Fair Value Measurements

The FASB authoritative guidance regarding fair value measurements establishes a fair-value hierarchy and prioritizes the inputs used in valuation techniques that measure fair value. Those inputs are prioritized into three levels. Level 1 inputs are unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for assets or liabilities that the Company can access at the measurement date. Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly at the measurement date. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability at the measurement date. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment, and may affect the valuation of fair value assets and liabilities and their placement within the fair value hierarchy levels.

The following table sets forth, by level within the fair value hierarchy, the Company's financial assets and liabilities (as applicable) that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2017 and September 30, 2016. Financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The fair value presentation for over the counter swaps combines gas and oil swaps because a significant number of the counterparties enter into both gas and oil swap agreements with the Company.



Recurring Fair Value Measures	At fair value as of March 31, 2017
(Thousands of Dollars)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Netting Adjustments⁽¹⁾			Total⁽¹⁾
Assets:
Cash Equivalents – Money Market Mutual Funds	$	214,213	$	—	$	—	$	—		$	214,213
Derivative Financial Instruments:
Commodity Futures Contracts – Gas	2,449		—		—		(1,068		)	1,381
Over the Counter Swaps – Gas and Oil	—		73,525		—		(10,177		)	63,348
Foreign Currency Contracts	—		48		—		(48		)	—
Other Investments:
Balanced Equity Mutual Fund	34,664		—		—		—			34,664
Fixed Income Mutual Fund	38,460		—		—		—			38,460
Common Stock – Financial Services Industry	3,649		—		—		—			3,649
Hedging Collateral Deposits	1,771		—		—		—			1,771
Total	$	295,206	$	73,573	$	—	$	(11,293	)	$	357,486

Liabilities:
Derivative Financial Instruments:
Commodity Futures Contracts – Gas	$	1,068	$	—	$	—	$	(1,068	)	$	—
Over the Counter Swaps – Gas and Oil	—		9,641		—		(10,177		)	(536		)
Foreign Currency Contracts	—		2,055		—		(48		)	2,007
Total	$	1,068	$	11,696	$	—	$	(11,293	)	$	1,471
Total Net Assets/(Liabilities)	$	294,138	$	61,877	$	—	$	—		$	356,015



Recurring Fair Value Measures	At fair value as of September 30, 2016
(Thousands of Dollars)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Netting Adjustments⁽¹⁾			Total⁽¹⁾
Assets:
Cash Equivalents – Money Market Mutual Funds	$	114,895	$	—	$	—	$	—		$	114,895
Derivative Financial Instruments:
Commodity Futures Contracts – Gas	2,623		—		—		(2,276		)	347
Over the Counter Swaps – Gas and Oil	—		119,654		—		(3,860		)	115,794
Foreign Currency Contracts	—		—		—		(2,337		)	(2,337		)
Other Investments:
Balanced Equity Mutual Fund	36,658		—		—		—			36,658
Fixed Income Mutual Fund	31,395		—		—		—			31,395
Common Stock – Financial Services Industry	2,902		—		—		—			2,902
Hedging Collateral Deposits	1,484		—		—		—			1,484
Total	$	189,957	$	119,654	$	—	$	(8,473	)	$	301,138

Liabilities:
Derivative Financial Instruments:
Commodity Futures Contracts – Gas	$	2,276	$	—	$	—	$	(2,276	)	$	—
Over the Counter Swaps – Gas and Oil	—		5,322		—		(3,860		)	1,462
Foreign Currency Contracts	—		2,337		—		(2,337		)	—
Total	$	2,276	$	7,659	$	—	$	(8,473	)	$	1,462
Total Net Assets/(Liabilities)	$	187,681	$	111,995	$	—	$	—		$	299,676


⁽¹⁾	Netting Adjustments represent the impact of legally-enforceable master netting arrangements that allow the Company to net gain and loss positions held with the same counterparties. The net asset or net liability for each counterparty is recorded as an asset or liability on the Company’s balance sheet.

Derivative Financial Instruments

At March 31, 2017 and September 30, 2016, the derivative financial instruments reported in Level 1 consist of natural gas NYMEX and ICE futures contracts used in the Company’s Energy Marketing segment. Hedging collateral deposits were $1.8 million at March 31, 2017 and $1.5 million at September 30, 2016, which were associated with these futures contracts and have been reported in Level 1 as well. The derivative financial instruments reported in Level 2 at March 31, 2017 and September 30, 2016 consist of natural gas price swap agreements used in the Company’s Exploration and Production and Energy Marketing segments, crude oil price swap agreements used in the Company’s Exploration and Production segment and foreign currency contracts used in the Company's Exploration and Production segment. The derivative financial instruments reported in Level 2 at March 31, 2017 also include basis hedge swap agreements used in the Company's Energy Marketing segment. The fair value of the Level 2 price swap agreements is based on an internal, discounted cash flow model that uses observable inputs (i.e. LIBOR based discount rates and basis differential information, if applicable, at active natural gas and crude oil trading markets). The fair value of the Level 2 foreign currency contracts is determined using the market approach based on observable market transactions of forward Canadian currency rates.

The accounting rules for fair value measurements and disclosures require consideration of the impact of nonperformance risk (including credit risk) from a market participant perspective in the measurement of the fair value of assets and liabilities. At March 31, 2017, the Company determined that nonperformance risk would have no material impact on its financial position or results of operation. To assess nonperformance risk, the Company considered information such as any applicable collateral posted, master netting arrangements, and applied a market-based method by using the counterparty's (assuming the derivative is in a gain position) or the Company’s (assuming the derivative is in a loss position) credit default swaps rates.

The table listed below provides a reconciliation of the beginning and ending net balances for assets and liabilities measured at fair value and classified as Level 3 for the six months ended March 31, 2016. For the six months ended March 31, 2017, there were no assets or liabilities measured at fair value and classified as Level 3. The Company's Exploration and Production segment had a small portion of their crude oil price swap agreements reported as Level 3 at October 1, 2015 that settled during the first quarter of fiscal 2016. For the quarters and six months ended March 31, 2017 and March 31, 2016, no transfers in or out of Level 1 or Level 2 occurred. There were no purchases or sales of derivative financial instruments during the period presented in the table below. All settlements of the derivative financial instruments are reflected in the Gains/Losses Realized and Included in Earnings column of the table below (amounts in parentheses indicate credits in the derivative asset/liability accounts).




Fair Value Measurements Using Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
(Thousands of Dollars)			Total Gains/Losses
	October 1, 2015		Gains/Losses Realized and Included in Earnings				Gains/Losses Unrealized and Included in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)		Transfer In/Out of Level 3		March 31, 2016
Derivative Financial Instruments⁽²⁾	$	1,791	$	(2,002	)	⁽¹⁾	$	211	$	—	$	—


⁽¹⁾	Amounts are reported in Operating Revenues in the Consolidated Statement of Income for the three months ended March 31, 2016.


⁽²⁾	Derivative Financial Instruments are shown on a net basis.