Properties, Plant and Equipment The successful efforts method is used for crude oil and natural gas exploration and production activities. All costs for development wells, related plant and equipment, proved mineral interests in crude oil and natural gas properties, and related asset retirement obligation (ARO) assets are capitalized. Costs of exploratory wells are capitalized pending determination of whether the wells found proved reserves. Costs of wells that are assigned proved reserves remain capitalized. Costs also are capitalized for exploratory wells that have found crude oil and natural gas reserves even if the reserves cannot be classified as proved when the drilling is completed, provided the exploratory well has found a sufficient quantity of reserves to justify its completion as a producing well and the company is making sufficient progress assessing the reserves and the economic and operating viability of the project. All other exploratory wells and costs are expensed. Refer to Note 19, beginning on page FS-46, for additional discussion of accounting for suspended exploratory well costs.
Long-lived assets to be held and used, including proved crude oil and natural gas properties, are assessed for possible impairment by comparing their carrying values with their associated undiscounted, future net before-tax cash flows. Events that can trigger assessments for possible impairments include write-downs of proved reserves based on field performance, significant decreases in the market value of an asset, significant change in the extent or manner of use of or a physical change in an asset, and a more-likely-than-not expectation that a long-lived asset or asset group will be sold or otherwise disposed of significantly sooner than the end of its previously estimated useful life. Impaired assets are written down to their estimated fair values, generally their discounted, future net before-tax cash flows. For proved crude oil and natural gas properties in the United States, the company generally performs an impairment review on an individual field basis. Outside the United States, reviews are performed on a country, concession, development area or field basis, as appropriate. In Downstream, impairment reviews are performed on the basis of a refinery, a plant, a marketing/lubricants area or distribution area, as appropriate. Impairment amounts are recorded as incremental “Depreciation, depletion and amortization” expense.
Long-lived assets that are held for sale are evaluated for possible impairment by comparing the carrying value of the asset with its fair value less the cost to sell. If the net book value exceeds the fair value less cost to sell, the asset is considered impaired and adjusted to the lower value. Refer to Note 9, beginning on page FS-32, relating to fair value measurements.
The fair value of a liability for an ARO is recorded as an asset and a liability when there is a legal obligation associated with the retirement of a long-lived asset and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Refer also to Note 24, on page FS-56, relating to AROs.
Depreciation and depletion of all capitalized costs of proved crude oil and natural gas producing properties, except mineral interests, are expensed using the unit-of-production method, generally by individual field, as the proved developed reserves are produced. Depletion expenses for capitalized costs of proved mineral interests are recognized using the unit-of-production method by individual field as the related proved reserves are produced. Periodic valuation provisions for impairment of capitalized costs of unproved mineral interests are expensed.
The capitalized costs of all other plant and equipment are depreciated or amortized over their estimated useful lives. In general, the declining-balance method is used to depreciate plant and equipment in the United States; the straight-line method is generally used to depreciate international plant and equipment and to amortize all capitalized leased assets.
Gains or losses are not recognized for normal retirements of properties, plant and equipment subject to composite group amortization or depreciation. Gains or losses from abnormal retirements are recorded as expenses, and from sales as “Other income.”
Expenditures for maintenance (including those for planned major maintenance projects), repairs and minor renewals to maintain facilities in operating condition are generally expensed as incurred. Major replacements and renewals are capitalized.
