Accounting For Asset Retirement Obligations (Rollforward Of ARO Liability Recorded) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Accounting For Asset Retirement Obligations
ARO liability at beginning of year	$ 92,911	$ 85,358
Revisions to estimates	(27,076)	0
Accretion expense	3,532	3,917
Liabilities settled	(72)	(303)
ARO liability at June 30	$ 69,295	$ 88,972

- Definition

Amount of accretion expense recognized in the income statement during the period that is associated with asset retirement obligations. Accretion expense measures and incorporates changes due to the passage of time into the carrying amount of the liability. Such accretion expense representing changes in the liability for an asset retirement obligation due to passage of time is the result of applying an interest method of allocation to the amount of the liability at the beginning of the period. The interest rate used to measure that change shall be the credit-adjusted risk-free rate that existed when the liability, or portion thereof, was initially measured. That amount shall be recognized as an increase in the carrying amount of the liability and as an expense classified as an operating item in the statement of income. Accretion expense shall not be considered to be interest cost for purposes of capitalization of interest.

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