| Commitments and Contingencies | Note 10—Commitments and Contingencies
Macondo well incident commitments and contingencies
Overview —On April 22, 2010, the ultra‑deepwater floater Deepwater Horizon sank after a blowout of the Macondo well caused a fire and explosion on the rig off the coast of Louisiana. At the time of the explosion, Deepwater Horizon was contracted to an affiliate of BP plc (together with its affiliates, “BP”). Following the incident, we have been subject to civil and criminal claims, as well as causes of action, fines and penalties by local, state and federal governments. Litigation commenced shortly after the incident, and most claims against us were consolidated by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation and transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (the “MDL Court”). A significant portion of the contingencies arising from the Macondo well incident has now been resolved as a result of settlements with the U.S. Department of Justice (the “DOJ”), BP and the states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas (collectively, the “States”). Additionally, we and the Plaintiff Steering Committee (the “PSC”) entered into a settlement agreement (the “PSC Settlement Agreement”), which was approved by the MDL Court on February 15, 2017.
We have recognized a liability for the remaining estimated loss contingencies associated with litigation resulting from the Macondo well incident that we believe are probable and for which a reasonable estimate can be made. At March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the liability for estimated loss contingencies that we believe are probable and for which a reasonable estimate can be made was $242 million and $250 million, respectively, recorded in other current liabilities. The remaining litigation could result in certain loss contingencies that we believe are reasonably possible. Although we have not recognized a liability for such loss contingencies, these contingencies could result in liabilities that we ultimately recognize.
We recognize an asset associated with the portion of our estimated losses that we believe is probable of recovery from insurance and for which we have received from underwriters’ confirmation of expected payment. Although we have available policy limits that could result in additional amounts recoverable from insurance, recovery of such additional amounts is not probable and we are not currently able to estimate such amounts (see “—Insurance coverage”). Our estimates involve a significant amount of judgment.
Plea Agreement —Pursuant to the plea agreement (the “Plea Agreement”), one of our subsidiaries pled guilty to one misdemeanor count of negligently discharging oil into the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, in violation of the Clean Water Act (“CWA”) and agreed to be subject to probation through February 2018. The DOJ agreed, subject to the provisions of the Plea Agreement, not to further prosecute us for certain matters arising from the Macondo well incident. We also agreed to make an aggregate cash payment of $ 400 million, including a criminal fine and cash contributions to the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation and the National Academy of Sciences. At December 31, 2016, the carrying amount of our liability for such settlement obligations was $60 million, recorded in other current liabilities. In the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, we made cash payments of $60 million in each period, representing the final installments for our obligations under the Plea Agreement.
PSC Settlement Agreement —On May 29, 2015, together with the PSC, we filed the PSC Settlement Agreement with the MDL Court for approval. Through the PSC Settlement Agreement, we agreed to pay a total of $212 million, plus up to $25 million for partial reimbursement of attorneys’ fees, to be allocated between two classes of plaintiffs as follows: (1) private plaintiffs, businesses, and local governments who could have asserted punitive damages claims against us under general maritime law (the “Punitive Damages Class”); and (2) private plaintiffs who previously settled economic damages claims against BP and were assigned certain claims BP had made against us (the “Assigned Claims Class”). A court‑appointed neutral representative established the allocation of the settlement payment to be 72.8 percent paid to the Punitive Damages Class and 27.2 percent paid to the Assigned Claims Class. In exchange for these payments, each of the classes agreed to release all respective claims it has against us. Members of the Punitive Damages Class were given the opportunity to opt out, and 30 claimants have elected to opt out, of the PSC Settlement Agreement. In June 2016 and August 2015, we made a cash deposit of $25 million and $212 million, respectively, into escrow accounts pending approval of the settlement by the MDL Court. On February 15, 2017, the MDL Court entered a final order and judgement approving the PSC Settlement Agreement, which is no longer subject to appeal. At March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the aggregate cash balance in escrow accounts was $237 million, recorded in other current assets.
Pending claims —As of March 31, 2017, numerous complaints remain pending against us, along with other unaffiliated defendants in the MDL Court. We believe our settlement with the PSC resolves many of these pending actions. As for any actions not resolved by these settlements, including any claims by individuals who opted out of the PSC Settlement Agreement, claims by the Mexican government under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (“OPA”) and maritime law and federal securities actions, we are vigorously defending those claims and pursuing any and all defenses available. See”—PSC Settlement Agreement” and “—Federal securities claims.”
