Description of Business and Presentation of Financial Statements	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Description Of Business And Presentation Of Financial Statements	Description of Business and Presentation of Financial Statements References herein to HollyFrontier Corporation (“HollyFrontier”) include HollyFrontier and its consolidated subsidiaries. In accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) “Plain English” guidelines, this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q has been written in the first person. In these financial statements, the words “we,” “our,” “ours” and “us” refer only to HollyFrontier and its consolidated subsidiaries or to HollyFrontier or an individual subsidiary and not to any other person, with certain exceptions. Generally, the words “we,” “our,” “ours” and “us” include Holly Energy Partners, L.P. (“HEP”) and its subsidiaries as consolidated subsidiaries of HollyFrontier, unless when used in disclosures of transactions or obligations between HEP and HollyFrontier or its other subsidiaries. These financial statements contain certain disclosures of agreements that are specific to HEP and its consolidated subsidiaries and do not necessarily represent obligations of HollyFrontier. When used in descriptions of agreements and transactions, “HEP” refers to HEP and its consolidated subsidiaries. We are an independent petroleum refiner and marketer that produces high-value light products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel and other specialty products. We own and operate petroleum refineries that serve markets throughout the Mid-Continent, Southwest and Rocky Mountain regions of the United States. In addition, we produce base oils and other specialized lubricants in the United States, Canada and the Netherlands, with retail and wholesale marketing of our products through a global sales network with locations in Canada, the United States, Europe, China and Latin America. As of September 30, 2020, we: •owned and operated a petroleum refinery in El Dorado, Kansas (the “El Dorado Refinery”), two refinery facilities located in Tulsa, Oklahoma (collectively, the “Tulsa Refineries”), a refinery in Artesia, New Mexico that is operated in conjunction with crude oil distillation and vacuum distillation and other facilities situated 65 miles away in Lovington, New Mexico (collectively, the “Navajo Refinery”) and a refinery in Woods Cross, Utah (the “Woods Cross Refinery”); •owned a facility in Cheyenne, Wyoming, which operated as a petroleum refinery until early August 2020 (the “Cheyenne Refinery”); •owned and operated Petro-Canada Lubricants Inc. (“PCLI”) located in Mississauga, Ontario, which produces base oils and other specialized lubricant products; •owned and operated Sonneborn (as defined below) with manufacturing facilities in Petrolia, Pennsylvania and the Netherlands, which produce specialty lubricant products, such as white oils, petrolatums and waxes; •owned and operated Red Giant Oil Company LLC (“Red Giant Oil”), which supplies locomotive engine oil and has storage and distribution facilities in Iowa, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, along with a blending and packaging facility in Texas; •owned and operated HollyFrontier Asphalt Company LLC (“HFC Asphalt”), which operates various asphalt terminals in Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma; and •owned a 57% limited partner interest and a non-economic general partner interest in HEP, a variable interest entity (“VIE”). HEP owns and operates logistic assets consisting of petroleum product and crude oil pipelines, terminals, tankage, loading rack facilities and refinery processing units that principally support our refining and marketing operations in the Mid-Continent, Southwest and Rocky Mountain regions of the United States. In the third quarter of 2020, we permanently ceased petroleum refining operations at our Cheyenne Refinery and subsequently began converting certain assets at our Cheyenne Refinery to renewable diesel production. This decision was primarily based on a positive outlook in the market for renewable diesel and the expectation that future free cash flow generation at our Cheyenne Refinery would be challenged due to lower gross margins resulting from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and compressed crude differentials due to dislocations in the crude oil market. Additional factors included uncompetitive operating and maintenance costs forecasted for our Cheyenne Refinery and the anticipated loss of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) small refinery exemption. During the second quarter of 2020, we recorded a long-lived asset impairment of $232.2 million related to our Cheyenne Refinery asset group. In connection with the cessation of petroleum refining operations at our Cheyenne Refinery, we recognized $12.3 million in decommissioning expense during the third quarter of 2020. In addition, during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, we recorded $2.4 million and $3.5 million, respectively, in employee severance costs related to the conversion of our Cheyenne Refinery to renewable diesel production. These decommissioning and severance costs were recognized in operating expenses and were reported in our Refining segment. During the second quarter of 2020, we also initiated and completed a corporate restructuring. As a result of this restructuring, we recorded $3.7 million in employee severance costs, which were recognized primarily as operating expenses in our Refining segment and selling, general and administrative expenses in our Corporate and Other segment. On November 12, 2018, we entered into an equity purchase agreement to acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Sonneborn US Holdings Inc. and 100% of the membership rights in Sonneborn Coöperatief U.A. (collectively, “Sonneborn”). The acquisition closed on February 1, 2019. Aggregate consideration totaled $701.6 million and consisted of $662.7 million in cash paid at acquisition, net of cash acquired. Sonneborn is a producer of specialty hydrocarbon chemicals such as white oils, petrolatums and waxes with manufacturing facilities in the United States and Europe. This transaction was accounted for as a business combination using the acquisition method of accounting, with the purchase price allocated to the fair value of the acquired Sonneborn assets and liabilities as of the February 1, 2019 acquisition date, with the excess purchase price recorded as goodwill assigned to our Lubricants and Specialty Products segment. This goodwill is not deductible for income tax purposes. Fair values are as follows: cash and cash equivalents $38.9 million, current assets $139.4 million, properties, plants and equipment $168.2 million, goodwill $282.3 million, intangibles and other noncurrent assets $231.5 million, current liabilities $47.9 million and deferred income tax and other long-term liabilities $110.8 million. We incurred $0.1 million and $3.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $2.0 million and $20.