Guarantees

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Guarantees [Abstract]

Guarantees

Guarantees

In the ordinary course of business, the company enters into various agreements providing performance assurances and guarantees to clients on behalf of certain unconsolidated and consolidated partnerships, joint ventures and other jointly executed contracts. These agreements are entered into primarily to support the project execution commitments of these entities. The performance guarantees have various expiration dates ranging from mechanical completion of the project being constructed to a period extending beyond contract completion in certain circumstances. The maximum potential amount of future payments that the company could be required to make under outstanding performance guarantees, which represents the remaining cost of work to be performed by or on behalf of third parties under engineering and construction contracts, was estimated to be $19 billion as of September 30,

2019. Amounts that may be required to be paid in excess of estimated cost to complete contracts in progress are not estimable. For cost reimbursable contracts, amounts that may become payable pursuant to guarantee provisions are normally recoverable from the client for work performed under the contract. For lump-sum or fixed-price contracts, the performance guarantee amount is the cost to complete the contracted work, less amounts remaining to be billed to the client under the contract. Remaining billable amounts could be greater or less than the cost to complete. In those cases where costs exceed the remaining amounts payable under the contract, the company may have recourse to third parties, such as owners, co-venturers, subcontractors or vendors for claims. The company assessed its performance guarantee obligation as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 in accordance with ASC 460, “Guarantees,” and the carrying value of the liability was not material. Financial guarantees, made in the ordinary course of business in certain limited circumstances, are entered into with financial institutions and other credit grantors and generally obligate the company to make payment in the event of a default by the borrower. These arrangements generally require the borrower to pledge collateral to support the fulfillment of the borrower’s obligation.