COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Firm Transportation Agreements. We enter into contracts that provide firm transportation, sales and processing charges on pipeline systems through which we transport or sell our natural gas and the natural gas of working interest owners, PDCM, our affiliated partnerships and other third parties. These contracts require us to pay these transportation and processing charges whether the required volumes are delivered or not. Satisfaction of the volume requirements includes volumes produced by us, volumes purchased from third parties and volumes produced by PDCM and affiliated partnerships. We record in our financial statements only our share of costs based upon our working interest in the wells; however, with the exception of contracts entered into by PDCM, the costs of all volume shortfalls will be borne by PDC.

The following table presents gross volume information, including our proportionate share of PDCM, related to our long-term firm sales, processing and transportation agreements for pipeline capacity.



	For the Twelve Months Ending March 31,
Area	2013		2014		2015		2016		2017 Through Expiration		Total		Expiration Date

Volume (MMcf)
Piceance Basin	17,951		36,126		34,656		29,407		104,851		222,991		May 31, 2021
Appalachian Basin (1)	15,572		20,117		22,630		23,856		183,965		266,140		September 25, 2025
NECO	3,195		1,825		1,825		1,825		1,370		10,040		December 31, 2016
Total	36,718		58,068		59,111		55,088		290,186		499,171

Dollar commitment (in thousands)	$	16,818	$	28,415	$	28,146	$	25,635	$	121,056	$	220,070

_____________

(1)

Includes a precedent agreement that becomes effective when a planned pipeline is placed in service, currently expected to be September 2012, and represents 6,173 MMcf of the total MMcf presented for the twelve months ending March 31, 2013, 10,627 MMcf for each of the twelve months ending March 31, 2014 through 2016, respectively, and 68,277 MMcf thereafter. This agreement will be null and void if the pipeline is not completed. In August 2009, we issued a letter of credit related to this agreement, see Note 7.

Litigation. The Company is involved in various legal proceedings that it considers normal for its business. The Company reviews the status of these proceedings on an ongoing basis and, from time to time, may settle or otherwise resolve these matters on terms and conditions that management believes are in the best interests of the Company. There are no assurances that settlements can be reached on acceptable terms or that adverse judgments, if any, in the remaining litigation will not exceed the amounts reserved. Although the results cannot be known with certainty, we currently believe that the ultimate results of such proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

Alleged Class Action Filed Regarding 2010 and 2011 Partnership Purchases

On December 21, 2011 the Company and its wholly-owned merger subsidiary were served with an alleged class action on behalf of certain former partnership unit holders, related to 11 partnership repurchases completed by mergers in 2010 and 2011. The action was filed in United States ("U.S.") District Court for the Central District of California, and is titled Schulein v. Petroleum Development Corp. The complaint alleges a claim that the proxy statements issued in connection with the mergers were inadequate, and a state law breach of fiduciary duty claim. On February 10, 2012, the Company filed a motion to dismiss or in the alternative to stay. The motion was argued on April 2, 2012. The Court has not filed a ruling at this time. The case is set for a scheduling conference on June 11, 2012. We believe the suit is without merit and we intend to defend vigorously.

Royalty Owner Class Action

Gobel et al v. Petroleum Development Corporation, filed on January 27, 2009, in Circuit Court of Harrison County, CA No. 09-C-40-2

David W. Gobel, individually and allegedly as representative of all royalty owners in the Company's West Virginia oil and gas wells, filed a lawsuit against the Company alleging that we failed to properly pay royalties. The allegations stated that the Company improperly deducted certain charges and costs before applying the royalty percentage. Punitive damages were requested in addition to breach of contract, tort and fraud allegations.

In April 2011, the Company entered into an oral settlement agreement with respect to this lawsuit, settling all claims between the parties for an aggregate payment of $8.7 million. On June 15, 2011, subject to court approval, a written settlement agreement was signed confirming these terms. On June 30, 2011, the state court granted initial approval of the settlement agreement, subject to notice to class members and final court approval. Initial notice was then sent to the class members. The date for objection by class members was October 24, 2011, with no objections received. Final approval and settlement occurred in January 2012 and as a result our restricted cash and accrued liability were reduced by the settlement amount.

