COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Legal Proceedings We are named as a party in certain lawsuits and regulatory proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. We do not expect that these matters, individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition. Other 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 guidance to lessees at such time. In late March 2016, we proposed a tailored plan to BOEM for financial assurances relating to our abandonment obligations, which provides for posting some incremental financial assurances in favor of BOEM. On May 13, 2016, we received notice letters from BOEM rescinding its demand for supplemental bonding with the understanding that we will continue to make progress with BOEM towards finalizing and implementing our long-term tailored plan. As of March 31, 2018, we have posted an aggregate of approximately $115 million in surety bonds in favor of BOEM, third-party bonds and letters of credit, all relating to our offshore abandonment obligations. In July 2016, BOEM issued a Notice to Lessees (the “NTL”), with an effective date of September 12, 2016, that augments requirements for the posting of additional financial assurances by offshore lessees. The NTL details procedures to determine a lessee’s ability to carry out its lease obligations (primarily the decommissioning of facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf (“OCS”)) and whether to require lessees to furnish additional financial assurances to meet BOEM’s estimate of the lessees decommissioning obligations. The NTL supersedes the agency’s prior practice of allowing operators of a certain net worth to waive the need for supplemental bonds and provides updated criteria for determining a lessee’s ability to self-insure only a small portion of its OCS liabilities based upon the lessee’s financial capacity and financial strength. The NTL also allows lessees to meet their additional financial security requirements pursuant to an individually approved tailored plan, whereby an operator and BOEM agree to set a timeframe for the posting of additional financial assurances. We received a self-insurance letter from BOEM dated September 30, 2016 stating that we were not eligible to self-insure any of our additional security obligations. We received a proposal letter from BOEM dated October 20, 2016 indicating that additional security may be required. The September 30, 2016 self-insurance determination letter was rescinded by BOEM on March 24, 2017. In the first quarter of 2017, BOEM announced that it would extend the implementation timeline for the July 2016 NTL by an additional six months. Furthermore, on April 28, 2017, President Trump issued an executive order directing the Secretary of the Interior to review the NTL to determine whether modifications are necessary to ensure operator compliance with lease terms while minimizing unnecessary regulatory burdens. On June 22, 2017, BOEM announced that, pending its review of the NTL, the implementation timeline would be indefinitely extended, subject to certain exceptions. At this time, it is uncertain when the July 2016 NTL will be implemented as a revised NTL. A revised tailored plan may require incremental financial assurance or bonding for non-sole liability properties, dependent on adjustments following ongoing discussions with BOEM and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (“BSEE”), and any modifications to the proposed NTL. There is no assurance that our current tailored plan will be approved by BOEM, and BOEM may require further revisions to our plan.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Legal Proceedings

We are named as a party in certain lawsuits and regulatory proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. We do not expect that these matters, individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

Other 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 guidance to lessees at such time. In late March 2016, we proposed a tailored plan to BOEM for financial assurances relating to our abandonment obligations, which provides for posting some incremental financial assurances in favor of BOEM. On May 13, 2016, we received notice letters from BOEM rescinding its demand for supplemental bonding with the understanding that we will continue to make progress with BOEM towards finalizing and implementing our long-term tailored plan. As of March 31, 2018, we have posted an aggregate of approximately $115 million in surety bonds in favor of BOEM, third-party bonds and letters of credit, all relating to our offshore abandonment obligations.

In July 2016, BOEM issued a Notice to Lessees (the “NTL”), with an effective date of September 12, 2016, that augments requirements for the posting of additional financial assurances by offshore lessees. The NTL details procedures to determine a lessee’s ability to carry out its lease obligations (primarily the decommissioning of facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf (“OCS”)) and whether to require lessees to furnish additional financial assurances to meet BOEM’s estimate of the lessees decommissioning obligations. The NTL supersedes the agency’s prior practice of allowing operators of a certain net worth to waive the need for supplemental bonds and provides updated criteria for determining a lessee’s ability to self-insure only a small portion of its OCS liabilities based upon the lessee’s financial capacity and financial strength. The NTL also allows lessees to meet their additional financial security requirements pursuant to an individually approved tailored plan, whereby an operator and BOEM agree to set a timeframe for the posting of additional financial assurances.

We received a self-insurance letter from BOEM dated September 30, 2016 stating that we were not eligible to self-insure any of our additional security obligations. We received a proposal letter from BOEM dated October 20, 2016 indicating that additional security may be required. The September 30, 2016 self-insurance determination letter was rescinded by BOEM on March 24, 2017.

In the first quarter of 2017, BOEM announced that it would extend the implementation timeline for the July 2016 NTL by an additional six months. Furthermore, on April 28, 2017, President Trump issued an executive order directing the Secretary of the Interior to review the NTL to determine whether modifications are necessary to ensure operator compliance with lease terms while minimizing unnecessary regulatory burdens. On June 22, 2017, BOEM announced that, pending its review of the NTL, the implementation timeline would be indefinitely extended, subject to certain exceptions. At this time, it is uncertain when the July 2016 NTL will be implemented as a revised NTL. A revised tailored plan may require incremental financial assurance or bonding for non-sole liability properties, dependent on adjustments following ongoing discussions with BOEM and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (“BSEE”), and any modifications to the proposed NTL. There is no assurance that our current tailored plan will be approved by BOEM, and BOEM may require further revisions to our plan.