XML 50 R29.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Our reporting currency is U.S. dollars, and all references to dollars are U.S. dollars, unless stated otherwise. Our accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared under the rules and regulations of the SEC. These rules and regulations conform to the accounting principles contained in the FASB’s Accounting Standards Codification (ASC), the single source of GAAP. Under such rules and regulations, all significant intercompany items have been eliminated in consolidation. Additionally, certain amounts from prior years have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation.

Use of Estimates

Certain amounts included in or affecting our financial statements and related disclosures must be estimated, requiring us to make certain assumptions with respect to values or conditions which cannot be known with certainty at the time our financial statements are prepared. These estimates and assumptions affect the amounts we report for assets and liabilities, our revenues and expenses during the reporting period, and our disclosures, including those related to contingent assets and liabilities at the date of our financial statements. We evaluate these estimates on an ongoing basis, utilizing historical experience, consultation with experts and other methods we consider reasonable in the particular circumstances. Nevertheless, actual results may differ significantly from our estimates. Any effects on our business, financial position or results of operations resulting from revisions to these estimates are recorded in the period in which the facts that give rise to the revision become known.

Certain accounting policies are of more significance in our financial statement preparation process than others, and set out below are the principal accounting policies we apply in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.

Cash Equivalents and Restricted Deposits

We define cash equivalents as all highly liquid short-term investments with original maturities of three months or less.

Amounts included in the restricted deposits in the accompanying consolidated financial statements represent a combination of restricted cash amounts required to be set aside by regulatory agencies to cover obligations for our captive insurance subsidiary, cash margin deposits posted by us with our counterparties associated with certain energy commodity contract positions and escrow deposits.

Allowance for Credit Losses

We evaluate our financial assets measured at amortized cost and off-balance sheet credit exposures for expected credit losses over the contractual term of the asset or exposure. We consider available information relevant to assessing the collectability of cash flows including the expected risk of credit loss even if that risk is remote. We measure expected credit losses on a collective (pool) basis when similar risk characteristics exist, and we reflect the expected credit losses on the amortized cost basis of the financial asset as of the reporting date.

Our financial instruments primarily consist of our accounts receivable from customers, notes receivable from affiliates and contingent liabilities such as proportional guarantees of debt obligations of an equity investee. We utilized historical analysis of credit losses experienced over the previous five years along with current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts of future conditions in our evaluation of collectability of our financial assets.

Inventories

Our inventories consist of materials and supplies and products such as natural gas, NGL, crude oil, condensate, refined petroleum products and transmix. We report products inventory at the lower of weighted-average cost or net realizable value. We report materials and supplies inventories at cost, and periodically review for physical deterioration and obsolescence.

Property, Plant and Equipment, net

Capitalization, Depreciation and Depletion and Disposals

We report property, plant and equipment at its acquisition cost. We expense costs for routine maintenance and repairs in the period incurred. The following table summarizes our significant policies related to our property, plant and equipment. The application of these policies can involve significant estimates.

Asset

Accounting Area

Policy

Straight-line assets

Depreciation rates

•Depreciable lives are based on estimated economic lives. This includes age, manufacturing specifications, technological advances, estimated production life of the oil or gas field served by the asset, contract terms for assets on leased or customer property and historical data concerning useful lives of similar assets.

Gains and losses

•A gain or loss on the sale of property, plant and equipment is calculated as the difference between the cost of the asset disposed of, net of depreciation, and the sale proceeds received or when held for sale, the market value of the asset.

•A gain on an asset disposal is recognized in income in the period that the sale is closed.

•A loss is recognized when the asset is sold or when classified as held for sale.

•Gains and losses are recorded in operating costs, expenses and other.

Composite assets

Depreciation rates

•A single depreciation rate is applied to the total cost of a functional group of assets that have similar economic characteristics until the net book value of the composite group equals the salvage value.

•Interstate natural gas FERC-regulated entities use the depreciation rates approved by the FERC.

•A depreciation rate for other composite assets is based on estimated economic lives. This includes age, manufacturing specifications, technological advances, estimated production life of the oil or gas field served by the asset, contract terms for assets on leased or customer property and historical data concerning useful lives of similar assets.

