Long-Term Debt	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Long-Term Debt [Abstract]
Long-Term Debt	Note 4—Long-Term Debt On August 19, 2010, the Company issued $150 million in principal amount of 10% Senior Notes due 2017 (the “Notes”) in a public offering. The Notes have numerous covenants including restrictions on liens, incurrence of indebtedness, asset sales, dividend payments and other restricted payments. Interest is payable semi-annually on March 1 and September 1. At March 31, 2012, $1.3 million had been accrued in connection with the September 1, 2012 interest payment and the Company was in compliance with all of the covenants contained in the Notes. The estimated fair value of the Notes was $154.5 million and $151.5 million as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, as compared to the book value of $150 million as of each date. The estimated fair value of the Notes was provided by independent brokers using the actual period end quotes for the Notes, which represent Level 2 inputs. The Company and PetroQuest Energy, L.L.C. (the “Borrower”) have a Credit Agreement (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”) with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Capital One, N.A., Iberiabank and Whitney Bank. The Credit Agreement provides the Company with a $300 million revolving credit facility that permits borrowings based on the commitments of the lenders and the available borrowing base as determined in accordance with the Credit Agreement. The Credit Agreement also allows the Company to use up to $25 million of the borrowing base for letters of credit. The credit facility matures on October 3, 2016. As of March 31, 2012 the Company had $10 million of borrowings outstanding under (and no letters of credit issued pursuant to) the Credit Agreement. The borrowing base under the Credit Agreement is based upon the valuation of the reserves attributable to the Company’s oil and gas properties as of January 1 and July 1 of each year. The current borrowing base is $125 million (subject to the aggregate commitments of the lenders then in effect). The aggregate commitments of the lenders is currently $100 million and can be increased to up to $300 million by either adding new lenders or increasing the commitments of existing lenders, subject to certain conditions. The next borrowing base redetermination is scheduled to occur by September 30, 2012. The Company or the lenders may request two additional borrowing base redeterminations each year. Each time the borrowing base is to be re-determined, the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement will propose a new borrowing base as it deems appropriate in its sole discretion, which must be approved by all lenders if the borrowing base is to be increased, or by lenders holding two-thirds of the amounts outstanding under the Credit Agreement if the borrowing base remains the same or is reduced. The Credit Agreement is secured by a first priority lien on substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, including a lien on all equipment and at least 80% of the aggregate total value of the Company’s oil and gas properties. Outstanding balances under the Credit Agreement bear interest at the alternate base rate (“ABR”) plus a margin (based on a sliding scale of 0.5% to 1.5% depending on total commitments) or the adjusted LIBO rate (“Eurodollar”) plus a margin (based on a sliding scale of 1.5% to 2.5% depending on total commitments). The alternate base rate is equal to the highest of (i) the JPMorgan Chase prime rate, (ii) the Federal Funds Effective Rate plus 0.5% or (iii) the adjusted LIBO rate plus 1%. For the purposes of the definition of alternative base rate only, the adjusted LIBO rate is equal to the rate at which dollar deposits of $5,000,000 with a one month maturity are offered by the principal London office of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in immediately available funds in the London interbank market. For all other purposes, the adjusted LIBO rate is equal to the rate at which Eurodollar deposits in the London interbank market for one, two, three or six months (as selected by the Company) are quoted, as adjusted for statutory reserve requirements for Eurocurrency liabilities. Outstanding letters of credit are charged a participation fee at a per annum rate equal to the margin applicable to Eurodollar loans, a fronting fee and customary administrative fees. In addition, the Company pays commitment fees based on a sliding scale of 0.375% to 0.5% depending on total commitments. The Company and its subsidiaries are subject to certain restrictive financial covenants under the Credit Agreement, including a maximum ratio of total debt to EBITDAX, determined on a rolling four quarter basis, of 3.0 to 1.0 and a minimum ratio of consolidated current assets to consolidated current liabilities of 1.0 to 1.0, all as defined in the Credit Agreement. The Credit Agreement also includes customary restrictions with respect to debt, liens, dividends, distributions and redemptions, investments, loans and advances, nature of business, international operations and foreign subsidiaries, leases, sale or discount of receivables, mergers or consolidations, sales of properties, transactions with affiliates, negative pledge agreements, gas imbalances and swap agreements. However, the Credit Agreement permits the Company to repurchase up to $10 million of the Company’s common stock during the term of the Credit Agreement, so long as after giving effect to such repurchase the Borrower’s Liquidity (as defined therein) is greater than 20% of the total commitments of the lenders at such time. As of March 31, 2012, the Company was in compliance with all of the covenants contained in the Credit Agreement.

