IDENTIFIABLE INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NONCURRENT LIABILITY AND GOODWILL (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]  
Schedule of identifiable intangible assets and a noncurrent liability, which are subject to amortization
Identifiable intangible assets and the noncurrent liability, which are subject to amortization, were as follows:
 
December 31, 2013
 
Useful lives
(In years)
 
Gross carrying amount
 
Accumulated amortization
 
Net
 
(Dollars in thousands)
Favorable gas gathering contracts
18.7
 
$
24,195

 
$
(6,315
)
 
$
17,880

Contract intangibles
12.5
 
426,464

 
(43,158
)
 
383,306

Rights-of-way
28.3
 
56,487

 
(4,679
)
 
51,808

Total amortizable intangible assets
 
 
$
507,146

 
$
(54,152
)
 
$
452,994

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unfavorable gas gathering contract
10.0
 
$
10,962

 
$
(4,588
)
 
$
6,374

 
December 31, 2012
 
Useful lives
(In years)
 
Gross carrying amount
 
Accumulated amortization
 
Net
 
(Dollars in thousands)
Favorable gas gathering contracts
18.7
 
$
24,195

 
$
(4,237
)
 
$
19,958

Contract intangibles
12.4
 
244,100

 
(14,504
)
 
229,596

Rights-of-way
28.3
 
38,848

 
(2,862
)
 
35,986

Total amortizable intangible assets
 
 
$
307,143

 
$
(21,603
)
 
$
285,540

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unfavorable gas gathering contract
10.0
 
$
10,962

 
$
(3,542
)
 
$
7,420

Schedule of recognized amortization expense within the statements of operations
We recognized amortization expense as follows:
 
Year ended December 31,
 
2013
 
2012
 
2011
 
(In thousands)
Amortization expense – favorable gas gathering contracts
$
2,078

 
$
1,715

 
$
1,718

Amortization expense – contract intangibles
28,654

 
12,642

 
1,862

Amortization expense – rights-of-way
1,817

 
1,321

 
908

Amortization expense – unfavorable gas gathering contract
(1,046
)
 
(1,524
)
 
(1,410
)
Schedule of estimated aggregate amortization of intangible assets and the noncurrent liability for each of the five succeeding fiscal years
The estimated aggregate annual amortization of intangible assets and noncurrent liability expected to be recognized as of December 31, 2013 for each of the five succeeding fiscal years follows.
 
Assets
 
Liabilities
 
(In thousands)
2014
$
37,893

 
$
1,549

2015
40,912

 
1,650

2016
41,167

 
1,571

2017
39,903

 
1,604

2018
39,448

 

Schedule of Goodwill
A rollforward of the consolidated balance of goodwill follows (in thousands).
Goodwill, December 31, 2012 and 2011
$
45,478

Goodwill recognized in connection with the Bison Drop Down
54,199

Goodwill preliminarily recognized in connection with the Mountaineer Acquisition
18,089

Goodwill adjustment recognized in connection with finalizing accounting for the Mountaineer Acquisition and other
(1,878
)
Goodwill, December 31, 2013
$
115,888