8. Share-Based Compensation and Cash-Based Incentive Compensation

In 2010, the W&T Offshore, Inc. Amended and Restated Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) was approved by our shareholders. As allowed by the Plan, in 2012 and in prior years, the Company granted restricted stock units (“RSUs”) to certain of its employees and in January 2011, the Company granted restricted stock to one of its employees. RSUs are a long-term compensation component of the Plan, which are granted to only certain employees, and are subject to adjustments at the end of the applicable performance period based on the achievement of certain predetermined criteria. In 2012 and in prior years, restricted stock was granted to the Company’s non-employee directors under the Director Compensation Plan. The restricted stock and RSUs vest at the end of a specified service period. In addition to share-based compensation, the Company may grant to its employees cash-based incentive awards, which are a short-term component of the Plan, and are based on the Company and the employee achieving certain predetermined performance criteria.

We recognize compensation cost for share-based payments to employees and non-employee directors over the period during which the recipient is required to provide service in exchange for the award, based on the fair value of the equity instrument on the date of grant. We are also required to estimate forfeitures, resulting in the recognition of compensation cost only for those awards that are expected to actually vest.

At September 30, 2012, there were 2,269,745 shares of common stock available for issuance in satisfaction of awards under the Plan and 546,829 shares of common stock available for issuance in satisfaction of awards under the Director Compensation Plan. The shares available for both plans are reduced when restricted stock is granted. RSUs will reduce the shares available in the Plan only if RSUs are settled in shares of common stock. The Company has the option to settle RSUs in stock or cash at vesting.

Restricted Stock. As of September 30, 2012, the Company had unvested restricted shares outstanding issued to the non-employee directors and one employee. Restricted shares are subject to forfeiture until vested and cannot be sold, transferred or disposed of during the restricted period. The holders of restricted shares generally have the same rights as a shareholder of the Company with respect to such shares, including the right to vote and receive dividends or other distributions paid with respect to the shares. The fair value of restricted stock was estimated by using the Company’s closing price on the grant date.

A summary of activity related to restricted stock is as follows:

The grant date fair value of restricted shares granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011 was $0.4 million and $0.5 million, respectively. The fair value of restricted shares that vested during the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011 was $0.5 million and $0.6 million, respectively.

Restricted Stock Units. During 2012, the Company awarded to certain employees RSUs that were 100% contingent upon meeting specified performance requirements, with 70% of the award conditioned on achieving earnings per share targets for 2012, 10% of the award conditioned on achieving total shareholder return (“TSR”) targets for 2012, 10% of the award conditioned on achieving TSR targets for 2013 and 10% of the award conditioned on achieving TSR targets for the period January 1, 2014 to October 31, 2014 (collectively, the “2012 RSUs”). TSR is determined based upon the change in the entity’s stock price and dividends for the performance period. The TSR targets are the ranking of the Company’s TSR compared to the TSR of 19 peer companies. The 2012 RSUs related to the earnings per share targets have an issuance scale from 0% to 100%. The 2012 RSUs related to TSR targets have an issuance scale from 0% to 150%. Subject to achieving the predetermined performance criteria and the service condition, vesting for the 2012 RSUs occurs on December 15, 2014.

The fair value at the date of grant for the 2012 RSUs was determined separately for the component related to the earnings per share targets and the component related to TSR targets. The fair value of the component related to earnings per share targets was determined using the Company’s closing price on the grant date and a forecast of earnings per share for 2012 to estimate the number of shares eligible for vesting. The fair value for the component related to TSR targets was determined by using a Monte Carlo simulation probabilistic model. The inputs used in the probabilistic model for the Company and the peer companies were: average closing stock prices during January 2012; risk-free interest rates using the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) ranging from 0.15% to 0.72% over the service period; expected volatilities ranging from 33% to 74%; expected dividend yields ranging from 0.0% to 2.5%; and correlation factors ranging from (67%) to 94%. The expected volatilities, expected dividends and correlation factors were developed using historical data.

During 2010 and 2011, the Company awarded to certain employees RSUs that were 100% contingent upon meeting specified performance requirements, which were achieved for both awards. Subject to satisfaction of the service condition, vesting will occur on December 15, 2012 and December 15, 2013, respectively. The fair value of the 2010 and 2011 RSUs was estimated by using the Company’s closing price on the grant date.

All RSUs awarded are subject to forfeiture until vested and cannot be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of during the restricted period. Dividend equivalents are earned at the same rate as dividends paid on our common stock after achieving the specified performance requirement for that component of the RSUs.

A summary of activity related to RSUs is as follows:

During the nine months ended September 30, 2011, there were 534,375 grants and no RSUs vested.

Share-Based Compensation. A summary of incentive compensation expense under share-based payment arrangements and the related tax benefit is as follows (in thousands):

As of September 30, 2012, unrecognized share-based compensation expense related to our outstanding restricted shares and RSUs was $0.7 million and $14.0 million, respectively. Unrecognized compensation expense will be recognized through April 2015 for restricted shares and through November 2014 for RSUs.

Cash-based Incentive Compensation. As defined by the Plan, annual incentive awards may be granted to eligible employees payable in cash. These awards are performance-based awards consisting of one or more business criteria or individual performance criteria and a targeted level or levels of performance with respect to each of such criteria. Generally, the performance period is the calendar year and determination and payment is made in cash in the first quarter of the following year.

Share-Based Compensation and Cash-Based Incentive Compensation Expense. A summary of incentive compensation expense is as follows (in thousands):