Fair Value Measurements

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020


NOTE 7 - FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Occidental has categorized its assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value in a three-level fair value hierarchy, based on the inputs to the valuation techniques: Level 1 — using quoted prices in active markets for the assets or liabilities; Level 2 — using observable inputs other than quoted prices for the assets or liabilities; and Level 3 — using unobservable inputs. Transfers between levels, if any, are recognized at the end of each reporting period.

FAIR VALUES - RECURRING

In January 2012, Occidental entered into a long-term contract to purchase carbon dioxide (CO₂). This contract contains a price adjustment clause that is linked to changes in NYMEX crude oil prices. Occidental determined that the portion of this contract linked to NYMEX oil prices is not clearly and closely related to the host contract, and Occidental therefore bifurcated this embedded pricing feature from its host contract and accounts for it at fair value in the Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements.

The following tables provide fair value measurement information for embedded derivatives that are measured on a recurring basis:


millions	Fair Value Measurements Using
Embedded derivatives	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Netting and Collateral		Total Fair Value
As of June 30, 2020

Accrued liabilities	$	—	$	83	$	—	$	—	$	83
Deferred credits and other liabilities - other	—		41		—		—		41

As of December 31, 2019

Accrued liabilities	$	—	$	40	$	—	$	—	$	40
Deferred credits and other liabilities - other	—		49		—		—		49

FAIR VALUES - NONRECURRING - IMPAIRMENTS

As a result of the expected prolonged period of lower commodity prices brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on oil demand, Occidental tested substantially all of its oil and gas assets for impairment during the second quarter of 2020. Occidental recognized total pre-tax impairments to its oil and gas proved and unproved properties of $8.6 billion, of which $6.4 billion is included in oil and gas segment results and $2.2 billion ($1.4 billion net of tax) related to Ghana is included in discontinued operations for three months ended June 30, 2020.

For the three months ended June 30, 2020, Occidental recorded proved property pre-tax impairments of $1.2 billion primarily related to certain assets for its domestic onshore and Gulf of Mexico assets and $0.9 billion to remeasure the Algeria oil and gas proved properties to their fair value. The fair value of the proved properties was measured based on the income approach.

Unproved property pre-tax impairments of $4.3 billion were primarily related to domestic onshore unproved acreage. The fair value of this acreage was measured based on a market approach using an implied acreage valuation derived from domestic onshore market participants excluding the fair value assigned to proved properties.

Income approaches are considered Level 3 fair value estimates and include significant assumptions of future production and timing of production, commodity price assumptions, and operating and capital cost estimates, discounted using a 10% weighted average cost of capital. Taxes were based on current statutory rates. Future production and timing of production is based on internal reserves estimates and internal economic models for a specific oil and gas asset. Internal reserve estimates consist of proved reserves and risk adjusted unproved reserves based on reserve category. Price assumptions were based on a combination of market information and published industry resources adjusted for historical differentials. Price assumptions ranged from approximately $40 per barrel of oil in 2020 increasing to approximately $70 per barrel of oil in 2034, with an unweighted arithmetic average price of $59.17 and $62.42 for WTI and Brent indexed assets for the 15 year period, respectively. Natural gas prices ranged from approximately $2.00 per MCF in 2020 to $3.60 per MCF in 2034, with an unweighted arithmetic average price of $3.13 for NYMEX based assets for the 15 year period. Both oil and natural gas commodity prices were held flat after 2034 and were adjusted for location and quality differentials. Operating and capital cost estimates were based on current observable costs and were further escalated 1% in every period where commodity prices exceeded $50 per barrel and 2% in every period where commodity prices exceeded $60 per barrel. The weighted average cost of capital is calculated based on industry peers and best approximates the cost of capital an external market participant would expect to obtain.

In the first quarter of 2020, Occidental's oil and gas segment recognized pre-tax impairment and related charges of $581 million primarily related to both proved and unproved oil and gas properties and a lower of cost or net realizable value adjustment for crude inventory. Occidental recorded proved property impairments of $293 million related to certain international assets and the Gulf of Mexico. Unproved property impairments, of approximately $241 million, primarily related to domestic onshore undeveloped leases and offshore Gulf of Mexico where Occidental no longer intends to pursue exploration, appraisal or development activities primarily due to the reduction in near-term capital plans.

If there is a further worsening of the macro-economic conditions and if such worsened conditions are expected to be prolonged, Occidental’s oil and gas properties may be subject to further testing for impairment, which could result in additional non-cash asset impairments, and such impairments could be material to our financial statements.

GOODWILL

As of December 31, 2019, Occidental had $1.2 billion of goodwill related to its ownership in WES. Significant declines in the market value of WES’s publicly traded units resulted in management’s determination that, more likely than not, the fair value of the reporting unit was significantly less than its carrying value and the remaining $1.2 billion in goodwill was fully impaired in the first quarter of 2020. The market value of WES's publicly traded units is considered a Level 1 input.

- 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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