Fair Value Measurements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Note 6 - Fair Value Measurements

Questar complies with the provisions of the accounting standards for fair value measurements and disclosures. The standards establish a fair value hierarchy. Level 1 inputs are unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that the Company has the ability to 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. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. The Company had no assets or liabilities measured using Level 3 inputs at September 30, 2012, September 30, 2011 or December 31, 2011.

Beginning in 2012, Questar adopted fair value accounting guidance issued in May 2011. The guidance did not result in any changes to the reported amounts of assets or liabilities, but did result in disclosure of the fair value hierarchy levels associated with fair value estimates for financial assets and liabilities not carried at fair value.

Questar

The following table discloses the carrying amount, estimated fair value, and level within the fair value hierarchy of certain financial instruments not disclosed in other notes to Questar's financial statements in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q:



	Hierarchy Level of Fair Value Estimates	Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value
		Sept. 30, 2012				Sept. 30, 2011				Dec. 31, 2011
		(in millions)
Financial assets
Cash and cash equivalents	1	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	11.6	$	11.6
Long-term investment	1	15.0		15.0		14.1		14.1		14.4		14.4
Financial liabilities
Checks outstanding in excess of cash balances	1	5.4		5.4		9.6		9.6		—		—
Short-term debt	1	263.0		263.0		278.0		278.0		219.0		219.0
Long-term debt, including current portion	2	1,057.9		1,237.5		906.4		1,013.9		1,084.5		1,223.4

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, checks outstanding in excess of cash balances and short-term debt approximate fair value. The long-term investment is recorded at fair value and consists of money market and short-term bond index mutual funds held in Wexpro's trust (see Note 5). The fair value of the long-term investment is based on quoted prices for the underlying funds. The fair value of fixed-rate long-term debt is based on the discounted present value of cash flows using the Company's current credit-risk adjusted borrowing rates.

The fair values of the Company's derivative instruments are the same as their carrying amounts, and are disclosed in Note 7. The fair values of derivative instruments, which consist entirely of spot and forward starting interest rate swaps, are estimated using a standard discounted cash flow model using observable market-based forward interest rates obtained from third-party financial institutions, and are considered Level 2 fair value measurements.

Questar Gas

The following table discloses the carrying amount, estimated fair value, and level within the fair value hierarchy of certain financial instruments not disclosed in other notes to Questar Gas's financial statements in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q:



	Hierarchy Level of Fair Value Estimates	Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value
		Sept. 30, 2012				Sept. 30, 2011				Dec. 31, 2011
		(in millions)
Financial assets
Cash and cash equivalents	1	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	5.0	$	5.0
Financial liabilities
Checks outstanding in excess of cash balances	1	2.0		2.0		3.2		3.2		—		—
Notes payable to Questar	1	206.6		206.6		97.9		97.9		142.7		142.7
Long-term debt, including current portion	2	343.0		426.3		368.0		431.7		368.0		445.4

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, checks outstanding in excess of cash balances and notes payable to Questar approximate fair value. The fair value of fixed-rate long-term debt is based on the discounted present value of cash flows using Questar Gas's current credit-risk adjusted borrowing rates.

Questar Pipeline

The following table discloses the carrying amount, estimated fair value, and level within the fair value hierarchy of certain financial instruments not disclosed in other notes to Questar Pipeline's financial statements in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q:



	Hierarchy Level of Fair Value Estimates	Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value
		Sept. 30, 2012				Sept. 30, 2011				Dec. 31, 2011
		(in millions)
Financial assets
Cash and cash equivalents	1	$	0.4	$	0.4	$	0.4	$	0.4	$	3.4	$	3.4
Notes receivable from Questar	1	42.0		42.0		—		—		8.8		8.8
Financial liabilities
Notes payable to Questar	1	—		—		130.3		130.3		—		—
Long-term debt	2	458.9		547.8		280.9		329.1		459.0		519.4

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, notes receivable from Questar and notes payable to Questar approximate fair value. The fair value of fixed-rate long-term debt is based on the discounted present value of cash flows using Questar Pipeline's current credit-risk adjusted borrowing rates.

The fair values of the company’s derivative instruments are the same as their carrying amounts, and are disclosed in Note 7. The fair values of derivative instruments, which consist entirely of forward starting interest rate swaps, are estimated using a standard discounted cash flow model using observable market-based forward interest rates obtained from third-party financial institutions, and are considered Level 2 fair value measurements.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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