarily on unobservable inputs (Level 3). At each balance sheet reporting date, we categorize our financial assets and liabilities using this hierarchy. See Note 6 for a discussion of the Level 3 inputs used in the determination of the fair value of the intangible assets acquired in an asset acquisition that occurred in June 2020. Fair value contracts consist of derivative financial instruments and are recorded as either an asset or liability measured at its fair value. Changes in fair value are recognized immediately in earnings unless the derivatives qualify for, and we elect, cash flow hedge accounting. We had no contracts designated for hedge accounting during any current reporting periods (see Note 10 for further information).
Income Taxes	Income Taxes Income taxes are accounted for using the asset and liability method. Under this approach, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on anticipated future tax consequences attributable to differences between financial statement carrying amounts of these items and their respective tax basis. On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was enacted and signed into law in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act, among other things, permits net operating losses (“NOL”) incurred in tax years 2018, 2019 and 2020 to offset 100 percent of taxable income and be carried back to each of the five preceding taxable years to generate a refund of previously paid income taxes. We are continuing to evaluate the full impact of the CARES Act. However, we have determined that the NOL carryback provision in the CARES Act would result in a cash benefit to us for the fiscal years 2018 and 2019. We carried back our NOL for fiscal year 2018 to 2013, and in June 2020, we received a cash refund of approximately $2.7 million. We have an income tax receivable at September 30, 2020 of approximately $3.7 million for the benefit of carrying back the NOL for the fiscal year 2019 to 2014. We are forecasting an NOL for fiscal year 2020 and expect to carry it back to previous years. As a result, we have also included the 2020 provisional amounts in income tax receivable at September 30, 2020. As we are carrying the losses back to years beginning before January 1, 2018, the receivables were recorded at the previous 35 percent federal tax rate rather than the current statutory rate of 21 percent.
Inventory	InventoryInventory consists of crude oil held in storage tanks and at third-party pipelines as part of our crude oil marketing operations. Crude oil inventory is carried at the lower of cost or net realizable value. At the end of each reporting period, we assess the carrying value of our inventory and make adjustments necessary to reduce the carrying value to the applicable net realizable value. Any resulting adjustments are a component of marketing costs and expenses on our consolidated statements of operations. During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, we recorded a write-down of $18.2 million of our crude oil inventory due to significant declines in prices in 2020.
Property and Equipment	Property and Equipment Property and equipment is recorded at cost. Expenditures for additions, improvements and other enhancements to property and equipment are capitalized, and minor replacements, maintenance and repairs that do not extend asset life or add value are charged to expense as incurred. When property and equipment assets are retired or otherwise disposed of, the related cost and accumulated depreciation is removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is included in results of operations in operating costs and expenses for the respective period. Property and equipment, except for land, is depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated average useful lives ranging from two to thirty-nine years. We review our long-lived assets for impairment whenever there is evidence that the carrying value of these assets may not be recoverable. Any impairment recognized is permanent and may not be restored. Property and equipment is reviewed at the lowest level of identifiable cash flows. For property and equipment requiring impairment, the fair value is estimated based on an internal discounted cash flow model of future cash flows.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Recent Accounting Pronouncements In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (“ASU 2019-12”). This new standard eliminates certain exceptions in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 740 related to the approach for intraperiod tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period, and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. It also clarifies and simplifies other aspects of the accounting for income taxes. ASU 2019-12 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted in any interim period within that year. We elected to early adopt this standard during the period ended June 30, 2020, and most amendments within the standard were required to be applied on a prospective basis as of January 1, 2020, while certain amendments were applied on a retrospective or modified retrospective basis. The most significant impact to us is the removal of a limit on the tax benefit recognized on pre-tax losses in interim periods, which was required to be applied on a prospective basis. As a result of our adoption of ASU 2019-12, we calculated our quarterly income tax benefits based on ordinary losses incurred during the first, second and third quarters of 2020, no longer limiting the computed benefit if it exceeds the amount of benefit that would be recognized if the year-to-date ordinary loss were the anticipated ordinary loss for the full fiscal year.
Stock-Based Compensation	Stock-Based CompensationWe measure all share-based payments, including the issuance of restricted stock units and performance share units to employees and board members, using a fair-value based method. The cost of services received from employees and non-employee board members in exchange for awards of equity instruments is recognized in the consolidated statements of operations based on the estimated fair value of those awards on the grant date and amortized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. The fair value of restricted stock unit awards and performance share unit awards is based on the closing price of our common stock on the grant date. We account for forfeitures as they occur.
Other Marketing Revenue	Other Crude Oil Marketing Revenue Certain of the commodity purchase and sale contracts utilized by our crude oil marketing business qualify as derivative instruments with certain specifically identified contracts also designated as trading activity. From the time of contract origination, these contracts are marked-to-market and recorded on a net revenue basis in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. Certain of our crude oil contracts may be with a single counterparty to provide for similar quantities of crude oil to be bought and sold at different locations. These contracts are entered into for a variety of reasons, including effecting the transportation of the commodity, to minimize credit exposure, and/or to meet the competitive demands of the customer. These buy/sell arrangements are reflected on a net revenue basis in the accompanying consolidated financial statements