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, in incremental direct integration and regulatory costs that principally relate to legal, advisory and other professional fees and are presented as selling, general and administrative expenses. We have prepared these consolidated financial statements without audit. In management’s opinion, these consolidated financial statements include all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of our consolidated financial position as of September 30, 2020, the consolidated results of operations, comprehensive income and statements of equity for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 and consolidated cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. Although certain notes and other information required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted, we believe that the disclosures in these consolidated financial statements are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 that has been filed with the SEC. Our results of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be realized for the year ending December 31, 2020. Accounts Receivable: Our accounts receivable consist of amounts due from customers that are primarily companies in the petroleum industry. Credit is extended based on our evaluation of the customer’s financial condition, and in certain circumstances collateral, such as letters of credit or guarantees, is required. We reserve for doubtful accounts based on our historical loss experience as well as expected credit losses from current economic conditions and management’s expectations of future economic conditions. Credit losses are charged to the allowance for doubtful accounts when an account is deemed uncollectible. Our allowance for doubtful accounts was $3.1 million at September 30, 2020 and $4.5 million at December 31, 2019. Inventories: Inventories related to our refining operations are stated at the lower of cost, using the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method for crude oil and unfinished and finished refined products, or market. In periods of rapidly declining prices, LIFO inventories may have to be written down to market value due to the higher costs assigned to LIFO layers in prior periods. In addition, the use of the LIFO inventory method may result in increases or decreases to cost of sales in years that inventory volumes decline as the result of charging cost of sales with LIFO inventory costs generated in prior periods. An actual valuation of inventory under the LIFO method is made at the end of each year based on the inventory levels at that time. Accordingly, interim LIFO calculations are based on management’s estimates of expected year-end inventory levels and are subject to the final year-end LIFO inventory valuation. Inventories of our Petro-Canada Lubricants and Sonneborn businesses are stated at the lower of cost, using the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method, or net realizable value. Inventories consisting of process chemicals, materials and maintenance supplies and renewable identification numbers (“RINs”) are stated at the lower of weighted-average cost or net realizable value. Leases: At inception, we determine if an arrangement is or contains a lease. Right-of-use (“ROU”) assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent our payment obligation under the leasing arrangement. ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized at the commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. We use our estimated incremental borrowing rate (“IBR”) to determine the present value of lease payments as most of our leases do not contain an implicit rate. Our IBR represents the interest rate which we would pay to borrow, on a collateralized basis, an amount equal to the lease payments over a similar term in a similar economic environment. We use the implicit rate when readily determinable. Operating leases are recorded in operating lease right-of-use assets and current and noncurrent operating lease liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet. Finance leases are included in properties, plants and equipment and accrued liabilities and other long-term liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet. Our lease term includes an option to extend the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise that option. Leases with a term of 12 months or less are not recorded on our balance sheet. For certain equipment leases, we apply a portfolio approach for the operating lease ROU assets and liabilities. Also, as a lessee, we separate non-lease components that are identifiable and exclude them from the determination of net present value of lease payment obligations. In addition, HEP, as a lessor, does not separate the non-lease (service) component in contracts in which the lease component is the dominant component. HEP treats these combined components as an operating lease. Goodwill and Long-lived Assets: As of September 30, 2020, our goodwill balance was $2.4 billion, with goodwill assigned to our Refining, Lubricants and Specialty Products and HEP segments of $1,733.5 million, $328.6 million and $312.9 million, respectively. See Note 15 for additional information on our segments. The carrying amount of our goodwill may fluctuate from period to period due to the effects of foreign currency translation adjustments on goodwill assigned to our Lubricants and Specialty Products segment. Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of an acquired entity over the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Goodwill is not subject to amortization and is tested annually or more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount. Our goodwill impairment testing first entails either a quantitative assessment or an optional qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If we determine that based on the qualitative factors that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is greater than its carrying amount, a quantitative test is performed in which we estimate the fair value of the related reporting unit. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the goodwill of that reporting unit is impaired, and we measure goodwill impairment as the excess of the carrying amount of the reporting unit over the related fair value. For purposes of long-lived asset impairment evaluation, we have grouped our long-lived assets as follows: (i) our refinery asset groups, which include certain HEP logistics assets, (ii) our Lubricants and Specialty Products asset groups and (iii) our HEP asset groups, which comprises HEP assets not included in our refinery asset groups. These asset groups represent the lowest level for which independent cash flows can be identified. Our long-lived assets are evaluated for impairment by identifying whether indicators of impairment exist and if so, assessing whether the long-lived assets are recoverable from estimated future undiscounted cash flows. The actual amount of impairment loss measured, if any, is equal to the amount by which the asset group’s carrying value exceeds its fair value. Long-lived asset impairment testing Due to the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, in the second quarter of 2020 we determined that indicators of potential long-lived asset impairments were present. As a result of our long-lived asset impairment testing, we determined that the carrying value of the long-lived assets of our Cheyenne Refinery and PCLI asset groups were not recoverable, and thus recorded long-lived asset impairment charges of $232.2 million and $204.7 million, respectively, in the second quarter of 2020. Our testing did not result in any other impairments of long-lived assets in the second quarter. There were no additional indicators of long-lived asset impairment present in the third quarter of 2020. The estimated fair values of the Cheyenne Refinery and PCLI asset groups were determined using a combination of the income and cost approaches. The income approach was based on management’s best estimates of the expected future cash flows over the remaining useful life of the asset group. The cost approach utilized assumptions for the current replacement costs of similar assets adjusted for estimated depreciation and economic obsolescence. These fair value measurements involve significant unobservable inputs (Level 3 inputs). See Note 4 for further discussion of Level 3 inputs. Goodwill impairment testing Due to the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a decrease in our market capitalization, we determined that indicators of potential goodwill impairment for our Refining and Lubricants and Specialty Products reporting units were present in the second quarter of 2020. As such, we performed an interim test for goodwill impairment as of May 31, 2020. Our interim goodwill impairment testing indicated that there was no impairment of goodwill at our Refining and Lubricants and Specialty Products reporting units as of May 31, 2020. We performed our annual goodwill impairment testing quantitatively as of July 1, 2020 and determined there was no impairment of goodwill attributable to our reporting units. The excess of the fair values of the reporting units over their respective carrying values ranged from 10% to 229%. The estimated fair values of our reporting units were derived using a combination of income and market approaches. The income approach reflects expected future cash flows based on estimated forecasted production