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Commitments and Contingencies | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES We are the subject of, or a party to, a number of pending or threatened legal actions, contingencies and commitments involving a variety of matters, including laws and regulations relating to the environment. Some of these matters are discussed below. For matters for which we have not recorded a liability, we are unable to estimate a range of possible loss because the issues involved have not been fully developed through pleadings, discovery or court proceedings. However, the ultimate resolution of some of these contingencies could, individually or in the aggregate, be material. Environmental Matters We are subject to federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to the environment. These laws generally provide for control of pollutants released into the environment and require responsible parties to undertake remediation of hazardous waste disposal sites and certain other locations including presently or formerly owned or operated retail marketing sites. Penalties may be imposed for noncompliance. At September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, accrued liabilities for remediation totaled $447 million and $455 million, respectively. It is not presently possible to estimate the ultimate amount of all remediation costs that might be incurred or the penalties, if any, that may be imposed. Receivables for recoverable costs from certain states, under programs to assist companies in clean-up efforts related to underground storage tanks at presently or formerly owned or operated retail marketing sites, were $30 million and $35 million at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively. Governmental and other entities in California, New York, Maryland and Rhode Island have filed lawsuits against coal, gas, oil and petroleum companies, including the Company. The lawsuits allege damages as a result of climate change and the plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages and abatement under various tort theories. Similar lawsuits may be filed in other jurisdictions. At this early stage, the ultimate outcome of these matters remains uncertain, and neither the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome nor the ultimate liability, if any, can be determined. We are involved in a number of environmental enforcement matters arising in the ordinary course of business. While the outcome and impact on us cannot be predicted with certainty, management believes the resolution of these environmental matters will not, individually or collectively, have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows. Other Lawsuits In May 2015, the Kentucky attorney general filed a lawsuit against our wholly-owned subsidiary, Marathon Petroleum Company LP (“MPC LP”), in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky asserting claims under federal and state antitrust statutes, the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act, and state common law. The complaint, as amended in July 2015, alleges that MPC LP used deed restrictions, supply agreements with customers and exchange agreements with competitors to unreasonably restrain trade in areas within Kentucky and seeks declaratory relief, unspecified damages, civil penalties, restitution and disgorgement of profits. At this stage, the ultimate outcome of this litigation remains uncertain, and neither the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome nor the ultimate liability, if any, can be determined, and we are unable to estimate a reasonably possible loss (or range of loss) for this matter. We intend to vigorously defend ourselves in this matter. In May 2007, the Kentucky attorney general filed a lawsuit against us and Marathon Oil in state court in Franklin County, Kentucky for alleged violations of Kentucky’s emergency pricing and consumer protection laws following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. The lawsuit alleged that we overcharged customers by $89 million during September and October 2005. The complaint sought disgorgement of these sums, as well as penalties, under Kentucky’s emergency pricing and consumer protection laws. In May 2011, the Kentucky attorney general amended his complaint to include a request for immediate injunctive relief as well as unspecified damages and penalties related to our wholesale gasoline pricing in April and May 2011 under statewide price controls that were activated by the Kentucky governor on April 26, 2011 and which have since expired. The court denied the attorney general’s request for immediate injunctive relief. In July 2019, MPC and the attorney general reached a settlement to resolve this litigation. This resolution did not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. We are also a party to a number of other lawsuits and other proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. While the ultimate outcome and impact to us cannot be predicted with certainty, we believe that the resolution of these other lawsuits and proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. Guarantees We have provided certain guarantees, direct and indirect, of the indebtedness of other companies. Under the terms of most of these guarantee arrangements, we would be required to perform should the guaranteed party fail to fulfill its obligations under the specified arrangements. In addition to these financial guarantees, we also have various performance guarantees related to specific agreements. Guarantees related to indebtedness of equity method investees—MPC and MPLX hold interests in an offshore oil port, LOOP, and MPLX holds an interest in a crude oil pipeline system, LOCAP. Both LOOP and LOCAP have secured various project financings with throughput and deficiency agreements. Under the agreements, MPC, as a shipper, is required to advance funds if the investees are unable to service their debt. Any such advances are considered prepayments of future transportation charges. The duration of the agreements vary but tend to follow the terms of the underlying debt, which extend through 2037. Our maximum potential undiscounted payments under these agreements for the debt principal totaled $171 million as of September 30, 2019. In connection with our 25 percent interest in Gray Oak Pipeline, LLC (“Gray Oak Pipeline”), we have entered into an Equity Contribution Agreement obligating us to make certain equity contributions to Gray Oak Pipeline to support its obligations under a construction loan facility. Gray Oak Pipeline is constructing the Gray Oak oil pipeline, a crude oil transportation system from West Texas and the Eagle Ford formation to destinations in the Ingleside, Corpus Christi