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Adams Resources & Energy, Inc. is a publicly traded Delaware corporation organized in 1973, the common shares of which are listed on the NYSE American LLC under the ticker symbol “AE”. Through our subsidiaries, we are primarily engaged in the business of crude oil marketing, transportation and storage in various crude oil and natural gas basins in the lower 48 states of the United States (“U.S.”). We also conduct tank truck transportation of liquid chemicals and dry bulk primarily in the lower 48 states of the U.S. with deliveries into Canada and Mexico, and with terminals in the Gulf Coast region of the U.S. Unless the context requires otherwise, references to “we,” “us,” “our” or “Company” are intended to mean the business and operations of Adams Resources & Energy, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

We operate and report in two business segments: (i) crude oil marketing, transportation and storage, and (ii) tank truck transportation of liquid chemicals and dry bulk. See Note 8 for further information regarding our business segments.

Basis of Presentation

Our results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of results expected for the full year of 2020. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments consisting of normal recurring accruals necessary for fair presentation. The condensed consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial statements and the rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures required by GAAP for complete annual financial statements have been omitted and, therefore, these interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 (the “2019 Form 10-K”) filed with the SEC on March 6, 2020. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

Use of EstimatesThe preparation of our financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to use estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. We base our estimates and judgments on historical experience and on various other assumptions and information we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Estimates and assumptions about future events and their effects cannot be perceived with certainty and, accordingly, these estimates may change as new events occur, as more experience is acquired, as additional information is obtained and as the operating environment changes. While we believe the estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of these condensed consolidated financial statements are appropriate, actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted CashRestricted cash represents an amount held in a segregated bank account by Wells Fargo as collateral for outstanding letters of credit.

Earnings Per Share

Earnings Per ShareBasic earnings (losses) per share is computed by dividing our net earnings (losses) by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings (losses) per share is computed by giving effect to all potential shares of common stock outstanding, including our stock related to unvested restricted stock unit awards. Unvested restricted stock unit awards granted under the Adams Resources & Energy, Inc. 2018 Long-Term Incentive Plan (“2018 LTIP”) are not considered to be participating securities as the holders of these shares do not have non-forfeitable dividend rights in the event of our declaration of a dividend for common shares (see Note 11 for further discussion).

Fair Value Measurements

The carrying amounts reported in the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets for cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable approximates fair value because of the immediate or short-term maturity of these financial instruments. Marketable securities are recorded at fair value based on market quotations from actively traded liquid markets.

A three-tier hierarchy has been established that classifies fair value amounts recognized in the financial statements based on the observability of inputs used to estimate these fair values. The hierarchy considers fair value amounts based on observable inputs (Levels 1 and 2) to be more reliable and predictable than those based primarily on unobservable inputs (Level 3). At each balance sheet reporting date, we categorize our financial assets and liabilities using this hierarchy.

See Note 6 for a discussion of the Level 3 inputs used in the determination of the fair value of the intangible assets acquired in an asset acquisition that occurred in June 2020.

Fair value contracts consist of derivative financial instruments and are recorded as either an asset or liability measured at its fair value. Changes in fair value are recognized immediately in earnings unless the derivatives qualify for, and we elect, cash flow hedge accounting. We had no contracts designated for hedge accounting during any current reporting periods (see Note 10 for further information).

Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for using the asset and liability method. Under this approach, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on anticipated future tax consequences attributable to differences between financial statement carrying amounts of these items and their respective tax basis.

