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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract] 
Commitments and Contingencies
 
(11)   Commitments and Contingencies
 
Leases and Unconditional Purchase Obligations
 
The minimum required payments for the Company’s lease agreements and unconditional purchase obligations are as follows:
 
                 
          Unconditional
 		 
    Operating
 		    Purchase
 		 
    Leases     Obligations(1)  
    (in thousands)  
 
Three months ending December 31, 2011
  $ 1,801     $ 22,842  
Year ending December 31, 2012
    7,914       88,515  
Year ending December 31, 2013
    7,365       87,716  
Year ending December 31, 2014
    5,142       87,796  
Year ending December 31, 2015
    3,721       82,102  
Thereafter
    10,614       414,696  
                 
    $ 36,557     $ 783,667  
                 
 
(1) This amount includes approximately $515.1 million payable ratably over ten years pursuant to petroleum transportation service agreements between Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing, LLC (“CRRM”) and TransCanada Keystone Pipeline Limited Partnership and TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, LP (collectively, “TransCanada”). Under the agreements, CRRM receives transportation of at least 25,000 barrels per day of crude oil with a delivery point at Cushing, Oklahoma for a term of ten years on TransCanada’s Keystone pipeline system. CRRM began receiving crude oil under the agreements on the terms discussed above in the first quarter of 2011.
 
The Company leases various equipment, including rail cars, and real properties under long-term operating leases, expiring at various dates. For the three months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, lease expense totaled approximately $1.3 million and $1.3 million, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, lease expense totaled approximately $3.8 million and $3.9 million, respectively. The lease agreements have various remaining terms. Some agreements are renewable, at the Company’s option, for additional periods. It is expected, in the ordinary course of business, that leases will be renewed or replaced as they expire. The Company also has other customary operating leases and unconditional purchase obligations primarily related to pipeline, storage, utilities and raw material suppliers. These leases and agreements are entered into in the normal course of business.
 
Litigation
 
From time to time, the Company is involved in various lawsuits arising in the normal course of business, including matters such as those described below under “Environmental, Health, and Safety (“EHS”) Matters.” Liabilities related to such litigation are recognized when the related costs are probable and can be reasonably estimated. These provisions are reviewed at least quarterly and adjusted to reflect the impacts of negotiations, settlements, rulings, advice of legal counsel, and other information and events pertaining to a particular case. It is possible that management’s estimates of the outcomes will change within the next year due to uncertainties inherent in litigation and settlement negotiations. In the opinion of management, the ultimate resolution of any other litigation matters is not expected to have a material adverse effect on the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements. There can be no assurance that management’s beliefs or opinions with respect to liability for potential litigation matters are accurate.
 
Samson Resources Company, Samson Lone Star, LLC and Samson Contour Energy E&P, LLC (together, “Samson”) filed fifteen lawsuits in federal and state courts in Oklahoma and two lawsuits in state courts in New Mexico against CRRM and other defendants between March 2009 and July 2009. In addition, in May 2010, separate groups of plaintiffs filed two lawsuits against CRRM and other defendants in state court in Oklahoma and Kansas. All of the lawsuits filed in state court were removed to federal court. All of the lawsuits (except for the New Mexico suits, which remained in federal court in New Mexico) were then transferred to the Bankruptcy Court for the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, where the Sem Group bankruptcy resides. In March 2011, CRRM was dismissed without prejudice from the New Mexico suits. All of the lawsuits allege that Samson or other respective plaintiffs sold crude oil to a group of companies, which generally are known as SemCrude or SemGroup (collectively, “Sem”), which later declared bankruptcy and that Sem has not paid such plaintiffs for all of the crude oil purchased from Sem. The Samson lawsuits further allege that Sem sold some of the crude oil purchased from Samson to J. Aron & Company (“J. Aron”) and that J. Aron sold some of this crude oil to CRRM. All of the lawsuits seek the same remedy, the imposition of a trust, an accounting and the return of crude oil or the proceeds therefrom. The amount of the plaintiffs’ alleged claims is unknown since the price and amount of crude oil sold by the plaintiffs and eventually received by CRRM through Sem and J. Aron, if any, is unknown. CRRM timely paid for all crude oil purchased from J. Aron. On January 26, 2011, CRRM and J. Aron entered into an agreement whereby J. Aron agreed to indemnify and defend CRRM from any damage, out-of-pocket expense or loss in connection with any crude oil involved in the lawsuits which CRRM purchased through J. Aron, and J. Aron agreed to reimburse CRRM’s prior attorney fees and out-of-pocket expenses in connection with the lawsuits.
 
