New Accounting Standards

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

New Accounting Standards

New Accounting Standards

3. New Accounting Standards

        Following are summaries of accounting pronouncements that either were adopted recently or may become applicable to our consolidated financial statements. It should be noted that the accounting standards references provided below reflect the FASB Accounting Standards Codification, and related Accounting Standards Updates (ASU).

Recently Adopted Pronouncements

        In January 2010, the FASB issued a standard pertaining to fair value disclosures (ASU No. 2010-06) that requires a reporting entity to disclose separately the amounts of significant transfers in and out of Level 1 and Level 2 fair value measurements, to describe the reasons for the transfers, and to disclose certain additional information about purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements of Level 3 fair value measurements. This standard also requires an entity to provide disclosures about the valuation techniques and inputs used to measure fair value for both recurring and nonrecurring fair value measurements for Level 2 and Level 3 items. The standard became effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2009, except for the Level 3 disclosure of activity, which is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010. We adopted the Level 3 disclosure requirements of this standard as of January 1, 2011. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Recently Issued Pronouncements

        In May 2011, the FASB issued a standard that is intended to improve comparability of fair value measurements presented and disclosed in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and International Financial Reporting Standards (ASU No. 2011-04). This standard clarifies the application of existing fair value measurement requirements including guidance on (1) the application of the highest and best use valuation premise, (2) the methodology to measure the fair value of an instrument classified in a reporting entity's shareholders' equity, (3) disclosure requirements for quantitative information on Level 3 fair value measurements and (4) measuring the fair value of financial instruments managed within a portfolio. In addition, the standard requires additional disclosures of the fair value sensitivities to changes in unobservable inputs for Level 3 securities. This standard is effective for interim and annual reporting periods ending on or after December 15, 2011. We do not expect the adoption of this standard to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

        In June 2011, the FASB issued a standard that pertains to the presentation of comprehensive income (ASU No. 2011-05). This standard requires that all comprehensive income be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. The standard also requires entities to disclose on the face of the financial statements reclassification adjustments for items that are reclassified from other comprehensive income to net earnings. This standard no longer allows companies to present components of other comprehensive income only in the statement of partners' capital. This standard is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2011. We do not expect the adoption of this standard to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.