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Other Intangible Assets
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]  
Other Intangible Assets [Text Block]
Note 12 – Other Intangible Assets
The gross carrying amount and accumulated amortization of other intangible assets, included in Intangible assets – net of accumulated amortization, at December 31 are as follows:
 
2018
 
2017
 
Gross Carrying Amount
 
Accumulated Amortization
 
Gross Carrying Amount
 
Accumulated Amortization
 
(Millions)
Contractual customer relationships
$
9,232

 
$
(1,465
)
 
$
10,027

 
$
(1,283
)

Other intangible assets primarily relate to gas gathering, processing, and fractionation contractual customer relationships recognized in acquisitions. The decrease in the gross carrying amount of other intangible assets during 2018 is primarily related to the impairment of certain assets located in the Barnett Shale and the deconsolidation of our interest in Jackalope (see Note 17 – Fair Value Measurements, Guarantees, and Concentration of Credit Risk and Note 6 – Investing Activities, respectively). These decreases are the primary reasons for the difference between the change in accumulated amortization during 2018 indicated above and the amortization expense for 2018 noted below. Other intangible assets are being amortized on a straight-line basis over an initial period of 30 years which represents a portion of the term over which the contractual customer relationships are expected to contribute to our cash flows.
We expense costs incurred to renew or extend the terms of our gas gathering, processing, and fractionation contracts with customers based on the estimated future revenues during the contract periods (the weighted-average periods prior to the next renewal or extension of the associated contractual customer relationships as estimated at the time of the acquisition). Although a significant portion of the expected future cash flows associated with these contractual customer relationships are dependent on our ability to renew or extend the arrangements beyond the initial contract periods, these expected future cash flows are significantly influenced by the scope and pace of our producer customers’ drilling programs. Once producer customers’ wells are connected to our gathering infrastructure, their likelihood of switching to another provider before the wells are abandoned is reduced due to the significant capital investment required.
The amortization expense related to other intangible assets was $333 million, $347 million, and $356 million in 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively. The estimated amortization expense for each of the next five succeeding fiscal years is approximately $312 million.