levels, selling prices, gross margins, operating costs and capital expenditures. Our market approaches include both the guideline public company and guideline transaction methods. Both methods utilize pricing multiples derived from historical market transactions of other like-kind assets. These fair value measurements involve significant unobservable inputs (Level 3 inputs). See Note 4 for further discussion of Level 3 inputs. During the second quarter of 2019, we recorded a goodwill impairment charge of $152.7 million to fully impair the goodwill of the PCLI reporting unit included in our Lubricants and Specialty Products segment. A reasonable expectation exists that further deterioration in our operating results or overall economic conditions could result in an impairment of goodwill and / or additional long-lived assets impairments at some point in the future. Future impairment charges could be material to our results of operations and financial condition. Revenue Recognition: Revenue on refined product and excess crude oil sales are recognized when delivered (via pipeline, in-tank or rack) and the customer obtains control of such inventory, which is typically when title passes and the customer is billed. All revenues are reported inclusive of shipping and handling costs billed and exclusive of any taxes billed to customers. Shipping and handling costs incurred are reported as cost of products sold. Our lubricants and specialty products business has sales agreements with marketers and distributors that provide certain rights of return or provisions for the repurchase of products previously sold to them. Under these agreements, revenues and cost of revenues are deferred until the products have been sold to end customers. Our lubricants and specialty products business also has agreements that create an obligation to deliver products at a future date for which consideration has already been received and recorded as deferred revenue. This revenue is recognized when the products are delivered to the customer. HEP recognizes revenues as products are shipped through its pipelines and terminals and as other services are rendered. Additionally, HEP has certain throughput agreements that specify minimum volume requirements, whereby HEP bills a customer for a minimum level of shipments in the event a customer ships below their contractual requirements. If there are no future performance obligations, HEP recognizes these deficiency payments as revenue. In certain of these throughput agreements, a customer may later utilize such shortfall billings as credit towards future volume shipments in excess of its minimum levels within its respective contractual shortfall make-up period. Such amounts represent an obligation to perform future services, which may be initially deferred and later recognized as revenue based on estimated future shipping levels, including the likelihood of a customer’s ability to utilize such amounts prior to the end of the contractual shortfall make-up period. HEP recognizes the service portion of these deficiency payments as revenue when HEP does not expect it will be required to satisfy these performance obligations in the future based on the pattern of rights exercised by the customer. Payment terms under our contracts with customers are consistent with industry norms and are typically payable within 30 days of the date of invoice. Foreign Currency Translation: Assets and liabilities recorded in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars using exchange rates in effect as of the balance sheet date. Revenue and expense accounts are translated using the weighted-average exchange rates during the period presented. Foreign currency translation adjustments are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. In connection with our PCLI acquisition, we issued intercompany notes to initially fund certain of our foreign businesses. Remeasurement adjustments resulting from the conversion of such intercompany financing amounts to functional currencies are recorded as gains and losses as a component of other income (expense) in the income statement. Such adjustments are not recorded to the Lubricants and Specialty Products segment operations, but to Corporate and Other. See Note 15 for additional information on our segments. Income Taxes: Provisions for income taxes include deferred taxes resulting from temporary differences in income for financial and tax purposes, using the liability method of accounting for income taxes. The liability method requires the effect of tax rate changes on deferred income taxes to be reflected in the period in which the rate change was enacted. The liability method also requires that deferred tax assets be reduced by a valuation allowance unless it is more likely than not that the assets will be realized. Potential interest and penalties related to income tax matters are recognized in income tax expense. We believe we have appropriate support for the income tax positions taken and to be taken on our income tax returns and that our accruals for tax liabilities are adequate for all open years based on an assessment of many factors, including past experience and interpretations of tax law applied to the facts of each matter. For the nine months ended September 30, 2020, we recorded an income tax benefit of $188.5 million compared to income tax expense of $279.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019. This decrease was due principally to a pre-tax loss during the nine months ended September 30, 2020 compared to pre-tax earnings in the same period of 2019. Our effective tax rates were 31.0% and 26.1% for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The year-over-year increase in the effective tax rate is due principally to the relationship between the pre-tax results and the earnings attributable to the noncontrolling interest that is not included in income for tax purposes. Inventory Repurchase Obligations: We periodically enter into same-party sell / buy transactions, whereby we sell certain refined product inventory and subsequently repurchase the inventory in order to facilitate delivery to certain locations. Such sell / buy transactions are accounted for as inventory repurchase obligations under which proceeds received under the initial sell is recognized as an inventory repurchase obligation that is subsequently reversed when the inventory is repurchased. For the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, we received proceeds of $32.7 million and $13.2 million, respectively, and subsequently repaid $34.4 million and $12.5 million, respectively, under these sell / buy transactions. Accounting Pronouncements - Recently Adopted Income Tax Accounting In December 2019, Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2019-12, “Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes,” was issued which eliminates some exceptions to the general approach in ASC Topic 740 “Income Taxes” and also provides clarification of other aspects of ASC 740. We adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020 on a prospective basis, and recognized an income tax benefit for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 based upon the application of our estimated annual effective tax rate to our pre-tax loss. Credit Losses Measurement In June 2016, ASU 2016-13, “Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” was issued requiring measurement of all expected credit losses for certain types of financial instruments, including trade receivables, held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. We adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020, at which time our review of historic and expected credit losses resulted in a decrease of $3.2 million in our reserve for doubtful accounts. Based upon our assessment of the potential impact of current and forecasted conditions, we increased our reserve for doubtful accounts by $1.8 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2020. Assumptions about the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our estimate of expected credit losses are inherently subjective and difficult to forecast. However, we believe that our current estimate of allowance for doubtful accounts to be reasonable based upon current information and forecasts.

