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Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

The condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("U.S. GAAP"). The condensed consolidated financial statements do not include all of the disclosures required under U.S. GAAP in the annual consolidated financial statements, and should be read in conjunction with our audited annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019, which are included in our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2020 (the “Annual Report”).

Allowance for credit losses

Financial assets recorded at amortized cost and off-balance sheet credit exposures not accounted for as insurance (including financial guarantees) reflect an allowance for current expected credit losses ("credit losses") over the lifetime of the instrument. The allowance for credit losses reflects a deduction to the net amount expected to be collected on the financial asset. Amounts are written off against the allowance when management believes the un-collectability of a balance is confirmed or certain. Expected recoveries will not exceed the amounts previously written-off or current credit loss allowance by financial asset category. We estimate expected credit losses based on relevant information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. We have elected to calculate expected credit losses on the combined balance of both the amortized cost and accrued interest from the unpaid principal balance. Specific calculation of our credit allowances is included in the respective accounting policies included herein; all other financial assets are assessed on an individual basis calculated using the method we consider most appropriate for each asset.

Trade accounts receivables

Trade receivables are presented net of allowances for doubtful debt based on observable events and expected credit losses. At each balance sheet date, all potentially uncollectible accounts are assessed individually for the purpose of determining the appropriate provision for doubtful accounts. The expected credit loss allowance is calculated using a loss rate applied against an aging matrix, with assets pooled based on the segment that generated the underlying revenue (vessel operations and FLNG), which reflects similar credit risk characteristics. Our trade receivables have short maturities so we have considered that forecasted changes to economic conditions will have an insignificant effect on the estimate of the allowance, except in extraordinary circumstances.

Related parties

Parties are related if one party has the ability, directly or indirectly, to control the other party or exercise significant influence over the other party in making financial and operating decisions. Parties are also related if they are subject to common control or significant influence. Amounts are presented net of allowances for credit losses, which are calculated using a loss rate applied against an aging matrix.

Cash and cash equivalents

We consider all demand and time deposits and highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less to be equivalent to cash. Amounts are presented net of allowances for credit losses, which are assessed based on consideration of whether the balances have short-term maturities and whether the counterparty has an investment grade credit rating, limiting any credit exposure.

Restricted cash and short term deposits

Restricted cash consists of bank deposits which may only be used to settle certain pre-arranged loans, bid bonds in respect of tenders for projects we have entered into, cash collateral required for certain swaps, and other claims which require us to restrict cash. Short-term deposits represent highly liquid deposits placed with financial institutions, primarily from our consolidated VIEs, which are readily convertible into known amounts of cash with original maturities of less than 12 months. Amounts are presented net of allowances for credit losses, which are assessed based on consideration of whether the balances have short-term maturities and whether the counterparty has an investment grade credit rating, limiting any credit exposure.

Guarantees

Guarantees issued by us, excluding those that are guaranteeing our own performance, are recognized at fair value at the time that the guarantees are issued, or upon the deconsolidation of a subsidiary, and reported in "Other current liabilities" and "Other non-current liabilities". A liability is recognized to the fair value of the obligation undertaken in issuing the guarantee. If it becomes probable that we will have to perform under a guarantee, we will recognize an additional liability if the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. The recognition of fair value is not required for certain guarantees such as the parent's guarantee of a subsidiary's debt to a third party. For those guarantees excluded from the above guidance requiring the fair value recognition provision of the liability, financial statement disclosures of such items are made. Financial guarantees are assessed for credit losses and any allowance is presented as a liability for off-balance sheet credit exposures where the balance exceeds the collateral provided over the remaining instrument life. The allowance is assessed at the individual guarantee level, calculated by multiplying the balance exposed on default by the probability of default and loss given default over the term of the guarantee.

Use of estimates

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("U.S. GAAP") requires that management make estimates and assumptions affecting the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

In assessing the recoverability of our vessels’ carrying amounts, we make assumptions regarding estimated future cash flows, estimates in respect of residual value, charter rates, ship operating expenses and drydocking requirements.

During the period ended June 30, 2020, as a result of coronavirus ("COVID-19") and its impact on our operations, we considered whether indicators of impairment existed that could indicate that the carrying amounts of the vessels may not be recoverable as of June 30, 2020 and concluded that no such events or changes in circumstances had occurred to warrant a change in the assumptions utilized in the December 31, 2019 impairment tests of our vessels. We will continue to monitor developments in the markets in which we operate for indications that the carrying value of our vessels are not recoverable.

