EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Postemployment Benefits [Abstract]
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS	NOTE 16 — EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS: We have entered into deferred compensation and disability agreements with certain of our officers and former officers. The benefits under the deferred compensation agreements vest after certain periods of employment, and at December 31, 2013, the liability for such vested benefits was approximately $1,062 and is recorded in current and other long-term liabilities. The following is a brief description of each incentive compensation plan applicable to our employees: *Annual Cash Incentive Compensation Plan* The Amended and Restated Revised Annual Incentive Compensation Plan, which was adopted in November 2007, provides for annual cash incentive bonuses that are tied to the achievement of certain strategic objectives as defined by our board of directors on an annual basis. Stone incurred expenses of $15,340, $8,113, and $11,600, net of amounts capitalized, for each of the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, related to incentive compensation bonuses to be paid under the revised plan. *Stock Incentive Plans* At the 2011 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the stockholders approved the First Amendment (the “First Amendment”) to the 2009 Plan. The First Amendment increases the number of shares of our common stock that Stone may issue under the 2009 Plan, and the number of shares of our common stock that may be issued under the 2009 Plan through incentive stock options by 2,800,000 shares, effective May 20, 2011. The 2009 Plan is an amendment and restatement of the company’s 2004 Amended and Restated Stock Incentive Plan (the “2004 Plan”), and it supersedes and replaces in its entirety the 2004 Plan. The 2009 Plan provides for the granting of incentive stock options and restricted stock awards or any combination as is best suited to the circumstances of the particular employee or nonemployee director. The 2009 Plan eliminates the automatic grant of stock options or restricted stock awards to nonemployee directors that was provided for in the 2004 Plan so that awards under the 2009 Plan are entirely at the discretion of our board of directors. Under the 2009 Plan, we may grant both incentive stock options qualifying under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code and options that are not qualified as incentive stock options to all employees and directors. All such options must have an exercise price of not less than the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant and may not be re-priced without stockholder approval. Stock options to all employees vest ratably over a five-year service-vesting period and expire 10 years subsequent to award. Stock options issued to non-employee directors vest ratably over a three-year service-vesting period and expire 10 years subsequent to award. In addition, the 2009 Plan provides that shares available under the 2009 Plan may be granted as restricted stock. Restricted stock grants typically vest in one to three years at the discretion of the Compensation Committee of our board of directors. At December 31, 2013, we had approximately 2,081,866 additional shares available for issuance pursuant to the Plan. *401(k) and Deferred Compensation Plans* The Stone Energy 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan provides eligible employees with the option to defer receipt of a portion of their compensation and we may, at our discretion, match a portion or all of the employee’s deferral. The amounts held under the plan are invested in various investment funds maintained by a third party in accordance with the directions of each employee. An employee is 20% vested in matching contributions (if any) for each year of service and is fully vested upon five years of service. For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, Stone contributed $1,793, $1,759 and $1,435, respectively, to the plan. The Stone Energy Corporation Deferred Compensation Plan provides eligible executives and employees with the option to defer up to 100% of their compensation for a calendar year and we may, at our discretion, match a portion or all of the participant’s deferral based upon a percentage determined by our board of directors. To date there have been no matching contributions made by Stone. The amounts held under the plan are invested in various investment funds maintained by a third party in accordance with the direction of each participant. At December 31, 2013 and 2012, plan assets of $8,248 and $7,498, respectively, were included in other assets. An equal amount of plan liabilities were included in other long-term liabilities. *Change of Control and Severance Plans* On April 7, 2009, we amended and restated our Executive Change of Control and Severance Plan effective as of December 31, 2008 (as so amended and restated, the “Executive Plan”). The Executive Plan also replaced and superseded our Executive Change in Control and Severance Policy that was maintained for certain designated executives (specifically, the CEO and CFO). The Executive Plan will provide the company’s officers that are terminated in the event of a change of control and upon certain other terminations of employment with change of control and severance benefits as defined in the Executive Plan. Executives who are terminated within the scope of the Executive Plan will be entitled to certain payments and benefits including the following: a base salary up to the date of termination; in the case of the CEO and CFO, a lump sum severance payment of 2.99 times the sum of his annual pay and any target bonus at the one hundred percent level; a lump sum amount representing a pro rata share of the bonus opportunity up to the date of termination at the then projected rate of payout; in the case of officers other than the CEO and CFO and an involuntary termination occurring outside a change of control period, a lump sum severance payment in an amount equal to the executive’s annual base salary; in the case of officers other than the CEO and CFO and an involuntary termination occurring during a change of control period, a lump sum severance payment in an amount equal to 2.99 times the executive’s annual base salary; continued health plan coverage for six months and outplacement services. In the case of the CEO and CFO, if the payments would be “excess parachute payments,” they will be reduced as necessary to avoid the 20% excise tax under Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), but only if the executive is in a better net after-tax position after such reduction. Also, if a payment would be to a “key employee” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, payment will be delayed until six months after his termination if required to comply with Section 409A. Benefits paid upon a change of control, without regard to whether there is a termination of employment, include the following: lapse of restrictions on restricted stock, accelerated vesting and cash-out of all in-the-money stock options, a 401(k) plan employer matching contribution at the rate of 50%, and a pro-rated portion of the projected bonus, if any, for the year of change of control. On December 7, 2007, our board of directors approved and adopted the Stone Energy Corporation Employee Change of Control Severance Plan (“Employee Severance Plan”), as amended and restated to comply with the final regulations under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code and to provide that said plan will remain in force and effect unless and until terminated by our board of directors. The Employee Severance Plan amended and restated the company’s previous Employee Change of Control Severance Plan dated November 16, 2006. The Employee Severance Plan covers all full-time employees other than officers. Severance is triggered by an involuntary termination of employment on and during the six-month period following a change of control, including a resignation by the employee relating to a change in duties. Employees who are terminated within the scope of the Employee Severance Plan will be entitled to certain payments and benefits including the following: a lump sum equal to (1) weekly pay times full years of service, plus (2) one week’s pay for each full $10,000 of annual pay, but the sum of (1) and (2) cannot be less than 12 weeks of pay or greater than 52 weeks of pay; continued health plan coverage for six months; and a pro-rated portion of the employee’s targeted bonus for the year. Benefits paid upon a change of control, without regard to whether there is a termination of employment, include the following: lapse of restrictions on restricted stock, accelerated vesting and cash-out of all in-the-money stock options, a 401(k) plan employer matching contribution at the rate of 50%, and a lump sum cash payment equal to the product of (i) the number of “restricted shares” of company stock that the employee would have received under the company’s stock plan but did not receive for the time-vested portion of his long-term stock incentive award, if any, for the calendar year in which the change of control occurs times (ii) the price per share of the company’s common stock utilized in effecting the change of control, provided that such amount shall be pro-rated by multiplying such amount by the number of full months that have elapsed from January 1 of that calendar year to the effective date of the change of control and then dividing the result by 12.

