Contingencies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Contingencies	12. Contingencies In 2009, United States officials began a grand jury investigation and an associated regulatory inquiry, both related to certain historical Schlumberger operations in specified countries that are subject to United States trade and economic sanctions. Governmental agencies and authorities have a broad range of civil and criminal penalties that they may seek to impose for violations of trade and economic sanction laws including, but not limited to, disgorgement, fines, penalties and modifications to business practices. In recent years, these agencies and authorities have obtained a wide range of penalties in settlements with companies arising from trade and economic sanction investigations, including in some cases fines and other penalties in the tens and hundreds of millions of dollars. Schlumberger is cooperating with the governmental authorities and cannot currently predict the outcome or estimate the possible impact of the ultimate resolution of these matters. Schlumberger and its subsidiaries are party to various other legal proceedings from time to time. A liability is accrued when a loss is both probable and can be reasonably estimated. Management believes that the probability of a material loss is remote. However, litigation is inherently uncertain and it is not possible to predict the ultimate disposition of these proceedings.

Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

12. Contingencies

In 2009, United States officials began a grand jury investigation and an associated regulatory inquiry, both related to certain historical Schlumberger operations in specified countries that are subject to United States trade and economic sanctions. Governmental agencies and authorities have a broad range of civil and criminal penalties that they may seek to impose for violations of trade and economic sanction laws including, but not limited to, disgorgement, fines, penalties and modifications to business practices. In recent years, these agencies and authorities have obtained a wide range of penalties in settlements with companies arising from trade and economic sanction investigations, including in some cases fines and other penalties in the tens and hundreds of millions of dollars. Schlumberger is cooperating with the governmental authorities and cannot currently predict the outcome or estimate the possible impact of the ultimate resolution of these matters.

Schlumberger and its subsidiaries are party to various other legal proceedings from time to time. A liability is accrued when a loss is both probable and can be reasonably estimated. Management believes that the probability of a material loss is remote. However, litigation is inherently uncertain and it is not possible to predict the ultimate disposition of these proceedings.