CRNF received a ten year property tax abatement from Montgomery County, Kansas in connection with its construction that expired on December 31, 2007. In connection with the expiration of the abatement, the county reassessed CRNF’s nitrogen fertilizer plant and classified the nitrogen fertilizer plant as almost entirely real property instead of almost entirely personal property. The reassessment has resulted in an increase to annual property tax expense for CRNF by an average of approximately $11.7 million per year for the year ended December 31, 2010, and approximately $10.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively. CRNF does not agree with the county’s classification of the nitrogen fertilizer plant and CRNF is currently disputing it before the Kansas Court of Tax Appeals (“COTA”). However, CRNF has fully accrued and paid the property taxes the county claims are owed for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008 and has estimated and accrued for property taxes for the first nine months of 2011. These amounts are reflected as a direct operating expense in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. An evidentiary hearing before COTA occurred during the first quarter of 2011 regarding the property tax claims for the year ended December 31, 2008. CRNF believes it is possible that COTA may issue a ruling sometime during 2011. However, the timing of a ruling in the case is uncertain, and there can be no assurance CRNF will receive a ruling in 2011. If CRNF is successful in having the nitrogen fertilizer plant reclassified as personal property, in whole or in part, a portion of the accrued and paid expenses would be refunded to CRNF, which could have a material positive effect on CRNF’s and the Company’s results of operations. If CRNF is not successful in having the nitrogen fertilizer plant reclassified as personal property, in whole or in part, CRNF expects that it will continue to pay property taxes at elevated rates.
 
On July 25, 2011, Mid-America Pipeline Company, LLC (“MAPL”) filed an application with the Kansas Corporation Commission (“KCC”) for the purpose of establishing rates (“New Rates”) effective October 1, 2011 for pipeline transportation service on MAPL’s liquids pipelines running between Conway, Kansas and Coffeyville, Kansas (“Inbound Line”) and between Coffeyville, Kansas and El Dorado, Kansas (“Outbound Line”). CRRM currently ships refined fuels on the Outbound Line pursuant to transportation rates established by a pipeline capacity lease with MAPL which expired September 30, 2011 and CRRM currently ships natural gas liquids on the Inbound Line pursuant to a pipeage contract which also expired September 30, 2011. Although CRRM intends to vigorously contest the New Rates at the KCC, if MAPL is successful in obtaining the entirety of its proposed rate increase, under CRRM’s historic pipeline usage patterns, the New Rates would result in a total annual increase of approximately $14.75 million for CRRM’s use of the Inbound and the Outbound Lines. On September 30, 2011, the KCC issued an order continuing, on an interim basis, the existing rates for the Inbound Line and the Outbound Line from October 1, 2011 until the KCC issues its final rate order in the second quarter of 2012. The interim rates are subject to a true-up based upon the difference, if any, between the interim rates and the final rates approved by the KCC. In addition, on September 21, 2011, MAPL filed an application with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) for a rate increase on the Outbound Line with respect to shipments with an interstate destination. On October 28, 2011 FERC issued an order allowing MAPL to place its increased rate into effect October 1, 2011 with respect to interstate shipments, subject to refund based on the final outcome of the FERC proceedings. Historically, the majority of CRRM’s shipments on the Outbound Line are to Kansas intrastate destinations and therefore, are subject to KCC and not FERC rate regulation.
 