Gains and losses

•Gains and losses are credited or charged to accumulated depreciation, net of salvage and cost of removal.

•Gains and losses on FERC-approved operating unit sales and land sales are recorded in operating costs, expenses and other.

Oil and gas producing activities(a)

Successful efforts method of accounting

•Costs that are incurred to acquire leasehold and subsequent development costs are capitalized.

•Costs that are associated with the drilling of successful exploration wells are capitalized if proved reserves are found.

•Costs associated with the drilling of exploratory wells that do not find proved reserves, geological and geophysical costs, and costs of certain non-producing leasehold costs are expensed as incurred.

•The capitalized costs of our producing oil and gas properties are depreciated and depleted by the units-of-production method.

•Other miscellaneous property, plant and equipment are depreciated over the estimated useful lives of the asset.

Enhanced recovery techniques

•In some cases, the cost of the CO2 associated with enhanced recovery is capitalized as part of our development costs when it is injected.

•The cost of CO2 associated with pressure maintenance operations for reservoir management is expensed when it is injected.

•When CO2 is recovered in conjunction with oil production, it is extracted and re-injected, and all of the associated costs are expensed as incurred.

•Proved developed reserves are used in computing units of production rates for drilling and development costs, and total proved reserves are used for depletion of leasehold costs.

(a)Gains and losses associated with assets in our oil and gas producing activities have a similar treatment as with that associated with our straight-line assets.

Circumstances may develop which cause us to change our estimates, thus impacting the future calculation of depreciation and amortization expense. Historically, adjustments to useful lives have not had a material impact on our aggregate depreciation levels from year to year.

Asset Retirement Obligations

We record liabilities for obligations related to the retirement and removal of long-lived assets used in our businesses. The majority of our asset retirement obligations are associated with our CO2 business where we are required to plug and abandon oil and gas wells that have been removed from service and to remove the surface wellhead equipment and compressors, but we also have obligations for certain gathering and long-haul pipelines and certain processing plants. We record, as liabilities, the fair value of asset retirement obligations on a discounted basis when they are incurred and can be reasonably estimated, which is typically at the time the assets are installed or acquired. The fair value estimates are primarily based on Level 3 inputs of the fair value hierarchy. The inputs include estimates and assumptions related to timing of settlement and retirement costs, which we base on historical retirement costs, future inflation rates and credit-adjusted risk-free interest rates. Amounts recorded for the related assets are increased by the amount of these obligations. Over time, the liabilities are accreted to reflect the change in their present value, and the initial capitalized costs are depreciated over the useful lives of the related assets. The liabilities are eventually extinguished when the asset is taken out of service. Our estimates of retirement costs could change as a result of changes in cost estimates and/or timing of the obligation.

The following table summarizes changes in the asset retirement obligations included in our accompanying consolidated balance sheets:


	December 31,
	2022		2021
	(In millions)
Balance at beginning of period	$	196	$	215
Accretion expense	12		7
New obligations	2		6
Settlements	(6)		(8)
Revisions to previous estimates	—		(24)
Balance at end of period(a)	$	204	$	196

(a)Balances at December 31, 2022 and 2021 include $3 million and $4 million, respectively, included within “Other current liabilities” on our accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

For certain assets, we currently cannot reasonably estimate the fair value of the asset retirement obligations because the associated assets have indeterminate lives. These assets include certain pipelines, processing plants and distribution facilities, and liquids and bulk terminal facilities. Based on the widespread use of hydrocarbons domestically and for international export, management expects supply and demand to exist for the foreseeable future. Therefore, the remaining useful lives of these assets is indeterminate due to prolonged expected demand. Additionally, these assets could also benefit from potential future conversion opportunities. For example, certain assets could be converted to transport, handle or store products other than traditional hydrocarbons. Under our integrity program, individual asset parts are replaced regularly. Although some of the individual asset parts may be replaced, the assets themselves may remain intact indefinitely. For these assets, an asset retirement obligation, if any, will be recognized once sufficient information is available to reasonably estimate the fair value of the obligation.

Long-lived Asset Impairments

We evaluate long-lived assets including leases and investments for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that our carrying amount of an asset or investment may not be recoverable.

