Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of CONSOL Energy Inc., and its wholly owned and majority-owned and/or controlled subsidiaries. The portion of these entities that is not owned by the Company is presented as non-controlling interest. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, as well as various disclosures. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The most significant estimates included in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements are related to other postretirement benefits, coal workers' pneumoconiosis, workers' compensation, salary retirement benefits, stock-based compensation, asset retirement obligations, deferred income tax assets and liabilities, contingencies and the values of coal properties.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand and on deposit at banking institutions as well as all highly liquid short-term securities with original maturities of three months or less.

Trade Accounts Receivable

Trade accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. CONSOL Energy reserves for specific accounts receivable when it is probable that all or a part of an outstanding balance will not be collected, such as customer bankruptcies. Collectability is determined based on terms of sale, credit status of customers and various other circumstances. CONSOL Energy regularly reviews collectability and establishes or adjusts the allowance as necessary using the specific identification method. Account balances are charged off against the allowance after all means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. Reserves for uncollectable amounts were not material in the periods presented. In addition, there were no material financing receivables with a contractual maturity greater than one year at December 31, 2017 or 2016.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. The cost of coal inventories is determined by the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. Coal inventory costs include labor, supplies, equipment costs, operating overhead, depreciation, depletion, amortization, and other related costs. The cost of supplies inventory is determined by the average cost method and includes operating and maintenance supplies to be used in the Company's coal operations.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment is recorded at cost upon acquisition. Expenditures which extend the useful lives of existing plant and equipment are capitalized. Interest costs applicable to major asset additions are capitalized during the construction period. Costs of additional mine facilities required to maintain production after a mine reaches the production stage, generally referred to as “receding face costs,” are expensed as incurred; however, the costs of additional airshafts and new portals are capitalized. Planned major maintenance costs which do not extend the useful lives of existing plant and equipment are expensed as incurred.

Coal exploration costs are expensed as incurred. Coal exploration costs include those incurred to ascertain existence, location, extent or quality of ore or minerals before beginning the development stage of the mine.

Costs of developing new underground mines and certain underground expansion projects are capitalized. Underground development costs, which are costs incurred to make the mineral physically accessible, include costs to prepare property for shafts, driving main entries for ventilation, haulage, personnel, construction of airshafts, roof protection and other facilities.

Airshafts and capitalized mine development associated with a coal reserve are amortized on a units-of production basis as the coal is produced so that each ton of coal is assigned a portion of the unamortized costs. We employ this method to match costs with the related revenues realized in a particular period. Rates are updated when revisions to coal reserve estimates are made. Coal reserve estimates are reviewed when information becomes available that indicates a reserve change is needed, or at a minimum once a year. Any material effect from changes in estimates is disclosed in the period the change occurs. Amortization of development cost begins when the development phase is complete and the production phase begins. At an underground mine, the end of the development phase and the beginning of the production phase takes place when construction of the mine for economic extraction is substantially complete. Coal extracted during the development phase is incidental to the mine’s production capacity and is not considered to shift the mine into the production phase.

Coal reserves are either owned in fee or controlled by lease. The duration of the leases vary; however, the lease terms generally are extended automatically to the exhaustion of economically recoverable reserves, as long as active mining continues. Coal interests held by lease provide the same rights as fee ownership for mineral extraction and are legally considered real property interests. Depletion of leased coal interests is computed using the units-of-productions method over proven and probable coal reserves. The Company also makes advance payments (advanced mining royalties) to lessors under certain lease agreements that are recoupable against future production, and it makes payments that are generally based upon a specified rate per ton or a percentage of gross realization from the sale of the coal. The Company evaluates its properties periodically for impairment issues or whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.

Costs to obtain coal lands are capitalized based on the cost at acquisition and are amortized using the units-of-production method over all estimated proven and probable reserve tons assigned and accessible to the mine. Proven and probable coal reserves are calculated on a clean coal ton equivalent, which excludes non-recoverable coal reserves and anticipated central preparation plant processing refuse. Rates are updated when revisions to coal reserve estimates are made. Coal reserve estimates are reviewed when events and circumstances indicate a reserve change is needed, or at a minimum once a year. Amortization of coal interests begins when the coal reserve is produced. At an underground mine, a ton is considered produced once it reaches the surface area of the mine. Any material effect from changes in estimates is disclosed in the period the change occurs.

Advance mining royalties are advance payments made to lessors under terms of mineral lease agreements that are recoupable against future production using the units-of-production method. Depletion of leased coal interests is computed using the units-of-production method over proven and probable coal reserves. Advance mining royalties and leased coal interests are evaluated periodically, or at a minimum once a year, for impairment issues or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. Any revisions are accounted for prospectively as changes in accounting estimates.