Federal securities claims —On September 30, 2010, a proposed federal securities class action was filed against us in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. In the action, a former shareholder of the acquired company alleged that the joint proxy statement related to our shareholder meeting in connection with the merger with the acquired company violated various securities laws and that the acquired company’s shareholders received inadequate consideration for their shares as a result of the alleged violations and sought compensatory and rescissory damages and attorneys’ fees. On March 11, 2014, the District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed the claims as time-barred. Plaintiffs appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (the “Second Circuit”), but on March 17, 2016, the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal. Plaintiffs filed a petition for writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on August 12, 2016. On January 13, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari in a separate case, not involving Transocean, which raised the same issues on which the Second Circuit dismissed the claim against Transocean. The U.S. Supreme Court’s ultimate determination of this separate case may affect the time‑barred dismissal of the case involving Transocean.
Insurance coverage —At the time of the Macondo well incident, our excess liability insurance program offered aggregate insurance coverage of $950 million, excluding a $15 million deductible and a $50 million self-insured layer through our wholly owned captive insurance subsidiary. This excess liability insurance coverage consisted of a first and a second layer of $150 million each, a third and fourth layer of $200 million each and a fifth layer of $250 million. We recovered costs under the first four excess layers, the limits of which are now fully exhausted. We submitted claims to the $250 million fifth layer, which is comprised of four Bermuda market insurers (the “Bermuda Insurers”). The Bermuda Insurers asserted various coverage defenses to our claims, and we issued arbitration notices to the Bermuda Insurers. In the three months ended March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, we received cash proceeds of $10 million and $20 million, respectively, associated with settlements with two of the Bermuda Insurers. On March 8, 2017, we received an adverse decision in one of the remaining two arbitrations. On March 28, 2017, we filed for relief on the awards to the England and Wales High Court of Justice requesting remission to the arbitration tribunal for consideration of issues not addressed in the awards. We cannot provide assurance that we will successfully recover additional proceeds under the available policy limits.
Other legal proceedings
Asbestos litigation —In 2004, several of our subsidiaries were named, along with numerous other unaffiliated defendants, in 21 complaints filed on behalf of 769 plaintiffs in the Circuit Courts of the State of Mississippi, and in 2014, a group of similar complaints were filed in Louisiana. The plaintiffs, former employees of some of the defendants, generally allege that the defendants used or manufactured asbestos containing drilling mud additives for use in connection with drilling operations, claiming negligence, products liability, strict liability and claims allowed under the Jones Act and general maritime law. The plaintiffs generally seek awards of unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, but the court‑appointed special master has ruled that a Jones Act employer defendant, such as us, cannot be sued for punitive damages. At March 31, 2017, 15 plaintiffs have claims pending in Mississippi and eight plaintiffs have claims pending in Louisiana in which we have or may have an interest. We intend to defend these lawsuits vigorously, although we can provide no assurance as to the outcome. We historically have maintained broad liability insurance, although we are not certain whether insurance will cover the liabilities, if any, arising out of these claims. Based on our evaluation of the exposure to date, we do not expect the liability, if any, resulting from these claims to have a material adverse effect on our condensed consolidated statement of financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
One of our subsidiaries has been named as a defendant, along with numerous other companies, in lawsuits arising out of the subsidiary’s manufacture and sale of heat exchangers, and involvement in the construction and refurbishment of major industrial complexes alleging bodily injury or personal injury as a result of exposure to asbestos. As of March 31, 2017, the subsidiary was a defendant in approximately 324 lawsuits, some of which include multiple plaintiffs, and we estimate that there are approximately 345 plaintiffs in these lawsuits. For many of these lawsuits, we have not been provided with sufficient information from the plaintiffs to determine whether all or some of the plaintiffs have claims against the subsidiary, the basis of any such claims, or the nature of their alleged injuries. The operating assets of the subsidiary were sold and its operations were discontinued in 1989, and the subsidiary has no remaining assets other than insurance policies, rights and proceeds, including (i) certain policies subject to litigation and (ii) certain rights and proceeds held directly or indirectly through a qualified settlement fund. The subsidiary has in excess of $1.0 billion in insurance limits potentially available to the subsidiary. Although not all of the policies may be fully available due to the insolvency of certain insurers, we believe that the subsidiary will have sufficient funding directly or indirectly, including from settlements and payments from insurers, assigned rights from insurers and coverage‑in‑place settlement agreements with insurers to respond to these claims. While we cannot predict or provide assurance as to the outcome of these matters, we do not expect the ultimate liability, if any, resulting from these claims to have a material adverse effect on our condensed consolidated statement of financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Rio de Janeiro tax assessment —In the year ended December 31, 2006, the state tax authorities of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil issued to one of our subsidiaries tax assessments on equipment imported into the state in connection