In addition to our annual goodwill impairment test discussed further below, to the extent triggering events exist, we complete a review of the carrying value of our long-lived assets, including property, plant and equipment as well as other intangibles, and record, as applicable, the appropriate impairments using a two-step approach. To determine if a long-lived asset is recoverable, we compare the asset’s estimated undiscounted cash flows to its carrying value (step 1). Because the

impairment test for long-lived assets held in use is based on estimated undiscounted cash flows, there may be instances where an asset or asset group is not considered impaired, even when its fair value may be less than its carrying value, because the asset or asset group is recoverable based on the cash flows to be generated over the estimated life of the asset or asset group. If the carrying value of a long-lived asset or asset group is in excess of estimated undiscounted cash flows, we typically use discounted cash flow analyses to calculate the fair value of the long-lived asset to determine if an impairment is required and the amount of the impairment losses to be recognized (step 2).

We evaluate our oil and gas producing properties for impairment of value on a field-by-field basis or, in certain instances, by logical grouping of assets if there is significant shared infrastructure, using undiscounted future cash flows based on estimated future oil and gas production volumes.

Oil and gas producing properties deemed to be impaired are written down to their fair value, as determined by discounted future cash flows based on estimated future oil and gas production volumes. Unproved oil and gas properties that are individually significant are periodically assessed for impairment of value, and a loss is recognized at the time of impairment.

Refer to Note 4 for further information.

Equity Method of Accounting and Basis Difference

Equity Method of Accounting and Basis Differences

We use the equity method of accounting for investments which we do not control, but for which we have the ability to exercise significant influence. The carrying values of these investments are impacted by our share of investee income or loss, distributions, amortization or accretion of basis differences and other-than-temporary impairments.

The difference between the carrying value of an investment and our share of the investment’s underlying equity in net assets is referred to as a basis difference. If the basis difference is assigned to depreciable or amortizable assets and liabilities, the basis difference is amortized or accreted as part of our share of investee earnings. To the extent that the basis difference relates to goodwill, referred to as equity method goodwill, the amount is not amortized.

We evaluate our equity method investments for other-than-temporary impairment. When an other-than-temporary impairment is recognized the loss is recorded as a reduction in equity earnings.

Goodwill

Goodwill is the cost of an acquisition of a business in excess of the fair value of acquired assets and liabilities and is recorded as an asset on our balance sheet. Goodwill is not subject to amortization but must be tested for impairment at least annually and in interim periods if indicators of impairment exist. This test requires us to assign goodwill to an appropriate reporting unit and compare the fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying value. If the carrying value of a reporting unit, including allocated goodwill, exceeds its fair value an impairment is measured and recorded at the amount by which the reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value.

We evaluate goodwill for impairment on May 31 of each year, or more frequently to the extent events occur or conditions change between annual tests that would indicate a risk of possible impairment at the interim period. For purposes of our May 31, 2022 evaluation, we grouped our businesses into seven reporting units as follows: (i) Natural Gas Pipelines Regulated; (ii) Natural Gas Pipelines Non-Regulated; (iii) CO2; (iv) Products Pipelines (excluding associated terminals); (v) Products Pipelines Terminals (evaluated separately from Products Pipelines for goodwill purposes); (vi) Terminals; and (vii) Energy Transition Ventures. Generally, the evaluation of goodwill for impairment involves a quantitative test, although under certain circumstance an initial qualitative evaluation may be sufficient to conclude that goodwill is not impaired without conducting the quantitative test.

A large portion of our goodwill is non-deductible for tax purposes, and as such, to the extent there are impairments, all or a portion of the impairment may not result in a corresponding tax benefit.

Refer to Note 8 for further information.

Other Intangibles

Excluding goodwill, our other intangible assets include customer contracts and other relationships and agreements.

Our intangible assets primarily relate to customer contracts or other relationships for the handling and storage of petroleum, chemical, and dry-bulk materials, including oil, gasoline, and other refined petroleum products, petroleum coke, metals and ores, the gathering of natural gas and the production and supply of RNG. We determined the values of these intangible assets by first, estimating the revenues derived from a customer contract or relationship (offset by the cost and expenses of supporting assets to fulfill the contract), and second, discounting the revenues at a risk adjusted discount rate.

