W&T Offshore, Inc. Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Cover
- Document And Entity Information
Financial Statements
Notes to Financial Statements
Accounting Policies
- Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)
Notes Tables
Notes Details

Asset Retirement Obligations (Reconciliation Of Asset Retirement Obligations Liability) (Details)

v2.4.0.6

Asset Retirement Obligations (Reconciliation Of Asset Retirement Obligations Liability) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Asset Retirement Obligations [Line Items]
Asset retirement obligation, beginning of period	$ 391,316	$ 348,800
Liabilities settled	(59,958)	(87,166)
Accretion of discount	29,771	25,685	34,461
Disposition of properties		(2,070)
Liabilities assumed through acquisition	8,194	24,477
Liabilities incurred	565	503
Asset retirement obligation, end of period	393,880	391,316	348,800
Less current portion	138,185	92,575
Long-term	255,695	298,741
Hurricane Ike[Member]
Asset Retirement Obligations [Line Items]
Revisions of estimated liabilities	4,744	41,952
NTL 2010-G05 [Member]
Asset Retirement Obligations [Line Items]
Revisions of estimated liabilities		18,725
All Other [Member]
Asset Retirement Obligations [Line Items]
Revisions of estimated liabilities	$ 19,248	$ 20,410

- Definition

The carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement 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.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 143

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- Definition

Amount of accretion expense recognized during the period that is associated with an asset retirement obligation. Accretion expense measures and incorporates changes due to the passage of time into the carrying amount of the liability.

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Current portion of the carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement 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.

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Amount of asset retirement obligations incurred during the period.

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Amount of asset retirement obligations settled, or otherwise disposed of, during the period. This may include asset retirement obligations transferred to third parties associated with the sale of a long-lived asset.

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Amount of the Increase or Decrease in the amount of the asset retirement obligation during the current period for changes in the amount or timing of the estimated cash flows associated with the settlement of the obligation.

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Noncurrent portion of the carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement 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.

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