In relation to the oil derivative instrument, the fair value was determined using the estimated discounted cash flows of the additional payments due to us as a result of oil prices moving above a contractual oil price floor over the term of the Liquefaction Services Agreement ("LTA"). Significant inputs used in the valuation of the oil derivative instrument include management’s estimate of an appropriate discount rate and the length of time necessary to blend the long-term and short-term oil prices obtained from quoted prices in active markets. The changes in fair value of our oil derivative instrument are recognized in each period within "Realized and unrealized gain on oil derivative instrument" as part of the consolidated statement of loss.

Adoption of new accounting standards and Accounting pronouncments that have been issued but not adopted

Adoption of new accounting standards

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued ASU 2016-13 Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments and subsequent amendments, including ASU 2018-19, ASU 2019-04 and ASU 2019-11: Codification Improvements to Topic 326 ‘‘Financial Instruments-Credit Losses”. Topic 326 replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology with a requirement to recognize lifetime expected credit losses (measured over the contractual life of the instrument) immediately, based on information about past events, current conditions and forecasts of future economic conditions. This will reflect the net amount expected to be collected from the financial asset and is referred to as the current expected credit loss, or CECL methodology, with measurement applicable to financial assets measured at amortized cost as well as off-balance sheet credit exposures not accounted for as insurance (including financial guarantees). Topic 326 also makes changes to the accounting for available-for-sale debt securities and purchased credit deteriorated financial assets, however, no such financial assets existed on date of adoption or in the reporting periods covered by these condensed consolidated financial statements.

Using the modified retrospective method, reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2020 are presented under Topic 326 while comparative periods continue to be reported in accordance with previously applicable GAAP and have not been restated. The adoption of Topic 326 did not have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13 Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. The amendments in this ASU remove some disclosure requirements relating to transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy and introduce new disclosure requirements for Level 3 measurements. We adopted the disclosure improvements prospectively on January 1, 2020, but this amendment has not had a material impact on our disclosure requirements as we have no Level 3 measurements.

In October 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-17 Consolidation (Topic 810) - Targeted Improvements to Related Party Guidance for Variable Interest Entities. The amendments in this ASU specify that for the purposes of determining whether a decision-making fee is a variable interest, a company is now required to consider indirect interests held through related parties under common control on a proportionate basis as opposed to as a direct investment. We are required to adopt the codification improvements retrospectively using a cumulative-effect method to retained earnings of the earliest period presented herein, but the amendment had no impact on historic consolidation assessments or retained earnings.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-03 Financial Instruments (Topic 825) - Codification Improvements. The amendments in this ASU propose seven clarifications to improve the understandability of existing guidance, including that fees between debtor and creditor and third-party costs directly related to exchanges or modifications of debt instruments include line-of-credit or revolving debt arrangements. We adopted the codification improvements that were effective on issuance from January 1, 2020 under the specified transition approach connected with each of the codification improvements. This amendment has not had a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements or related disclosures, including retained earnings, as of January 1, 2020.

Accounting pronouncements that have been issued but not adopted

The following table provides a brief description of recent accounting standards that have been issued but not yet adopted:


Standard	Description	Date of Adoption	Effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements or Other Significant Matters
ASU 2018-14 Compensation-Retirement Benefits-Defined Benefit Plans-General (Subtopic 715-20): Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans.	Removes some disclosure requirements that are not expected to materially change Golar’s existing note. Introduces new disclosure requirements including an explanation of the reasons for significant gains and losses relating to changes in the benefit obligation.	January 1, 2021	No material impact on disclosure requirements.
ASU 2019-12 Income Taxes (Topic 740) - Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes.	The amendment removes certain exceptions previously available and provides some additional calculation rules to help simplify the accounting for income taxes.	January 1, 2021	Under evaluation
ASU 2020-04 Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848) - Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting.	The amendments provide temporary optional expedients and exceptions for applying U.S. GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. The applicable expedients for us are in relation to modifications of contracts within the scope of Topics 310, Receivables, 470, Debt, and 842, Leases. This optional guidance may be applied prospectively from any date beginning March 12, 2020 and cannot be applied to modifications that occur after December 31, 2022.	Under evaluation	Under evaluation