Contingencies and Commitments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Contingencies and Commitments

Contingencies and Commitments

We and certain of our subsidiaries are subject to litigation, claims and other commitments and contingencies, including matters arising in the ordinary course of business, of which the asserted value may be significant. We record accruals in the financial statements for contingencies when we determine that an unfavorable outcome is probable and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. While there is at least a reasonable possibility that a loss may be incurred in any of the matters identified below, including a loss in excess of amounts accrued, management is unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss or has determined such amounts to be immaterial. At present, except as set forth below, we do not expect that the ultimate resolution of any open matters will have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations. However, legal proceedings and regulatory and governmental matters are subject to inherent uncertainties, and unfavorable rulings or other events could occur. Unfavorable outcomes could involve substantial monetary damages, fines, penalties and other expenditures. An unfavorable outcome might result in a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations or financial position. We might also enter into an agreement to settle one or more such matters if we determine such settlement is in the best interests of our stakeholders, and any such settlement could include substantial payments.

The following matters remain open as of the issuance of this 10-K.

Fluor Australia Ltd., our wholly-owned subsidiary (“Fluor Australia”), completed a cost reimbursable engineering, procurement and construction management services project for Santos Ltd. (“Santos”) involving a large network of natural gas gathering and processing facilities in Queensland, Australia. On December 13, 2016, Santos filed an action in Queensland Supreme Court (the “Court”) against Fluor Australia, asserting various causes of action and seeking damages and/or a refund of contract proceeds paid of AUD $1.47 billion. Santos has joined Fluor to the matter on the basis of a parent company guarantee issued for the project. In March 2023, a panel of 3 referees appointed by the Court (the "Panel”) issued a draft, non-binding report setting forth recommendations to the Court regarding liability and damages in the lawsuit. After consideration of further submissions by the parties, the Panel finalized its report on July 14, 2023. The Panel’s report has no legal effect unless it is adopted by the Court through an adoption hearing, and the Court can accept or reject, in whole or in part, the Panel’s recommendations. In the final report, the Panel recommended judgment for Fluor on one of Santos’s damages claims that Santos contends has an approximate value of AUD $700 million, and recommended judgment for Santos on other claims that the Panel valued at approximately AUD $790 million excluding interest and costs. While the project contract contains a liability cap of approximately AUD $236 million, the Panel found that the liability cap did not apply to Santos’s claims. Fluor has made an application to have the Court set aside the reference to the Panel and the Panel’s recommendations on several procedural and substantive grounds, including in relation to apparent bias of the referees, a failure to comply with the order which established the reference to the Panel and a lack of procedural fairness. In July 2023, the Court held oral argument on that application. We do not expect a decision until after the Court holds an adoption hearing, which is scheduled for February 2024. At any adoption hearing, Fluor will contend that the Court should not adopt the Panel’s recommendation based on numerous grounds, including the Panel’s failure to apply the project’s liability cap.

Fluor Enterprises Inc., our wholly-owned subsidiary, (“Fluor”) in conjunction with a partner, Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc., (“Balfour”) formed a joint venture known as Prairie Link Constructors JV (“PLC”) and, through it, contracted with the North Texas Tollway Authority (“NTTA”) to provide design and build services in relation to the extension of the NTTA’s President George Bush Turnpike highway (“Project”). PLC completed the Project in 2012. In October 2022, the NTTA served PLC, Fluor and Balfour with a petition, filed at Dallas County Court, demanding damages of an unquantified amount under various claims relating to alleged breaches of contract and or negligence in relation to retaining walls along the Project. In its initial disclosures as part of the litigation, the NTTA stated that its damages are expected to exceed $100 million and that damages will be calculated by experts and provided in the normal course of the litigation. In September 2023, the NTTA provided an expert report that included calculations of damages, consisting of costs to repair sixty-five retaining walls, estimated at $227 million. We have answered the petition and asserted claims for, among other things, indemnity from subcontractors.

The following matters are deemed settled or closed as of December 31, 2023.

Fluor Limited, our wholly-owned subsidiary (“Fluor Limited”), and Fluor Arabia Limited, a partially-owned subsidiary (“Fluor Arabia”), completed cost reimbursable engineering, procurement and construction management services for Sadara Chemical Company (“Sadara”) involving a large petrochemical facility in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On August 23, 2019, Fluor Limited and Fluor Arabia Limited commenced arbitration proceedings against Sadara after it refused to pay invoices totaling approximately $100 million due under the contracts. As part of the arbitration proceedings, Sadara asserted various counterclaims for damages and/or a refund of contract proceeds paid totaling $574 million against Fluor Limited and Fluor Arabia Limited. In August 2023, the arbitration panel issued an award on the majority of our invoice claims and on a small portion of Sadara's claims. Based on our assessment of the award, we recorded a charge of $14 million in the third quarter of 2023 to reflect the expected net settlement with Sadara for all non-interest claims. Fluor and Sadara requested clarifications

regarding the arbitration award, which the arbitrators ruled on in December 2023 resulting in an immaterial change to the $14 million charge. Upon collection from Sadara, we expect to recognize interest income, presently valued at $3 million to $5 million, on the net settlement value.

Various wholly-owned subsidiaries of Fluor, in conjunction with a partner, TECHINT, (“Fluor/TECHINT”) performed engineering, procurement and construction management services on a cost reimbursable basis for Barrick Gold Corporation involving a gold mine and ore processing facility on a site straddling the border between Argentina and Chile. In 2013 Barrick terminated the Fluor/TECHINT agreements for convenience and not due to the performance of Fluor/TECHINT. On August 12, 2016, Barrick filed a notice of arbitration against Fluor/TECHINT, demanding damages and/or a refund of contract proceeds paid of not less than $250 million under various claims relating to Fluor/TECHINT’s alleged performance. Proceedings were suspended while the parties explored a possible settlement. In August 2019, Barrick drew down $36 million of letters of credit from Fluor/TECHINT ($24 million from Fluor and $12 million from TECHINT). Thereafter, Barrick proceeded to reactivate the arbitration. Barrick and Fluor/TECHINT exchanged detailed statements of claim and counterclaim pursuant to which Barrick's claim against Fluor/TECHINT totaled $364 million net of amounts acknowledged to be due to Fluor/TECHINT. In September 2023, the arbitration panel issued an award generally in favor of Fluor/TECHINT. In October 2023, Fluor/TECHINT and Barrick entered into an agreement to effect the arbitration award and release all claims among the parties. We recognized a gain of $12 million in the third quarter of 2023 associated with the non-interest component and an additional $11 million on the interest component in the fourth quarter of 2023.