When properties are retired or otherwise disposed, the related cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the respective accounts and any profit or loss on disposition is recognized in Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Depreciation of plant and equipment is calculated on the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives or lease terms generally as follows:



	Years
Buildings and improvements	10 to 45
Machinery and equipment	3 to 25
Leasehold improvements	Life of Lease

Costs for purchased and internally developed software are expensed until it has been determined that the software will result in probable future economic benefits and management has committed to funding the project. Thereafter, all direct costs of materials and services incurred in developing or obtaining software, including certain payroll and benefit costs of employees associated with the project, are capitalized and amortized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life which does not exceed seven years.

Capitalization of Interest

Interest costs associated with the development of significant properties and projects are capitalized until the project is substantially complete and ready for its intended use. A weighted average cost of borrowing rate is used.

Impairment of Long-lived Assets

Impairment of long-lived assets is recorded when indicators of impairment are present and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than the assets' carrying value. The carrying value of the assets is then reduced to its estimated fair value which is usually measured based on an estimate of future discounted cash flows. CONSOL Energy did not record any impairments for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, or 2015.

Income Taxes

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in CONSOL Energy's financial statements or tax returns. The provision for income taxes represents income taxes paid or payable for the current year and the change in deferred taxes, excluding the effects of acquisitions during the year. Deferred taxes result from differences between the financial and tax bases of CONSOL Energy's assets and liabilities and are adjusted for changes in tax rates and tax laws when changes are enacted. Valuation allowances are recorded to reduce deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that a deferred tax benefit will not be realized.

CONSOL Energy evaluates all tax positions taken on the state and federal tax filings to determine if the position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination. For positions that do not meet the more likely than not to be sustained criteria, the Company determines, on a cumulative probability basis, the largest amount of benefit that is more likely than not to be realized upon ultimate settlement. A previously recognized tax position is reversed when it is subsequently determined that a tax position no longer meets the more likely than not threshold to be sustained. The evaluation of the sustainability of a tax position and the probable amount that is more likely than not is based on judgment, historical experience and on various other assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable under the circumstances. The results of these estimates, that are not readily apparent from other sources, form the basis for recognizing an uncertain tax position liability. Actual results could differ from those estimates upon subsequent resolution of identified matters.

Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pensions

Postretirement benefit obligations established by the Coal Industry Retiree Health Benefit Act of 1992 (the Coal Act) are treated as a multi-employer plan which requires expense to be recorded for the associated obligations as payments are made. Postretirement benefits other than pensions, except for those established pursuant to the Coal Act, are accounted for in accordance with the Retirement Benefits Compensation and Non-retirement Postemployment Benefits Compensation Topics of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification, which requires employers to accrue the cost of such retirement benefits for the employees' active service periods. Such liabilities are determined on an actuarial basis and CONSOL Energy administers these liabilities through a combination of self-insured and fully insured agreements. Differences between actual and expected results or changes in the value of obligations are recognized through Other Comprehensive Income.

Pneumoconiosis Benefits and Workers' Compensation

CONSOL Energy is required by federal and state statutes to provide benefits to certain current and former totally disabled employees or their dependents for awards related to coal workers' pneumoconiosis. CONSOL Energy is also required by various state statutes to provide workers' compensation benefits for employees who sustain employment-related physical injuries or some types of occupational disease. Workers' compensation benefits include compensation for their disability, medical costs, and on some occasions, the cost of rehabilitation. CONSOL Energy is primarily self-insured for these benefits. Provisions for estimated benefits are determined on an actuarial basis.

Asset Retirement Costs

Mine closing costs and costs associated with dismantling and removing de-gasification facilities are accrued using the accounting treatment prescribed by the Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. This topic requires the fair value of an asset retirement obligation be recognized in the period in which it is incurred if a reasonable estimate of fair value can be made. The present value of the estimated asset retirement costs is capitalized as part of the carrying amount of the long-lived asset. Generally, the capitalized asset retirement cost is depreciated on a units-of-production basis. Accretion of the asset retirement obligation is recognized over time and generally will escalate over the life of the producing asset, typically as production declines. Accretion is included in Operating and Other Costs on the Consolidated Statements of Income. Asset retirement obligations primarily relate to the closure of mines, which includes treatment of water and the reclamation of land upon exhaustion of coal reserves. Accrued mine closing costs, perpetual care costs, reclamation and costs associated with dismantling and removing de-gasification facilities are regularly reviewed by management and are revised for changes in future estimated costs and regulatory requirements.

