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Guarantees
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Guarantees [Abstract]  
Guarantees
Guarantees

At December 31, 2016, we were liable for certain contingent obligations under various contractual arrangements as described below. We recognize a liability, at inception, for the fair value of our obligation as a guarantor for newly issued or modified guarantees. Unless the carrying amount of the liability is noted below, we have not recognized a liability either because the guarantees were issued prior to December 31, 2002, or because the fair value of the obligation is immaterial. In addition, unless otherwise stated, we are not currently performing with any significance under the guarantee and expect future performance to be either immaterial or have only a remote chance of occurrence.

Guarantees of Joint Venture Debt
In 2012, in connection with the Separation, we issued a guarantee for 100 percent of MSLP Senior Notes issued in July 1999. At December 31, 2016, the maximum potential amount of future payments to third parties under the guarantee was estimated to be $123 million, which could become payable if MSLP fails to meet its obligations under the senior notes agreement. The MSLP Senior Notes mature in 2019.

In December 2016, as part of the restructuring within DCP Midstream which occurred effective January 1, 2017, we issued a guarantee in support of DCP Midstream, LLC’s newly issued debt. At December 31, 2016, the maximum potential amount of future payments to third parties under the guarantee is estimated to be $212 million.  Payment would be required if DCP Midstream, LLC defaults on this debt obligation. DCP Midstream, LLC’s debt matures in 2019.

Other Guarantees
In the second quarter of 2016, the operating lease commenced on our new headquarters facility in Houston, Texas, after construction was deemed substantially complete. Under this lease agreement, we have a residual value guarantee with a maximum future exposure of $554 million. The operating lease has a term of five years and provides us the option, at the end of the lease term, to request to renew the lease, purchase the facility, or assist the lessor in marketing it for resale.

We have residual value guarantees associated with railcar and airplane leases with maximum future potential payments of $363 million. We estimated a $94 million residual value guarantee obligation for our railcars in the fourth quarter of 2016. This residual value guarantee reflects the negative impact of new safety regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation on the fair value of crude-oil railcars.  The amount was based on an outside appraisal of the estimated fair value of the railcars at their lease termination dates.  Of the total $94 million residual value guarantee obligation, $28 million was recognized as expense in 2016, with $20 million of that amount related to railcars permanently taken out of service.  The remaining $66 million estimated obligation at year-end 2016 will be recognized on a straight-line basis through the applicable lease termination dates in either late-2017 or 2019.  For railcars taken out of service in 2016, we also recognized remaining executory lease costs of $12 million.
 
Indemnifications
Over the years, we have entered into various agreements to sell ownership interests in certain corporations, joint ventures and assets that gave rise to qualifying indemnifications. Agreements associated with these sales include indemnifications for taxes, litigation, environmental liabilities, permits and licenses, and employee claims; and real estate indemnity against tenant defaults. The provisions of these indemnifications vary greatly. The majority of these indemnifications are related to environmental issues with generally indefinite terms, and the maximum amount of future payments is generally unlimited. The carrying amount recorded for indemnifications at December 31, 2016, was $193 million. We amortize the indemnification liability over the relevant time period, if one exists, based on the facts and circumstances surrounding each type of indemnity. In cases where the indemnification term is indefinite, we will reverse the liability when we have information the liability is essentially relieved or amortize the liability over an appropriate time period as the fair value of our indemnification exposure declines. Although it is reasonably possible future payments may exceed amounts recorded, due to the nature of the indemnifications, it is not possible to make a reasonable estimate of the maximum potential amount of future payments. Included in the recorded carrying amount were $102 million of environmental accruals for known contamination that were primarily included in “Asset retirement obligations and accrued environmental costs” at December 31, 2016. For additional information about environmental liabilities, see Note 15—Contingencies and Commitments.

Indemnification and Release Agreement
In 2012, we entered into the Indemnification and Release Agreement with ConocoPhillips. This agreement governs the treatment between ConocoPhillips and us of matters relating to indemnification, insurance, litigation responsibility and management, and litigation document sharing and cooperation arising in connection with the Separation. Generally, the agreement provides for cross-indemnities principally designed to place financial responsibility for the obligations and liabilities of our business with us and financial responsibility for the obligations and liabilities of ConocoPhillips’ business with ConocoPhillips. The agreement also establishes procedures for handling claims subject to indemnification and related matters.