Property, Plant and Equipment

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2018

Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]

Property, Plant and Equipment

3. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT: Property, plant and equipment is recorded net of accumulated depreciation of $8.89 billion at June 30, 2018 ($8.70 billion at December 31, 2017).

Given the natural gas pricing environment, Nucor performed an impairment assessment of its proved producing natural gas well assets in December 2017. One of the main assumptions that most significantly affects the undiscounted cash flows determination is management’s estimate of future natural gas prices. The pricing used in this impairment assessment was developed by management based on projected natural gas market supply and demand dynamics. Management also makes key estimates on the expected reserve levels and on the expected drilling production costs. This analysis was performed on each of Nucor’s three groups of wells, with each group defined by common geographic location. Each of Nucor’s three groups of wells passed the impairment test. The combined carrying value of the three groups of wells was $241.0 million at June 30, 2018 ($252.0 million at December 31, 2017). Changes in the natural gas industry or a continuation of the low price environment beyond what had already been assumed in the analysis could cause management to revise the natural gas price assumptions, the estimated reserves or the estimated drilling production costs. Unfavorable revisions to these assumptions or estimates could possibly result in an impairment of some or all of the groups of proved well assets.