References herein to HollyFrontier Corporation (“HollyFrontier”) include HollyFrontier and its consolidated subsidiaries. In accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) “Plain English” guidelines, this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q has been written in the first person. In these financial statements, the words “we,” “our,” “ours” and “us” refer only to HollyFrontier and its consolidated subsidiaries or to HollyFrontier or an individual subsidiary and not to any other person, with certain exceptions. Generally, the words “we,” “our,” “ours” and “us” include Holly Energy Partners, L.P. (“HEP”) and its subsidiaries as consolidated subsidiaries of HollyFrontier, unless when used in disclosures of transactions or obligations between HEP and HollyFrontier or its other subsidiaries. These financial statements contain certain disclosures of agreements that are specific to HEP and its consolidated subsidiaries and do not necessarily represent obligations of HollyFrontier. When used in descriptions of agreements and transactions, “HEP” refers to HEP and its consolidated subsidiaries.

We are an independent petroleum refiner and marketer that produces high-value light products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel and other specialty products. We own and operate petroleum refineries that serve markets throughout the Mid-Continent, Southwest and Rocky Mountain regions of the United States. In addition, we produce base oils and other specialized lubricants in the United States, Canada and the Netherlands, with retail and wholesale marketing of our products through a global sales network with locations in Canada, the United States, Europe, China and Latin America.