Flood, Crude Oil Discharge and Insurance
 
Crude oil was discharged from the Company’s refinery on July 1, 2007, due to the short amount of time available to shut down and secure the refinery in preparation for the flood that occurred on June 30, 2007. In connection with the discharge, the Company received in May 2008 notices of claims from sixteen private claimants under the Oil Pollution Act (“OPA”) in an aggregate amount of approximately $4.4 million (plus punitive damages). In August 2008, those claimants filed suit against the Company in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas in Wichita (the “Angleton Case”). In October 2009 and June 2010, companion cases to the Angleton Case were filed in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas in Wichita, seeking a total of $3.2 million (plus punitive damages) for three additional plaintiffs as a result of the July 1, 2007 crude oil discharge. The Company has settled all of the claims with the plaintiffs from the Angleton Case, and has settled all of the claims except for one of the plaintiffs from the companion cases. The settlements did not have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial statements. The Company believes that the resolution of the remaining claim will not have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial statements.
 
As a result of the crude oil discharge that occurred on July 1, 2007, the Company entered into an administrative order on consent (the “Consent Order”) with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) on July 10, 2007. As set forth in the Consent Order, the EPA concluded that the discharge of crude oil from the Company’s refinery caused an imminent and substantial threat to the public health and welfare. Pursuant to the Consent Order, the Company agreed to perform specified remedial actions to respond to the discharge of crude oil from the Company’s refinery. The substantial majority of all required remedial actions were completed by January 31, 2009. The Company prepared and provided its final report to the EPA in January 2011 to satisfy the final requirement of the Consent Order. In April 2011, the EPA provided the Company with a notice of completion indicating that the Company has no continuing obligations under the Consent Order, while reserving its rights to recover oversight costs and penalties.
 
On October 25, 2010, the Company received a letter from the United States Coast Guard on behalf of the EPA seeking approximately $1.8 million in oversight cost reimbursement. The Company responded by asserting defenses to the Coast Guard’s claim for oversight costs. On September 23, 2011, the United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”), acting on behalf of the EPA and the United States Coast Guard, filed suit against CRRM in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas seeking (i) recovery from CRRM of EPA’s oversight costs, (ii) a civil penalty under the Clean Water Act (as amended by the OPA) and (iii) recovery from CRRM related to alleged non-compliance with the Clean Air Act’s Risk Management Program (“RMP”). (See “Environmental, Health and Safety (“EHS”) Matters” below.)
 
The Company is seeking insurance coverage for this release and for the ultimate costs for remediation and third-party property damage claims. On July 10, 2008, the Company filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas against certain of the Company’s environmental insurance carriers requesting insurance coverage indemnification for the June/July 2007 flood and crude oil discharge losses. Each insurer reserved its rights under various policy exclusions and limitations and cited potential coverage defenses. Although the Court has now issued summary judgment opinions that eliminate the majority of the insurance defendants’ reservations and defenses, the Company cannot be certain of the ultimate amount or timing of such recovery because of the difficulty inherent in projecting the ultimate resolution of the Company’s claims. The Company has received $25.0 million of insurance proceeds under its primary environmental liability insurance policy which constitutes full payment to the Company of the primary pollution liability policy limit.
 
The lawsuit with the insurance carriers under the environmental policies remains the only unsettled lawsuit with the insurance carriers.
 
Environmental, Health, and Safety (“EHS”) Matters
 
CRRM, Coffeyville Resources Crude Transportation, LLC (“CRCT”), and Coffeyville Resources Terminal, LLC (“CRT”), all of which are wholly-owned subsidiaries of CVR, and CRNF are subject to various stringent federal, state, and local EHS rules and regulations. Liabilities related to EHS matters are recognized when the related costs are probable and can be reasonably estimated. Estimates of these costs are based upon currently available facts, existing technology, site-specific costs, and currently enacted laws and regulations. In reporting EHS liabilities, no offset is made for potential recoveries.
 
CRRM, CRNF, CRCT and CRT own and/or operate manufacturing and ancillary operations at various locations directly related to petroleum refining and distribution and nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing. Therefore, CRRM, CRNF, CRCT and CRT have exposure to potential EHS liabilities related to past and present EHS conditions at these locations.
 
