Asset Retirement Obligations
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Abstract]  
Asset Retirement Obligations
Note 4—Asset Retirement Obligations
The following table summarizes the changes in the Company’s asset retirement obligations (“ARO”) associated with our working interests in oil and gas properties for the three months ended March 31, 2019:
(in thousands)
 
Asset retirement obligations as of January 1, 2019
$
13,895

Liabilities incurred
264

Liabilities divested and settled
(487
)
Accretion expense
218

Asset retirement obligations as of March 31,2019
$
13,890


ARO reflect the present value of the estimated future costs associated with the plugging and abandonment of oil and natural gas wells, removal of equipment and facilities from leased acreage and land restoration in accordance with applicable local, state and federal laws. Inherent in the fair value calculation of ARO are numerous assumptions and judgments including the ultimate plug and abandonment settlement amounts, inflation factors, credit adjusted discount rates and timing of settlement. To the extent future revisions to these assumptions impact the value of the existing ARO liability, a corresponding offsetting adjustment is made to the oil and gas property balance. Changes in the liability due to the passage of time are recognized as an increase in the carrying amount of the liability and as accretion expense.