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Asset Retirement Obligations
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Asset Retirement Obligation [Abstract]  
Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure
Note 3 - Asset Retirement Obligations

Questar records AROs when there are legal obligations associated with the retirement of tangible, long-lived assets. At Questar, AROs apply primarily to abandonment costs associated with gas and oil wells, production facilities and certain other properties. The Company has not capitalized future abandonment costs on a majority of its long-lived transportation and distribution assets because the Company does not have a legal obligation to restore the area surrounding abandoned assets. The fair value of retirement costs is estimated by Company personnel based on abandonment costs of similar properties available to field operations and depreciated over the life of the related assets. Revisions to ARO estimates result from changes in expected cash flows or material changes in estimated retirement costs. Income or expense resulting from the settlement of ARO liabilities is included in net gain (loss) from asset sales on the Consolidated Statements of Income. The ARO liability is adjusted to present value each period through an accretion calculation using a credit-adjusted risk-free interest rate. Changes in Questar's AROs from the Consolidated Balance Sheets were as follows:

 
2011
 
2010
 
(in millions)
AROs at beginning of year
$
60.9

 
$
65.0

Accretion
3.0

 
2.9

Liabilities incurred
1.5

 
1.3

Revisions
0.8

 
(8.3
)
Liabilities settled
(2.4
)
 
—

AROs at end of year
$
63.8

 
$
60.9



Questar's consolidated AROs by line of business are summarized in the table below:

 
December 31,
 
2011
 
2010
 
(in millions)
Wexpro
$
60.3

 
$
56.0

Questar Pipeline
2.8

 
4.1

Questar Gas
0.7

 
0.8

Total
$
63.8

 
$
60.9



Wexpro collects from Questar Gas and deposits in trust certain funds related to estimated ARO costs. The funds are recorded as other noncurrent assets and used to satisfy retirement obligations as the properties are abandoned. The accounting treatment of reclamation activities associated with AROs for properties administered under the Wexpro Agreement is defined in a guideline letter between Wexpro and the Utah Division of Public Utilities and the Staff of the PSCW.