CRRM and CRT have agreed to perform corrective actions at the Coffeyville, Kansas refinery and Phillipsburg, Kansas terminal facility, pursuant to Administrative Orders on Consent issued under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”) to address historical contamination by the prior owners (RCRA Docket No. VII-94-H-0020 and Docket No. VII-95-H-011, respectively). As of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, environmental accruals of $2.2 million and $4.1 million, respectively, were reflected in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets for probable and estimated costs for remediation of environmental contamination under the RCRA Administrative Orders, for which approximately $0.6 million and approximately $1.5 million, respectively, are included in other current liabilities. The Company’s accruals were determined based on an estimate of payment costs through 2031, for which the scope of remediation was arranged with the EPA, and were discounted at the appropriate risk free rates at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. The accruals include estimated closure and post-closure costs of $1.0 million and approximately $0.9 million for two landfills at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. The estimated future payments for these required obligations are as follows:
 
         
Year Ending December 31,   Amount  
    (in thousands)  
 
Three months ending December 31, 2011
  $ 156  
2012
    636  
2013
    166  
2014
    166  
2015
    166  
Thereafter
    1,186  
         
Undiscounted total
    2,476  
Less amounts representing interest at 1.72%
    243  
         
Accrued environmental liabilities at September 30, 2011
  $ 2,233  
         
 
Management periodically reviews and, as appropriate, revises its environmental accruals. Based on current information and regulatory requirements, management believes that the accruals established for environmental expenditures are adequate.
 
In 2007, the EPA promulgated the Mobile Source Air Toxic II (“MSAT II”) rule that requires the reduction of benzene in gasoline by 2011. CRRM is considered a small refiner under the MSAT II rule and compliance with the rule is extended until 2015 for small refiners. Capital expenditures to comply with the rule are expected to be approximately $10.0 million.
 
CRRM is subject to the Renewable Fuel Standard (“RFS”) which requires refiners to blend “renewable fuels” in with their transportation fuels or purchase renewable energy credits in lieu of blending. The EPA is required to determine and publish the applicable annual renewable fuel percentage standards for each compliance year by November 30 for the previous year. The percentage standards represent the ratio of renewable fuel volume to gasoline and diesel volume. Thus, in 2011, about 8% of all fuel used will be “renewable fuel.” In 2012, the EPA has proposed to raise the renewable fuel percentage standards to about 9%. Due to mandates in the RFS requiring increasing volumes of renewable fuels to replace petroleum products in the U.S. motor fuel market, there may be a decrease in demand for petroleum products. In addition, CRRM may be impacted by increased capital expenses and production costs to accommodate mandated renewable fuel volumes to the extent that these increased costs cannot be passed on to the consumers. CRRM’s small refiner status under the original RFS expired on December 31, 2010. Beginning on January 1, 2011, CRRM was required to blend renewable fuels into its gasoline and diesel fuel or purchase renewable energy credits, known as Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) in lieu of blending. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, CRRM incurred approximately $6.6 million and $15.1 million, respectively, of expense associated with the purchasing RINs which was included in cost of product sold in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. To achieve compliance with the renewable fuel standard for the remainder of 2011, CRRM is able to blend a small amount of ethanol into gasoline sold at its refinery loading rack, but otherwise will have to purchase RINs to comply with the rule. CRRM has requested “hardship relief” from EPA based on the disproportionate economic impact of the rule on CRRM, but has not yet heard back from EPA. If hardship relief is granted, CRRM would have two additional years before it would be required to comply with the rule.
 