•owned and operated a petroleum refinery in El Dorado, Kansas (the “El Dorado Refinery”), two refinery facilities located in Tulsa, Oklahoma (collectively, the “Tulsa Refineries”), a refinery in Artesia, New Mexico that is operated in conjunction with crude oil distillation and vacuum distillation and other facilities situated 65 miles away in Lovington, New Mexico (collectively, the “Navajo Refinery”) and a refinery in Woods Cross, Utah (the “Woods Cross Refinery”);

•owned a 57% limited partner interest and a non-economic general partner interest in HEP, a variable interest entity (“VIE”). HEP owns and operates logistic assets consisting of petroleum product and crude oil pipelines, terminals, tankage, loading rack facilities and refinery processing units that principally support our refining and marketing operations in the Mid-Continent, Southwest and Rocky Mountain regions of the United States.

In the third quarter of 2020, we permanently ceased petroleum refining operations at our Cheyenne Refinery and subsequently began converting certain assets at our Cheyenne Refinery to renewable diesel production. This decision was primarily based on a positive outlook in the market for renewable diesel and the expectation that future free cash flow generation at our Cheyenne Refinery would be challenged due to lower gross margins resulting from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and compressed crude differentials due to dislocations in the crude oil market. Additional factors included uncompetitive operating and maintenance costs forecasted for our Cheyenne Refinery and the anticipated loss of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) small refinery exemption.

