Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

ASC Topic 820 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date and establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. As presented in the tables below, this hierarchy consists of three broad levels:


•	Level 1: valuations consist of unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities and has the highest priority;


•	Level 2: valuations rely on quoted prices in markets that are not active or observable inputs over the full term of the asset or liability;


•	Level 3: valuations are based on prices or third party or internal valuation models that require inputs that are significant to the fair value measurement and are less observable and thus have the lowest priority.

The Company classifies its commodity derivatives based upon the data used to determine fair value. The Company's derivative instruments at December 31, 2013 were in the form of swaps based on NYMEX pricing for oil and natural gas. The fair value of these derivatives is derived using an independent third-party’s valuation model that utilizes market-corroborated inputs that are observable over the term of the derivative contract. The Company’s fair value calculations also incorporate an estimate of the counterparties’ default risk for derivative assets and an estimate of the Company’s default risk for derivative liabilities. As a result, the Company designates its commodity derivatives as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.

The following table summarizes the Company’s assets (liabilities) that are subject to fair value measurement on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 (in thousands):



	Fair Value Measurements Using
Instrument	Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)			Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Commodity Derivatives:
At December 31, 2013	$	—	$	(1,096	)	$	—
At December 31, 2012	$	—	$	597		$	—

The fair value of the Company's cash and cash equivalents and variable-rate bank debt approximated book value at December 31, 2013 and 2012. As of December 31, 2013, the fair value of the Company's $350 million 10% Senior Notes due 2017 (the "Notes") was approximately $364.0 million. As of December 31, 2012, the fair value of the Company's $150 million in principal amount of Notes was approximately $155.3 million. The fair value of the Notes was determined based upon a market quote provided by an independent broker, which represents a Level 2 input.

- 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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