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Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies
We are the subject of, or a party to, a number of pending or threatened legal actions, contingencies and commitments involving a variety of matters, including laws and regulations relating to the environment. Some of these matters are discussed below. For matters for which we have not recorded a liability, we are unable to estimate a range of possible loss because the issues involved have not been fully developed through pleadings, discovery or court proceedings. However, the ultimate resolution of some of these contingencies could, individually or in the aggregate, be material.
Environmental Matters
We are subject to federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to the environment. These laws generally provide for control of pollutants released into the environment and require responsible parties to undertake remediation of hazardous waste disposal sites and certain other locations including presently or formerly owned or operated retail marketing sites. Penalties may be imposed for noncompliance.
At December 31, 2024 and 2023, accrued liabilities for remediation totaled $364 million and $387 million, respectively. It is not presently possible to estimate the ultimate amount of all remediation costs that might be incurred or the penalties, if any, that may be imposed. Receivables for recoverable costs from certain states, under programs to assist companies in clean-up efforts related to underground storage tanks at presently or formerly owned or operated retail marketing sites, were $6 million and $5 million at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Governmental and other entities in various states have filed climate-related lawsuits against a number of energy companies, including MPC. Although each suit is separate and unique, the lawsuits generally allege defendants made knowing misrepresentations about knowingly concealing, or failing to warn of the impacts of their petroleum products, which led to increased demand and worsened climate change. Plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages and abatement under various tort theories, as well as breaches of consumer protection and unfair trade statutes. We are currently subject to such proceedings in federal or state courts in California, Delaware, Maryland, Hawaii, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Oregon. Similar lawsuits may be filed in other jurisdictions. At this early stage, the ultimate outcome of these matters remains uncertain, and neither the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome nor the ultimate liability, if any, can be determined.
We are involved in a number of environmental enforcement matters arising in the ordinary course of business. While the outcome and impact on us cannot be predicted with certainty, management believes the resolution of these environmental matters will not, individually or collectively, have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows.
Asset Retirement Obligations
Our short-term asset retirement obligations were $36 million and $24 million at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and are included in other current liabilities in our consolidated balance sheets. Our long-term asset retirement obligations were $210 million and $218 million at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, which are included in deferred credits and other liabilities in our consolidated balance sheets.
Other Legal Proceedings
In July 2020, Tesoro High Plains Pipeline Company, LLC (“THPP”), a subsidiary of MPLX, received a Notification of Trespass Determination from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (“BIA”) relating to a portion of the Tesoro High Plains Pipeline that crosses the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota. The notification demanded the immediate cessation of pipeline operations and assessed trespass damages of approximately $187 million. After subsequent appeal proceedings and in compliance with a new order issued by the BIA, in December 2020, THPP paid approximately $4 million in assessed trespass damages and ceased use
of the portion of the pipeline that crosses the property at issue. In March 2021, the BIA issued an order purporting to vacate the BIA's prior orders related to THPP’s alleged trespass and direct the Regional Director of the BIA to reconsider the issue of THPP’s alleged trespass and issue a new order. In April 2021, THPP filed a lawsuit in the District of North Dakota against the United States of America, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the BIA (collectively, the “U.S. Government Parties”) challenging the March 2021 order purporting to vacate all previous orders related to THPP’s alleged trespass. On February 8, 2022, the U.S. Government Parties filed their answer and counterclaims to THPP’s suit claiming THPP is in continued trespass with respect to the pipeline and seek disgorgement of pipeline profits from June 1, 2013 to present, removal of the pipeline and remediation. On November 8, 2023, the District Court of North Dakota granted THPP’s motion to sever and stay the U.S. Government Parties’ counterclaims. The case will proceed on the merits of THPP’s challenge to the March 2021 order purporting to vacate all previous orders related to THPP’s alleged trespass. THPP continues not to operate that portion of the pipeline that crosses the property at issue.
We are also a party to a number of other lawsuits and other proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. While the ultimate outcome and impact to us cannot be predicted with certainty, we believe that the resolution of these other lawsuits and proceedings will not, individually or collectively, have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Guarantees
We have provided certain guarantees, direct and indirect, of the indebtedness of other companies. Under the terms of most of these guarantee arrangements, we would be required to perform should the guaranteed party fail to fulfill its obligations under the specified arrangements. In addition to these financial guarantees, we also have various performance guarantees related to specific agreements.
Guarantees related to indebtedness of equity method investees
LOOP and LOCAP
MPC and MPLX hold interests in an offshore oil port, LOOP, and MPLX holds an interest in a crude oil pipeline system, LOCAP. Both LOOP and LOCAP have secured various project financings with throughput and deficiency agreements. Under the agreements, MPC, as a shipper, is required to advance funds if the investees are unable to service their debt. Any such advances are considered prepayments of future transportation charges. The duration of the agreements varies but tends to follow the terms of the underlying debt, which extend through 2040. Our maximum potential undiscounted payments under these agreements for the debt principal totaled $212 million as of December 31, 2024.
