Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Basis of Presentation (Policies)

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Basis of Presentation (Policies)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Operations

Operations. W&T Offshore, Inc. and subsidiaries, referred to herein as “W&T” or the “Company,” is an independent oil and natural gas producer focused primarily in the Gulf of Mexico and onshore Texas. The Company is active in the exploration, development and acquisition of oil and natural gas properties.

Interim Financial Statements

Interim Financial Statements. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U. S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and the appropriate rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, the condensed consolidated financial statements do not include all of the information and footnote disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included.

Operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the entire year. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recent Accounting Developments

Recent Accounting Developments. In December 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2011-11, Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities which applies to certain items in the statement of financial position (balance sheet), and was further clarified in January 2013 by ASU 2013-01, Balance Sheet (Topic 210):Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities, which clarified the scope of ASU 2011-11 to derivative instruments, repurchase agreements and securities lending transactions. The effective date for the amendments is for annual periods beginning after January 1, 2013, and interim periods within those annual periods. ASU 2011-11 requires disclosures of the gross and net amounts for items eligible for offset in the balance sheet. Although the Company’s derivative financial instruments are subject to master netting agreements, the Company records its derivative financial instruments on a gross basis by contract; therefore, the ASUs did not significantly affect the Company’s disclosures. Other items of the ASUs were not applicable to the Company.

Reclassification

Reclassifications. Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior periods’ financial statements to conform to the current presentation. Income taxes was combined with Accrued liabilities on the Balance Sheet and changes in Other liabilities was combined with the changes in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities on the Statement of Cash Flows.