Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities

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Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Payables and Accruals [Abstract]  
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND ACCRUED LIABILITIES
The components of accounts payable and accrued liabilities consist of the following (in thousands):
 
 
September 30, 2017
 
December 31, 2016
Project development activities
 
$
1,970

 
$

Front-end engineering and design
 

 
12,549

Payroll and compensation
 
16,043

 
6,311

Seismic survey cancellation
 
1,343

 

Accrued taxes
 
2,394

 

Professional services (e.g., legal, audit)
 
2,869

 
2,323

Other
 
2,570

 
3,220

Total accounts payable and accrued liabilities
 
$
27,189

 
$
24,403


Front-end Engineering and Design    
In February 2016, Tellurian engaged Bechtel to perform a FEED study for the Driftwood terminal, and in June 2016, Tellurian engaged Bechtel to perform a FEED study for the Driftwood pipeline. Accounts payable and accrued liabilities for FEED costs relate primarily to our contracts for FEED services with Bechtel as well as subcontractors working on the project. The FEED studies for the Driftwood pipeline and the Driftwood terminal were completed in March 2017 and June 2017, respectively.
Seismic Survey
On March 31, 2017, the Company executed an Operations Services Agreement (the “OSA”) with Santos Offshore Pty Ltd. (“Santos”). The OSA provides for Santos to perform certain services on behalf of the Company associated with the Company’s exploration permit for our offshore block in Australia. On June 28, 2017, the Company executed a Cost Sharing Agreement (the “CSA”) with Santos and Origin Energy Resources Limited (“Origin”). The CSA provides the basis upon which costs and expenses will be shared among the Company, Santos, and Origin for a 3-D seismic survey to be shot over our offshore block.
Pursuant to the OSA and CSA, with the Company’s consent, Santos applied for regulatory approval, designed the seismic survey and engaged a contractor to perform the work. In July 2017, Santos informed the Company that Santos was unable to obtain regulatory approval and canceled the seismic survey. While the Company remains a party to the OSA and CSA, we are not currently committed to make any further expenditures under either agreement. A provision of $1.3 million has been included in our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in connection with the cancellation.