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Other Contingencies and Commitments | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Other Contingencies and Commitments | Other Contingencies and Commitments Income Taxes The company calculates its income tax expense and liabilities quarterly. These liabilities generally are subject to audit and are not finalized with the individual taxing authorities until several years after the end of the annual period for which income taxes have been calculated. Refer to Note 11 on page 15 for a discussion of the periods for which tax returns have been audited for the company’s major tax jurisdictions. Settlement of open tax years, as well as other tax issues in countries where the company conducts its businesses, are not expected to have a material effect on the consolidated financial position or liquidity of the company and, in the opinion of management, adequate provision has been made for income taxes for all years under examination or subject to future examination. Guarantees The company and its subsidiaries have certain contingent liabilities with respect to guarantees, direct or indirect, of debt of affiliated companies or third parties. Under the terms of the guarantee arrangements, the company would generally be required to perform should the affiliated company or third party fail to fulfill its obligations under the arrangements. In some cases, the guarantee arrangements may have recourse provisions that would enable the company to recover any payments made under the terms of the guarantees from assets provided as collateral. Indemnifications In the acquisition of Unocal, the company assumed certain indemnities relating to contingent environmental liabilities associated with assets that were sold in 1997. The acquirer of those assets shared in certain environmental remediation costs up to a maximum obligation of $200 million, which had been reached at December 31, 2009. Under the indemnification agreement, after reaching the $200 million obligation, Chevron is solely responsible until April 2022, when the indemnification expires. The environmental conditions or events that are subject to these indemnities must have arisen prior to the sale of the assets in 1997. Although the company has provided for known obligations under this indemnity that are probable and reasonably estimable, the amount of additional future costs may be material to results of operations in the period in which they are recognized. The company does not expect these costs will have a material effect on its consolidated financial position or liquidity. Off-Balance-Sheet Obligations The company and its subsidiaries have certain contingent liabilities with respect to long-term unconditional purchase obligations and commitments, including throughput and take-or-pay agreements, some of which may relate to suppliers’ financing arrangements. The agreements typically provide goods and services, such as pipeline and storage capacity, utilities, and petroleum products, to be used or sold in the ordinary course of the company’s business. Environmental The company is subject to loss contingencies pursuant to laws, regulations, private claims and legal proceedings related to environmental matters that are subject to legal settlements or that in the future may require the company to take action to correct or ameliorate the effects on the environment of prior release of chemicals or petroleum substances, including MTBE, by the company or other parties. Such contingencies may exist for various sites, including, but not limited to, federal Superfund sites and analogous sites under state laws, refineries, crude oil fields, service stations, terminals, land development areas, and mining activities, whether operating, closed or divested. These future costs are not fully determinable due to factors such as the unknown magnitude of possible contamination, the unknown timing and extent of the corrective actions that may be required, the determination of the company’s liability in proportion to other responsible parties, and the extent to which such costs are recoverable from third parties. Although the company has provided for known environmental obligations that are probable and reasonably estimable, the amount of additional future costs may be material to results of operations in the period in which they are recognized. The company does not expect these costs will have a material effect on its consolidated financial position or liquidity. Also, the company does not believe its obligations to make such expenditures have had, or will have, any significant impact on the company’s competitive position relative to other U.S. or international petroleum or chemical companies. Other Contingencies Governmental and other entities in California and other jurisdictions have filed legal proceedings against fossil fuel producing companies, including Chevron, purporting to seek legal and equitable relief to address alleged impacts of climate change. Further such proceedings are likely to be filed by other parties. The unprecedented legal theories set forth in these proceedings entail the possibility of damages liability and injunctions against the production of all fossil fuels that, while we believe remote, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations and financial condition. Management believes that these proceedings are legally and factually meritless and detract from constructive efforts to address the important policy issues presented by climate change, and will vigorously defend against such proceedings. Seven coastal parishes and the State of Louisiana have filed 43 separate lawsuits in Louisiana against numerous oil and gas companies seeking damages for coastal erosion in or near oil fields located within Louisiana’s coastal zone under Louisiana’s State and Local Coastal Resources Management Act (SLCRMA). Chevron entities are defendants in 39 of these cases. The lawsuits allege that the defendants' historical operations were conducted without necessary permits or failed to comply with permits obtained and seek damages and other relief, including the costs of restoring coastal wetlands allegedly impacted by oil field operations. Plaintiffs’ SLCRMA theories are unprecedented; thus, there remains significant uncertainty about the scope of the claims and alleged damages and any potential effects on the company’s results of operations and financial condition. Management believes that the claims lack legal and factual merit and will continue to vigorously defend against such proceedings. Chevron has interests in Venezuelan crude oil production assets, including those operated by independent equity affiliates. During the first quarter 2020, net oil equivalent production in Venezuela averaged 41,000 barrels per day, none of which was upgraded to synthetic crude. The operating environment in Venezuela has been deteriorating for some time. In January 2019, the United States government issued sanctions against the Venezuelan national oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), which is the company’s partner in the equity affiliates. The company is conducting its business pursuant to general licenses and guidance issued coincident with the sanctions. In late July 2019, the United States government renewed General License 8A with the issuance of General License 8B, subsequently superseded by General License 8C issued on August 5, 2019. The authorization provided to Chevron under General License 8C was extended by General License 8D on October 21, 2019 and General License 8E issued by the United States government on January 17, 2020. General License 8E was replaced and superseded by General License 8F on April 21, 2020. General License 8F authorizes the company to perform transactions and activities that are necessary for limited maintenance of essential operations, contracts, or other agreements, to ensure safety or the preservation of assets in Venezuela, and is effective until December 1, 2020. The company is evaluating the impacts of the revised authorizations granted by General License 8F on its activities in Venezuela. The company continues to evaluate the carrying value of its Venezuelan investments in line with its accounting policies. Future events related to the company’s activities in Venezuela may result in significant impacts on the company's results of operation in subsequent periods. At March 31, 2020, the carrying value of the company’s investments was approximately $2.8 billion, and for the three-month period ended March 31, 2020, the company recognized earnings of $114 million for its share of net income from the equity affiliates, and for foreign exchange losses and other costs incurred in support of the company's operations in Venezuela. First quarter earnings were due to the exemption of 2019 Venezuela income tax for oil companies that was announced in late January 2020. Please see Note 13, "Investments and Advances," on page 71 in the company's 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K for further information on the company’s investments in equity affiliates in Venezuela. Chevron receives claims from and submits claims to customers; trading partners; joint venture partners; U.S. federal, state and local regulatory bodies; governments; contractors; insurers; suppliers; and individuals. The amounts of these claims, individually and in the aggregate, may be significant and take lengthy periods to resolve, and may result in gains or losses in future periods. The company and its affiliates also continue to review and analyze their operations and may close, decommission, sell, exchange, acquire or restructure assets to achieve operational or strategic benefits and to improve competitiveness and profitability. These activities, individually or together, may result in significant gains or losses in future periods.

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