Derivative and Hedging Activities

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Derivative and Hedging Activities

Derivative and Hedging Activities

We use derivative instruments to reduce our exposure to fluctuations in future commodity prices and to protect our expected operating cash flow against significant market movements or volatility. All of our oil, natural gas and NGL derivative instruments are net settled based on the difference between the fixed-price payment and the floating-price payment, resulting in a net amount due to or from the counterparty. None of our open oil, natural gas or NGL derivative instruments were designated for hedge accounting as of March 31, 2019 or December 31, 2018.

Oil, Natural Gas and NGL Derivatives

As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, our oil, natural gas and NGL derivative instruments consisted of the following types of instruments:

• Swaps: We receive a fixed price and pay a floating market price to the counterparty for the hedged commodity. In exchange for higher fixed prices on certain of our swap trades, we may sell call options and call swaptions.

• Options: We occasionally sell and buy call and put options in exchange for a premium. At the time of settlement, if the market price exceeds the fixed price of the call option, we pay the counterparty the excess on sold call options and we receive the excess on bought call options. At the time of settlement, if the market price is lower than the fixed price of the put option, we receive the difference on bought put options and pay the counterparty the difference on sold put options. If the market price settles below the fixed price of the call option or above the fixed price of the put option, no payment is due from either party.

• Call Swaptions: We sell call swaptions to counterparties in exchange for a premium that allow the counterparty, on a specific date, to extend an existing fixed-price swap for a certain period of time.

• Collars: These instruments contain a fixed floor price (put) and ceiling price (call). If the market price exceeds the call strike price or falls below the put strike price, we receive the fixed price and pay the market price. If the market price is between the put and the call strike prices, no payments are due from either party. Three-way collars include the sale by us of an additional put option in exchange for a more favorable strike price on the call option. This eliminates the counterparty’s downside exposure below the second put option strike price.

• Basis Protection Swaps: These instruments are arrangements that guarantee a fixed price differential to NYMEX from a specified delivery point. We receive the fixed price differential and pay the floating market price differential to the counterparty for the hedged commodity.

The estimated fair values of our oil, natural gas and NGL derivative instrument assets (liabilities) as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 are provided below: 

	March 31, 2019				December 31, 2018
	Notional Volume	Fair Value			Notional Volume	Fair Value
		($ in millions)				($ in millions)
Oil (mmbbl):
Fixed-price swaps	21	$	(31	)	12	$	157
Collars	6	24			8	98
Call swaptions	2	(7		)	—	—
Put options	2	(5		)	—	—
Basis protection swaps	6	4			7	5
Total oil	37	(15		)	27	260
Natural gas (bcf):
Fixed-price swaps	594	21			623	26
Three-way collars	66	3			88	1
Collars	28	—			55	(3		)
Call options	39	—			44	—
Call swaptions	106	(18		)	106	(9		)
Basis protection swaps	38	(1		)	50	—
Total natural gas	871	5			966	15
Contingent consideration:
Utica divestiture		7				7
Total estimated fair value		$	(3	)		$	282

We have terminated certain commodity derivative contracts that were previously designated as cash flow hedges for which the original contract months are yet to occur. See further discussion below under Effect of Derivative Instruments – Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss).

Contingent Consideration Arrangements

In 2018, we sold our Utica Shale position to EAP Ohio, LLC (“Encino”). The purchase and sale agreement with Encino provides for additional contingent payments to us of up to $100 million comprised of $50 million in consideration in each case if, on or prior to December 31, 2019, there is a period of twenty (20) trading days out of a period of thirty (30) consecutive trading days where (i) the average of the NYMEX natural gas strip prices for the months comprising the year 2022 equals or exceeds $3.00/mmbtu as calculated pursuant to the purchase agreement, and (ii) the average of the NYMEX natural gas strip price for the months comprising the year 2023 equals or exceeds $3.25/mmbtu as calculated pursuant to the purchase and sale agreement.

Effect of Derivative Instruments – Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

The following table presents the fair value and location of each classification of derivative instrument included in the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 on a gross basis and after same-counterparty netting:

Balance Sheet Classification	Gross Fair Value			Amounts Netted in the Consolidated Balance Sheets			Net Fair Value Presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheet
	($ in millions)
As of March 31, 2019
Commodity Contracts:
Short-term derivative asset	$	69		$	(51	)	$	18
Long-term derivative asset	61			(13		)	48
Short-term derivative liability	(112		)	51			(61		)
Long-term derivative liability	(28		)	13			(15		)
Contingent Consideration:
Short-term derivative asset	7			—			7
Total derivatives	$	(3	)	$	—		$	(3	)
As of December 31, 2018
Commodity Contracts:
Short-term derivative asset	$	306		$	(104	)	$	202
Long-term derivative asset	117			(41		)	76
Short-term derivative liability	(107		)	104			(3		)
Long-term derivative liability	(41		)	41			—
Contingent Consideration:
Short-term derivative asset	7			—			7
Total derivatives	$	282		$	—		$	282

Effect of Derivative Instruments – Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

The components of oil, natural gas and NGL revenues for the Current Quarter and the Prior Quarter are presented below:

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2019			2018
	($ in millions)
Oil, natural gas and NGL revenues	$	1,230		$	1,360
Losses on undesignated oil, natural gas and NGL derivatives	(291		)	(107		)
Losses on terminated cash flow hedges	(10		)	(10		)
Total oil, natural gas and NGL revenues	$	929		$	1,243

The components of marketing revenues for the Current Quarter and the Prior Quarter are presented below:

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2019			2018
	($ in millions)
Marketing revenues	$	1,235		$	1,246
Losses on undesignated marketing natural gas derivatives	(2		)	—
Total marketing revenues	$	1,233		$	1,246

Gains as result of changes in the fair value of our contingent consideration arrangements are recognized in gains on sales of assets in the condensed consolidated statement of operations.

