Fair Value Measurements (Notes)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

We classify financial assets and liabilities according to the fair value hierarchy. Financial assets and liabilities classified as level 1 instruments are valued based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities. Level 2 instruments are valued based on quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs other than quoted prices, such as liquidity, that are observable for the asset or liability. These instruments include derivative instruments that are valued using market quotations from independent price reporting agencies, third-party broker quotes and price curves derived from commodity exchange postings that are corroborated with market data. Level 3 instruments are valued based on unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. We do not have any financial assets or liabilities classified as level 3 at March 31, 2015 or December 31, 2014.

Our financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis include derivative instruments. Additionally, our financial liabilities include obligations for Renewable Identification Numbers (“RINs”) and cap and trade emission credits for the state of California (together with RINs, our “Environmental Credit Obligations”). See Note 6 for further information on our derivative instruments. Our Environmental Credit Obligations represent the estimated fair value amount at each balance sheet date for which we do not have sufficient RINs and California cap and trade credits to satisfy our obligations to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and the state of California, respectively. RINs are assigned to biofuels produced or imported into the U.S. as required by the EPA, which sets annual quotas for the percentage of biofuels that must be blended into transportation fuels consumed in the U.S. As a producer of petroleum transportation fuels, we are required to blend biofuels into the products we produce at a rate that will meet the EPA’s quota. We must purchase RINs in the open market to satisfy the requirement if we are unable to blend at that rate. Our liability for cap and trade emission credits for the state of California represent the deficit of credits to satisfy emission reduction requirements mandated in California’s Assembly Bill 32 for each period which stationary or transportation fuel carbon emissions exceed the level allowed by the regulation.

Financial assets and liabilities recognized at fair value in our condensed consolidated balance sheets by level within the fair value hierarchy were as follows (in millions):



	March 31, 2015
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Netting and Collateral (a)			Total
Assets:
Commodity Futures Contracts	$	772	$	14	$	—	$	(675	)	$	111
Commodity OTC Swap Contracts	—		2		—		—			2
Commodity Forward Contracts	—		2		—		—			2
Total Assets	$	772	$	18	$	—	$	(675	)	$	115

Liabilities:
Commodity Futures Contracts	$	738	$	13	$	—	$	(749	)	$	2
Commodity Forward Contracts	—		1		—		—			1
Environmental Credit Obligations	—		37		—		—			37
Total Liabilities	$	738	$	51	$	—	$	(749	)	$	40



	December 31, 2014
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Netting and Collateral (a)			Total
Assets:
Commodity Futures Contracts	$	1,165	$	36	$	—	$	(1,136	)	$	65
Commodity Forward Contracts	—		3		—		—			3
Total Assets	$	1,165	$	39	$	—	$	(1,136	)	$	68

Liabilities:
Commodity Futures Contracts	$	1,011	$	14	$	—	$	(1,024	)	$	1
Commodity OTC Swap Contracts	—		1		—		—			1
Commodity Forward Contracts	—		1		—		—			1
Environmental Credit Obligations	—		20		—		—			20
Total Liabilities	$	1,011	$	36	$	—	$	(1,024	)	$	23

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(a)

Certain of our derivative contracts, under master netting arrangements, include both asset and liability positions. We offset both the fair value amounts and any related cash collateral amounts recognized for multiple derivative instruments executed with the same counterparty when there is a legally enforceable right and an intention to settle net or simultaneously. As of March 31, 2015, we had provided cash collateral amounts of $74 million related to our unrealized derivative positions. At December 31, 2014, our counterparties had provided cash collateral of $112 million related to our unrealized derivative positions.

We believe the carrying value of our other financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, receivables, accounts payable and certain accrued liabilities approximate fair value. Our fair value assessment incorporates a variety of considerations, including the short-term duration of the instruments (less than one percent of our trade receivables and payables are outstanding for greater than 90 days), and the expected future insignificance of bad debt expense, which includes an evaluation of counterparty credit risk. The borrowings under the Tesoro Corporation revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”), the TLLP senior secured revolving credit agreement (the “TLLP Revolving Credit Facility”) and our term loan credit facility agreement (the “Term Loan Credit Facility”), which include variable interest rates, approximate fair value. The fair value of our fixed rate debt is based on prices from recent trade activity and is categorized in level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. The carrying values of our debt were approximately $4.2 billion at both March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, and the fair values of our debt were approximately $4.3 billion and $4.2 billion at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. These carrying and fair values of our debt do not include the unamortized issuance costs associated with our total debt.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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