Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure

Note 7 - Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

Questar and its subsidiaries may enter into derivative instruments to manage exposure to changes in current and future market interest rates. In order to mitigate its exposure to changes in the fair value of its fixed-rate corporate debt resulting from changes in benchmark interest rates, in the second quarter of 2011 Questar executed a fixed-to-floating interest rate swap transaction with a counterparty and converted $125.0 million of its 2.75% fixed rate long-term debt to floating rate debt. The 2.75% rate was swapped for a London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)-based floating rate. Questar terminated and settled this hedge transaction in March 2012, for a deferred gain of $7.2 million, which will be amortized to interest expense through the maturity of the notes in 2016. Prior to its termination, this swap was accounted for as a fair value hedge under the accounting standards for derivatives and hedging.

Questar Pipeline entered into forward starting swaps totaling $150.0 million in the second and third quarters of 2011 in anticipation of issuing $180.0 million of notes in December 2011. Settlement of these swaps required payments of $37.3 million because of declines in interest rates. These swaps qualified as cash flow hedges and the settlement payments are being amortized to interest expense over the 30-year life of the debt.

All derivative instruments are required to be recorded on the balance sheet as either assets or liabilities measured at fair value. The designation of a derivative instrument as a hedge and its ability to meet hedge accounting criteria determines how the changes in fair value of the derivative instrument are reflected in the consolidated financial statements. A derivative instrument qualifies for fair value hedge accounting if, at inception and throughout its life, the derivative is expected to be highly effective in offsetting the changes in fair value of the hedged debt attributable to the hedged interest rate. Changes in the fair value of a derivative instrument qualifying and designated as a fair value hedge as well as the offsetting changes in the fair value of the hedged debt attributable to the hedged interest rate are recorded currently in the Consolidated Statements of Income. A derivative instrument qualifies for cash flow hedge accounting if, at inception and throughout its life, the derivative is expected to be highly effective in offsetting the changes in expected cash flows of the hedged interest payments. Changes in the effective portion of the fair value of a derivative instrument qualifying and designated as a cash flow hedge are initially recorded as a component of OCI in the period and remain in AOCI in the Consolidated Balance Sheets until they are reclassified into earnings as the Company records interest expense for the hedged interest payments. Ineffective portions of a qualifying and designated cash flow hedge are recorded currently in earnings.

All derivative instruments are recorded in the Consolidated Balance Sheets at their fair values on a gross basis. Asset and liability derivative positions with the same counterparty are not netted.

Interest rate swaps and forward starting interest rate swaps are settled in cash on periodic payment dates with one party paying the other for the net difference between the fixed and floating interest rate for the payment period as specified in the swap agreement, multiplied by the notional amount. Forward starting interest rate swaps used as cash flow hedges of forecasted fixed-rate debt issuances are terminated and settled in cash when the forecasted debt is issued or as the swaps expire, with one party paying the other for the swap's net fair value at the time of settlement. Questar reports cash flows related to derivative instruments qualifying and designated as hedges in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows based upon the nature of the hedged items.

The following table presents the pre-tax effects of the derivative instruments designated as a fair value hedge (including the hedged item) and cash flow hedges on the Consolidated Statements of Income as well as the pre-tax effects of the derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges on OCI:

		3 Months Ended					12 Months Ended
	Financial Statement	March 31,					March 31,
Instrument and Activity	Location of Gain (Loss)	2012			2011		2012			2011
		(in millions)
Fair Value Hedge
Questar Corporation
Interest rate derivative instrument
Realized gain	Interest expense	$	—		$	—	$	9.8		$	—
2.75% Notes due 2016
Unrealized loss	Interest expense	—			—		(9.8		)	—
Cash Flow Hedges
Questar Pipeline
Interest rate derivative instruments
Deferrals of effective portions	OCI	—			—		(37.3		)	—
Losses reclassified from AOCI into earnings for effective portions	Interest expense	(0.1		)	—		(0.2		)	—

There was no ineffectiveness recognized on the fair value hedge for the three and 12 months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011. There was no ineffectiveness recognized on the cash flow hedges for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011 and the 12 months ended March 31, 2011. Ineffectiveness recognized on the cash flow hedges was de minimis in the 12 months ended March 31, 2012. Reclassifications into earnings of amounts reported in AOCI will continue as interest expense is recorded for the hedged interest payments through maturity in 2041. Pre-tax net losses of $0.5 million are expected to be reclassified from AOCI to the Consolidated Statements of Income in the next 12 months. As of March 31, 2012, the Company is not hedging any exposure to variability in future cash flows of forecasted transactions.

The following table discloses the Level 2 fair value of the derivative instrument designated as a fair value hedge in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets:

Instrument	Balance Sheet Location	Mar. 31, 2012		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2011
		(in millions)
Assets
Questar Corporation
Interest rate derivative instrument	Prepaid expenses and other	$	—	$	—	$	1.1
Interest rate derivative instrument	Other noncurrent assets	—		—		7.8
Consolidated total - derivative assets		$	—	$	—	$	8.9