Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Fair Value Measurements

v2.4.0.6
Fair Value Measurements
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
Fair Value Measurements
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
The Company records certain financial and non-financial assets and liabilities on the balance sheet at fair value in accordance with FASB ASC 820. FASB ASC 820 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The statement establishes market or observable inputs as the preferred sources of values, followed by assumptions based on hypothetical transactions in the absence of market inputs. The statement requires fair value measurements be classified and disclosed in one of the following categories:
Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities.
Level 2 – Quoted prices in active markets for similar assets and liabilities, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active and model-derived valuations whose inputs are observable or whose significant value drivers are observable.
Level 3 – Significant inputs to the valuation model are unobservable.
Financial assets and liabilities are classified based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
The following tables summarize the Company’s financial and non-financial liabilities by FASB ASC 820 valuation level as of March 31, 2013:
 
 
As of March 31, 2013
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
 
(In thousands)
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
Fixed price swaps
$
—

 
$
343

 
$
—

       Equity investment in Diamondback
212,413

 
—

 
—

Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
Fixed price swaps
$
—

 
$
9,689

 
$
—


The estimated fair value of the Company’s fixed price swap contracts was based upon forward commodity prices based on quoted market prices, adjusted for differentials. See Note 12 for further discussion of the Company's hedging activities. The estimated fair value of the Company's equity investment in Diamondback was based upon the public closing share price of Diamondback's common stock as of March 31, 2013.
The Company estimates asset retirement obligations pursuant to the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 410, “Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations” (“FASB ASC 410”). The initial measurement of asset retirement obligations at fair value is calculated using discounted cash flow techniques and based on internal estimates of future retirement costs associated with oil and gas properties. Given the unobservable nature of the inputs, including plugging costs and reserve lives, the initial measurement of the asset retirement obligation liability is deemed to use Level 3 inputs. See Note 3 for further discussion of the Company’s asset retirement obligations. Asset retirement obligations incurred during the three months ended March 31, 2013 were approximately $0.7 million.