During the second quarter of 2020, we recorded a long-lived asset impairment of $232.2 million related to our Cheyenne Refinery asset group. In connection with the cessation of petroleum refining operations at our Cheyenne Refinery, we recognized $12.3 million in decommissioning expense during the third quarter of 2020. In addition, during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, we recorded $2.4 million and $3.5 million, respectively, in employee severance costs related to the conversion of our Cheyenne Refinery to renewable diesel production. These decommissioning and severance costs were recognized in operating expenses and were reported in our Refining segment.

On November 12, 2018, we entered into an equity purchase agreement to acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Sonneborn US Holdings Inc. and 100% of the membership rights in Sonneborn Coöperatief U.A. (collectively, “Sonneborn”). The acquisition closed on February 1, 2019. Aggregate consideration totaled $701.6 million and consisted of $662.7 million in cash paid at acquisition, net of cash acquired. Sonneborn is a producer of specialty hydrocarbon chemicals such as white oils, petrolatums and waxes with manufacturing facilities in the United States and Europe. This transaction was accounted for as a business combination using the acquisition method of accounting, with the purchase price allocated to the fair value of the acquired Sonneborn assets and liabilities as of the February 1, 2019 acquisition date, with the excess purchase price recorded as goodwill assigned to our Lubricants and Specialty Products segment. This goodwill is not deductible for income tax purposes. Fair values are as follows: cash and cash equivalents $38.9 million, current assets $139.4 million, properties, plants and equipment $168.2 million, goodwill $282.3 million, intangibles and other noncurrent assets $231.5 million, current liabilities $47.9 million and deferred income tax and other long-term liabilities $110.8 million. We incurred $0.1 million and $3.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $2.0 million and $20.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, in incremental direct integration and regulatory costs that principally relate to legal, advisory and other professional fees and are presented as selling, general and administrative expenses.

We have prepared these consolidated financial statements without audit. In management’s opinion, these consolidated financial statements include all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of our consolidated financial position as of September 30, 2020, the consolidated results of operations, comprehensive income and statements of equity for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 and consolidated cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. Although certain notes and other information required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted, we believe that the disclosures in these consolidated financial statements are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 that has been filed with the SEC.

Accounts Receivable: Our accounts receivable consist of amounts due from customers that are primarily companies in the petroleum industry. Credit is extended based on our evaluation of the customer’s financial condition, and in certain circumstances collateral, such as letters of credit or guarantees, is required. We reserve for doubtful accounts based on our historical loss experience as well as expected credit losses from current economic conditions and management’s expectations of future economic conditions. Credit losses are charged to the allowance for doubtful accounts when an account is deemed uncollectible. Our allowance for doubtful accounts was $3.1 million at September 30, 2020 and $4.5 million at December 31, 2019.

Inventories: Inventories related to our refining operations are stated at the lower of cost, using the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method for crude oil and unfinished and finished refined products, or market. In periods of rapidly declining prices, LIFO inventories may have to be written down to market value due to the higher costs assigned to LIFO layers in prior periods. In addition, the use of the LIFO inventory method may result in increases or decreases to cost of sales in years that inventory volumes decline as the result of charging cost of sales with LIFO inventory costs generated in prior periods. An actual valuation of inventory under the LIFO method is made at the end of each year based on the inventory levels at that time. Accordingly, interim LIFO calculations are based on management’s estimates of expected year-end inventory levels and are subject to the final year-end LIFO inventory valuation.

Leases: At inception, we determine if an arrangement is or contains a lease. Right-of-use (“ROU”) assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent our payment obligation under the leasing arrangement. ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized at the commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. We use our estimated incremental borrowing rate (“IBR”) to determine the present value of lease payments as most of our leases do not contain an implicit rate. Our IBR represents the interest rate which we would pay to borrow, on a collateralized basis, an amount equal to the lease payments over a similar term in a similar economic environment. We use the implicit rate when readily determinable.

Our lease term includes an option to extend the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise that option. Leases with a term of 12 months or less are not recorded on our balance sheet. For certain equipment leases, we apply a portfolio approach for the operating lease ROU assets and liabilities. Also, as a lessee, we separate non-lease components that are identifiable and exclude them from the determination of net present value of lease payment obligations. In addition, HEP, as a lessor, does not separate the non-lease (service) component in contracts in which the lease component is the dominant component. HEP treats these combined components as an operating lease.