We amortize the costs of our intangible assets to expense in a systematic and rational manner over their estimated useful lives. The life of each intangible asset is based either on the life of the corresponding customer contract or agreement or, in the case of a customer relationship intangible (the life of which was determined by an analysis of all available data on that business relationship), the length of time used in the discounted cash flow analysis to determine the value of the customer relationship. Among the factors we weigh, depending on the nature of the asset, are the effects of obsolescence, new technology, and competition.

Revenue Recognition

The majority of our revenues are accounted for under Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers; however, to a limited extent, some revenues are accounted for under other guidance such as Topic 842, Leases or Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging Activities.

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

We review our contracts with customers using the following steps to recognize revenue based on the transfer of goods or services to customers and in amounts that reflect the consideration the company expects to receive for those goods or services. The steps include: (i) identify the contract; (ii) identify the performance obligations of the contract; (iii) determine the transaction price; (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and then (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the performance obligation is satisfied. Each of these steps involves management judgment and an analysis of the contract’s material terms and conditions.

Our customer sales contracts primarily include sales of natural gas, NGL, crude oil, CO2 and transmix, as described below. Generally, for the majority of these contracts (i) each unit (Bcf, gallon, barrel, etc.) of commodity is a separate performance obligation, as our promise is to sell multiple distinct units of commodity at a point in time; (ii) the transaction price principally consists of variable consideration, which amount is determinable each month end based on our right to invoice at month end for the value of commodity sold to the customer that month; and (iii) the transaction price is allocated to each performance obligation based on the commodity’s standalone selling price and recognized as revenue upon delivery of the commodity, which is the point in time when the customer obtains control of the commodity and our performance obligation is satisfied.

Our customer services contracts are primarily for transportation service, storage service, gathering and processing service, and terminaling, as described below. Generally, for the majority of these contracts (i) our promise is to transfer (or stand ready to transfer) a series of distinct integrated services over a period of time, which is a single performance obligation; (ii) the transaction price includes fixed and/or variable consideration, which amount is determinable at contract inception and/or at each month end based on our right to invoice at month end for the value of services provided to the customer that month; and (iii) the transaction price is recognized as revenue over the service period specified in the contract (which can be a day, including each day in a series of promised daily services, a month, a year, or other time increment, including a deficiency makeup period) as the services are rendered using a time-based (passage of time) or units-based (units of service transferred) output method for measuring the transfer of control of the services and satisfaction of our performance obligation over the service period, based on the nature of the promised service (e.g., firm or non-firm) and the terms and conditions of the contract (e.g., contracts with or without makeup rights).

Firm Services

Firm services (also called uninterruptible services) are services that are promised to be available to the customer at all times during the period(s) covered by the contract, with limited exceptions. Our firm service contracts are typically structured with take-or-pay or minimum volume provisions, which specify minimum service quantities a customer will pay for even if it chooses not to receive or use them in the specified service period (referred to as “deficiency quantities”). We typically recognize the portion of the transaction price associated with such provisions, including any deficiency quantities, as revenue depending on whether the contract prohibits the customer from making up deficiency quantities in subsequent periods, or the contract permits this practice, as follows:

•Contracts without Makeup Rights. If contractually the customer cannot make up deficiency quantities in future periods, our performance obligation is satisfied, and revenue associated with any deficiency quantities is generally recognized as each service period expires. Because a service period may exceed a reporting period, we determine at inception of the contract and at the beginning of each subsequent reporting period if we expect the customer to take the minimum volume associated with the service period. If we expect the customer to make up all deficiencies in the specified service period (i.e., we expect the customer to take the minimum service quantities), the minimum volume provision is deemed not substantive and we will recognize the transaction price as revenue in the specified service period as the promised units of service are transferred to the customer. Alternatively, if we expect that there will be any deficiency quantities that the customer cannot or will not make up in the specified service period (referred to as “breakage”), we will recognize the estimated breakage amount (subject to the constraint on variable consideration) as revenue ratably over such service period in proportion to the revenue that we will recognize for actual units of service transferred to the customer in the service period. For certain take-or-pay contracts where we make the service, or a part of the service (e.g., reservation) continuously available over the service period, we typically recognize the take-or-pay amount as revenue ratably over such period based on the passage of time.

