Lawsuits, Claims, Commitments and Contingencies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Lawsuits, Claims, Commitments and Contingencies
Lawsuits, Claims, Commitments and Contingencies	7. Lawsuits, Claims, Commitments and Contingencies Occidental or certain of its subsidiaries are involved, in the normal course of business, in lawsuits, claims and other legal proceedings that seek, among other things, compensation for alleged personal injury, breach of contract, property damage or other losses, punitive damages, civil penalties, or injunctive or declaratory relief. Occidental or certain of its subsidiaries also are involved in proceedings under CERCLA and similar federal, state, local and foreign environmental laws. These environmental proceedings seek funding or performance of remediation and, in some cases, compensation for alleged property damage, punitive damages, civil penalties and injunctive relief. Usually Occidental or such subsidiaries are among many companies in these environmental proceedings and have to date been successful in sharing response costs with other financially sound companies. Further, some lawsuits, claims and legal proceedings involve acquired or disposed assets with respect to which a third party or Occidental retains liability or indemnifies the other party for conditions that existed prior to the transaction. In accordance with applicable accounting guidance, Occidental accrues reserves for outstanding lawsuits, claims and proceedings when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the liability can be reasonably estimated. In Note 6, Environmental Liabilities and Expenditures, Occidental has disclosed its reserve balances for environmental remediation matters that satisfy this criteria. Reserve balances for matters, other than environmental remediation, that satisfy this criteria as of September 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016, were not material to Occidental’s consolidated condensed balance sheets. Occidental also evaluates the amount of reasonably possible losses that it could incur as a result of outstanding lawsuits, claims and proceedings and discloses its estimable range of reasonably possible additional losses for sites where it is a participant in environmental remediation. Occidental believes that other reasonably possible losses for non-environmental matters that it could incur in excess of reserves accrued on the balance sheet would not be material to its consolidated financial position or results of operations. Occidental reassesses the probability and estimability of contingent losses as new information becomes available. Tax Matters During the course of its operations, Occidental is subject to audit by tax authorities for varying periods in various federal, state, local and foreign tax jurisdictions. Although taxable years through 2009 for United States federal income tax purposes have been audited by the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) pursuant to its Compliance Assurance Program, subsequent taxable years are currently under review. Taxable years from 2002 through the current year remain subject to examination by foreign and state government tax authorities in certain jurisdictions. In certain of these jurisdictions, tax authorities are in various stages of auditing Occidental’s income taxes. During the course of tax audits, disputes have arisen and other disputes may arise as to facts and matters of law. Occidental believes that the resolution of outstanding tax matters would not have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial position or results of operations. Indemnities to Third Parties Occidental, its subsidiaries, or both, have indemnified various parties against specified liabilities those parties might incur in the future in connection with purchases and other transactions that they have entered into with Occidental. These indemnities usually are contingent upon the other party incurring liabilities that reach specified thresholds. As of September 30, 2017, Occidental is not aware of circumstances that it believes would reasonably be expected to lead to indemnity claims that would result in payments materially in excess of reserves.

7. Lawsuits, Claims, Commitments and Contingencies

Occidental or certain of its subsidiaries are involved, in the normal course of business, in lawsuits, claims and other legal proceedings that seek, among other things, compensation for alleged personal injury, breach of contract, property damage or other losses, punitive damages, civil penalties, or injunctive or declaratory relief. Occidental or certain of its subsidiaries also are involved in proceedings under CERCLA and similar federal, state, local and foreign environmental laws. These environmental proceedings seek funding or performance of remediation and, in some cases, compensation for alleged property damage, punitive damages, civil penalties and injunctive relief. Usually Occidental or such subsidiaries are among many companies in these environmental proceedings and have to date been successful in sharing response costs with other financially sound companies. Further, some lawsuits, claims and legal proceedings involve acquired or disposed assets with respect to which a third party or Occidental retains liability or indemnifies the other party for conditions that existed prior to the transaction.

In accordance with applicable accounting guidance, Occidental accrues reserves for outstanding lawsuits, claims and proceedings when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the liability can be reasonably estimated. In Note 6, Environmental Liabilities and Expenditures, Occidental has disclosed its reserve balances for environmental remediation matters that satisfy this criteria. Reserve balances for matters, other than environmental remediation, that satisfy this criteria as of September 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016, were not material to Occidental’s consolidated condensed balance sheets.

Occidental also evaluates the amount of reasonably possible losses that it could incur as a result of outstanding lawsuits, claims and proceedings and discloses its estimable range of reasonably possible additional losses for sites where it is a participant in environmental remediation. Occidental believes that other reasonably possible losses for non-environmental matters that it could incur in excess of reserves accrued on the balance sheet would not be material to its consolidated financial position or results of operations. Occidental reassesses the probability and estimability of contingent losses as new information becomes available.

Tax Matters

During the course of its operations, Occidental is subject to audit by tax authorities for varying periods in various federal, state, local and foreign tax jurisdictions. Although taxable years through 2009 for United States federal income tax purposes have been audited by the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) pursuant to its Compliance Assurance Program, subsequent taxable years are currently under review. Taxable years from 2002 through the current year remain subject to examination by foreign and state government tax authorities in certain jurisdictions. In certain of these jurisdictions, tax authorities are in various stages of auditing Occidental’s income taxes. During the course of tax audits, disputes have arisen and other disputes may arise as to facts and matters of law. Occidental believes that the resolution of outstanding tax matters would not have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial position or results of operations.

Indemnities to Third Parties

Occidental, its subsidiaries, or both, have indemnified various parties against specified liabilities those parties might incur in the future in connection with purchases and other transactions that they have entered into with Occidental. These indemnities usually are contingent upon the other party incurring liabilities that reach specified thresholds. As of September 30, 2017, Occidental is not aware of circumstances that it believes would reasonably be expected to lead to indemnity claims that would result in payments materially in excess of reserves.