Commitments and Contingencies	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies Uinta Crude Oil Sales Contract The Company is a party to a crude oil sales contract through June 30, 2013 with a refiner for the purchase of a minimum of 5,000 Bbl/D of its Uinta crude oil. Pricing under the contract, which includes transportation and gravity adjustments, is at a fixed percentage of WTI. Gross operated oil production from the Company's Uinta properties averaged approximately 3,900 Bbl/D in the first six months of 2012. Due to the possibility of refinery constraints in the Utah region, it is possible that the loss of the Company's crude oil sales customer in Utah could impact the marketability of a portion of the Company's Uinta crude oil volumes. See Item 1A. Risk Factors of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 2011 filed with the SEC on February 28, 2012. E. Texas Gathering System In July 2009, the Company closed on the financing of its E. Texas natural gas gathering system for $18.4 million in cash. The Company entered into concurrent long-term natural gas gathering agreements for the E. Texas production which contained an embedded lease. The transaction was treated as a financing obligation. Accordingly, the $16.7 million net book value of the property is being depreciated over the remaining useful life of the asset and the cash received of $18.4 million was recorded as a financing obligation. A portion of the payments under the agreements is recorded as gathering expense and a portion as interest expense, with the balance being recorded as a reduction to the financing obligation. There are no minimum payments required under these agreements. For the three months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, the Company incurred $0.8 million and $1.4 million, respectively, under the agreements. For the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, the Company incurred $1.7 million and $3.1 million, respectively, under the agreements. These amounts are recorded in the Condensed Financial Statements under the caption operating costs—oil and natural gas production. Carry and Earning Agreement On January 14, 2011, the Company entered into an amendment relating to certain contractual obligations to a third party co-owner of certain Piceance assets in Colorado. The amendment waives the $0.2 million penalty for each well not spud by February 2011 and requires the Company to reassign to such co-owner, by January 31, 2020, all of the interest acquired by the Company from the co-owner in each 160-acre tract in which the Company has not drilled and completed a well that is producing or capable of producing from a designated formation, or deeper formation, on January 1, 2020. The amendment also requires the Company to pay the first $9.0 million of costs incurred in connection with the construction of either an extension of the existing access road or a new access road, including the third party's 50% share. If by June 30, 2013 (which date may be extended until December 31, 2014 if road construction has commenced by June 30, 2013), the Company has not expended $9.0 million ($4.5 million of which would otherwise be such third party's responsibility) in road construction costs, then it will be obligated to pay the third party 50% of the difference between $12.0 million and the actual amount expended on road construction as of such date. Due to the need to obtain regulatory approvals, the Company has not yet commenced construction of either an extension of the existing access road or a new access road and may be unable to do so by June 30, 2013, thus triggering the payment obligation to the third party. Legal Matters Department of the Interior Notice of Proposed Debarment. On June 14, 2012, the Company received a Notice of Proposed Debarment issued by the United States Department of the Interior (DOI). Pursuant to the notice, the DOI's Office of the Inspector General is proposing to debar the Company from participation in certain federal contracts and assistance activities, including oil and natural gas leases, for a period of three years. The basis for the proposed debarment relates to the Company's purported noncompliance with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulations relating to the operation of certain equipment, and the submission of related site facility diagrams, in its Uinta operations. In 2011, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with the BLM and paid a $2.1 million civil penalty relating to the matter. The Company intends to contest the proposed debarment and believes the matter is without merit. The Company is currently engaged in discussions with the DOI to resolve the matter. COGCC Order. On April 21, 2011, the Company received a proposed Order Finding Violation from the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) alleging that certain releases in late 2007 from a lined reserve pit located on a well pad in western Colorado violated COGCC regulations. Shortly thereafter, the Company entered into negotiations with the COGCC. While the Company denies that it violated any COGCC regulations in connection with the releases, on June 27, 2011, the COGCC approved and the Company later signed an Administrative Order on Consent under which the Company would pay $100,000, and fund a mutually acceptable public project in the amount of $73,000, in full satisfaction of the matter. The Company recorded these amounts in the second quarter of 2011 and paid $100,000 in July 2011. The Company expects to fund the mutually acceptable project in the third quarter of 2012. Royalty Payments. Certain of the Company's royalty payment calculations are being disputed. The Company believes that its royalty calculations are in accordance with applicable leases and other agreements, as well as applicable law. On July 26, 2012, the Company received a federal court jury verdict that the Company had underpaid certain disputed royalty payments. While a judgment has not yet been entered on the matter, the Company believes its liability to the royalty owner pursuant to the verdict will be approximately $4.2 million, inclusive of statutory interest, of which approximately $1.3 million had been previously recorded in compression, gathering, and dehydration expense. The Company recorded $2.0 million in compression, gathering and dehydration expense and $0.9 million in interest expense in the second quarter of 2012 in conjunction with the verdict. The Company has not yet determined whether to appeal the verdict. As of June 30, 2012, the Company may be required to pay amounts of up to approximately $3.9 million with respect to other royalty disputes. Other. The Company is involved in various other lawsuits, claims and inquiries, most of which are routine to the nature of its business. In the opinion of management, the resolution of these matters will not have a material effect on its financial position, results of operations or operating cash flows. Environmental Matters The Company has no material accrued environmental liabilities for its sites, including sites in which governmental agencies have designated the Company as a potentially responsible party, because it is not probable that a loss will be incurred and the minimum cost and/or amount of loss cannot be reasonably estimated. However, due to of the uncertainties associated with environmental assessment and remediation activities, future expense to remediate the currently identified sites, and sites identified in the future, if any, could be incurred. Management believes, based upon current site assessments, that the ultimate resolution of any matters will not result in material costs incurred.

