Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Fair value is the amount received from the sale of an asset or the amount paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants (an exit price) at the measurement date. Fair value is a market-based measurement considered from the perspective of a market participant. We use market data or assumptions that we believe market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk and the risks inherent in the inputs to the valuation. These inputs can be readily observable, market corroborated or unobservable. We apply both market and income approaches for recurring fair value measurements using the best available information while utilizing valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.

The fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value, giving the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurement) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurement). We classify fair value balances based on the observability of those inputs. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:

•Level 1—Quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that we have the ability to access. Active markets are those in which transactions for the asset or liability occur in sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis. Our Level 1 measurements primarily consist of financial instruments that are exchange traded.

•Level 2—Inputs are other than quoted prices in active markets included in Level 1 that are either directly or indirectly observable. These inputs are either directly observable in the marketplace or indirectly observable through corroboration with market data for substantially the full contractual term of the asset or liability being measured. Our Level 2 measurements primarily consist of over-the-counter (“OTC”) instruments such as forwards, swaps and options. These options, which hedge future sales of production, are structured as costless collars, calls or swaptions and are financially settled. They are valued using an industry standard Black-Scholes option pricing model. Also categorized as Level 2 is the fair value of our debt, which is determined on market rates and the prices of similar securities with similar terms and credit ratings.

•Level 3—Inputs that are not observable for which there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability being measured. These inputs reflect management’s best estimate of the assumptions market participants would use in determining fair value. Our Level 3 measurements consist of instruments valued using industry standard pricing models and other valuation methods that utilize unobservable pricing inputs that are significant to the overall fair value.

In valuing certain contracts, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. For disclosure purposes, assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety in the fair value hierarchy level based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the overall fair value measurement. Our assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment and may affect the placement within the fair value hierarchy levels.

The following table presents, by level within the fair value hierarchy, our assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis. The carrying amounts reported in the Consolidated Balance Sheets for cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash approximate fair value due to the nature of the instrument and/or the short-term maturity of these instruments.


	December 31, 2019														December 31, 2018
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	(Millions)														(Millions)
Energy derivative assets	$	—	$	67	$	—	$	67	$	—	$	175	$	3	$	178
Energy derivative liabilities	$	—	$	91	$	—	$	91	$	—	$	37	$	—	$	37
Total debt(a)	$	—	$	2,400	$	—	$	2,400	$	—	$	2,414	$	—	$	2,414

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(a) The carrying value of total debt, excluding debt issuance costs, was $2,229 million and $2,509 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Energy derivatives include commodity-based exchange-traded contracts and over-the-counter (“OTC”) contracts. Exchange-traded contracts include futures, swaps and options. OTC contracts include forwards, swaps, options or swaptions. These are carried at fair value on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Many contracts have bid and ask prices that can be observed in the market. Our policy is to use a mid-market pricing (the mid-point price between bid and ask prices) convention to value individual positions and then adjust on a portfolio level to a point within the bid and ask range that represents our best estimate of fair value. For offsetting positions by location, the mid-market price is used to measure both the long and short positions.

The determination of fair value for our derivative assets and liabilities also incorporates the time value of money and various credit risk factors which can include the credit standing of the counterparties involved, master netting arrangements, the impact of credit enhancements (such as cash collateral posted and letters of credit) and our nonperformance risk on our liabilities. The determination of the fair value of our liabilities does not consider noncash collateral credit enhancements.

Forward, swap, option and swaption contracts are considered Level 2 and are valued using an income approach including present value techniques and option pricing models. Option contracts, which hedge future sales of our production, are structured as calls, costless collars, or swaptions and are financially settled. All of our financial options are valued using an industry standard Black-Scholes option pricing model. In connection with swaps, we may sell call options or swaptions to the swap counterparties in exchange for receiving premium hedged prices on the swaps. The sold calls or swaptions establish a maximum price we will receive for the volumes under contract and are financially settled. Significant inputs into our Level 2 valuations include commodity prices, implied volatility and interest rates, as well as considering executed transactions or broker quotes corroborated by other market data. These broker quotes are based on observable market prices at which transactions could currently be executed. In certain instances where these inputs are not observable for all periods, relationships of observable market data and historical observations are used as a means to estimate fair value. Also categorized as Level 2 is the fair value of our debt, which is determined on market rates and the prices of similar securities with similar terms and credit ratings. Where observable inputs are available for substantially the full term of the asset or liability, the instrument is categorized in Level 2.

Our energy derivatives portfolio is largely comprised of over-the-counter products or like products and the tenure of our derivatives portfolio extends through the end of 2023. Due to the nature of the products and tenure, we are consistently able to obtain market pricing. All pricing is reviewed on a daily basis and is formally validated with broker quotes or market indications and documented on a monthly basis.

Certain instruments trade with lower availability of pricing information. These instruments are valued with a present value technique using inputs that may not be readily observable or corroborated by other market data. These instruments are classified

within Level 3 when these inputs have a significant impact on the measurement of fair value. We had instruments totaling less than $1 million and $3 million included in Level 3 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Reclassifications of fair value between Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, if applicable, are made at the end of each quarter. No significant transfers between Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 occurred during the years ended December 31, 2019 or 2018.

Realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in income (loss) from continuing operations for the above periods are reported in revenues on our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Other

In addition to the items discussed below, we performed other nonrecurring fair value assessments as discussed in Note 2.

2017

In conjunction with the $103 million of gains from exchanges of leasehold during 2017, we estimated the fair value of the leasehold through discounted cash flow models and consideration of market data. Our estimates and assumptions include future commodity prices, projection of estimated quantities of oil and natural gas reserves, expectations for future development and operating costs and risk adjusted discount rates, all of which are Level 3 inputs. The total fair value of leasehold exchanges in 2017 approximated $200 million. See Note 4 for additional discussion related to leasehold exchanges.

In addition, during the third quarter of 2017, we began a process to market our natural gas-producing properties in the San Juan Basin and our Board of Directors approved a divestment subject to a minimum price. Following the marketing process, we received several acceptable bids. As a result, we determined the estimated fair value, less costs to sell, based on the probability-weighted cash flows of expected proceeds and compared it to our net book value which resulted in an impairment of $60 million recorded in the third quarter of 2017. See Note 2 for additional discussion related to the impairment of our natural gas-producing properties in the San Juan Basin reported as discontinued operations.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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