Guarantees

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Guarantees

Guarantees

(14)In the ordinary course of business, the company enters into various agreements providing performance assurances and guarantees to clients on behalf of certain unconsolidated and consolidated partnerships, joint ventures and other jointly executed contracts. These agreements are entered into primarily to support the project execution commitments of these entities. The performance guarantees have various expiration dates ranging from mechanical completion of the facilities being constructed to a period extending beyond contract completion in certain circumstances. The maximum potential payment amount of an outstanding performance guarantee is the remaining cost of work to be performed by or on behalf of third parties under engineering and construction contracts. Amounts that may be required to be paid in excess of estimated costs to complete contracts in progress are not estimable. For cost reimbursable contracts, amounts that may become payable pursuant to guarantee provisions are normally recoverable from the client for work performed under the contract. For lump-sum or fixed-price contracts, the performance guarantee amount is the cost to complete the contracted work less amounts remaining to be billed to the client under the contract. Remaining billable amounts could be greater or less than the cost to complete. In those cases where costs exceed the remaining amounts payable under the contract, the company may have recourse to third parties, such as owners, co-venturers, subcontractors or vendors for claims. Performance guarantees outstanding as of September 30, 2011 were estimated to be $4.6 billion. The company assessed its performance guarantee obligation as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010 in accordance with FASB Interpretation No. 45, “Guarantor’s Accounting and Disclosure Requirements for Guarantees, Including Indirect Guarantees of Indebtedness of Others” (ASC 460) and the carrying value of its liability was not material.

Financial guarantees, provided in the ordinary course of business to clients and others in certain limited circumstances, are entered into with financial institutions and other credit grantors and generally obligate the company to make payment in the event of a default by the borrower. Most arrangements require the borrower to pledge collateral in the form of property, plant and equipment which is deemed adequate to recover amounts the company might be required to pay.