NOTE 16 — EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS:

We have entered into deferred compensation and disability agreements with certain of our officers and former officers. The benefits under the deferred compensation agreements vest after certain periods of employment, and at December 31, 2013, the liability for such vested benefits was approximately $1,062 and is recorded in current and other long-term liabilities.

The following is a brief description of each incentive compensation plan applicable to our employees:

Annual Cash Incentive Compensation Plan

The Amended and Restated Revised Annual Incentive Compensation Plan, which was adopted in November 2007, provides for annual cash incentive bonuses that are tied to the achievement of certain strategic objectives as defined by our board of directors on an annual basis. Stone incurred expenses of $15,340, $8,113, and $11,600, net of amounts capitalized, for each of the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, related to incentive compensation bonuses to be paid under the revised plan.

Stock Incentive Plans

At the 2011 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the stockholders approved the First Amendment (the “First Amendment”) to the 2009 Plan. The First Amendment increases the number of shares of our common stock that Stone may issue under the 2009 Plan, and the number of shares of our common stock that may be issued under the 2009 Plan through incentive stock options by 2,800,000 shares, effective May 20, 2011. The 2009 Plan is an amendment and restatement of the company’s 2004 Amended and Restated Stock Incentive Plan (the “2004 Plan”), and it supersedes and replaces in its entirety the 2004 Plan. The 2009 Plan provides for the granting of incentive stock options and restricted stock awards or any combination as is best suited to the circumstances of the particular employee or nonemployee director. The 2009 Plan eliminates the automatic grant of stock options or restricted stock awards to nonemployee directors that was provided for in the 2004 Plan so that awards under the 2009 Plan are entirely at the discretion of our board of directors. Under the 2009 Plan, we may grant both incentive stock options qualifying under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code and options that are not qualified as incentive stock options to all employees and directors. All such options must have an exercise price of not less than the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant and may not be re-priced without stockholder approval. Stock options to all employees vest ratably over a five-year service-vesting period and expire 10 years subsequent to award. Stock options issued to non-employee directors vest ratably over a three-year service-vesting period and expire 10 years subsequent to award. In addition, the 2009 Plan provides that shares available under the 2009 Plan may be granted as restricted stock. Restricted stock grants typically vest in one to three years at the discretion of the Compensation Committee of our board of directors. At December 31, 2013, we had approximately 2,081,866 additional shares available for issuance pursuant to the Plan.

