3.  Hurricane Remediation and Insurance Claims

During the third quarter of 2008, Hurricane Ike caused substantial damage to certain of our properties and we continue to incur costs and submit claims to our insurance underwriters related to repairing such damage.  Our insurance policies in effect on the occurrence date of Hurricane Ike had a retention requirement of $10.0 million per occurrence, which has been satisfied, and coverage policy limits of $150.0 million for property damage due to named windstorms (excluding damage at certain facilities) and $250.0 million for, among other things, removal of wreckage if mandated by any governmental authority.  

We recognize insurance receivables with respect to capital, repair and plugging and abandonment costs as a result of hurricane damage when we deem those to be probable of collection, which arises when our insurance underwriters’ adjuster reviews and approves such costs for payment by the underwriters.  Claims that have been processed in this manner have customarily been paid on a timely basis. 

From the third quarter of 2008 through June 30, 2013, we have received $147.2 million from our insurance underwriters related to Hurricane Ike.  To the extent that additional remediation costs or plug and abandonment costs are incurred that are not covered by insurance, we expect that our available cash and cash equivalents, cash flow from operations and the availability under our revolving bank credit facility will be sufficient to meet necessary expenditures that may exceed our insurance coverage for damages incurred as a result of Hurricane Ike.  See Note 4 for additional information about the impact of hurricane related items on our ARO.   See Note 12 for information regarding legal actions taken by certain insurers and the Company.