and Sweeney, Texas markets. Gray Oak Pipeline has entered into the construction loan facility with a syndicate of banks to finance a portion of the construction costs of the pipeline project. The Equity Contribution Agreement requires us to contribute our pro rata share of any amounts necessary to allow Gray Oak Pipeline to cure any payment defaults under the construction loan facility or to repay all amounts outstanding under the facility, including principal, accrued interest, fees and expenses, in certain circumstances, including the abandonment of the Gray Oak pipeline project prior to completion or the failure of Gray Oak Pipeline to repay or refinance the construction loan facility prior to its scheduled maturity date of June 3, 2022. Gray Oak may borrow up to $1.43 billion under the construction loan facility (after giving effect to the exercise of all options to increase its borrowing capacity). As of September 30, 2019, our maximum potential undiscounted payments under the Equity Contribution Agreement for the debt principal totaled $226 million. In connection with MPLX’s approximate nine percent indirect interest in a joint venture that owns and operates the Dakota Access Pipeline and Energy Transfer Crude Oil Pipeline projects, collectively referred to as the Bakken Pipeline system, MPLX has entered into a Contingent Equity Contribution Agreement. MPLX, along with the other joint venture owners in the Bakken Pipeline system, have agreed to make equity contributions to the joint venture upon certain events occurring to allow the entities that own and operate the Bakken Pipeline system to satisfy their senior note payment obligations. The senior notes were issued to repay amounts owed by the pipeline companies to fund the cost of construction of the Bakken Pipeline system. As of September 30, 2019, our maximum potential undiscounted payments under the Contingent Equity Contribution Agreement was approximately $230 million. In connection with our 50 percent indirect interest in Crowley Ocean Partners LLC, we have agreed to conditionally guarantee our portion of the obligations of the joint venture and its subsidiaries under a senior secured term loan agreement. The term loan agreement provides for loans of up to $325 million to finance the acquisition of four product tankers. MPC’s liability under the guarantee for each vessel is conditioned upon the occurrence of certain events, including if we cease to maintain an investment grade credit rating or the charter for the relevant product tanker ceases to be in effect and is not replaced by a charter with an investment grade company on certain defined commercial terms. As of September 30, 2019, our maximum potential undiscounted payments under this agreement for debt principal totaled $125 million. In connection with our 50 percent indirect interest in Crowley Blue Water Partners LLC, we have agreed to provide a conditional guarantee of up to 50 percent of its outstanding debt balance in the event there is no charter agreement in place with an investment grade customer for the entity’s three vessels as well as other financial support in certain circumstances. As of September 30, 2019, our maximum potential undiscounted payments under this arrangement was $122 million. Marathon Oil indemnifications—In conjunction with our spinoff from Marathon Oil, we have entered into arrangements with Marathon Oil providing indemnities and guarantees with recorded values of $1 million as of September 30, 2019, which consist of unrecognized tax benefits related to MPC, its consolidated subsidiaries and the refining, marketing and transportation business operations prior to our spinoff which are not already reflected in the unrecognized tax benefits described in Note 11, and other contingent liabilities Marathon Oil may incur related to taxes. Furthermore, the separation and distribution agreement and other agreements with Marathon Oil to effect our spinoff provide for cross-indemnities between Marathon Oil and us. In general, Marathon Oil is required to indemnify us for any liabilities relating to Marathon Oil’s historical oil and gas exploration and production operations, oil sands mining operations and integrated gas operations, and we are required to indemnify Marathon Oil for any liabilities relating to Marathon Oil’s historical refining, marketing and transportation operations. The terms of these indemnifications are indefinite and the amounts are not capped. Other guarantees—We have entered into other guarantees with maximum potential undiscounted payments totaling $122 million as of September 30, 2019, which primarily consist of a commitment to contribute cash to an equity method investee for certain catastrophic events, in lieu of procuring insurance coverage, a commitment to fund a share of the bonds issued by a government entity for construction of public utilities in the event that other industrial users of the facility default on their utility payments and leases of assets containing general lease indemnities and guaranteed residual values. General guarantees associated with dispositions—Over the years, we have sold various assets in the normal course of our business. Certain of the related agreements contain performance and general guarantees, including guarantees regarding inaccuracies in representations, warranties, covenants and agreements, and environmental and general indemnifications that require us to perform upon the occurrence of a triggering event or condition. These guarantees and indemnifications are part of the normal course of selling assets. We are typically not able to calculate the maximum potential amount of future payments that could be made under such contractual provisions because of the variability inherent in the guarantees and indemnities. Most often, the nature of the guarantees and indemnities is such that there is no appropriate method for quantifying the exposure because the underlying triggering event has little or no past experience upon which a reasonable prediction of the outcome can be based. Contractual Commitments and Contingencies At September 30, 2019, our contractual commitments to acquire property, plant and equipment and advance funds to equity method investees totaled $1.55 billion. Certain natural gas processing and gathering arrangements require us to construct natural gas processing plants, natural gas gathering pipelines and NGL pipelines and contain certain fees and charges if specified construction milestones are not achieved for reasons other than force majeure. In certain cases, certain producer customers may have the right to cancel the processing arrangements with us if there are significant delays that are not due to force majeure.

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