Derivative Commodity Instruments Derivative Commodity Investments (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Derivatives, Policy

Energen Resources Corporation, Energen's oil and gas subsidiary, recognizes all derivatives on the balance sheet and measures all derivatives at fair value. If a derivative is designated as a cash flow hedge, the effectiveness of the hedge, or the degree that the gain (loss) for the hedging instrument offsets the loss (gain) on the hedged item, is measured at each reporting period. The effective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative instrument is recognized in other comprehensive income (OCI) as a component of shareholders’ equity and subsequently reclassified as operating revenues when the forecasted transaction affects earnings. The ineffective portion of a derivative's change in fair value is required to be recognized in operating revenues immediately. All derivative transactions are included in operating activities on the consolidated condensed statements of cash flows.

Energen Resources periodically enters into derivative commodity instruments to hedge its exposure to price fluctuations on oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids production. In addition, Alagasco periodically enters into cash flow derivative commodity instruments to hedge its exposure to price fluctuations on its gas supply pursuant to standing authorizations by the Board of Directors, which do not authorize speculative positions. Such instruments may include over-the-counter (OTC) swaps and basis hedges with major energy derivative product specialists. The counterparties to the commodity instruments are investment banks and energy-trading firms. The Company is at risk for economic loss based upon the creditworthiness of its counterparties. Energen Resources was in a net loss position with eight of its active counterparties at March 31, 2012. The three largest counterparty net loss positions at March 31, 2012, Morgan Stanley Capital Group, Inc, J Aron & Company and Credit Suisse Energy LLC constituted approximately $73.6 million, $13.9 million and $11.3 million respectively, of Energen Resources’ net loss on fair value of derivatives. Energen Resources was in a net gain position with five of its active counterparties at March 31, 2012. The counterparty net gain positions ranged from $2 million to $6 million at March 31, 2012.

The current policy of the Company is to not enter into agreements that require the posting of collateral. The Company has a few older agreements, none of which have active positions as of March 31, 2012, which include collateral posting requirements based on the amount of exposure and counterparty credit ratings. The majority of the Company’s counterparty agreements include provisions for net settlement of transactions payable on the same date and in the same currency. Most of the agreements include various contractual set-off rights, which may be exercised by the non-defaulting party in the event of an early termination due to a default.

The Company periodically enters into derivative transactions that do not qualify for cash flow hedge accounting but are considered by management to represent valid economic hedges and are accounted for as mark-to-market transactions. These economic hedges may include, but are not limited to, hedges on estimated future production not yet flowing, basis hedges without a corresponding New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) hedge and hedges on non-operated or other properties for which all of the necessary information to qualify for cash flow hedge accounting is either not readily available or subject to change. Derivatives that do not qualify for hedge treatment or are not designated as cash flow hedges are recorded at fair value with gains or losses recognized in operating revenues in the period of change.