In March 2004, CRRM and CRT entered into a Consent Decree (the “Consent Decree”) with the EPA and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (the “KDHE”) to resolve air compliance concerns raised by the EPA and KDHE related to Farmland Industries Inc.’s (“Farmland”) prior ownership and operation of the crude oil refinery and Phillipsburg terminal facilities. As a result of CRRM’s agreement to install certain controls and implement certain operational changes, the EPA and KDHE agreed not to impose civil penalties, and provided a release from liability for Farmland’s alleged noncompliance with the issues addressed by the Consent Decree. Under the Consent Decree, CRRM agreed to install controls to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter from its FCCU by January 1, 2011. In addition, pursuant to the Consent Decree, CRRM and CRT assumed cleanup obligations at the Coffeyville refinery and the Phillipsburg terminal facilities. The remaining costs of complying with the Consent Decree are expected to be approximately $49.0 million, of which approximately $47.0 million is expected to be capital expenditures which does not include the cleanup obligations for historic contamination at the site that are being addressed pursuant to administrative orders issued under RCRA. To date, CRRM and CRT have materially complied with the Consent Decree. On June 30, 2009, CRRM submitted a force majeure notice to the EPA and KDHE in which CRRM indicated that it may be unable to meet the Consent Decree’s January 1, 2011 deadline related to the installation of controls on the FCCU to reduce SO2 and NOx because of delays caused by the June/July 2007 flood. In February 2010, CRRM and the EPA agreed to a fifteen month extension of the January 1, 2011, deadline for the installation of controls which was approved by the Court as a material modification to the existing Consent Decree. Pursuant to this agreement, CRRM agreed to offset any incremental emissions resulting from the delay by providing additional controls to existing emission sources over a set timeframe.
 
In the meantime, CRRM has been negotiating with the EPA and KDHE to replace the current Consent Decree, including the fifteen month extension, with a global settlement under the National Petroleum Refining Initiative. Over the course of the last decade, the EPA has embarked on a Petroleum Refining Initiative alleging industry-wide noncompliance with four “marquee” issues under the Clean Air Act: New Source Review, Flaring, Leak Detection and Repair, and Benzene Waste Operations NESHAP. The Petroleum Refining Initiative has resulted in most refineries entering into consent decrees imposing civil penalties and requiring the installation of pollution control equipment and enhanced operating procedures. The EPA has indicated that it will seek to have all refiners enter into “global settlements” pertaining to all “marquee” issues. The 2004 Consent Decree covers some, but not all, of the “marquee” issues. The Company has been negotiating with the EPA to expand the 2004 Consent Decree obligations to include all of the “marquee” issues under the Petroleum Refining Initiative, and the parties have reached an agreement in principle on most of the issues, including an agreement to further extend the deadline for the installation of controls on the FCCU. Under the global settlement, the Company may be required to pay a civil penalty, but the incremental capital expenditures would not be material and would be limited primarily to the retrofit and replacement of heaters and boilers over a five to seven year timeframe.
 
On February 24, 2010, the Company received a letter from the DOJ on behalf of the EPA seeking an approximately $0.9 million civil penalty related to alleged late and incomplete reporting of air releases in violation of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (“EPCRA”). The Company has reviewed and is contesting the EPA’s allegation. CRRM has entered into a tolling agreement concerning EPA’s claims.
 
The EPA has investigated CRRM’s operation for compliance with the RMP. On September 23, 2011, the DOJ, acting on behalf of the EPA and the United States Coast Guard, filed suit against CRRM in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas (in addition to the matters described above, see “Flood, Crude Oil Discharge and Insurance”) seeking recovery from CRRM related to alleged non-compliance with the RMP.
 
From time to time, the EPA has conducted inspections and issued information requests to CRNF with respect to the Company’s compliance with the RMP and the release reporting requirements under CERCLA and the EPCRA. These previous investigations have resulted in the issuance of preliminary findings regarding CRNF’s compliance status. In the fourth quarter of 2010, following CRNF’s reported release of ammonia from its cooling water system and the rupture of its UAN vessel (which released ammonia and other regulated substances), the EPA conducted its most recent inspection and issued an additional request for information to CRNF. The EPA has not made any formal claims against the Company and the Company has not accrued for any liability associated with the investigations or releases.
 
Environmental expenditures are capitalized when such expenditures are expected to result in future economic benefits. For the three months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, capital expenditures were approximately $1.1 million and $0.9 million, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, capital expenditures were approximately $3.6 million and $11.9 million, respectively. These expenditures were incurred to improve the environmental compliance and efficiency of the operations.
 
CRRM, CRNF, CRCT and CRT each believe it is in substantial compliance with existing EHS rules and regulations. There can be no assurance that the EHS matters described above or other EHS matters which may develop in the future will not have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, or results of operations.