Effect of Derivative Instruments – Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

A reconciliation of the changes in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in our condensed consolidated statements of stockholders’ equity related to our cash flow hedges is presented below:

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2019						2018
	Before  Tax			After  Tax			Before  Tax			After  Tax
	($ in millions)
Balance, beginning of period	$	(80	)	$	(23	)	$	(114	)	(57	)
Losses reclassified to income	10			10			10			10
Balance, end of period	$	(70	)	$	(13	)	(104		)	(47	)

The accumulated other comprehensive loss as of March 31, 2019 represents the net deferred loss associated with commodity derivative contracts that were previously designated as cash flow hedges for which the original contract months are yet to occur. Remaining deferred gain or loss amounts will be recognized in earnings in the month for which the original contract months are to occur. As of March 31, 2019, we expect to transfer approximately $34 million of net loss included in accumulated other comprehensive income to net income (loss) during the next 12 months. The remaining amounts will be transferred by December 31, 2022.

Credit Risk Considerations

Our derivative instruments expose us to our counterparties’ credit risk. To mitigate this risk, we enter into derivative contracts only with counterparties that have a high credit rating or are deemed by us to have acceptable credit strength, and are deemed by management to be competent and competitive market-makers, and we attempt to limit our exposure to non-performance by any single counterparty. As of March 31, 2019, our oil, natural gas and NGL derivative instruments were spread among 15 counterparties.

Hedging Arrangements

Certain of our hedging arrangements are with counterparties that are also lenders (or affiliates of lenders) under the Chesapeake revolving credit facility and/or the BVL revolving credit facility. The contracts entered into with these counterparties are secured by the same collateral that secures the revolving credit facilities. In addition, we enter into bilateral hedging agreements with other counterparties. The counterparties’ and our obligations under the bilateral hedging agreements must be secured by cash or letters of credit to the extent that any mark-to-market amounts owed to us or by us exceed defined thresholds. As of March 31, 2019, we posted an insignificant amount in letters of credit as collateral for our commodity derivatives. No cash was posted as collateral for our commodity derivatives.

Fair Value

The fair value of our derivatives is based on third-party pricing models which utilize inputs that are either readily available in the public market, such as oil, natural gas and NGL forward curves and discount rates, or can be corroborated from active markets or broker quotes. These values are compared to the values given by our counterparties for reasonableness. Since oil, natural gas and NGL swaps do not include optionality and therefore generally have no unobservable inputs, they are classified as Level 2. All other derivatives have some level of unobservable input, such as volatility curves, and are therefore classified as Level 3. Derivatives are also subject to the risk that either party to a contract will be unable to meet its obligations. We factor non-performance risk into the valuation of our derivatives using current published credit default swap rates. To date, this has not had a material impact on the values of our derivatives.

The following table provides information for financial assets (liabilities) measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018:

	Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)			Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)			Total Fair Value
			($ in millions)
As of March 31, 2019
Derivative Assets (Liabilities):
Commodity assets	$	—	$	89		$	27		$	116
Commodity liabilities	—		(102		)	(24		)	(126		)
Utica divestiture contingent consideration	—		—			7			7
Total derivatives	$	—	$	(13	)	$	10		$	(3	)
As of December 31, 2018
Derivative Assets (Liabilities):
Commodity assets	$	—	$	319		$	103		$	422
Commodity liabilities	—		(131		)	(16		)	(147		)
Utica divestiture contingent consideration	—		—			7			7
Total derivatives	$	—	$	188		$	94		$	282

A summary of the changes in the fair values of our financial assets (liabilities) classified as Level 3 during the Current Quarter and the Prior Quarter is presented below:

	Commodity Derivatives			Utica Contingent Consideration
	($ in millions)
Balance, as of January 1, 2019	$	87		$	7
Total gains (losses) (realized/unrealized):
Included in earnings(a)	(88		)	—
Total purchases, issuances, sales and settlements:
Settlements	4			—
Balance, as of March 31, 2019	$	3		$	7
Balance, as of January 1, 2018	$	(15	)	$	—
Total gains (losses) (realized/unrealized):
Included in earnings(a)	(8		)	—
Total purchases, issuances, sales and settlements:
Settlements	(1		)	—
Balance, as of March 31, 2018	$	(24	)	$	—

___________________________________________

(a)		Commodity Derivatives
		2019			2018
		($ in millions)
	Total gains (losses) included in earnings for the period	$	(88	)	$	(8	)
	Change in unrealized gains (losses) related to assets still held at reporting date	$	(84	)	$	(10	)

Qualitative and Quantitative Disclosures about Unobservable Inputs for Level 3 Fair Value Measurements

The significant unobservable inputs for Level 3 derivative contracts include market volatility. Changes in market volatility impact the fair value measurement of our derivative contracts, which is based on an estimate derived from option models. For example, an increase or decrease in the forward prices and volatility of oil and natural gas prices decreases or increases the fair value of oil and natural gas derivatives. The following table presents quantitative information about Level 3 inputs used in the fair value measurement of our commodity derivative contracts at fair value as of March 31, 2019:

Instrument Type	Unobservable Input	Range	Weighted Average	Fair Value March 31, 2019
				($ in millions)
Oil trades	Oil price volatility curves	12.58% – 26.61%	22.44%	$	17
Natural gas trades	Natural gas price volatility curves	19.91% – 54.81%	20.11%	$	(14	)