with our operations, resulting from a preliminary finding by these authorities that our record keeping practices were deficient. At March 31, 2017, the aggregate tax assessment was for BRL 513 million, equivalent to approximately $164 million, including interest and penalties. In September 2006, we filed an initial response refuting these tax assessments, and, in September 2007, the state tax authorities confirmed that they believe the tax assessments are valid. On September 27, 2007, we filed an appeal with the state Taxpayer’s Council contesting the assessments. While we cannot predict or provide assurance as to the final outcome of these proceedings, we do not expect it to have a material adverse effect on our condensed consolidated statement of financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Nigerian Cabotage Act litigation —In October 2007, three of our subsidiaries were each served a Notice and Demand from the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, imposing a two percent surcharge on the value of all contracts performed by us in Nigeria pursuant to the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003 (the “Cabotage Act”). Our subsidiaries each filed an originating summons in the Federal High Court in Lagos challenging the imposition of this surcharge on the basis that the Cabotage Act and associated levy is not applicable to drilling rigs. The respondents challenged the competence of the suits on several procedural grounds. The court upheld the objections and dismissed the suits. In December 2010, our subsidiaries filed a new joint Cabotage Act suit. While we cannot predict or provide assurance as to the outcome of these proceedings, we do not expect the proceedings to have a material adverse effect on our condensed consolidated statement of financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Other matters —We are involved in various tax matters, various regulatory matters, and a number of claims and lawsuits, asserted and unasserted, all of which have arisen in the ordinary course of our business. We do not expect the liability, if any, resulting from these other matters to have a material adverse effect on our condensed consolidated statement of financial position, results of operations or cash flows. We cannot predict with certainty the outcome or effect of any of the litigation matters specifically described above or of any such other pending, threatened, or possible litigation or liability. We can provide no assurance that our beliefs or expectations as to the outcome or effect of any tax, regulatory, lawsuit or other litigation matter will prove correct and the eventual outcome of these matters could materially differ from management’s current estimates.
Other environmental matters
Hazardous waste disposal sites —We have certain potential liabilities under the Comprehensive Environment Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) and similar state acts regulating cleanup of various hazardous waste disposal sites, including those described below. CERCLA is intended to expedite the remediation of hazardous substances without regard to fault. Potentially responsible parties (“PRPs”) for each site include present and former owners and operators of, transporters to and generators of the substances at the site. Liability is strict and can be joint and several.
We have been named as a PRP in connection with a site located in Santa Fe Springs, California, known as the Waste Disposal, Inc. site. We and other PRPs have agreed with the Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) and the DOJ to settle our potential liabilities for this site by agreeing to perform the remaining remediation required by the EPA. The parties to the settlement have entered into a participation agreement, which makes us liable for approximately eight percent of the remediation and related costs. The remediation is complete, and we believe our share of the future operation and maintenance costs of the site is not material. There are additional potential liabilities related to the site, but these cannot be quantified, and we have no reason at this time to believe that they will be material.
One of our subsidiaries has been ordered by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (“CRWQCB”) to develop a testing plan for a site known as Campus 1000 Fremont in Alhambra, California, which is now a part of the San Gabriel Valley, Area 3, Superfund site. We were also advised that one or more of our subsidiaries that formerly owned and operated the site would likely be named by the EPA as PRPs. The current property owner, an unrelated party, performed the required testing and detected no contaminants. In discussions with CRWQCB staff, we were advised of their intent to issue us a “no further action” letter, but it has not yet been received. Based on the test results, we would contest any potential liability. We have no knowledge at this time of the potential cost of any remediation, who else will be named as PRPs, and whether in fact any of our subsidiaries is a responsible party. The subsidiaries in question do not own any operating assets and have limited ability to respond to any liabilities.
Resolutions of other claims by the EPA, the involved state agency or PRPs are at various stages of investigation. These investigations involve determinations of (a) the actual responsibility attributed to us and the other PRPs at the site, (b) appropriate investigatory or remedial actions and (c) allocation of the costs of such activities among the PRPs and other site users. Our ultimate financial responsibility in connection with those sites may depend on many factors, including (i) the volume and nature of material, if any, contributed to the site for which we are responsible, (ii) the number of other PRPs and their financial viability and (iii) the remediation methods and technology to be used.
It is difficult to quantify with certainty the potential cost of these environmental matters, particularly in respect of remediation obligations. Nevertheless, based upon the information currently available, we believe that our ultimate liability arising from all environmental matters, including the liability for all other related pending legal proceedings, asserted legal claims and known potential legal claims which are likely to be asserted, is adequately accrued and should not have a material effect on our condensed consolidated statement of financial position or results of operations. |