401(k) and Deferred Compensation Plans

The Stone Energy 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan provides eligible employees with the option to defer receipt of a portion of their compensation and we may, at our discretion, match a portion or all of the employee’s deferral. The amounts held under the plan are invested in various investment funds maintained by a third party in accordance with the directions of each employee. An employee is 20% vested in matching contributions (if any) for each year of service and is fully vested upon five years of service. For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, Stone contributed $1,793, $1,759 and $1,435, respectively, to the plan.

The Stone Energy Corporation Deferred Compensation Plan provides eligible executives and employees with the option to defer up to 100% of their compensation for a calendar year and we may, at our discretion, match a portion or all of the participant’s deferral based upon a percentage determined by our board of directors. To date there have been no matching contributions made by Stone. The amounts held under the plan are invested in various investment funds maintained by a third party in accordance with the direction of each participant. At December 31, 2013 and 2012, plan assets of $8,248 and $7,498, respectively, were included in other assets. An equal amount of plan liabilities were included in other long-term liabilities.

Change of Control and Severance Plans

On April 7, 2009, we amended and restated our Executive Change of Control and Severance Plan effective as of December 31, 2008 (as so amended and restated, the “Executive Plan”). The Executive Plan also replaced and superseded our Executive Change in Control and Severance Policy that was maintained for certain designated executives (specifically, the CEO and CFO). The Executive Plan will provide the company’s officers that are terminated in the event of a change of control and upon certain other terminations of employment with change of control and severance benefits as defined in the Executive Plan. Executives who are terminated within the scope of the Executive Plan will be entitled to certain payments and benefits including the following: a base salary up to the date of termination; in the case of the CEO and CFO, a lump sum severance payment of 2.99 times the sum of his annual pay and any target bonus at the one hundred percent level; a lump sum amount representing a pro rata share of the bonus opportunity up to the date of termination at the then projected rate of payout; in the case of officers other than the CEO and CFO and an involuntary termination occurring outside a change of control period, a lump sum severance payment in an amount equal to the executive’s annual base salary; in the case of officers other than the CEO and CFO and an involuntary termination occurring during a change of control period, a lump sum severance payment in an amount equal to 2.99 times the executive’s annual base salary; continued health plan coverage for six months and outplacement services. In the case of the CEO and CFO, if the payments would be “excess parachute payments,” they will be reduced as necessary to avoid the 20% excise tax under Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), but only if the executive is in a better net after-tax position after such reduction. Also, if a payment would be to a “key employee” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, payment will be delayed until six months after his termination if required to comply with Section 409A. Benefits paid upon a change of control, without regard to whether there is a termination of employment, include the following: lapse of restrictions on restricted stock, accelerated vesting and cash-out of all in-the-money stock options, a 401(k) plan employer matching contribution at the rate of 50%, and a pro-rated portion of the projected bonus, if any, for the year of change of control.

On December 7, 2007, our board of directors approved and adopted the Stone Energy Corporation Employee Change of Control Severance Plan (“Employee Severance Plan”), as amended and restated to comply with the final regulations under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code and to provide that said plan will remain in force and effect unless and until terminated by our board of directors. The Employee Severance Plan amended and restated the company’s previous Employee Change of Control Severance Plan dated November 16, 2006. The Employee Severance Plan covers all full-time employees other than officers. Severance is triggered by an involuntary termination of employment on and during the six-month period following a change of control, including a resignation by the employee relating to a change in duties. Employees who are terminated within the scope of the Employee Severance Plan will be entitled to certain payments and benefits including the following: a lump sum equal to (1) weekly pay times full years of service, plus (2) one week’s pay for each full $10,000 of annual pay, but the sum of (1) and (2) cannot be less than 12 weeks of pay or greater than 52 weeks of pay; continued health plan coverage for six months; and a pro-rated portion of the employee’s targeted bonus for the year. Benefits paid upon a change of control, without regard to whether there is a termination of employment, include the following: lapse of restrictions on restricted stock, accelerated vesting and cash-out of all in-the-money stock options, a 401(k) plan employer matching contribution at the rate of 50%, and a lump sum cash payment equal to the product of (i) the number of “restricted shares” of company stock that the employee would have received under the company’s stock plan but did not receive for the time-vested portion of his long-term stock incentive award, if any, for the calendar year in which the change of control occurs times (ii) the price per share of the company’s common stock utilized in effecting the change of control, provided that such amount shall be pro-rated by multiplying such amount by the number of full months that have elapsed from January 1 of that calendar year to the effective date of the change of control and then dividing the result by 12.