Environmental. Due to the nature of the natural gas and oil industry, we are exposed to environmental risks. We have various policies and procedures to avoid environmental contamination and mitigate the risks from environmental contamination. We conduct periodic reviews to identify changes in our environmental risk profile. Liabilities are accrued when environmental damages resulting from past events are probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated. As of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, we had accrued environmental liabilities in the amount of $1.7 million and $2.5 million, respectively, included in other accrued expenses on the balance sheet. We are not aware of any environmental claims existing as of March 31, 2012 which have not been provided for or would otherwise have a material impact on our financial statements. However, there can be no assurance that current regulatory requirements will not change or unknown past non-compliance with environmental laws will not be discovered on our properties.

Partnership Repurchase Provision. Substantially all of our drilling programs contain a repurchase provision whereby investing partners may request that we purchase their partnership units at any time beginning with the third anniversary of the first cash distribution. The provision provides that we are obligated to purchase an aggregate of 10% of the initial subscriptions per calendar year (at a minimum price of four times the most recent 12 months' cash distributions from production), if repurchase is requested by investors, subject to our financial ability to do so. As of March 31, 2012, the maximum annual repurchase obligation, based upon the minimum price described above, was approximately $5.3 million. We believe we have adequate liquidity to meet this obligation. For the three months ended 2012, amounts paid for the repurchase of partnership units pursuant to this provision were immaterial.

Employment Agreements with Executive Officers. We have employment agreements with our executive officers. The employment agreements provide for annual base salaries, eligibility for performance bonus compensation and other various benefits, including severance benefits.

If, within two years following a change in control of the Company ("change in control period"), either the Company terminates the executive officer without cause or the executive officer terminates employment for good reason, then the severance benefits owed equals three times the sum of the executive's highest annual base salary during the previous two years of employment immediately preceding the termination date and the executive's highest annual bonus paid or, in the case of one executive officer, paid or payable during the same two-year period. Mr. Trimble became President and Chief Executive Officer in June 2011 and under his employment agreement, if he is terminated without cause, he is to receive payment of salary and bonus through June 30, 2013, provided such amount will equal at least one year's salary and bonus. Where the Company terminates the executive officer without cause or the executive officer terminates employment for good reason outside of the change in control period, the severance benefits range from two times to three times, specific to the executive officer, the benefits noted above. For this purpose, a change of control and good reason correspond to the respective definitions of change of control and good reason under IRC Section 409A and the supporting Treasury regulations, with some differences. Under any of the above circumstances, the executive officer is also entitled under his employment agreement to (i) vesting of any unvested equity compensation (excluding all long-term incentive shares), (ii) reimbursement for any unpaid expenses, (iii) continued coverage under our medical plan at the Company's cost for the federal COBRA health continuation coverage period and (iv) payment of any earned and unpaid bonus amounts. In addition, the executive officer is entitled to receive any benefits that he would have otherwise been entitled to receive under our qualified retirement plan, although those benefits are not increased or payment accelerated.

In the event that an executive officer is terminated for just cause, we are required to pay the executive officer his base salary through the termination date, incentive, deferred, retirement or other compensation and to provide any other benefits, which have been earned or become payable as of the termination date.

In the event that an executive officer voluntarily terminates his employment for other than good reason, he is entitled to receive (i) his base salary and bonus, provided, however, that with respect to the bonus, for certain executive officers, there will be no proration of the bonus if such executive leaves prior to the last day of the year and, with respect to one executive officer, there will be no proration of the bonus in the event such executive officer leaves prior to March 31 in the year of his termination, (ii) any incentive, deferred or other compensation which has been earned or has become payable, but which has not yet been paid under the schedule originally contemplated in the agreement under which they were granted, (iii) any unpaid expense reimbursement and (iv) any other payments for benefits earned under the employment agreement or our plans.

In the event of death or disability, the executive officer is entitled to receive certain benefits. For this purpose, the definition of "disability" corresponds to the definition under IRC Section 409A and the supporting Treasury regulations. The benefits will (i) in the case of death of the executive officer other than the Chief Executive Officer, be paid in a lump sum and be equal to the base salary that would otherwise have been paid for a six-month period following the termination date and (ii) in the case of disability be up to thirteen weeks of ongoing base salary plus a lump sum equal to six months of base salary.