DECOMMISSIONING AND OTHER ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS

The large majority of our asset retirement obligations consists of the remaining future well abandonment and decommissioning costs for offshore oil and gas properties and platforms owned by our Maritech subsidiary, including the decommissioning and debris removal costs associated with its remaining offshore platforms previously destroyed by hurricanes. The amount of decommissioning liabilities recorded by Maritech is reduced by amounts allocable to joint interest owners in these properties and platforms.

We also operate facilities in various U.S. and foreign locations that are used in the manufacture, storage, and sale of our products, inventories, and equipment. These facilities are a combination of owned and leased assets. The values of our asset retirement obligations for these non-Maritech properties were $10.0 million and $9.4 million as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. We are required to take certain actions in connection with the retirement of these assets. We have reviewed our obligations in this regard in detail and estimated the cost of these actions. The original estimates are the fair values that have been recorded for retiring these long-lived assets. The associated asset retirement costs are capitalized as part of the carrying amount of these long-lived assets. The costs for non-oil and gas assets are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the life of the assets.

The changes in the values of our asset retirement obligations during the three and nine month period ended September 30, 2017, are as follows:



	Three Months Ended September 30, 2017			Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017
	(In Thousands)
Beginning balance for the period, as reported	$	55,999		$	55,478
Activity in the period:
Accretion of liability	551			1,582
Retirement obligations incurred	—			—
Revisions in estimated cash flows	26			12
Settlement of retirement obligations	(59		)	(555		)
Ending balance	$	56,517		$	56,517

We review the adequacy of our asset retirement obligation liabilities whenever indicators suggest that the estimated cash flows underlying the liabilities have changed. For our Maritech segment, the timing and amounts of these cash flows are subject to changes in the oil and gas industry environment and other factors and may result in additional liabilities and charges to earnings to be recorded.

Asset retirement obligations are recorded in accordance with FASB ASC 410, "Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations," whereby the estimated fair value of a liability for asset retirement obligations be recorded in the period in which it is incurred and in which a reasonable estimate can be made. Such estimates are based on relevant assumptions that we believe are reasonable. The cost estimates for our Maritech asset retirement obligations are considered reasonable estimates consistent with current market conditions, and we believe reflect the amount of work legally obligated to be performed in accordance with Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement ("BSEE") standards, as revised from time to time.