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was enacted and signed into law in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act, among other things, permits net operating losses (“NOL”) incurred in tax years 2018, 2019 and 2020 to offset 100 percent of taxable income and be carried back to each of the five preceding taxable years to generate a refund of previously paid income taxes.

We are continuing to evaluate the full impact of the CARES Act. However, we have determined that the NOL carryback provision in the CARES Act would result in a cash benefit to us for the fiscal years 2018 and 2019. We carried back our NOL for fiscal year 2018 to 2013, and in June 2020, we received a cash refund of approximately $2.7 million. We have an income tax receivable at September 30, 2020 of approximately $3.7 million for the benefit of carrying back the NOL for the fiscal year 2019 to 2014. We are forecasting an NOL for fiscal year 2020 and expect to carry it back to previous years. As a result, we have also included the 2020 provisional amounts in income tax receivable at September 30, 2020. As we are carrying the losses back to years beginning before January 1, 2018, the receivables were recorded at the previous 35 percent federal tax rate rather than the current statutory rate of 21 percent.

Inventory

InventoryInventory consists of crude oil held in storage tanks and at third-party pipelines as part of our crude oil marketing operations. Crude oil inventory is carried at the lower of cost or net realizable value. At the end of each reporting period, we assess the carrying value of our inventory and make adjustments necessary to reduce the carrying value to the applicable net realizable value. Any resulting adjustments are a component of marketing costs and expenses on our consolidated statements of operations. During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, we recorded a write-down of $18.2 million of our crude oil inventory due to significant declines in prices in 2020.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment is recorded at cost. Expenditures for additions, improvements and other enhancements to property and equipment are capitalized, and minor replacements, maintenance and repairs that do not extend asset life or add value are charged to expense as incurred. When property and equipment assets are retired or otherwise disposed of, the related cost and accumulated depreciation is removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is included in results of operations in operating costs and expenses for the respective period. Property and equipment, except for land, is depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated average useful lives ranging from two to thirty-nine years.

We review our long-lived assets for impairment whenever there is evidence that the carrying value of these assets may not be recoverable. Any impairment recognized is permanent and may not be restored. Property and equipment is reviewed at the lowest level of identifiable cash flows. For property and equipment requiring impairment, the fair value is estimated based on an internal discounted cash flow model of future cash flows.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (“ASU 2019-12”). This new standard eliminates certain exceptions in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 740 related to the approach for intraperiod tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period, and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. It also clarifies and simplifies other aspects of the accounting for income taxes. ASU 2019-12 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted in any interim period within that year.

We elected to early adopt this standard during the period ended June 30, 2020, and most amendments within the standard were required to be applied on a prospective basis as of January 1, 2020, while certain amendments were applied on a retrospective or modified retrospective basis. The most significant impact to us is the removal of a limit on the tax benefit recognized on pre-tax losses in interim periods, which was required to be applied on a prospective basis. As a result of our adoption of ASU 2019-12, we calculated our quarterly income tax benefits based on ordinary losses incurred during the first, second and third quarters of 2020, no longer limiting the computed benefit if it exceeds the amount of benefit that would be recognized if the year-to-date ordinary loss were the anticipated ordinary loss for the full fiscal year.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based CompensationWe measure all share-based payments, including the issuance of restricted stock units and performance share units to employees and board members, using a fair-value based method. The cost of services received from employees and non-employee board members in exchange for awards of equity instruments is recognized in the consolidated statements of operations based on the estimated fair value of those awards on the grant date and amortized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. The fair value of restricted stock unit awards and performance share unit awards is based on the closing price of our common stock on the grant date. We account for forfeitures as they occur.

Other Marketing Revenue

Other Crude Oil Marketing Revenue

Certain of the commodity purchase and sale contracts utilized by our crude oil marketing business qualify as derivative instruments with certain specifically identified contracts also designated as trading activity. From the time of contract origination, these contracts are marked-to-market and recorded on a net revenue basis in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

Certain of our crude oil contracts may be with a single counterparty to provide for similar quantities of crude oil to be bought and sold at different locations. These contracts are entered into for a variety of reasons, including effecting the transportation of the commodity, to minimize credit exposure, and/or to meet the competitive demands of the customer. These buy/sell arrangements are reflected on a net revenue basis in the accompanying consolidated financial statements