Goodwill and Long-lived Assets: As of September 30, 2020, our goodwill balance was $2.4 billion, with goodwill assigned to our Refining, Lubricants and Specialty Products and HEP segments of $1,733.5 million, $328.6 million and $312.9 million, respectively. See Note 15 for additional information on our segments. The carrying amount of our goodwill may fluctuate from period to period due to the effects of foreign currency translation adjustments on goodwill assigned to our Lubricants and Specialty Products segment. Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of an acquired entity over the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Goodwill is not subject to amortization and is tested annually or more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount. Our goodwill impairment testing first entails either a quantitative assessment or an optional qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If we determine that based on the qualitative factors that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is greater than its carrying amount, a quantitative test is performed in which we estimate the fair value of the related reporting unit. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the goodwill of that reporting unit is impaired, and we measure goodwill impairment as the excess of the carrying amount of the reporting unit over the related fair value.

For purposes of long-lived asset impairment evaluation, we have grouped our long-lived assets as follows: (i) our refinery asset groups, which include certain HEP logistics assets, (ii) our Lubricants and Specialty Products asset groups and (iii) our HEP asset groups, which comprises HEP assets not included in our refinery asset groups. These asset groups represent the lowest level for which independent cash flows can be identified. Our long-lived assets are evaluated for impairment by identifying whether indicators of impairment exist and if so, assessing whether the long-lived assets are recoverable from estimated future undiscounted cash flows. The actual amount of impairment loss measured, if any, is equal to the amount by which the asset group’s carrying value exceeds its fair value.

Due to the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, in the second quarter of 2020 we determined that indicators of potential long-lived asset impairments were present. As a result of our long-lived asset impairment testing, we determined that the carrying value of the long-lived assets of our Cheyenne Refinery and PCLI asset groups were not recoverable, and thus recorded long-lived asset impairment charges of $232.2 million and $204.7 million, respectively, in the second quarter of 2020. Our testing did not result in any other impairments of long-lived assets in the second quarter. There were no additional indicators of long-lived asset impairment present in the third quarter of 2020.

The estimated fair values of the Cheyenne Refinery and PCLI asset groups were determined using a combination of the income and cost approaches. The income approach was based on management’s best estimates of the expected future cash flows over the remaining useful life of the asset group. The cost approach utilized assumptions for the current replacement costs of similar assets adjusted for estimated depreciation and economic obsolescence. These fair value measurements involve significant unobservable inputs (Level 3 inputs). See Note 4 for further discussion of Level 3 inputs.

Due to the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a decrease in our market capitalization, we determined that indicators of potential goodwill impairment for our Refining and Lubricants and Specialty Products reporting units were present in the second quarter of 2020. As such, we performed an interim test for goodwill impairment as of May 31, 2020. Our interim goodwill impairment testing indicated that there was no impairment of goodwill at our Refining and Lubricants and Specialty Products reporting units as of May 31, 2020.

The estimated fair values of our reporting units were derived using a combination of income and market approaches. The income approach reflects expected future cash flows based on estimated forecasted production levels, selling prices, gross margins, operating costs and capital expenditures. Our market approaches include both the guideline public company and guideline transaction methods. Both methods utilize pricing multiples derived from historical market transactions of other like-kind assets. These fair value measurements involve significant unobservable inputs (Level 3 inputs). See Note 4 for further discussion of Level 3 inputs.

Revenue Recognition: Revenue on refined product and excess crude oil sales are recognized when delivered (via pipeline, in-tank or rack) and the customer obtains control of such inventory, which is typically when title passes and the customer is billed. All revenues are reported inclusive of shipping and handling costs billed and exclusive of any taxes billed to customers. Shipping and handling costs incurred are reported as cost of products sold.

Our lubricants and specialty products business has sales agreements with marketers and distributors that provide certain rights of return or provisions for the repurchase of products previously sold to them. Under these agreements, revenues and cost of revenues are deferred until the products have been sold to end customers. Our lubricants and specialty products business also has agreements that create an obligation to deliver products at a future date for which consideration has already been received and recorded as deferred revenue. This revenue is recognized when the products are delivered to the customer.

