Commitments and Contingencies

In the ordinary course of conducting our business, we become involved in litigation and other claims from private party actions, as well as judicial and administrative proceedings involving governmental authorities at the federal, state and local levels. While the outcome of litigation or other proceedings against us cannot be predicted with certainty, except as described below, management does not consider it reasonably possible that a loss resulting from such litigation or other proceedings, in excess of any amounts accrued or covered by insurance, has been incurred that is expected to have a material adverse impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Escrow Claims Related to Sale of Environmental Services Business

Under the terms of the March 2014 sale of our previous Environmental Services business to Ecoserv, LLC (“Ecoserv”), $8.0 million of the sales price was withheld and placed in an escrow account to satisfy claims for possible breaches of representations and warranties contained in the purchase/sale agreement. For the amount withheld in escrow, $4.0 million was scheduled for release to Newpark at each of the nine-month and 18-month anniversary of the closing. In December 2014, we received a letter from Ecoserv asserting that we had breached certain representations and warranties contained in the purchase/sale agreement, including failing to disclose operational problems and service work performed on injection/disposal wells and increased barge rental costs. The letter indicated that Ecoserv expected the damages associated with these claims to exceed the escrow amount. Following a further exchange of letters, in July 2015 we filed an action against Ecoserv in state district court in Harris County, Texas, seeking release of the escrow funds. Thereafter, Ecoserv filed a counterclaim seeking recovery in excess of the escrow funds based on the alleged breach of representations and covenants in the purchase/sale agreement. Ecoserv also alleged that we committed fraud in connection with the March 2014 transaction. Discovery in the case provided more information about Ecoserv’s claims, which included, among other things, alleged inadequate disclosures regarding the condition of a disposal cavern (at the time of the execution of the purchase/sale agreement and again as it relates to the time period between execution of the purchase/sale agreement and closing) and the lack of appropriate reserves/accruals/provisions in the financial statements of the business relating to certain regulatory obligations (such as plug and abandonment costs for injection wells and costs associated with a solids drying facility). Ecoserv sought to use a damage model for most of its damages based on its calculation of the difference between (a) the value of the business at closing, and (b) the sales price ($100 million), and had claimed damages of approximately $20.0 million. Following commencement of the trial in December 2017, we reached a settlement agreement with Ecoserv, under which Ecoserv will receive $22.0 million in cash, effectively reducing the net sales price of the Environmental Services business by such amount in exchange for dismissal of the pending claims in the lawsuit, and release of any future claims related to the March 2014 transaction. The reduction in sale price will be funded, in part, through the release of the $8.0 million that has been held in escrow since the March 2014 transaction. The remaining $14.0 million will be funded in the first quarter of 2018 through available cash on hand and borrowings under our Amended ABL Facility. Litigation expenses related to this matter are included in corporate office expenses in operating income.

Leases

We lease various manufacturing facilities, warehouses, office space, machinery and equipment under operating leases with remaining terms ranging from 1 to 9 years with various renewal options. Substantially all leases require payment of taxes, insurance and maintenance costs in addition to rental payments. Total rental expenses for all operating leases were approximately $23.9 million, $21.0 million and $22.6 million in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Future minimum payments under non-cancelable operating leases, with initial or remaining terms in excess of one year are included in the table below. Future minimum payments under capital leases are not significant.



(In thousands)
2018	$	13,318
2019	6,877
2020	4,611
2021	3,764
2022	3,251
Thereafter	7,689
	$	39,510

Other

In conjunction with our insurance programs, we had established letters of credit in favor of certain insurance companies in the amount of $2.2 million and $3.0 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. We also had $0.4 million in guarantee obligations in connection with facility closure bonds and other performance bonds issued by insurance companies outstanding as of December 31, 2017 and 2016.

Other than normal operating leases for office and warehouse space, rolling stock and other pieces of operating equipment, we do not have any off-balance sheet financing arrangements or special purpose entities. As such, we are not materially exposed to any financing, liquidity, market or credit risk that could arise if we had engaged in such financing arrangements.

We are self-insured for health claims, subject to certain “stop loss” insurance policies. Claims in excess of $250,000 per incident are insured by third-party insurers. We had accrued liabilities of $1.3 million and $0.8 million for unpaid claims incurred, based on historical experience at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Substantially all of these estimated claims are expected to be paid within six months of their occurrence.

We are self-insured for certain workers’ compensation, auto and general liability claims up to a certain policy limit. Claims in excess of $750,000 are insured by third-party reinsurers. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, we had accrued liabilities of $2.5 million and $1.9 million, respectively, for the uninsured portion of claims.

We maintain accrued liabilities for asset retirement obligations, which represent obligations associated with the retirement of tangible long-lived assets that result from the normal operation of the long-lived asset. Our asset retirement obligations primarily relate to required expenditures associated with owned and leased facilities. Upon settlement of the liability, a gain or loss for any difference between the settlement amount and the liability recorded is recognized. We had accrued asset retirement obligations of $1.1 million and $1.0 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016