•Contracts with Makeup Rights. If contractually the customer can acquire the promised service in a future period and make up the deficiency quantities in such future period (the “deficiency makeup period”), we have a performance obligation to deliver those services at the customer’s request (subject to contractual and/or capacity constraints) in the deficiency makeup period. At inception of the contract, and at the beginning of each subsequent reporting period, we estimate if we expect that there will be deficiency quantities that the customer will or will not make up. If we expect the customer will make up all deficiencies it is contractually entitled to, any non-refundable consideration received relating to temporary deficiencies that will be made up in the deficiency makeup period will be deferred as a contract liability, and we will recognize that amount as revenue in the deficiency makeup period when either of the following occurs: (i) the customer makes up the volumes or (ii) the likelihood that the customer will exercise its right for deficiency volumes then becomes remote (e.g., there is insufficient capacity to make up the volumes, the deficiency makeup period expires). Alternatively, if we expect at inception of the contract, or at the beginning of any subsequent reporting period, that there will be any deficiency quantities that the customer cannot or will not make up (i.e., breakage), we will recognize the estimated breakage amount (subject to the constraint on variable consideration) as revenue ratably over the specified service periods in proportion to the revenue that we will recognize for actual units of service transferred to the customer in those service periods.

Non-Firm Services

Non-firm services (also called interruptible services) are the opposite of firm services in that such services are provided to a customer on an “as available” basis. Generally, we do not have an obligation to perform these services until we accept a customer’s periodic request for service. For the majority of our non-firm service contracts, the customer will pay only for the

actual quantities of services it chooses to receive or use, and we typically recognize the transaction price as revenue as those units of service are transferred to the customer in the specified service period (typically a daily or monthly period).

Contract Balances

Contract assets and contract liabilities are the result of timing differences between revenue recognition, billings and cash collections. We recognize contract assets in those instances where billing occurs subsequent to revenue recognition, and our right to invoice the customer is conditioned on something other than the passage of time. Our contract assets are substantially related to breakage revenue associated with our firm service contracts with minimum volume commitment payment obligations and contracts where we apply revenue levelization (i.e., contracts with fixed rates per volume that increase over the life of the contract for which we record revenue ratably per unit over the life of the contract based on our performance obligations that are generally unchanged over the life of the contract). Our contract liabilities are substantially related to (i) capital improvements paid for in advance by certain customers generally in our non-regulated businesses, which we subsequently recognize as revenue on a straight-line basis over the initial term of the related customer contracts; (ii) consideration received from customers for temporary deficiency quantities under minimum volume contracts that we expect will be made up in a future period, which we subsequently recognize as revenue when the customer makes up the volumes or the likelihood that the customer will exercise its right for deficiency volumes becomes remote (e.g., there is insufficient capacity to make up the volumes, the deficiency makeup period expires); and (iii) contracts with fixed rates per volume that decrease over the life of the contract where we apply revenue levelization for amounts received for our future performance obligations. We reassess amounts recorded as contract assets or liabilities upon contract modification.

Refer to Note 15 for further information.

Cost of Sales

Cost of sales primarily includes the cost to purchase energy commodities sold, including natural gas, crude oil, NGL and other refined petroleum products, adjusted for the effects of our energy commodity hedging activities, as applicable. Costs of our crude oil, gas and CO2 producing activities, such as those in our CO2 business segment, are not accounted for as costs of sales.

Operations and Maintenance

Operations and maintenance includes costs of services and is primarily comprised of (i) operational labor costs and (ii) operations, maintenance and asset integrity, regulatory and environmental costs. Costs associated with our crude oil, gas and CO2 producing activities included within operations and maintenance totaled $367 million, $180 million and $319 million for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Environmental Matters

We capitalize or expense, as appropriate, environmental expenditures. We capitalize certain environmental expenditures required to obtain rights-of-way, regulatory approvals or permitting as part of the construction of facilities we use in our business operations. We accrue and expense environmental costs that relate to an existing condition caused by past operations, which do not contribute to current or future revenue generation. We generally do not discount environmental liabilities to a net present value, and we record environmental liabilities when environmental assessments and/or remedial efforts are probable and we can reasonably estimate the costs. Generally, our accrual of these environmental liabilities coincides with either our completion of a feasibility study or our commitment to a formal plan of action. We recognize receivables for anticipated associated insurance recoveries when such recoveries are deemed to be probable. We record at estimated fair value, where appropriate, environmental liabilities assumed in a business combination.

