Asset Retirement Obligations

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Abstract]

Asset Retirement Obligations

Asset Retirement Obligations

Asset retirement obligations (AROs) are legal obligations associated with the retirement of long-lived assets that result from the acquisition, construction, development or normal operation of such assets. AROs are initially recognized as incurred when sufficient information exists to estimate fair value. We have AROs at our nitrogen manufacturing complexes and at our distribution and storage facilities that are conditional upon cessation of operations. These AROs include certain decommissioning activities as well as the removal and disposal of certain chemicals, waste materials, structures, equipment, vessels, piping and storage tanks. Also included are reclamation of land and the closure of certain effluent ponds and/or waste storage areas. The most recent estimate of the aggregate cost of AROs for our complexes and facilities, excluding the Ince, United Kingdom complex, expressed in 2022 dollars, is approximately $118 million.

We have not recorded a liability for these conditional AROs as of December 31, 2022 because we do not believe there is currently a reasonable basis for estimating a date or range of dates of cessation of operations at our nitrogen manufacturing facilities or our distribution and storage facilities, which is necessary in order to estimate fair value. In reaching this conclusion, we considered the historical performance of each complex or facility and considered factors such as planned maintenance, asset replacements and upgrades of plant and equipment, which if conducted as in the past, can extend the physical lives of our nitrogen manufacturing facilities and our distribution and storage facilities indefinitely. We also considered the possibility of changes in technology, risk of obsolescence, and availability of raw materials in arriving at our conclusion.

In the second quarter of 2022, we approved and announced our proposed plan to restructure our U.K. operations, including the planned permanent closure of the Ince facility, which had been idled since September 2021. As a result, we recorded a liability of approximately $9 million for the costs of certain asset retirement activities related to the Ince site. Changes to components of the asset retirement obligation were not material in the third and fourth quarters of 2022. As of December 31, 2022, the liability recorded in other current liabilities in our consolidated balance sheet was approximately $6 million. See Note 5—United Kingdom Operations Restructuring and Impairment Charges for additional information.