Dakota Access Pipeline
MPLX holds a 9.19 percent indirect interest in a joint venture (“Dakota Access”), which owns and operates the Dakota Access Pipeline and Energy Transfer Crude Oil Pipeline projects (collectively, the “Bakken Pipeline system”). In 2020, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (the “D.D.C.”) ordered the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“Army Corps”), which granted permits and an easement for the Bakken Pipeline system, to prepare an environmental impact statement (“EIS”) relating to an easement under Lake Oahe in North Dakota. The D.D.C. later vacated the easement. The Army Corps issued a draft EIS in September 2023 detailing various options for the easement going forward, including denying the easement, approving the easement with additional measures, rerouting the easement, or approving the easement with no changes. The Army Corps has not selected a preferred alternative, but will make a decision in its final review, after considering input from the public and other agencies. The pipeline remains operational while the Army Corps finalizes its decision which will follow the issuance of the final EIS. According to public statements from Army Corps officials, the EIS is now expected to be issued in 2025.
MPLX has entered into a Contingent Equity Contribution Agreement whereby it, along with the other joint venture owners in the Bakken Pipeline system, has agreed to make equity contributions to the joint venture upon certain events occurring to allow the entities that own and operate the Bakken Pipeline system to satisfy their senior note payment obligations. The senior notes were issued to repay amounts owed by the pipeline companies to fund the cost of construction of the Bakken Pipeline system. If the vacatur of the easement results in a temporary shutdown of the pipeline, MPLX would have to contribute its 9.19 percent pro rata share of funds required to pay interest accruing on the notes and any portion of the principal that matures while the pipeline is shut down. MPLX also expects to contribute its 9.19 percent pro rata share of any costs to remediate any deficiencies to reinstate the easement and/or return the pipeline into operation. If the vacatur of the easement results in a permanent shutdown of the pipeline, MPLX would have to contribute its 9.19 percent pro rata share of the cost to redeem the bonds (including the 1 percent redemption premium required pursuant to the indenture governing the notes) and any accrued and unpaid interest. As of December 31, 2024, our maximum potential undiscounted payments under the Contingent Equity Contribution Agreement were approximately $78 million.
Marathon Oil indemnifications
The separation and distribution agreement and other agreements with Marathon Oil to effect our spinoff provide for cross-indemnities between Marathon Oil and us. In general, Marathon Oil and its successor, ConocoPhillips, is required to indemnify us for any liabilities relating to Marathon Oil’s historical oil and gas exploration and production operations, oil sands mining operations and integrated gas operations, and we are required to indemnify Marathon Oil and its successor, ConocoPhillips, for
any liabilities relating to Marathon Oil’s historical refining, marketing and transportation operations. The terms of these indemnifications are indefinite and the amounts are not capped.
Other guarantees
We have entered into other guarantees with maximum potential undiscounted payments totaling $191 million as of December 31, 2024, which primarily consist of a commitment to indemnify a joint venture member for our pro rata share of any payments made under a performance guarantee for construction of a pipeline by an equity method investee, a commitment to contribute cash to an equity method investee for certain catastrophic events in lieu of procuring insurance coverage, a commitment to pay a termination fee on a supply agreement if terminated during the initial term, a commitment to fund a share of the bonds issued by a government entity for construction of public utilities in the event that other industrial users of the facility default on their utility payments and leases of assets containing general lease indemnities and guaranteed residual values.
General guarantees associated with dispositions
Over the years, we have sold various assets in the normal course of our business. Certain of the related agreements contain performance and general guarantees, including guarantees regarding inaccuracies in representations, warranties, covenants and agreements, and environmental and general indemnifications that require us to perform upon the occurrence of a triggering event or condition. These guarantees and indemnifications are part of the normal course of selling assets. We are typically not able to calculate the maximum potential amount of future payments that could be made under such contractual provisions because of the variability inherent in the guarantees and indemnities. Most often, the nature of the guarantees and indemnities is such that there is no appropriate method for quantifying the exposure because the underlying triggering event has little or no past experience upon which a reasonable prediction of the outcome can be based.
Contractual Commitments and Contingencies
At December 31, 2024, our contractual commitments to acquire property, plant and equipment totaled $260 million. Our contractual commitments to acquire property, plant and equipment totaled $281 million at December 31, 2023.
Certain natural gas processing and gathering arrangements require us to construct natural gas processing plants, natural gas gathering pipelines and NGL pipelines and contain certain fees and charges if specified construction milestones are not achieved for reasons other than force majeure. In certain cases, certain producer customers may have the right to cancel the processing arrangements if there are significant delays that are not due to force majeure.