Long-Term Debt

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Note 4—Long-Term Debt

On August 19, 2010, the Company issued $150 million in principal amount of 10% Senior Notes due 2017 (the “Notes”) in a public offering. The Notes have numerous covenants including restrictions on liens, incurrence of indebtedness, asset sales, dividend payments and other restricted payments. Interest is payable semi-annually on March 1 and September 1. At March 31, 2012, $1.3 million had been accrued in connection with the September 1, 2012 interest payment and the Company was in compliance with all of the covenants contained in the Notes. The estimated fair value of the Notes was $154.5 million and $151.5 million as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, as compared to the book value of $150 million as of each date. The estimated fair value of the Notes was provided by independent brokers using the actual period end quotes for the Notes, which represent Level 2 inputs.

The Company and PetroQuest Energy, L.L.C. (the “Borrower”) have a Credit Agreement (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”) with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Capital One, N.A., Iberiabank and Whitney Bank. The Credit Agreement provides the Company with a $300 million revolving credit facility that permits borrowings based on the commitments of the lenders and the available borrowing base as determined in accordance with the Credit Agreement. The Credit Agreement also allows the Company to use up to $25 million of the borrowing base for letters of credit. The credit facility matures on October 3, 2016. As of March 31, 2012 the Company had $10 million of borrowings outstanding under (and no letters of credit issued pursuant to) the Credit Agreement.

The borrowing base under the Credit Agreement is based upon the valuation of the reserves attributable to the Company’s oil and gas properties as of January 1 and July 1 of each year. The current borrowing base is $125 million (subject to the aggregate commitments of the lenders then in effect). The aggregate commitments of the lenders is currently $100 million and can be increased to up to $300 million by either adding new lenders or increasing the commitments of existing lenders, subject to certain conditions. The next borrowing base redetermination is scheduled to occur by September 30, 2012. The Company or the lenders may request two additional borrowing base redeterminations each year. Each time the borrowing base is to be re-determined, the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement will propose a new borrowing base as it deems appropriate in its sole discretion, which must be approved by all lenders if the borrowing base is to be increased, or by lenders holding two-thirds of the amounts outstanding under the Credit Agreement if the borrowing base remains the same or is reduced.

The Credit Agreement is secured by a first priority lien on substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, including a lien on all equipment and at least 80% of the aggregate total value of the Company’s oil and gas properties. Outstanding balances under the Credit Agreement bear interest at the alternate base rate (“ABR”) plus a margin (based on a sliding scale of 0.5% to 1.5% depending on total commitments) or the adjusted LIBO rate (“Eurodollar”) plus a margin (based on a sliding scale of 1.5% to 2.5% depending on total commitments). The alternate base rate is equal to the highest of (i) the JPMorgan Chase prime rate, (ii) the Federal Funds Effective Rate plus 0.5% or (iii) the adjusted LIBO rate plus 1%. For the purposes of the definition of alternative base rate only, the adjusted LIBO rate is equal to the rate at which dollar deposits of $5,000,000 with a one month maturity are offered by the principal London office of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in immediately available funds in the London interbank market. For all other purposes, the adjusted LIBO rate is equal to the rate at which Eurodollar deposits in the London interbank market for one, two, three or six months (as selected by the Company) are quoted, as adjusted for statutory reserve requirements for Eurocurrency liabilities. Outstanding letters of credit are charged a participation fee at a per annum rate equal to the margin applicable to Eurodollar loans, a fronting fee and customary administrative fees. In addition, the Company pays commitment fees based on a sliding scale of 0.375% to 0.5% depending on total commitments.

The Company and its subsidiaries are subject to certain restrictive financial covenants under the Credit Agreement, including a maximum ratio of total debt to EBITDAX, determined on a rolling four quarter basis, of 3.0 to 1.0 and a minimum ratio of consolidated current assets to consolidated current liabilities of 1.0 to 1.0, all as defined in the Credit Agreement. The Credit Agreement also includes customary restrictions with respect to debt, liens, dividends, distributions and redemptions, investments, loans and advances, nature of business, international operations and foreign subsidiaries, leases, sale or discount of receivables, mergers or consolidations, sales of properties, transactions with affiliates, negative pledge agreements, gas imbalances and swap agreements. However, the Credit Agreement permits the Company to repurchase up to $10 million of the Company’s common stock during the term of the Credit Agreement, so long as after giving effect to such repurchase the Borrower’s Liquidity (as defined therein) is greater than 20% of the total commitments of the lenders at such time. As of March 31, 2012, the Company was in compliance with all of the covenants contained in the Credit Agreement.