Chevron Corp. (CVX) | Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, Plant and Equipment Accounting Policy

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 Chevron is making sufficient progress assessing the reserves and the economic and operating viability of the project. All other exploratory wells and costs are expensed.

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, Chevron 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.

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.

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.

Source: Chevron Corp., Annual Report

Property, Plant and Equipment Disclosure

Chevron Corp., Statement of Financial Position, Property, Plant and Equipment

USD $ in millions

	Dec 31, 2012	Dec 31, 2011	Dec 31, 2010	Dec 31, 2009	Dec 31, 2008
United States	81,908	74,369	62,523	58,328	54,878
International	145,799	125,795	110,578	96,557	86,676
Upstream	227,707	200,164	173,101	154,885	141,554
United States	21,792	20,699	19,820	18,962	17,397
International	8,990	7,422	9,697	9,852	10,021
Downstream	30,782	28,121	29,517	28,814	27,418
United States	4,959	5,117	4,722	4,569	4,310
International	33	30	27	20	17
All other	4,992	5,147	4,749	4,589	4,327
Properties, plant and equipment, at cost	263,481	233,432	207,367	188,288	173,299
Accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization	(122,133)	(110,824)	(102,863)	(91,820)	(81,519)
Properties, plant and equipment, net	141,348	122,608	104,504	96,468	91,780

Source: Based on data from Chevron Corp. Annual Reports

Item	Description	The company
Properties, plant and equipment, at cost	Carrying amount at the balance sheet date for long-lived physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. This can include land, physical structures, machinery, vehicles, furniture, computer equipment, construction in progress, and similar items. Amount does not include depreciation.	Chevron Corp.'s properties, plant and equipment, at cost increased from 2010 to 2011 and from 2011 to 2012.
Properties, plant and equipment, net	Tangible assets that are held by an entity for use in the production or supply of goods and services, for rental to others, or for administrative purposes and that are expected to provide economic benefit for more than one year; net of accumulated depreciation. Examples include land, buildings, and production equipment.	Chevron Corp.'s properties, plant and equipment, net increased from 2010 to 2011 and from 2011 to 2012.

Property, Plant and Equipment Ratios (Summary)

Chevron Corp., Property, Plant and Equipment Ratios

	Dec 31, 2012	Dec 31, 2011	Dec 31, 2010	Dec 31, 2009	Dec 31, 2008
Average age	46.35%	47.48%	49.60%	48.77%	47.04%
Estimated total useful life (years)	20	18	16	16	18
Estimated age, time elapsed since purchase (years)	9	9	8	8	9
Estimated remaining life (years)	11	9	8	8	10

Ratio	Description	The company
Average age	As long as straight-line depreciation is used, this is an accurate estimate of asset age as a percentage of depreciable life. The relative age is a useful measure of whether the company's fixed asset base is old or new. Newer assets are likely to be more efficient.	Chevron Corp.'s average age of depreciable property, plant and equipment improved from 2010 to 2011 and from 2011 to 2012.
Estimated total useful life	Over longer time periods, this ratio is a useful measure of company's depreciation policy and can be used for comparisons with competitors.	Chevron Corp.'s estimated total useful life of depreciable property, plant and equipment increased from 2010 to 2011 and from 2011 to 2012.
Estimated time elapsed since purchase	The approximate age in years of a company's fixed assets. Useful for comparison purposes.	Chevron Corp.'s estimated time elapsed since purchase of depreciable property, plant and equipment deteriorated from 2010 to 2011 and from 2011 to 2012.
Estimated remaining life		Chevron Corp.'s estimated remaining life of depreciable property, plant and equipment increased from 2010 to 2011 and from 2011 to 2012.

Average Age

	Dec 31, 2012	Dec 31, 2011	Dec 31, 2010	Dec 31, 2009	Dec 31, 2008
Selected Financial Data (USD $ in millions)
Accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization	122,133	110,824	102,863	91,820	81,519
Properties, plant and equipment, at cost	263,481	233,432	207,367	188,288	173,299
Ratio
Average age¹	46.35%	47.48%	49.60%	48.77%	47.04%

2012 Calculations

¹ Average age = 100 × Accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization ÷ Properties, plant and equipment, at cost
= 100 × 122,133 ÷ 263,481 = 46.35%

Ratio	Description	The company
Average age	As long as straight-line depreciation is used, this is an accurate estimate of asset age as a percentage of depreciable life. The relative age is a useful measure of whether the company's fixed asset base is old or new. Newer assets are likely to be more efficient.	Chevron Corp.'s average age of depreciable property, plant and equipment improved from 2010 to 2011 and from 2011 to 2012.

Estimated Total Useful Life

	Dec 31, 2012	Dec 31, 2011	Dec 31, 2010	Dec 31, 2009	Dec 31, 2008
Selected Financial Data (USD $ in millions)
Properties, plant and equipment, at cost	263,481	233,432	207,367	188,288	173,299
Depreciation expense	13,413	12,911	13,063	12,110	9,528
Ratio
Estimated total useful life (years)¹	20	18	16	16	18

2012 Calculations

¹ Estimated total useful life (years) = Properties, plant and equipment, at cost ÷ Depreciation expense
= 263,481 ÷ 13,413 = 20

Ratio	Description	The company
Estimated total useful life	Over longer time periods, this ratio is a useful measure of company's depreciation policy and can be used for comparisons with competitors.	Chevron Corp.'s estimated total useful life of depreciable property, plant and equipment increased from 2010 to 2011 and from 2011 to 2012.

Estimated Age, Time Elapsed Since Purchase

	Dec 31, 2012	Dec 31, 2011	Dec 31, 2010	Dec 31, 2009	Dec 31, 2008
Selected Financial Data (USD $ in millions)
Accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization	122,133	110,824	102,863	91,820	81,519
Depreciation expense	13,413	12,911	13,063	12,110	9,528
Ratio
Time elapsed since purchase (years)¹	9	9	8	8	9

2012 Calculations

¹ Time elapsed since purchase (years) = Accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization ÷ Depreciation expense
= 122,133 ÷ 13,413 = 9

Ratio	Description	The company
Estimated time elapsed since purchase	The approximate age in years of a company's fixed assets. Useful for comparison purposes.	Chevron Corp.'s estimated time elapsed since purchase of depreciable property, plant and equipment deteriorated from 2010 to 2011 and from 2011 to 2012.

Estimated Remaining Life

	Dec 31, 2012	Dec 31, 2011	Dec 31, 2010	Dec 31, 2009	Dec 31, 2008
Selected Financial Data (USD $ in millions)
Properties, plant and equipment, net	141,348	122,608	104,504	96,468	91,780
Depreciation expense	13,413	12,911	13,063	12,110	9,528
Ratio
Estimated remaining life (years)¹	11	9	8	8	10

2012 Calculations

¹ Estimated remaining life (years) = Properties, plant and equipment, net ÷ Depreciation expense
= 141,348 ÷ 13,413 = 11

Ratio	Description	The company
Estimated remaining life		Chevron Corp.'s estimated remaining life of depreciable property, plant and equipment increased from 2010 to 2011 and from 2011 to 2012.