Commitments and Contingencies

Uinta Crude Oil Sales Contract

The Company is a party to a crude oil sales contract through June 30, 2013 with a refiner for the purchase of a minimum of 5,000 Bbl/D of its Uinta crude oil. Pricing under the contract, which includes transportation and gravity adjustments, is at a fixed percentage of WTI. Gross operated oil production from the Company's Uinta properties averaged approximately 3,900 Bbl/D in the first six months of 2012. Due to the possibility of refinery constraints in the Utah region, it is possible that the loss of the Company's crude oil sales customer in Utah could impact the marketability of a portion of the Company's Uinta crude oil volumes. See Item 1A. Risk Factors of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 2011 filed with the SEC on February 28, 2012.

E. Texas Gathering System

In July 2009, the Company closed on the financing of its E. Texas natural gas gathering system for $18.4 million in cash. The Company entered into concurrent long-term natural gas gathering agreements for the E. Texas production which contained an embedded lease. The transaction was treated as a financing obligation. Accordingly, the $16.7 million net book value of the property is being depreciated over the remaining useful life of the asset and the cash received of $18.4 million was recorded as a financing obligation. A portion of the payments under the agreements is recorded as gathering expense and a portion as interest expense, with the balance being recorded as a reduction to the financing obligation. There are no minimum payments required under these agreements. For the three months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, the Company incurred $0.8 million and $1.4 million, respectively, under the agreements. For the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, the Company incurred $1.7 million and $3.1 million, respectively, under the agreements. These amounts are recorded in the Condensed Financial Statements under the caption operating costs—oil and natural gas production.

Carry and Earning Agreement

On January 14, 2011, the Company entered into an amendment relating to certain contractual obligations to a third party co-owner of certain Piceance assets in Colorado. The amendment waives the $0.2 million penalty for each well not spud by February 2011 and requires the Company to reassign to such co-owner, by January 31, 2020, all of the interest acquired by the Company from the co-owner in each 160-acre tract in which the Company has not drilled and completed a well that is producing or capable of producing from a designated formation, or deeper formation, on January 1, 2020. The amendment also requires the Company to pay the first $9.0 million of costs incurred in connection with the construction of either an extension of the existing access road or a new access road, including the third party's 50% share. If by June 30, 2013 (which date may be extended until December 31, 2014 if road construction has commenced by June 30, 2013), the Company has not expended $9.0 million ($4.5 million of which would otherwise be such third party's responsibility) in road construction costs, then it will be obligated to pay the third party 50% of the difference between $12.0 million and the actual amount expended on road construction as of such date. Due to the need to obtain regulatory approvals, the Company has not yet commenced construction of either an extension of the existing access road or a new access road and may be unable to do so by June 30, 2013, thus triggering the payment obligation to the third party.

Legal Matters

Department of the Interior Notice of Proposed Debarment. On June 14, 2012, the Company received a Notice of Proposed Debarment issued by the United States Department of the Interior (DOI). Pursuant to the notice, the DOI's Office of the Inspector General is proposing to debar the Company from participation in certain federal contracts and assistance activities, including oil and natural gas leases, for a period of three years. The basis for the proposed debarment relates to the Company's purported noncompliance with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulations relating to the operation of certain equipment, and the submission of related site facility diagrams, in its Uinta operations. In 2011, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with the BLM and paid a $2.1 million civil penalty relating to the matter. The Company intends to contest the proposed debarment and believes the matter is without merit. The Company is currently engaged in discussions with the DOI to resolve the matter.

COGCC Order. On April 21, 2011, the Company received a proposed Order Finding Violation from the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) alleging that certain releases in late 2007 from a lined reserve pit located on a well pad in western Colorado violated COGCC regulations. Shortly thereafter, the Company entered into negotiations with the COGCC. While the Company denies that it violated any COGCC regulations in connection with the releases, on June 27, 2011, the COGCC approved and the Company later signed an Administrative Order on Consent under which the Company would pay $100,000, and fund a mutually acceptable public project in the amount of $73,000, in full satisfaction of the matter. The Company recorded these amounts in the second quarter of 2011 and paid $100,000 in July 2011. The Company expects to fund the mutually acceptable project in the third quarter of 2012.

Royalty Payments. Certain of the Company's royalty payment calculations are being disputed. The Company believes that its royalty calculations are in accordance with applicable leases and other agreements, as well as applicable law. On July 26, 2012, the Company received a federal court jury verdict that the Company had underpaid certain disputed royalty payments. While a judgment has not yet been entered on the matter, the Company believes its liability to the royalty owner pursuant to the verdict will be approximately $4.2 million, inclusive of statutory interest, of which approximately $1.3 million had been previously recorded in compression, gathering, and dehydration expense. The Company recorded $2.0 million in compression, gathering and dehydration expense and $0.9 million in interest expense in the second quarter of 2012 in conjunction with the verdict. The Company has not yet determined whether to appeal the verdict. As of June 30, 2012, the Company may be required to pay amounts of up to approximately $3.9 million with respect to other royalty disputes.

Other. The Company is involved in various other lawsuits, claims and inquiries, most of which are routine to the nature of its business. In the opinion of management, the resolution of these matters will not have a material effect on its financial position, results of operations or operating cash flows.

Environmental Matters

The Company has no material accrued environmental liabilities for its sites, including sites in which governmental agencies have designated the Company as a potentially responsible party, because it is not probable that a loss will be incurred and the minimum cost and/or amount of loss cannot be reasonably estimated. However, due to of the uncertainties associated with environmental assessment and remediation activities, future expense to remediate the currently identified sites, and sites identified in the future, if any, could be incurred. Management believes, based upon current site assessments, that the ultimate resolution of any matters will not result in material costs incurred.