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Equity Method Investments And Variable Interest Entities
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Equity Method Investments And Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]  
Equity Method Investments And Variable Interest Entities

Note 15. Equity Method Investments and Variable Interest Entities

We conduct some of our operations through joint ventures which are in partnership, corporate, undivided interest and other business forms and are principally accounted for using the equity method of accounting. Additionally, the majority of our joint ventures are also variable interest entities which are further described under "Variable Interest Entities". The following is a description of our significant investments accounted for on the equity method of accounting that are not variable interest entities.

Equity Method Investments

Brown & Root Condor Spa ("BRC"). BRC is a joint venture in which we owned 49% interest. During the third quarter of 2007, we sold our 49% interest and other rights in BRC to Sonatrach for approximately $24 million resulting in a pre-tax gain of approximately $18 million which was included in "Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated affiliates" on the consolidated statements of income. In the fourth quarter of 2008, we filed for arbitration with the ICC in Paris, France in an attempt to force collection. A final arbitration hearing occurred in January 2011 and in May 2011, we received a favorable arbitration award which approximates our outstanding accounts receivable balance. In 2011, we collected the remaining $18 million due from Sonatrach for the sale of our interest in BRC.

MMM. MMM is a joint venture formed under a Partners Agreement related to the Mexico contract with PEMEX. The MMM joint venture was set up under Mexican maritime law in order to hold navigation permits to operate in Mexican waters. The scope of the business is to render services for maintenance, repair and restoration of offshore oil and gas platforms and provisions of quartering in the territorial waters of Mexico. KBR holds a 50% interest in the MMM joint venture.

Consolidated summarized financial information for all jointly owned operations including variable interest entities that are accounted for using the equity method of accounting is as follows:

U.K. Road projects. We are involved in four privately financed projects, executed through joint ventures, to design, build, operate, and maintain roadways for certain government agencies in the United Kingdom. We have a 25% ownership interest in each of these joint ventures and account for them using the equity method of accounting. The joint ventures have obtained financing through third parties that is nonrecourse to the joint venture partners. These joint ventures are variable interest entities; however, we are not the primary beneficiary of these joint ventures. Our maximum exposure to loss represents our equity investments in these ventures.

Fermoy Road project. We participate in a privately financed project executed through certain joint ventures formed to design, build, operate, and maintain a toll road in southern Ireland. The joint ventures were funded through debt and were formed with minimal equity. These joint ventures are variable interest entities; however, we are not the primary beneficiary of the joint ventures. We have up to a 25% ownership interest in the project's joint ventures, and we are accounting for these interests using the equity method of accounting.

Allenby & Connaught project. In April 2006, Aspire Defence, a joint venture between us, Carillion Plc. and two financial investors, was awarded a privately financed project contract, the Allenby & Connaught project, by the U.K. MoD to upgrade and provide a range of services to the British Army's garrisons at Aldershot and around Salisbury Plain in the United Kingdom. In addition to a package of ongoing services to be delivered over 35 years, the project includes a nine-year construction program to improve soldiers' single living, technical and administrative accommodations, along with leisure and recreational facilities. Aspire Defence manages the existing properties and is responsible for design, refurbishment, construction and integration of new and modernized facilities. We indirectly own a 45% interest in Aspire Defence, the project company that is the holder of the 35-year concession contract. In addition, we own a 50% interest in each of two joint ventures that provide the construction and the related support services to Aspire Defence. As of December 31, 2011, our performance through the construction phase is supported by $57 million in letters of credit. Furthermore, our financial and performance guarantees are joint and several, subject to certain limitations, with our joint venture partners. The project is funded through equity and subordinated debt provided by the project sponsors and the issuance of publicly held senior bonds which are nonrecourse to us. The entities we hold an interest in are variable interest entities; however, we are not the primary beneficiary of these entities. We account for our interests in each of the entities using the equity method of accounting. Our maximum exposure to construction and operating joint venture losses is limited to the funding of any future losses incurred by those entities under their respective contracts with the project company. As of December 31, 2011, our assets and

liabilities associated with our investment in this project, within our consolidated balance sheet, were $22 million and $2 million, respectively. The $35 million difference between our recorded liabilities and aggregate maximum exposure to loss was primarily related to our equity investments and $17 million remaining commitment to fund subordinated debt to the project in the future.

EBIC Ammonia project. We have an investment in a development corporation that has an indirect interest in the Egypt Basic Industries Corporation ("EBIC") ammonia plant project located in Egypt. We performed the engineering, procurement and construction ("EPC") work for the project and continue to provide operations and maintenance services for the facility. We own 65% of this development corporation and consolidate it for financial reporting purposes. The development corporation owns a 25% ownership interest in a company that consolidates the ammonia plant which is considered a variable interest entity. The development corporation accounts for its investment in the company using the equity method of accounting. The variable interest entity is funded through debt and equity. Indebtedness of EBIC under its debt agreement is non-recourse to us. We are not the primary beneficiary of the variable interest entity. As of December 31, 2011, our assets and liabilities associated with our investment in this project, within our consolidated balance sheet, were $60 million and $17 million, respectively. The $22 million difference between our recorded liabilities and aggregate maximum exposure to loss was related to our investment balance and other receivables in the project as of December 31, 2011.