Retirement Plans

CONSOL Energy has non-contributory defined benefit retirement plans. Effective December 31, 2015, CONSOL's qualified defined benefit retirement plan was frozen. The benefits for these plans are based primarily on years of service and employees' pay. These plans are accounted for using the guidance outlined in the Compensation - Retirement Benefits Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. The cost of these retiree benefits are recognized over the employees' service periods. CONSOL Energy uses actuarial methods and assumptions in the valuation of defined benefit obligations and the determination of expense. Differences between actual and expected results or changes in the value of obligations and plan assets are recognized through Other Comprehensive Income.

Stock-Based Compensation

Eligible CONSOL Energy employees have historically participated in equity-based compensation plans. CONSOL Energy recognizes compensation expense for all stock-based compensation awards based on the grant date fair value estimated in accordance with the provisions of the Stock Compensation Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. CONSOL Energy recognizes these compensation costs on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award, which is generally the award's vesting term. The compensation expense recorded by CONSOL Energy, in all periods presented, includes the expense associated with employees historically attributable to CONSOL Energy operations as well as the operations of its predecessor.

Under the CCR 2015 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the LTIP), the General Partner issued long-term equity based awards intended to compensate the recipients thereof based on the performance of CCR’s common units and the recipients' continued service during the vesting period, as well as to align CCR’s long-term interests with those of the unitholders. The LTIP limits the number of units that may be delivered pursuant to vested awards to 2,300,000 common units, subject to proportionate adjustment in the event of unit splits and similar events. Common units subject to awards that are canceled, forfeited, withheld to satisfy exercise prices or tax withholding obligations or otherwise terminated without delivery of the common units will be available for delivery pursuant to other awards.

The General Partner has also granted equity-based phantom units that vest over a period of a director’s continued service. The phantom units will be paid in common units or an amount of cash equal to the fair market value of a unit based on the vesting date. The awards may accelerate upon a change in control of CCR. Compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting term.

Revenue Recognition

Revenues are recognized when title passes to the customers and the price is fixed and determinable. For domestic coal sales, this generally occurs when coal is loaded at the mine or at offsite storage locations. For export coal sales, this generally occurs when coal is loaded onto marine vessels at terminal locations. Coal contract price per ton is fixed and determinable prior to the passage of coal title. Except for normal quality adjustments and positive electric power price related adjustments, none of the Company’s coal sales contracts allow for retroactive adjustments to pricing after title to the coal has passed. These adjustments were not material for any of the periods presented. Revenues for coal sold that relate to production under royalty contracts are recorded on a gross basis.

Freight Revenue and Expense

Shipping and handling costs invoiced to coal customers and paid to third-party carriers are recorded as Freight Revenue and Freight Expense, respectively.

Contingencies

From time to time, CONSOL Energy, or its subsidiaries, is subject to various lawsuits and claims with respect to such matters as personal injury, wrongful death, damage to property, exposure to hazardous substances, governmental regulations (including environmental remediation), employment and contract disputes, and other claims and actions, arising out of the normal course of business. Liabilities are recorded when it is probable that obligations have been incurred and the amounts can be reasonably estimated. Estimates are developed through consultation with legal counsel involved in the defense of these matters and are based upon the nature of the lawsuit, progress of the case in court, view of legal counsel, prior experience in similar matters and management's intended response. Environmental liabilities are not discounted or reduced by possible recoveries from third-parties. Legal fees associated with defending these various lawsuits and claims are expensed when incurred.

Earnings per Share

Basic earnings per share are computed by dividing net income attributable to CONSOL Energy Shareholders by the weighted average shares outstanding during the reporting period. Dilutive earnings per share are computed similarly to basic earnings per share, except that the weighted average shares outstanding are increased to include additional shares from restricted stock units and performance share units, if dilutive. The number of additional shares is calculated by assuming that outstanding restricted stock units and performance share units were released, and that the proceeds from such activities were used to acquire shares of common stock at the average market price during the reporting period.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2017, the FASB issued Update 2017-09 - Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting, which reduces diversity in practice and cost and complexity when applying the guidance in this Topic to a change to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award. The amendments in this Update provide guidance about which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. The amendments in the Update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years, and should be applied prospectively to an award modified on or after the adoption date. Early adoption is permitted. This guidance has been adopted and there was no material impact on the Company's financial statements.

