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Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Contingencies
11. Contingencies

Litigation  The following is a discussion of any material developments in previously reported contingencies and any other material matters that have arisen since the filing of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015.

Deepwater Horizon Events  In April 2010, the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico blew out and an explosion occurred on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, resulting in an oil spill. The well was operated by BP Exploration and Production Inc. (BP) and Anadarko held a 25% nonoperated interest. In October 2011, the Company and BP entered into a settlement agreement relating to the Deepwater Horizon events (Settlement Agreement). Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the Company is fully indemnified by BP against all claims and damages arising under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), claims for natural resource damages (NRD) and assessment costs, and any claims arising under the Operating Agreement with BP.
Numerous Deepwater Horizon event-related civil lawsuits were filed against BP and other parties, including the Company. Generally, the plaintiffs sought actual damages, punitive damages, declaratory judgment, and/or injunctive relief. This litigation was consolidated into a federal Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) action pending before Judge Carl Barbier in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans, Louisiana (Louisiana District Court).

BP Consent Decree In July 2015, BP announced a settlement agreement in principle with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and certain states and local government entities regarding essentially all of the outstanding claims against BP related to the Deepwater Horizon event (BP Settlement) and, in October 2015, lodged a proposed consent decree with the Louisiana District Court. In April 2016, the Louisiana District Court approved the consent decree. As a result of the BP Settlement and approval of the consent decree, all liability relating to OPA-related environmental costs was resolved and all NRD claims and claims by the United States and the Gulf states impacted by the event relating to the MDL action were dismissed. For any remaining claims relating to the MDL action, the Company is fully indemnified by BP against any losses pursuant to the Settlement Agreement. For additional disclosure related to the Deepwater Horizon events, see Note 15ContingenciesDeepwater Horizon Events in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015.

Penalties and Fines  In December 2010, the DOJ, on behalf of the United States, filed a civil lawsuit in the Louisiana District Court against several parties, including the Company, seeking an assessment of civil penalties under the Clean Water Act (CWA) in an amount to be determined by the Louisiana District Court. After previously finding that Anadarko, as a nonoperating investor in the Macondo well, was not culpable with respect to the Deepwater Horizon events, the Louisiana District Court found Anadarko liable for civil penalties under Section 311 of the CWA as a working-interest owner in the Macondo well and entered a judgment of $159.5 million in December 2015. Neither party appealed the decision and the Company paid the penalty in the first quarter of 2016.