Commitments And Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

Commitments And Contingencies

Commitments And Contingencies

11.   Commitments and Contingencies

Devon is party to various legal actions arising in the normal course of business. Matters that are probable of unfavorable outcome to Devon and which can be reasonably estimated are accrued. Such accruals are based on information known about the matters, Devon's estimates of the outcomes of such matters and its experience in contesting, litigating and settling similar matters. None of the actions are believed by management to involve future amounts that would be material to Devon's financial position or results of operations after consideration of recorded accruals although actual amounts could differ materially from management's estimate.

Royalty Matters

Numerous natural gas producers and related parties, including Devon, have been named in various lawsuits alleging violation of the federal False Claims Act. The suits allege that the producers and related parties used below-market prices, improper deductions, improper measurement techniques and transactions with affiliates, which resulted in underpayment of royalties in connection with natural gas and NGLs produced and sold from federal and Indian owned or controlled lands. Devon does not currently believe that it is subject to material exposure with respect to such royalty matters.

Environmental Matters

Devon is subject to certain laws and regulations relating to environmental remediation activities associated with past operations, such as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act and similar state statutes. In response to liabilities associated with these activities, loss accruals primarily consist of estimated costs associated with remediation. Devon's monetary exposure for environmental matters is not expected to be material.

Chief Redemption Matters

In 2006, Devon acquired Chief Holdings LLC ("Chief") from the owners of Chief, including Trevor Rees-Jones, the majority owner of Chief.  In 2008, a former owner of Chief filed a petition against Rees-Jones, as the former majority owner of Chief, and Devon, as Chief's successor pursuant to the 2006 acquisition. The petition claimed, among other things, violations of the Texas Securities Act, fraud and breaches of Rees-Jones' fiduciary responsibility to the former owner in connection with Chief's 2004 redemption of the owner's minority ownership stake in Chief.

On June 20, 2011, a court issued a judgment against Rees-Jones for $196 million, of which $133 million of the judgment was also issued against Devon. Both Rees-Jones and Devon are appealing the judgment. However, if the appeal is unsuccessful, Devon can and will seek full payment of the judgment and any related interest, costs and expenses from Rees-Jones pursuant to an existing indemnification agreement between Rees-Jones, certain other parties and Devon. Devon does not expect to have any net exposure as a result of the judgment. However, because Devon does not have a legal right of set off with respect to the judgment, Devon has recorded in its June 30, 2011 consolidated balance sheet both a $133 million liability relating to the judgment with an offsetting $133 million receivable relating to its right to be indemnified by Rees-Jones and certain other parties pursuant to the indemnification agreement.

Other Matters

Devon is involved in other various routine legal proceedings incidental to its business. However, to Devon's knowledge, there were no other material pending legal proceedings to which Devon is a party or to which any of its property is subject.

Commitments

At the end of 2010, Devon's commitments included approximately $0.6 billion related to lease contracts for a deepwater drilling rig and a floating, production, storage and offloading facility being used in Brazil. Devon's remaining commitments for these leases were assumed by the buyer of its assets upon closing the Brazil divestiture transaction discussed in Note 15.