We routinely conduct reviews of potential environmental issues and claims that could impact our assets or operations. These reviews assist us in identifying environmental issues and estimating the costs and timing of remediation efforts. We also routinely adjust our environmental liabilities to reflect changes in previous estimates. In making environmental liability estimations, we consider the material effect of environmental compliance, pending legal actions against us, and potential third-party liability claims we may have against others. Often, as the remediation evaluation and effort progresses, additional information is obtained, requiring revisions to estimated costs. These revisions are reflected in our income in the period in which they are reasonably determinable.

Lessee

Leases

We lease property including corporate and field offices and facilities, vehicles, heavy work equipment including rail cars and large trucks, tanks, office equipment and land. Our leases have remaining lease terms of one to 48 years, some of which have options to extend or terminate the lease. We determine if an arrangement is a lease at inception or upon modification. For purposes of calculating operating lease liabilities, lease terms may be deemed to include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise that option.

Our operating ROU assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term at commencement date. Leases with variable rate adjustments, such as Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustments, are reflected based on contractual lease payments as outlined within the lease agreement and not adjusted for any CPI increases or decreases. Because most of our leases do not provide an explicit rate of return, we use our incremental secured borrowing rate based on lease term information available at the commencement date of the lease in determining the present value of lease payments. We have real estate lease agreements with lease and non-lease components, which are accounted for separately. For certain equipment leases, such as copiers and vehicles, we account for the leases under a portfolio method. Leases that were grandfathered under various portions of Topic 842, such as land easements, are reassessed when the agreements are modified.

Refer to Note 17 for further information.

Share-based Compensation

We recognize compensation expense ratably over the vesting period of the restricted stock award based on the grant-date fair value, which is determined based on the market price of our Class P common stock on the grant date, less estimated forfeitures. Forfeiture rates are estimated based on historical forfeitures under our restricted stock award plans. Upon vesting, the restricted stock award will be paid in shares of our Class P common stock.

Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits

We recognize the differences between the fair value of each of our and our consolidated subsidiaries’ pension and other postretirement benefit plans’ assets and the benefit obligations as either assets or liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. We record deferred plan costs and income—unrecognized losses and gains, unrecognized prior service costs and credits, and any remaining unamortized transition obligations—net of income taxes in “Accumulated other comprehensive loss,” with the proportionate share associated with less than wholly owned consolidated subsidiaries allocated and included within “Noncontrolling interests,” or as a regulatory asset or liability for certain of our regulated operations, until they are amortized as a component of benefit expense.

Deferred Financing Costs

We capitalize financing costs incurred with new borrowings and amortize the costs over the contractual term of the related obligations.

Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest and Noncontrolling Interests

Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest

Through December 14, 2021, we had a redeemable noncontrolling interest which represented the interest in one of our consolidated subsidiaries, ELC, not owned by us, and which in certain limited circumstances, the partner had the right to relinquish its interest in the subsidiary and redeem its cumulative contributions, net of distributions it had received through date of the amended operating agreement. Distributions paid to EIG prior to that date were recorded as a reduction to the redeemable noncontrolling interest balance and included in “Distributions to investment partner” in our accompanying consolidated statements of cash flows. On December 14, 2021, the ownership agreement was modified such that EIG’s interest was no longer contingently redeemable, and the balance was reclassified to “Noncontrolling Interests.” Net income attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest was $58 million and $54 million for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and is included in “Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests” in our accompanying consolidated statements of income.

Noncontrolling Interests

Noncontrolling interests represents the interests in our consolidated subsidiaries that are not owned by us. In our accompanying consolidated statements of income, the noncontrolling interest in the net income of our less than wholly owned consolidated subsidiaries is shown as an allocation of our consolidated net income and is presented separately as “Net Income

Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests.” In our accompanying consolidated balance sheets, noncontrolling interests is presented separately as “Noncontrolling interests” within “Stockholders’ Equity.”

