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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023
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.
The Company may also be subject to retained liabilities with respect to certain divested assets by operation of law. Upon divesting its assets, the Company may receive collateral or credit support for its exposure to such liabilities. The Company establishes reserves for the amount that exceeds the collateral or credit support received in the event that the obligation becomes likely to be paid by the Company. For example, the Company is exposed to the risk that owners and/or operators of assets
purchased from the Company may become unable to satisfy plugging or abandonment obligations associated with those assets. In that event, due to operation of law, the Company may be required to assume all or part of the plugging or abandonment obligations for those assets. Although the Company may establish reserves for such liabilities, it could be required to pay additional amounts in the future and these amounts could be material.
The Company does not recognize a liability if the fair value of the obligation is immaterial or the likelihood of making payments is remote.