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Suspended Wells and Exploration Expenses
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Extractive Industries [Abstract]  
Suspended Wells and Exploration Expenses
Note 6—Suspended Wells and Exploration Expenses
The following table reflects the net changes in suspended exploratory well costs during 2022, 2021 and 2020:
Millions of Dollars
202220212020
Beginning balance at January 1$660 682 1,020 
Additions pending the determination of proved reserves5 10 164 
Reclassifications to proved properties(7)— (42)
Sales of suspended wells— — (313)
Charged to dry hole expense(131)(32)(147)
Ending balance at December 31
$527 660 682 

The following table provides an aging of suspended well balances at December 31:
Millions of Dollars
202220212020
Exploratory well costs capitalized for a period of one year or less$15 4 156 
Exploratory well costs capitalized for a period greater than one year512 656 526 
Ending balance$527 660 682 
Number of projects with exploratory well costs capitalized for a period greater than one year17 22 22 
The following table provides a further aging of those exploratory well costs that have been capitalized for more than one year since the completion of drilling as of December 31, 2022:
Millions of Dollars
Suspended Since
Total
2019-2021
2016-20182006-2015
Willow—Alaska(2)
315 201 114 — 
PL 1009—Norway(1)
39 39 — — 
PL 891—Norway(1)
31 31 — — 
Narwhal Trend—Alaska(1)
25 — 25 — 
WL4-00—Malaysia(2)
24 7 17 — 
PL782S—Norway(1)
19 19 — — 
Montney—Canada(1)
12 4 8 — 
Other of $10 million or less each(1)(2)
47 7 10 30 
Total$512 308 174 30 
(1)Additional appraisal wells planned.
(2)Appraisal drilling complete; costs being incurred to assess development.
Exploration Expenses
The charges discussed below are included in the “Exploration expenses” line on our consolidated income statement.

2022
In the fourth quarter, we recorded a before-tax expense of $129 million for impairment of certain aged, suspended wells associated with Surmont in our Canada segment.

In our Europe, Middle East and North Africa segment, we recorded a before-tax expense of $102 million for dry hole costs associated with four operated exploration and appraisal wells and one partner operated well that were drilled in Norway in 2022.
2020
In our Alaska segment, we recorded a before-tax impairment of $828 million for the entire associated carrying value of capitalized undeveloped leasehold costs related to our Alaska North Slope Gas asset. We had stopped participating in evaluating gas line projects and did not believe a project would advance. We remain willing to sell our Alaska North Slope gas to interested parties on a competitive basis if a market materializes in the future.
In our Other International segment, our interests in the Middle Magdalena Basin of Colombia are in force majeure. Because we had no immediate plans to perform under existing contracts, in 2020, we recorded a before-tax expense totaling $84 million for dry hole costs of a previously suspended well and an impairment of the associated capitalized undeveloped leasehold carrying value.
In our Asia Pacific segment, we recorded before-tax expense of $50 million related to dry hole costs of a previously suspended well and an impairment of the associated capitalized undeveloped leasehold carrying value associated with the Kamunsu East Field in Malaysia that is no longer in our development plans.