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Commitments and Contingencies
 12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Litigation
We are involved in various legal proceedings, including commercial, competition, environmental, intellectual property, regulatory, product liability, and insurance matters. We do not currently believe there are any legal proceedings for which it is reasonably possible, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.
In September 2010, the Brazilian Administrative Council for Economic Defense ("CADE") issued a decision against our Brazilian subsidiary, Air Products Brasil Ltda., and several other Brazilian industrial gas companies for alleged anticompetitive activities. CADE imposed a civil fine of R$179.2 (approximately $33 at 30 September 2024) on Air Products Brasil Ltda. This fine was based on a recommendation by a unit of the Brazilian Ministry of Justice, following an investigation beginning in 2003, which alleged violation of competition laws with respect to the sale of industrial and medical gases. The fines are based on a percentage of our total revenue in Brazil in 2003.
We have denied the allegations made by the authorities and filed an appeal in October 2010 with the Brazilian courts. On 6 May 2014, our appeal was granted and the fine against Air Products Brasil Ltda. was dismissed. CADE has appealed that ruling and the matter remains pending. We, with advice of our outside legal counsel, have assessed the status of this matter and have concluded that, although an adverse final judgment after exhausting all appeals is possible, such a judgment is not probable. As a result, no provision has been made in the consolidated financial statements. In the event of an adverse final judgment, we estimate the maximum possible loss to be the full amount of the fine of R$179.2 (approximately $33 at 30 September 2024) plus interest accrued thereon until final disposition of the proceedings.
Additionally, during the third quarter of fiscal year 2024, we settled a dispute regarding energy management charges related to a severe winter weather storm that impacted the U.S. Gulf Coast in February 2021. As a result of the settlement, we recognized a gain of $7.7 that is reflected within "Other income (expense), net" on our consolidated income statements for the twelve months ended 30 September 2024. We collected the settlement in full in July 2024.
Environmental
In the normal course of business, we are involved in legal proceedings under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act ("CERCLA," the federal Superfund law), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ("RCRA"), and similar state environmental laws relating to the designation of certain sites for investigation or remediation. Presently, there are 26 sites on which a final settlement or remediation has not been achieved where we, usually along with others, have been designated a potentially responsible party by environmental authorities or are otherwise engaged in investigation or remediation, including cleanup activity at certain of our former manufacturing sites. We continually monitor these sites for which we have environmental exposure.
Accruals for environmental loss contingencies are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. The consolidated balance sheets at 30 September 2024 and 30 September 2023 included an accrual of $79.1 and $64.5, respectively, primarily as part of other noncurrent liabilities. The environmental liabilities will be paid over a period of up to 30 years. We estimate the exposure for environmental loss contingencies to range from $79 to a reasonably possible upper exposure of $92 as of 30 September 2024.
Actual costs to be incurred at identified sites in future periods may vary from the estimates, given inherent uncertainties in evaluating environmental exposures. Using reasonably possible alternative assumptions of the exposure level could result in an increase to the environmental accrual. Due to the inherent uncertainties related to environmental exposures, a significant increase to the reasonably possible upper exposure level could occur if a new site is designated, the scope of remediation is increased, a different remediation alternative is identified, or a significant increase in our proportionate share occurs. We do not expect that any sum we may have to pay in connection with environmental matters in excess of the amounts recorded or disclosed above would have a material adverse impact on our financial position or results of operations in any one year.
Pace
At 30 September 2024, $54.7 of the environmental accrual was related to the Pace facility.
In 2006, we sold our Amines business, which included operations at Pace, Florida, and recognized a liability for retained environmental obligations associated with remediation activities at Pace. We are required by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection ("FDEP") and the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("USEPA") to continue our remediation efforts. We recognized a before-tax expense of $42 in fiscal year 2006 in results from discontinued operations and recorded an environmental accrual of $42 in continuing operations on the consolidated balance sheets.
In the first quarter of 2015, we entered into a consent order with the FDEP requiring us to continue our remediation efforts at the Pace facility and complete a cost review every five years. In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024, we completed an updated cost review of the environmental remediation status at the Pace facility. Based on our review, we expect ongoing activities to continue for an additional five years for an aggregate period of 30 years. Additionally, we increased our estimate of near-term spending for an improved groundwater recovery system and future annual costs due to higher inflation. As a result of these changes, we increased our environmental accrual for this site by $19.4 in continuing operations on the consolidated balance sheets and recognized a before-tax expense of $19.4 in results from discontinued operations.
We have implemented many of the remedial corrective measures at the Pace facility required under the 1995 consent orders issued by the FDEP and the USEPA. Contaminated soils have been bioremediated, and the treated soils have been secured in a lined on-site corrective action management unit. Several groundwater recovery systems have been installed to contain and remove contamination from groundwater. We completed an extensive assessment of the site to determine the efficacy of existing measures, what additional corrective measures may be needed, and whether newer remediation technologies that were not available in the 1990s might be better suited for groundwater remediation. Based on assessment results, we completed a focused feasibility study that has identified alternative approaches that may more effectively remove contaminants. We continue to review alternative remedial approaches with the FDEP, and we completed additional field work during 2021 to support the design of an improved groundwater recovery system and well network. This network targets areas of higher contaminant concentration and avoids areas of high groundwater iron which has proven to be a significant operability issue for the project. In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024, we completed an updated cost review which resulted in a change in assumptions regarding future operating costs as discussed above. The costs we are incurring based on the fiscal year 2024 review are higher than our previous estimates. The design of the optimized recovery system was completed in 2024 with construction expected to begin in fiscal year 2025. In fiscal years 2025 and 2026, we expect to connect the additional groundwater recovery wells and ancillary equipment to the existing groundwater recovery system.
