Acquisitions and Divestitures

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]

Acquisitions and Divestitures

Note 4. Acquisitions and Divestitures

We maintain an ongoing portfolio management program and have engaged in various transactions over recent years.

2019 Asset Transactions

Divestiture of Reeves County Assets In February 2019, we closed the sale of certain proved and unproved non-core acreage in the Delaware Basin totaling approximately 13,000 net acres in Reeves County, Texas. We received cash consideration of approximately $131 million, recognizing no gain or loss on the sale.

EPIC Pipeline Investments In first quarter 2019, Noble Midstream Partners exercised and closed options with EPIC Midstream Holdings, LP (EPIC) to acquire a 15% equity interest in EPIC Y-Grade, which is constructing the EPIC Y-Grade pipeline from the Delaware Basin to Corpus Christi, Texas, and a 30% equity interest in EPIC Crude Holdings, which is constructing the EPIC crude oil pipeline also from the Delaware Basin to Corpus Christi, Texas. Cash consideration totaled $227 million. In second quarter 2019, Noble Midstream Partners made additional capital contributions of $28 million and $114 million to EPIC Y-Grade and EPIC Crude Holdings, respectively, to fund its share of pipeline construction costs. These investments are accounted for using the equity method. See Note 2. Basis of Presentation.

Delaware Crossing Joint Venture In February 2019, Noble Midstream Partners executed definitive agreements with Salt Creek Midstream LLC (Salt Creek) to form a 50/50 joint venture, Delaware Crossing LLC (Delaware Crossing), to construct a 160 MBbl/d day crude oil pipeline system in the Delaware Basin. For the first six months of 2019, Noble Midstream Partners made capital contributions of $39 million for construction of the pipeline. This investment is accounted for using the equity method.

2018 Asset Transactions

Divestiture of Gulf of Mexico Assets  In February 2018, we announced plans to sell our Gulf of Mexico assets for cash consideration of $480 million, along with the assumption, by the purchaser, of all abandonment obligations associated with the properties. As of March 31, 2018, we reduced the net book value of the Gulf of Mexico assets to $480 million. In addition, we retained certain transaction related obligations approximating $92 million which were subsequently settled upon closing. During first quarter 2018, we recorded impairment expense of $168 million associated with these assets held for sale. The transaction closed in second quarter 2018. We received net proceeds of $383 million and recorded an additional loss of $19 million.

Divestiture of 7.5% Interest in Tamar Field In March 2018, we closed the sale of a 7.5% working interest in the Tamar field to Tamar Petroleum Ltd., a publicly traded entity on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (Tamar Petroleum, TASE: TMRP). Total consideration included cash of $484 million and 38.5 million shares of Tamar Petroleum that had a publicly traded value of $224 million. Total consideration received from the sale was applied to the field's basis and resulted in the recognition of a pre-tax gain of $386 million and tax expense of $90 million.

In October 2018, we sold our shares in Tamar Petroleum for pre-tax proceeds of $163 million, net of transaction expenses. The sale was in accordance with the Israel Natural Gas Framework and completed our obligation to reduce ownership interest in the Tamar field from 32.5% to 25% by year end-2021.

Divestiture of Southwest Royalties In January 2018, we closed the sale of our investment in Southwest Royalties, Inc. We received proceeds of $60 million, recognizing no gain or loss on the sale.

Divestiture of Marcellus Shale CONE Gathering In January 2018, we closed the sale of our 50% interest in CONE Gathering LLC (CONE Gathering) to CNX Resources Corporation. CONE Gathering owns the general partner of CNX Midstream Partners LP (CNX Midstream Partners, NYSE: CNXM). We received proceeds of $308 million in cash and recognized a pre-tax gain of $196 million.

After the sale, we held 21.7 million common units, representing a 34.1% limited partner interest in CNX Midstream Partners. During second quarter 2018, we sold 7.5 million common units, receiving net proceeds of $135 million, net of underwriting fees, and recognized a gain of $109 million. During third quarter 2018, we sold the remaining 14.2 million common units, representing a 22.3% limited partner interest, in CNX Midstream Partners, receiving proceeds net of underwriting fees of approximately $248 million, and recognized a gain of $198 million.

Noble Midstream Partners Saddle Butte Acquisition In January 2018, Noble Midstream Partners acquired a 54.4% interest in Black Diamond Gathering LLC (Black Diamond), an entity formed by Black Diamond Gathering Holdings LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Noble Midstream Partners, and Greenfield Midstream, LLC (Greenfield), which completed the acquisition of Saddle Butte Rockies Midstream, LLC and affiliates (collectively, Saddle Butte) from Saddle Butte Pipeline II, LLC. Saddle Butte owns a large-scale integrated gathering system, located in the DJ Basin, which we subsequently renamed the Black Diamond gathering system. Consideration totaled $681 million and Black Diamond is consolidated as a VIE.

We accounted for the transaction as a business combination using the acquisition method. The total purchase price was allocated to assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on acquisition date fair values, and we recognized goodwill for the amount of the purchase price exceeding the fair values of the identifiable net assets acquired. The final purchase price allocation included: $206 million to property, plant and equipment; $340 million to customer-related intangible assets (acquired customer contracts); and $110 million to implied goodwill.