Commitments and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

On March 21, 2016, we received notice letters from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management ("BOEM") stating that BOEM had determined that we no longer qualified for a supplemental bonding waiver under the financial criteria specified in BOEM’s current guidance to lessees. BOEM's notice letters indicate the amount of Stone's supplemental bonding needs could be as much as $565 million. We are in discussions with BOEM to reduce the amount of the supplemental bonding or other forms of financial assurance that the agency may require and the timing of when such bonds or financial assurances may need to be provided. In late March 2016, we proposed a tailored plan to BOEM for financial assurances relating to our abandonment obligations. We currently have approximately $223 million posted in surety bonds in favor of BOEM, third party bonds and letters of credit, all relating to our offshore abandonment obligations. Our proposed tailored plan provides for posting some incremental financial assurances in favor of BOEM and discussions on the approval and implementation of this plan are ongoing.