Price Risk Management Activities

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

14.

PRICE RISK MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

General

We are exposed to market risks primarily related to the volatility in the price of commodities, foreign currency exchange rates, and the price of credits needed to comply with various government and regulatory programs. We enter into derivative instruments to manage some of these risks, including derivative instruments related to the various commodities we purchase or produce, and foreign currency exchange and purchase contracts, as described below under “Risk Management Activities by Type of Risk.” These derivative instruments are recorded as either assets or liabilities measured at their fair values (see Note 13), as summarized below under “Fair Values of Derivative Instruments,” with changes in fair value recognized currently in income. The effect of these derivative instruments on our income is summarized below under “Effect of Derivative Instruments on Income.”

Risk Management Activities by Type of Risk

Commodity Price Risk

We are exposed to market risks related to the volatility in the price of crude oil, refined petroleum products (primarily gasoline and distillate), grain (primarily corn), soybean oil, and natural gas used in our operations. To reduce the impact of price volatility on our results of operations and cash flows, we use commodity derivative instruments, such as futures and options. Our positions in commodity derivative instruments are monitored and managed on a daily basis by our risk control group to ensure compliance with our stated risk management policy that has been approved by our board of directors.

We primarily use commodity derivative instruments as economic hedges, which are not designated as hedging instruments, and we use fair value and cash flow hedges from time to time. We had no commodity derivative instruments outstanding as of March 31, 2019 and 2018, and no activity during the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 that were designated as fair value or cash flow hedges.

Our objectives for holding economic hedges are to (i) manage price volatility in certain feedstock and refined petroleum product inventories and fixed-price purchase contracts, and (ii) lock in the price of forecasted feedstock, refined petroleum product, or natural gas purchases and refined petroleum product sales at existing market prices that we deem favorable.

As of March 31, 2019, we had the following outstanding commodity derivative instruments that were used as economic hedges, as well as commodity derivative instruments related to the physical purchase of corn at a fixed price. The information presents the notional volume of outstanding contracts by type of instrument and year of maturity (volumes in thousands of barrels, except corn contracts that are presented in thousands of bushels).



	Notional Contract Volumes by Year of Maturity
Derivative Instrument	2019	2020
Crude oil and refined petroleum products:
Futures – long	123,087	3,856
Futures – short	130,923	5,456
Options – long	21,000	—
Options – short	21,000	—
Corn:
Futures – long	19,005	1,275
Futures – short	43,770	3,515
Physical contracts – long	23,726	2,238

Foreign Currency Risk

We are exposed to exchange rate fluctuations on transactions related to our international operations that are denominated in currencies other than the local (functional) currencies of our operations. To manage our exposure to these exchange rate fluctuations, we use foreign currency contracts. These contracts are not designated as hedging instruments for accounting purposes and therefore are classified as economic hedges. As of March 31, 2019, we had foreign currency contracts to purchase $418 million of U.S. dollars, $1.7 billion of U.S. dollar equivalent Canadian dollars, and $300 million of U.S. dollar equivalent pounds sterling. The majority of these commitments matured on or before April 30, 2019.

Environmental Compliance Program Price Risk

We are exposed to market risk related to the volatility in the price of credits needed to comply with various governmental and regulatory environmental compliance programs. To manage this risk, we enter into contracts to purchase these credits when prices are deemed favorable. Some of these contracts are derivative instruments; however, we elect the normal purchase exception and do not record these contracts at their fair values. Certain of these programs require us to blend biofuels into the products we produce, and we are subject to such programs in most of the countries in which we operate. These countries set annual quotas for the percentage of biofuels that must be blended into the motor fuels consumed in these countries. As a producer of motor fuels from petroleum, we are obligated to blend biofuels into the products we produce at a rate that is at least equal to the applicable quota. To the degree we are unable to blend at the applicable rate, we must purchase biofuel credits (primarily RINs in the U.S.). We are exposed to the volatility in the market price of these credits, and we manage that risk by purchasing biofuel credits when prices are deemed favorable. The cost of meeting our obligations under these compliance programs was $91 million and $206 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. These amounts are reflected in cost of materials and other.

Fair Values of Derivative Instruments

The following tables provide information about the fair values of our derivative instruments as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 (in millions) and the line items in the balance sheets in which the fair values are reflected. See Note 13 for additional information related to the fair values of our derivative instruments.

As indicated in Note 13, we net fair value amounts recognized for multiple similar derivative contracts executed with the same counterparty under master netting arrangements, including cash collateral assets and obligations. The following tables, however, are presented on a gross asset and gross liability basis, which results in the reflection of certain assets in liability accounts and certain liabilities in asset accounts.



	Balance Sheet Location	March 31, 2019				December 31, 2018
	Balance Sheet Location	Asset Derivatives		Liability Derivatives		Asset Derivatives		Liability Derivatives
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Commodity contracts	Receivables, net	$	638	$	573	$	2,792	$	2,681
Physical purchase contracts	Inventories	—		6		—		5
Foreign currency contracts	Receivables, net	3		—		4		—
Foreign currency contracts	Accrued expenses	—		20		—		1
Total		$	641	$	599	$	2,796	$	2,687

Market Risk

Our price risk management activities involve the receipt or payment of fixed price commitments into the future. These transactions give rise to market risk, which is the risk that future changes in market conditions may make an instrument less valuable. We closely monitor and manage our exposure to market risk on a daily basis in accordance with policies approved by our board of directors. Market risks are monitored by our risk control group to ensure compliance with our stated risk management policy. We do not require any collateral or other security to support derivative instruments into which we enter. We also do not have any derivative instruments that require us to maintain a minimum investment-grade credit rating.

Effect of Derivative Instruments on Income

The following table provides information about the gain or loss recognized in income on our derivative instruments and the line items in the statements of income in which such losses are reflected (in millions).



	Location of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivatives	Three Months Ended March 31,
	Location of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivatives	2019			2018
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Commodity contracts	Cost of materials and other	$	(71	)	$	(12	)
Foreign currency contracts	Cost of materials and other	(9		)	(3		)
Foreign currency contracts	Other income, net	7			—