Pasadena
At 30 September 2024, $10.3 of the environmental accrual was related to a production facility site in Pasadena, Texas.
During fiscal year 2012, management committed to permanently shutting down our polyurethane intermediates ("PUI") production facility in Pasadena, Texas. In shutting down and dismantling the facility, we have undertaken certain obligations related to soil and groundwater contaminants. We have been pumping and treating groundwater to control off-site contaminant migration in compliance with regulatory requirements and under the approval of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality ("TCEQ"). We estimate that the pump and treat system will continue to operate until 2042.
We continue to perform additional work to address other environmental obligations at the site. This additional work includes remediating, as required, impacted soils, investigating groundwater west of the former PUI facility, continuing post closure care for two closed RCRA surface impoundment units, and maintaining engineering controls. Additionally, we have conducted an interim corrective action to treat impacted soils as recommended in the TCEQ 2019 Annual Report. In 2012, we estimated the total exposure at this site to be $13. There have been no significant changes to the estimated exposure.
Asset Retirement Obligations
Our asset retirement obligations are primarily associated with long-term on-site supply contracts under which we have built a facility on land owned by the customer and are obligated to remove the facility at the end of the contract term. The retirement of assets includes the contractually required removal of a long-lived asset from service and encompasses the sale, removal, abandonment, recycling, or disposal of the assets as required at the end of the contract term. These obligations are primarily reflected within "Other noncurrent liabilities" on the consolidated balance sheets. The timing and/or method of settlement of these obligations are conditional on a future event that may or may not be within our control.
Changes to the carrying amount of our asset retirement obligations were as follows:
Balance at 30 September 2022$274.7 
Additional accruals20.4 
Liabilities settled(8.8)
Accretion expense11.4 
Currency translation adjustment(0.4)
Balance at 30 September 2023$297.3 
Additional accruals33.3 
Liabilities settled(13.7)
Accretion expense12.0 
Currency translation adjustment5.8 
Balance at 30 September 2024$334.7 
Warranties and Guarantees
We do not expect that any sum we may have to pay in connection with warranties and guarantees will have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial condition, liquidity, or results of operations.
Warranties
We, in the normal course of business operations, have issued product warranties related to equipment sales. Also, contracts often contain standard terms and conditions which typically include a warranty and indemnification to the buyer that the goods and services purchased do not infringe on third-party intellectual property rights. The provision for estimated future costs relating to warranties is not material to the consolidated financial statements.
Guarantees
To date, no equity contributions or payments have been made since the inception of the guarantees discussed below. The fair value of these guarantees is not material.
We issued performance guarantees as a condition of project financing associated with the NEOM Green Hydrogen Project that would require us to pay up to approximately $0.9 billion in the event of nonperformance in our role as EPC contractor. Our exposure will decline over time before expiring in November 2028. Refer to Note 3, Variable Interest Entities, for additional information regarding the project.
We also have a long-term sale of equipment contract with the JIGPC joint venture to engineer, procure, and construct the industrial gas facilities that will supply gases to Aramco. We provided bank guarantees to the joint venture to support our performance under the contract. As of 30 September 2024, our maximum potential payments were $244.5.
Unconditional Purchase Obligations
We are obligated to make future payments under unconditional purchase obligations as summarized below:
2025$7,514 
20262,357 
2027570 
2028620 
2029624 
Thereafter4,206 
Total$15,891 
Approximately $8.8 billion of our unconditional purchase obligations relate to open purchase orders for plant and equipment, of which approximately $3 billion relates to the NEOM Green Hydrogen Project. Although open purchase orders are considered enforceable and legally binding, the terms generally allow us the option to reschedule, cancel, or otherwise modify based on our business needs. We have estimated the timing of these payments in the table above; however, timing of actual satisfaction of the obligations may vary.
Approximately $6.2 billion of our unconditional purchase obligations relate to helium and rare gases. The majority of these obligations occur after fiscal year 2029. Helium purchases include crude feedstock supply to helium refining plants in North America as well as refined helium purchases from sources around the world. As a rare byproduct of natural gas production in the energy sector, these helium sourcing agreements are medium- to long-term and contain take-if-tendered provisions. The refined helium is distributed globally and sold as a merchant gas, primarily under medium-term requirements contracts. While contract terms in our helium sourcing contracts are generally longer than our customer sales contracts, helium is a rare gas used in applications with few or no substitutions because of its unique physical and chemical properties.
Our unconditional purchase obligations also include commitments for power and natural gas supply as well as feedstock supply for numerous HyCO (hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and syngas) facilities. Our long-term sales contracts to customers are generally matched to the term of these obligations and provide recovery of price increases. As a result, we do not believe these purchase obligations would have a material effect on our financial condition or results of operations.