In March 2017, the FASB issued Update 2017-07 - Compensation - Retirement Benefits (Topic 715): Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost, which improves the presentation of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost. The amendments in the Update require that an employer report the service cost component in the same line item as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by the pertinent employees during the period. The other components of net benefit cost are required to be presented separately from the service cost component and outside a subtotal of income from operations, if one is presented. Because the Company does not present an income from operations subtotal, that requirement is not applicable. For public entities, the amendments in this Update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of a fiscal year for which financial statements have not been issued. This guidance has been adopted and there was no material impact on the Company's financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued Update 2016-15 - Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, which addresses eight specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice. The amendments relate to debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs, settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with coupon interest rates that are insignificant in relation to the effective interest rate of the borrowing, contingent consideration payments made after a business combination, proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims, proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies, distributions received from equity method investees, and beneficial interests in securitization transactions. The Update also states that, in the absence of specific guidance for cash receipts and payments that have aspects of more than one class of cash flows, an entity should classify each separately identifiable source or use within the cash receipts and payments on the basis of their nature in financing, investing, or operating activities. In situations in which cash receipts or payments cannot be separated by source or use, the appropriate classification should depend on the activity that is likely to be the predominant source or use of cash flows for the item. The amendments in the Update will be applied using a retrospective transition method to each period presented and, for public entities, are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. This guidance has been adopted and there was no material impact on the Company's financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued Update 2014-09 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605 - Revenue Recognition and most industry-specific guidance throughout the Industry Topics of the Codification. The objective of the amendments in this Update is to improve financial reporting by creating common revenue recognition guidance for U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services and should disclose sufficient information, both qualitative and quantitative, to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The following updates to Topic 606 were made during 2016:


•	In March 2016, the FASB updated Topic 606 by issuing ASU 2016-08 “Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net),” which clarifies how an entity determines whether it is a principal or an agent for goods or services promised to a customer as well as the nature of the goods or services promised to their customers.


•	In April 2016, the FASB issued Update 2016-10 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing, which seeks to address implementation issues in the areas of identifying performance obligations and licensing.


•	In May 2016, the FASB issued Update 2016-12 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Narrow Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients, which seeks to address implementation issues in the areas of collectability, presentation of sales taxes, noncash consideration, and completed contracts and contract modifications at transition.

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In December 2016, the FASB issued Update 2016-20 - Technical Corrections and Improvements to Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which includes amendments related to loan guarantee fees, contract costs, provisions for losses on construction and production-type contracts, scope, disclosures, contract modification, contract asset versus receivable, refund liability and advertising costs.

The new standards are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with the option to adopt as early as annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Management has evaluated all contracts with particular attention to the impact from contracts that contain favorable electric power price related adjustments and contracts that span multiple years that have annual fixed pricing. We adopted the new standard in 2018 using the modified retrospective approach on all contracts which were not completed as of the date of initial application and there was no material impact on the Company's financial statements. Further, we expect the impact of the adoption of the new standard to be immaterial to our net income on an ongoing basis, as the majority of our revenue will still be recognized when the product is shipped from our loading facility. The following factors outline management's position:


•	Most of our long-term contracts are for a stated range of coal at a stated rate per year, with any material price change from year-to-year being market-driven or inflationary, where no additional value is exchanged.


•	Contracts which contain favorable electric power price related adjustments also represent market-driven price adjustments wherein there is no additional value being exchanged.


•	Pricing on contracts which are variable based on contractual quality-related adjustments are industry standard practices, could be favorable or unfavorable to the Company, are indeterminable, and represent an immaterial portion of our overall revenue stream.


•	While we do expect to experience costs of obtaining contracts with amortization periods greater than one year, those costs would be immaterial to our net income.

In February 2016, the FASB issued Update 2016-02 - Leases (Topic 842), which increases transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. Update 2016-02 does retain a distinction between finance leases and operating leases, which is substantially similar to the classification criteria for distinguishing between capital leases and operating leases in the previous lease guidance. Retaining this distinction allows the recognition, measurement and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a lease to not significantly change from previous GAAP. For leases with a term of 12 months or less, a lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset not to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities, but to recognize lease expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term. For both financing and operating leases, the right-to-use asset and lease liability will be initially measured at the present value of the lease payments in the statement of financial position. The accounting applied by a lessor is largely unchanged from that applied under previous GAAP. For public business entities, the amendments in this Update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early application is permitted. In transition, lessees and lessors are required to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach. Management is currently evaluating the impact this guidance may have on the Company’s financial statements.

Subsequent Events

The Company has evaluated all subsequent events through the date the financial statements were issued. No material recognized or non-recognizable subsequent events were identified.