Asset Retirement Obligations

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Abstract]

Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Text Block]

ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS

The following table presents the changes in carrying amounts of the asset retirement obligations associated with the Partnership's working interest in natural gas and crude oil properties.



	Year Ended December 31,
	2011		2010

Balance at beginning of year	$	154,650	$	145,733
Revisions in estimated cash flows	44,358		—
Accretion expense	9,815		8,917
Balance at end of year	$	208,823	$	154,650

In 2011, the Managing General Partner revised its assumptions related to the cash outlay expected to be incurred to plug the Partnership's uneconomic wells. The revision in the asset retirement obligation did not have an immediate effect in the current year statement of operations, as the increase in the revised obligation will be accreted and the offsetting capitalized amount will be depreciated over the useful lives of respective wells.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for an asset retirement obligation and the associated long-lived asset. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement from service of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees.

+ References+ Details

PDC 2002 B LTD PARTNERSHIP 10-K