Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Income Taxes [Abstract]

Income Taxes

14. Income taxes

Each quarter we evaluate our estimated annual effective income tax rate based on current and forecasted business results and enacted tax laws and apply this tax rate to our ordinary income or loss to calculate our estimated tax liability or benefit. We have accumulated financial deferred tax assets primarily due to ceiling test write-downs to the carrying value of our oil and natural gas properties that are subject to valuation allowances. Also, we have tax net operating losses as a result of our drilling programs. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, we estimate that we have utilized $34.0 million and $75.7 million, respectively, of our accumulated valuation allowance. As a result of cumulative financial operating losses, we have recognized net valuation allowances of approximately $311.9 million as of September 30, 2011. The valuation allowances will continue to be recognized until the realization of future deferred tax benefits are more likely than not to become utilized. The valuation allowance does not impact future utilization of the underlying tax attributes.