Income Taxes

Income tax expense is recorded based on an estimate of the effective tax rate in effect or to be in effect during the relevant periods. Changes in tax legislation are included in the relevant computations in the period in which such changes are enacted. We do business in a number of states with differing laws concerning how income subject to each state’s tax structure is measured and at what effective rate such income is taxed. Therefore, we must make estimates of how our income will be apportioned among the various states in order to arrive at an overall effective tax rate. Changes in our effective tax rate, including any effect on previously recorded deferred taxes, are recorded in the period in which the need for such change is identified.

Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized for temporary differences between the basis of assets and liabilities for financial reporting and tax purposes. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when it is more-likely-than-not that all, or a portion, of a deferred tax asset will not be realized. While we have considered estimated future taxable income and prudent and feasible tax planning strategies in determining the amount of our valuation allowance, any change in the amount that we expect to ultimately realize will be included in income in the period in which such a determination is reached.

In determining the deferred income tax asset and liability balances attributable to our investments, we apply an accounting policy that looks through our investments. The application of this policy resulted in no deferred income taxes being provided on the difference between the book and tax basis on the non-tax-deductible goodwill portion of our investments, including KMI’s investment in its wholly-owned subsidiary, KMP.

Risk Management Activities

We utilize energy commodity derivative contracts for the purpose of mitigating our risk resulting from fluctuations in the market price of commodities including crude oil, natural gas, and NGL. In addition, we enter into interest rate swap agreements for the purpose of managing our interest rate exposure associated with our debt obligations. We also enter into cross-currency swap agreements to manage our foreign currency risk associated with certain debt obligations. We measure our derivative contracts at fair value and we report them on our balance sheet as either an asset or liability. For certain physical forward commodity derivatives contracts, we apply the normal purchase/normal sale exception, whereby the revenues and expenses associated with such transactions are recognized during the period when the commodities are physically delivered or received.

For qualifying accounting hedges, we formally document the relationship between the hedging instrument and the hedged item, the risk management objectives, and the methods used for assessing and testing effectiveness. When we designate a derivative contract as a cash flow accounting hedge, the entire change in fair value of the derivative that is included in the assessment of hedge effectiveness is deferred in “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” and reclassified into earnings in the period in which the hedged item affects earnings. When we designate a derivative contract as a fair value accounting hedge, the change in fair value of the hedged item is recorded as an adjustment to the carrying value of the hedged item and recognized currently in earnings in the same line item that the change in fair value of the derivative is recognized currently in earnings. Therefore, any difference between the changes in fair values of the item being hedged and the derivative contract results in a gain or loss from the hedging relationship recognized currently in earnings.

For derivative instruments that are not designated as accounting hedges, or for which we have not elected the normal purchase/normal sales exception, changes in fair value are recognized currently in earnings.

Fair Value

The fair values of our financial instruments are separated into three broad levels (Levels 1, 2 and 3) based on our assessment of the availability of observable market data and the significance of non-observable data used to determine fair value. We assign each fair value measurement to a level corresponding to the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. Recognized valuation techniques utilize inputs such as contractual prices, quoted market prices or rates, and discount factors. These inputs may be either readily observable or corroborated by market data.

Regulatory Assets and Liabilities

Regulatory assets and liabilities represent probable future revenues or expenses associated with certain charges and credits that will be recovered from or returned to customers through the ratemaking process. In instances where we receive recovery in tariff rates related to losses on dispositions of operating units, we record a regulatory asset for the estimated recoverable amount. We include the amounts of our regulatory assets and liabilities within “Other current assets,” “Deferred charges and other assets,” “Other current liabilities” and “Other long-term liabilities and deferred credits,” respectively, in our accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Earnings per Share

We calculate earnings per share using the two-class method. Earnings were allocated to Class P common stock and participating securities based on the amount of dividends paid in the current period plus an allocation of the undistributed earnings or excess distributions over earnings to the extent that each security participates in earnings or excess distributions over earnings. Our unvested restricted stock awards, which may be restricted stock or restricted stock units issued to employees and non-employee directors and include dividend equivalent payments, do not participate in excess distributions over earnings.