Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Property and Equipment

v3.5.0.2
Property and Equipment
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]  
Property and Equipment
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
The major categories of property and equipment and related accumulated depletion, depreciation, amortization and impairment as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 are as follows:
 
September 30, 2016
 
December 31, 2015
 
(In thousands)
Oil and natural gas properties
$
5,816,458

 
$
5,424,342

Office furniture and fixtures
13,862

 
12,589

Building
36,931

 
16,915

Land
3,667

 
3,667

Total property and equipment
5,870,918

 
5,457,513

Accumulated depletion, depreciation, amortization and impairment
(3,613,662
)
 
(2,829,110
)
Property and equipment, net
$
2,257,256

 
$
2,628,403



At September 30, 2016, the net book value of the Company's oil and natural gas properties was above the calculated ceiling as a result of the reduced commodity prices for the period leading up to September 30, 2016. As a result, the Company recorded an impairment of its oil and natural gas properties under the full cost method of accounting of $212.2 million and $601.8 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, respectively. An impairment of $594.8 million was required for oil and natural gas properties for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015.
Included in oil and natural gas properties at September 30, 2016 is the cumulative capitalization of $122.8 million in general and administrative costs incurred and capitalized to the full cost pool. General and administrative costs capitalized to the full cost pool represent management’s estimate of costs incurred directly related to exploration and development activities such as geological and other administrative costs associated with overseeing the exploration and development activities. All general and administrative costs not directly associated with exploration and development activities were charged to expense as they were incurred. Capitalized general and administrative costs were approximately $7.2 million and $22.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, respectively, and $7.3 million and $20.8 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, respectively.
The following table summarizes the Company’s non-producing properties excluded from amortization by area at September 30, 2016:
 
September 30, 2016
 
(In thousands)
Utica
$
1,718,379

Niobrara
4,857

Southern Louisiana
443

Bakken
97

Other
45

 
$
1,723,821



At December 31, 2015, approximately $1.8 billion of non-producing leasehold costs was not subject to amortization.
The Company evaluates the costs excluded from its amortization calculation at least annually. Subject to industry conditions and the level of the Company’s activities, the inclusion of most of the above referenced costs into the Company’s amortization calculation typically occurs within three to five years. However, the majority of the Company's non-producing leases have five-year extension terms which could extend this time frame beyond five years.
A reconciliation of the Company's asset retirement obligation for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 is as follows:
 
September 30, 2016
 
September 30, 2015
 
(In thousands)
Asset retirement obligation, beginning of period
$
26,437

 
$
17,938

Liabilities incurred
6,726

 
5,736

Liabilities settled
(955
)
 
(1,120
)
Accretion expense
777

 
594

Asset retirement obligation as of end of period
32,985

 
23,148

Less current portion
75

 
75

Asset retirement obligation, long-term
$
32,910

 
$
23,073