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Ceiling Test
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Ceiling Test  
Ceiling Test

Note 4. Ceiling Test

Dominion follows the full cost method of accounting for its gas and oil E&P activities, which subjects capitalized costs to a quarterly ceiling test using hedge-adjusted prices. Due to the April 2010 sale of substantially all of its Appalachian E&P operations, as of June 30, 2011, Dominion no longer has any significant gas and oil properties subject to the ceiling test calculation.

At March 31, 2010, Dominion recorded a ceiling test impairment charge of $21 million ($13 million after-tax) in other operations and maintenance expense in its Consolidated Statement of Income primarily due to a decline in hedge-adjusted prices reflecting the discontinuance of hedge accounting for certain cash flow hedges, as discussed in Note 3.