Compensation Plans (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Schedule of stock option grants under prior stock option plans

A summary of activity associated with the Company’s Stock Option Plan for the three months ended March 31, 2012, is presented in the following table:



	Shares		Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Aggregate Intrinsic Value (in thousands)

Outstanding, at beginning of quarter	508,214		$	13.86	$	30,109
Exercised	(85,303	)	$	12.33	$	5,634
Forfeited	—		$	—
Outstanding, at end of quarter	422,911		$	14.16	$	23,940
Vested and exercisable, at end of quarter	422,911		$	14.16	$	23,940

Summary of cash payments made or accrued under the Net Profits Plan

Cash payments made or accrued under the Net Profits Interest Bonus Plan (“Net Profits Plan”) that have been recorded as either general and administrative expense or exploration expense are detailed in the table below:



	For the Three Months Ended March 31,
	2012		2011
	(in thousands)
General and administrative expense	$	4,412	$	5,330
Exploration expense	525		477
Total	$	4,937	$	5,807