Fair Value Measurements (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Available-for-sale Securities [Table Text Block]

Details of available-for-sale securities were as follows:

December 31, 2011	Cost		Gross Unrealized Gains		Gross Unrealized Losses			Fair Value
	(In thousands)
Insurance investment contract	$	31,884	$	6,468	$	—		$	38,352
Auction rate securities	11,400		—		—			11,400
Mortgage-backed securities	8,206		95		(5		)	8,296
U.S. Treasury securities	1,619		37		—			1,656
Total	$	53,109	$	6,600	$	(5	)	$	59,704

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis

The Company's assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis are as follows:

	Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2011, Using
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs  (Level 3)		Balance at December 31, 2011
	(In thousands)
Assets:
Money market funds	$	—	$	97,500	$	—	$	97,500
Available-for-sale securities:
Insurance investment contract*	—		38,352		—		38,352
Auction rate securities	—		11,400		—		11,400
Mortgage-backed securities	—		8,296		—		8,296
U.S. Treasury securities	—		1,656		—		1,656
Commodity derivative instruments - current	—		27,687		—		27,687
Commodity derivative instruments - noncurrent	—		2,768		—		2,768
Total assets measured at fair value	$	—	$	187,659	$	—	$	187,659
Liabilities:
Commodity derivative instruments - current	$	—	$	13,164	$	—	$	13,164
Commodity derivative instruments - noncurrent	—		937		—		937
Interest rate derivative instruments - current	—		827		—		827
Interest rate derivative instruments - noncurrent	—		3,935		—		3,935
Total liabilities measured at fair value	$	—	$	18,863	$	—	$	18,863

* The insurance investment contract invests approximately 33 percent in common stock of mid-cap companies, 34 percent in common stock of small-cap companies, 32 percent in common stock of large-cap companies and 1 percent in cash and cash equivalents.

	Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2010, Using
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets  (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs  (Level 3)		Balance at December 31, 2010
	(In thousands)
Assets:
Money market funds	$	—	$	166,620	$	—	$	166,620
Available-for-sale securities:
Insurance investment contract*	—		39,541		—		39,541
Auction rate securities	—		11,400		—		11,400
Commodity derivative instruments - current	—		15,123		—		15,123
Commodity derivative instruments - noncurrent	—		4,104		—		4,104
Total assets measured at fair value	$	—	$	236,788	$	—	$	236,788
Liabilities:
Commodity derivative instruments - current	$	—	$	24,428	$	—	$	24,428
Commodity derivative instruments - noncurrent	—		6,483		—		6,483
Total liabilities measured at fair value	$	—	$	30,911	$	—	$	30,911

* The insurance investment contract invests approximately 35 percent in common stock of mid-cap companies, 33 percent in common stock of small-cap companies, 31 percent in common stock of large-cap companies and 1 percent in cash and cash equivalents.

Fair value of long term debt outstanding

The estimated fair value of the Company's long-term debt at December 31 was as follows:

	2011				2010
	Carrying Amount		Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Fair Value
	(In thousands)
Long-term debt	$	1,424,678	$	1,592,807	$	1,506,752	$	1,621,184