Consolidated VIEs

The following is a summary of the significant VIEs where we are the primary beneficiary:

 

Fasttrax Limited project. Effective January 1, 2010, upon the adoption of the newly issued guidance in FASB ASC 810 – Consolidation, we determined that we are the primary beneficiary of this project entity because we control the activities that most significantly impact economic performance of the entity. This variable interest entity, in which we have a 50% ownership interest, was previously accounted for using the equity method of accounting because no party absorbed the majority of the expected losses which was the determining factor under the superseded standard. We have applied the requirements of FASB ASC 810 on a prospective basis from the date of adoption. Upon consolidation of this joint venture, consolidated current assets increased by $26 million primarily related to cash and equivalents, consolidated noncurrent assets increased by $89 million related to property, plant and equipment, consolidated current liabilities increased by $10 million primarily related to accounts payable, and noncurrent liabilities increased by $112 million related to the outstanding senior bonds and subordinated debt issued to finance the JV's operations. No gain or loss was recognized by KBR upon consolidation of this VIE. Assets collateralizing the JV's senior bonds included cash and equivalents of $21 million and property, plant, and equipment of approximately $80 million, net of accumulated depreciation of $38 million as of December 31, 2010. The bonds of the SPV, being non-recourse to KBR, are shown on the face of our consolidated balance sheet as "Non-recourse project-finance debt."

In December 2001, the Fasttrax Joint Venture (the "JV") was created to provide to the U.K. MoD a fleet of 92 new heavy equipment transporters ("HETs") capable of carrying a 72-ton Challenger II tank. The JV owns, operates and maintains the HET fleet and provides heavy equipment transportation services to the British Army. The purchase of the assets was completed in 2004, and the operating and service contracts related to the assets extend through 2023. The JV's entity structure includes a parent entity and its 100%-owned subsidiary, Fasttrax Ltd (the "SPV"). KBR and its partner own each 50% of the parent entity.

 

The JV's purchase of the assets was funded through the issuance of several series guaranteed secured bonds totaling approximately £84.9 million issued by the SPV including £12.2 million which was replaced in 2005 when the shareholders funded combined equity and subordinated debt of approximately £12.2 million. The bonds are guaranteed by Ambac Assurance U.K. Ltd under a policy that guarantees the schedule of principle and interest payments to the bond trustee in the event of non-payment by Fasttrax. The total amount of non-recourse project-finance debt of a VIE consolidated by KBR is summarized in the following table. Assets collateralizing the JV's senior bonds include cash and equivalents of $23 million and property, plant, and equipment of approximately $75 million, net of accumulated depreciation of $45 million as of December 31, 2011.

Consolidated amount of non-recourse project-finance debt of a VIE

 

Millions of Dollars

   December 31, 2011  

Current non-recourse project-finance debt of a VIE consolidated by KBR

   $ 10   

Noncurrent non-recourse project-finance debt of a VIE consolidated by KBR

   $ 88   
  

 

 

 

Total non-recourse project-finance debt of a VIE consolidated by KBR

   $ 98   
  

 

 

 

The guaranteed secured bonds were issued in two classes consisting of Class A 3.5% Index Linked Bonds in the amount of £56 million and Class B 5.9% Fixed Rate Bonds in the amount of £16.7 million. Principal payments on both classes of bonds commenced in March 2005 and are due in semi-annual installments over the term of the bonds which end in 2021. Subordinated notes payable to the 50% partner initially bear interest at 11.25% increasing to 16% over the term of the note through 2025. Payments on the subordinated debt commenced in March 2006 and are due in semi-annual installments over the term of the note. The following table summarizes the combined principal installments for both classes of bonds and subordinated notes, including inflation adjusted bond indexation over the next five-years and beyond as of December 31, 2011:

 

Millions of pounds

   Debt Payments  

2012

   £ 6   

2013

   £ 6   

2014

   £ 6   

2015

   £ 6   

2016

   £ 6   

Beyond 2016

   £ 33   
  

 

 

 

Escravos Gas-to-Liquids ("GTL") project. During 2005, we formed a joint venture to engineer and construct a gas monetization facility. We own 50% equity interest in the joint venture and determined that we are the primary beneficiary which is consolidated for financial reporting purposes. There are no consolidated assets that collateralize the joint venture's obligations. However, at December 31, 2011 and 2010, the joint venture had approximately $119 million and $84 million of cash, respectively, which mainly relate to advanced billings in connection with the joint venture's obligations under the EPC contract.

Pearl GTL project. In July 2006, we were awarded, through a 50%-owned joint venture, a contract with Qatar Shell GTL Limited to provide project management and cost-reimbursable engineering, procurement and construction management services for the Pearl GTL project in Ras Laffan, Qatar. The project, which was substantially complete as of December 31, 2011, consists of gas production facilities and a GTL plant. The joint venture is considered a VIE. We consolidate the joint venture for financial reporting purposes because we are the primary beneficiary.

Gorgon LNG project. We have a 30% ownership in an Australian joint venture which was awarded a contract by Chevron for cost-reimbursable FEED and EPCM services to construct a LNG plant. The joint venture is considered a VIE, and, as a result of our being the primary beneficiary, we consolidate this joint venture for financial reporting purposes.