Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

Indemnifications. The Company has agreed to indemnify its directors and certain of its officers, employees and agents with respect to claims and damages arising from acts or omissions taken in such capacity, as well as with respect to certain litigation.

Legal actions. The Company is party to various proceedings and claims incidental to its business. While many of these matters involve inherent uncertainty, the Company believes that the amount of the liability, if any, ultimately incurred with respect to these proceedings and claims will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position as a whole or on its liquidity, capital resources or future annual results of operations. The Company records reserves for contingencies when information available indicates that a loss is probable and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Significant judgement is required in making these estimates and the Company's final liabilities may ultimately be materially different.

Environmental. Environmental expenditures that relate to an existing condition caused by past operations and that have no future economic benefits are expensed. Environmental expenditures that extend the life of the related property or mitigate or prevent future environmental contamination are capitalized. Liabilities for expenditures that will not qualify for capitalization are recorded when environmental assessment and/or remediation is probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated. Such liabilities are undiscounted unless the timing of cash payments for the liability is fixed or reliably determinable. Environmental liabilities normally involve estimates that are subject to revision until settlement or remediation occurs.

Obligations following divestitures. In connection with its divestiture transactions, the Company may retain certain liabilities and provide the purchaser certain indemnifications, subject to defined limitations, which may apply to identified pre-closing matters, including matters of litigation, environmental contingencies, royalties and income taxes. Also associated with its divestiture transactions, the Company has issued and received guarantees to facilitate the transfer of contractual obligations, such as firm transportation agreements or gathering and processing arrangements. The Company does not recognize a liability if the fair value of its guarantee obligation is immaterial and the likelihood of making payments under the guarantee is remote.

South Texas Divestiture. In conjunction with the South Texas Divestiture, the Company transferred its long-term midstream agreements and associated minimum volume commitments ("MVC") to the buyer. However, the Company retained the obligation to pay 100 percent of any deficiency fees associated with the MVC from January 2019 through July 2022. The buyer is required to reimburse the Company for 18 percent of the deficiency fees paid by the Company from January 2019 through July 2022; such reimbursement will be paid by the buyer in installments beginning in 2023 through 2025. The Company's estimated remaining deficiency fee obligation as of September 30, 2022 of $3 million is included in other current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets. The corresponding estimated deficiency fee receivable from the buyer is included in current and noncurrent other assets in the consolidated balance sheets in the amounts of $44 million and $42 million, respectively, as of September 30, 2022. The Company has received credit support for the deficiency fee receivable of up to $100 million.