Property, Plant, and Equipment (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]

Property, Plant, and Equipment [Table Text Block]

The following table presents nonregulated and regulated Property, plant, and equipment – net as presented on the Consolidated Balance Sheet for the years ended:

	Estimated Useful Life  (1) (Years)	Depreciation Rates (1) (%)	December 31,
			2015			2014
			(Millions)
Nonregulated:
Natural gas gathering and processing facilities	5 - 40		$	20,789		$	18,749
Construction in progress	Not applicable		1,366			2,648
Other	2 - 45		2,170			1,850
Regulated:
Natural gas transmission facilities		1.20 - 6.97	12,189			10,867
Construction in progress	Not applicable	Not applicable	941			985
Other	5 - 45	1.35 - 33.33	1,584			1,336
Total property, plant, and equipment, at cost			39,039			36,435
Accumulated depreciation and amortization			(9,460		)	(8,354		)
Property, plant, and equipment — net			$	29,579		$	28,081

__________

(1) Estimated useful life and depreciation rates are presented as of December 31, 2015. Depreciation rates and estimated useful lives for regulated assets are prescribed by the FERC.

Asset Retirement Obligation [Table Text Block]

The following table presents the significant changes to our ARO, of which $858 million and $791 million are included in Other noncurrent liabilities with the remaining current portion in Accrued liabilities at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

	December 31,
	2015			2014
	(Millions)
Beginning balance	$	831		$	561
Liabilities incurred	42			101
Liabilities settled (1)	(3		)	(21		)
Accretion expense	60			44
Revisions (2)	(15		)	146
Ending balance	$	915		$	831

___________

(1) For 2014, liabilities settled include $7 million related to the abandonment of certain of Transco’s natural gas storage caverns that are associated with a leak in 2010.

(2) Several factors are considered in the annual review process, including inflation rates, current estimates for removal cost, discount rates, and the estimated remaining useful life of the assets. The 2015 revisions reflect changes in removal cost estimates and the estimated remaining useful life of assets, a decrease in the inflation rate, and increases in the discount rates used in the annual review process. The 2014 revisions primarily reflect an increase in the estimated retirement costs for our offshore pipelines, an increase in the inflation rate, and decreases in the discount rates used in the annual review process.