COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Commitments and Agreements: Certain of Alagasco's long-term contracts associated with the delivery and storage of natural gas include fixed charges of approximately $88 million through September 2024. During the three months ending March 31, 2012 and 2011, Alagasco recognized approximately $14.3 million of long-term commitments through expense and its regulatory accounts in the accompanying financial statements. Alagasco also is committed to purchase minimum quantities of gas at market-related prices or to pay certain costs in the event the minimum quantities are not taken. These purchase commitments are approximately 190 Bcf through August 2020.

Alagasco purchases gas as an agent for certain of its large commercial and industrial customers. Alagasco has, in certain instances, provided commodity-related guarantees to the counterparties in order to facilitate these agency purchases. Liabilities existing for gas delivered to customers subject to these guarantees are included in the balance sheets. In the event the customer for whom the guarantee was entered fails to take delivery of the gas, Alagasco can sell such gas for the customer, with the customer liable for any resulting loss. Although the substantial majority of purchases under these guarantees are for the customers' current monthly consumption and are at current market prices, in some instances, the purchases are for an extended term at a fixed price. At March 31, 2012, the fixed price purchases under these guarantees had a maximum term outstanding through March 2013 and an aggregate purchase price of $3.8 million with a market value of $2.8 million.

Energen Resources entered into three agreements which commenced at various dates from November 15, 2011 to January 15, 2012 and expire at various dates through January 2015 to secure drilling rigs necessary to execute a portion of its drilling plans. In the unlikely event that Energen Resources discontinues use of these drilling rigs, Energen Resources' total resulting exposure could be as much as $27 million depending on the contractor's ability to remarket the drilling rig.

Income Taxes: The Company and Alagasco have on-going tax examinations under various U.S. and state tax jurisdictions. Accordingly, it is reasonably possible that significant changes to the reserve for uncertain tax benefits may occur as a result of the completion of various audits and the expiration of statute of limitations. Although the timing and outcome of these tax examinations is highly uncertain, the Company does not expect the change in the unrecognized tax benefit within the next 12 months would have a material impact to the financial statements.

Legal Matters: Energen and its affiliates are, from time to time, parties to various pending or threatened legal proceedings. Certain of these lawsuits include claims for punitive damages in addition to other specified relief. Based upon information presently available and in light of available legal and other defenses, contingent liabilities arising from threatened and pending litigation are not considered material in relation to the respective financial positions of Energen and its affiliates. It should be noted, however, that Energen and its affiliates conduct business in jurisdictions in which the magnitude and frequency of punitive and other damage awards may bear little or no relation to culpability or actual damages, thus making it difficult to predict litigation results.

Various pending or threatened legal proceedings are in progress currently, and the Company has accrued a provision for estimated liability. This provision was increased by $1.3 million during the three months ended March 31, 2012.

Environmental Matters: Various environmental laws and regulations apply to the operations of Energen Resources and Alagasco. Historically, the cost of environmental compliance has not materially affected the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows. New regulations, enforcement policies, claims for damages or other events could result in significant unanticipated costs.

Alagasco is in the chain of title of nine former manufactured gas plant sites (four of which it still owns), and five manufactured gas distribution sites (one of which it still owns). The following paragraph discusses the recent completion of a removal action at the Huntsville, Alabama manufactured gas plant site. An investigation of the sites does not indicate the present need for other remediation activities and management expects that, should remediation of any such sites be required in the future, Alagasco's share, if any, of such costs will not materially affect the financial position of Alagasco.

In June 2009, Alagasco received a General Notice Letter from the United States Environmental Protection Agency identifying Alagasco as a responsible party for a former manufactured gas plant (MGP) site located in Huntsville, Alabama, and inviting Alagasco to enter an Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent to perform a removal action at that site. The Huntsville MGP, along with the Huntsville gas distribution system, was sold by Alagasco to the City of Huntsville in 1949. While Alagasco no longer owns the Huntsville site, the Company and the current site owner entered into a Consent Order, and developed and completed during 2011 an action plan for the site. Alagasco has incurred costs associated with the site of approximately $4.9 million. As of March 31, 2012, the expected remaining costs are not expected to be material to the Company. Alagasco has recorded a corresponding amount to its Enhanced Stability Reserve regulatory asset account of which a debit balance of $4.8 million was cleared as of September 30, 2011 and allocated, subject to APSC review guidelines, against the refundable negative salvage costs being refunded to customers.

New Mexico Audits: During the third quarter of 2010, Energen Resources received preliminary findings from the Taxation and Revenue Department (the Department) of the State of New Mexico relating to its audit, conducted on behalf of the Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR), of federal oil and gas leases in New Mexico. The audit covered periods from January 2004 through December 2008 and included a review of the computation and payment of royalties due on minerals removed from specified U.S. federal leases. The ONRR has proposed certain changes in the method of determining allowable deductions of transportation, fuel and processing costs from royalties due under the terms of the related leases.

As a result of the audit, Energen Resources has been ordered by the ONRR to pay additional royalties on the specified U.S. federal leases in the amount of $142,000 and restructure its accounting for all federal leases in two counties in New Mexico from March 1, 2004, forward. The Company preliminarily estimates that application of the Order to all of the Company's New Mexico federal leases would result in ONRR claims for up to approximately $22 million of additional royalties plus interest and penalties for the period from March 1, 2004, forward. The preliminary findings and subsequent Order (issued April 25, 2011) are contrary to deductions allowed under previous audits, retroactive in application and inconsistent with the Company’s understanding of industry practice. The Company is vigorously contesting the Order and has requested additional information from the ONRR and the Department to assist the Company in evaluating the ONRR Order and the Department's findings. Management is unable, at this time, to determine a range of reasonably possible losses as a result of this Order, and no amount has been accrued as of March 31, 2012.

Capital Lease Obligations: During the quarter, the Company entered into certain capital leases related to certain equipment. The following is a schedule of future minimum lease payments under capital leases together with the present value of the net minimum lease payments as of March 31, 2012:



(in thousands)
2012	$	1,307
2013	1,743
2014	1,743
2015	145
Total minimum lease payments	4,938
Less amount representing interest	141
Total present value of minimum lease payments	$	4,797