Impairment

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Asset Impairment Charges [Abstract]

Impairment

12.  Impairment

Oil and Gas Properties:

As a result of the significant decline in crude oil prices due to the global economic slowdown from the COVID-19 pandemic, we reviewed our oil and gas properties within the Exploration and Production operating segment for impairment in the first quarter of 2020. We recognized pre-tax impairment charges in the first quarter of 2020 to reduce the carrying value of our oil and gas properties and certain related right-of-use assets at the North Malay Basin in Malaysia by $755 million ($755 million after income taxes), the South Arne Field in Denmark by $670 million ($594 million after income taxes), and in the Gulf of Mexico, the Stampede Field by $410 million ($410 million after income taxes) and the Tubular Bells Field by $270 million ($270 million after income taxes) primarily as a result of a lower long-term crude oil price outlook. The impairment charges were based on estimates of fair value at March 31, 2020 determined by discounting internally developed future net cash flows, a Level 3 fair value measurement. The total of the fair value estimates was approximately $1.05 billion. Significant inputs used in determining the discounted future net cash flows include future prices, projected production volumes using risk adjusted oil and gas reserves, and discount rates. The future pricing assumptions used were based on forward strip crude oil prices as of March 31, 2020 for the remainder of 2020 through 2022, and $50 per barrel for WTI ($55 per barrel for Brent) in 2023 and thereafter to the end of field life. The weighted average crude oil benchmark price based on total projected crude oil volumes for the impaired assets was $48.82 per barrel. A discount rate of 10% was used in each of the fair value measurements which represents the estimated discount rate a market participant would use. We determined the discount rate by considering the weighted average cost of capital for a group of peer companies.

Other Assets:

In the first quarter of 2020, we recognized impairment charges totaling $21 million pre-tax ($20 million after income taxes) related to drilling rig right-of-use assets in the Bakken and surplus materials and supplies.