HEP recognizes revenues as products are shipped through its pipelines and terminals and as other services are rendered. Additionally, HEP has certain throughput agreements that specify minimum volume requirements, whereby HEP bills a customer for a minimum level of shipments in the event a customer ships below their contractual requirements. If there are no future performance obligations, HEP recognizes these deficiency payments as revenue. In certain of these throughput agreements, a customer may later utilize such shortfall billings as credit towards future volume shipments in excess of its minimum levels within its respective contractual shortfall make-up period. Such amounts represent an obligation to perform future services, which may be initially deferred and later recognized as revenue based on estimated future shipping levels, including the likelihood of a customer’s ability to utilize such amounts prior to the end of the contractual shortfall make-up period. HEP recognizes the service portion of these deficiency payments as revenue when HEP does not expect it will be required to satisfy these performance obligations in the future based on the pattern of rights exercised by the customer. Payment terms under our contracts with customers are consistent with industry norms and are typically payable within 30 days of the date of invoice.

Foreign Currency Translation: Assets and liabilities recorded in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars using exchange rates in effect as of the balance sheet date. Revenue and expense accounts are translated using the weighted-average exchange rates during the period presented. Foreign currency translation adjustments are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income.

In connection with our PCLI acquisition, we issued intercompany notes to initially fund certain of our foreign businesses. Remeasurement adjustments resulting from the conversion of such intercompany financing amounts to functional currencies are recorded as gains and losses as a component of other income (expense) in the income statement. Such adjustments are not recorded to the Lubricants and Specialty Products segment operations, but to Corporate and Other. See Note 15 for additional information on our segments.

Income Taxes: Provisions for income taxes include deferred taxes resulting from temporary differences in income for financial and tax purposes, using the liability method of accounting for income taxes. The liability method requires the effect of tax rate changes on deferred income taxes to be reflected in the period in which the rate change was enacted. The liability method also requires that deferred tax assets be reduced by a valuation allowance unless it is more likely than not that the assets will be realized.

Potential interest and penalties related to income tax matters are recognized in income tax expense. We believe we have appropriate support for the income tax positions taken and to be taken on our income tax returns and that our accruals for tax liabilities are adequate for all open years based on an assessment of many factors, including past experience and interpretations of tax law applied to the facts of each matter.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2020, we recorded an income tax benefit of $188.5 million compared to income tax expense of $279.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019. This decrease was due principally to a pre-tax loss during the nine months ended September 30, 2020 compared to pre-tax earnings in the same period of 2019. Our effective tax rates were 31.0% and 26.1% for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The year-over-year increase in the effective tax rate is due principally to the relationship between the pre-tax results and the earnings attributable to the noncontrolling interest that is not included in income for tax purposes.

Inventory Repurchase Obligations: We periodically enter into same-party sell / buy transactions, whereby we sell certain refined product inventory and subsequently repurchase the inventory in order to facilitate delivery to certain locations. Such sell / buy transactions are accounted for as inventory repurchase obligations under which proceeds received under the initial sell is recognized as an inventory repurchase obligation that is subsequently reversed when the inventory is repurchased. For the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, we received proceeds of $32.7 million and $13.2 million, respectively, and subsequently repaid $34.4 million and $12.5 million, respectively, under these sell / buy transactions.

In December 2019, Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2019-12, “Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes,” was issued which eliminates some exceptions to the general approach in ASC Topic 740 “Income Taxes” and also provides clarification of other aspects of ASC 740. We adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020 on a prospective basis, and recognized an income tax benefit for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 based upon the application of our estimated annual effective tax rate to our pre-tax loss.

In June 2016, ASU 2016-13, “Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” was issued requiring measurement of all expected credit losses for certain types of financial instruments, including trade receivables, held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. We adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020, at which time our review of historic and expected credit losses resulted in a decrease of $3.2 million in our reserve for doubtful accounts. Based upon our assessment of the potential impact of current and forecasted conditions, we increased our reserve for doubtful accounts by $1.8 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2020. Assumptions about the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our estimate of expected credit losses are inherently subjective and difficult to forecast. However, we believe that our current estimate of allowance for doubtful accounts to be reasonable based upon current information and forecasts.