OXY, §1A diff (2018 → 2019)

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS Risks related to Occidental’s business and operations Volatile global and local commodity pricing strongly affect Occidental’s results of operations. Occidental’s financial results correlate closely to the prices it obtains for its products, particularly oil and, to a lesser extent, natural gas and NGL, and its chemical products. Prices for oil, natural gas and NGL fluctuate widely. Historically, the markets for oil, natural gas and NGL have been volatile and may continue to be volatile in the future. If the prices of oil, natural gas, or NGL continue to be volatile or decline, Occidental’s operations, financial condition, cash flows, level of expenditures and the quantity of estimated proved reserves that may be attributed to our properties may be materially and adversely affected. Prices are set by global and local market forces which are not in Occidental’s control. These factors include, among others: Ø Worldwide and domestic supplies of, and demand for, oil, natural gas, NGL and refined products; Ø The cost of exploring for, developing, producing, refining and marketing oil, natural gas, NGL and refined products; Ø Operational impacts such as production disruptions, technological advances and regional market conditions, including available transportation capacity and infrastructure constraints in producing areas; Ø Changes in weather patterns and climate; Ø The impacts of the members of OPEC and other non-OPEC member-producing nations that may agree to and maintain production levels; Ø The worldwide military and political environment, including uncertainty or instability resulting from an escalation or outbreak of armed hostilities or acts of terrorism in the United States, or elsewhere; Ø The price and availability of alternative and competing fuels; Ø Technological advances affecting energy consumption and supply; Ø Domestic and foreign governmental regulations and taxes; Ø Shareholder activism or activities by non-governmental organizations to restrict the exploration, development and production of oil, natural gas and NGL; Ø Additional or increased nationalization and expropriation activities by foreign governments; Ø The impact and uncertainty of world health events; Ø Volatility in commodity futures markets; Ø The effect of energy conservation efforts; and Ø Global inventory levels and general economic conditions. The long-term effects of these and other conditions on the prices of oil, natural gas, NGL and refined products are uncertain, and there can be no assurance that the demand or pricing for Occidental’s products will follow historic patterns or recover meaningfully in the near term. Prolonged or substantial decline, or sustained market uncertainty, in these commodity prices may have the following effects on Occidental’s business: Ø Adversely affect Occidental’s financial condition, liquidity, ability to reduce debt, pay dividends, finance planned capital expenditures, ability to repurchase shares and results of operations; Ø Reduce the amount of oil, natural gas and NGLs that Occidental can produce economically; Ø Cause Occidental to delay or postpone some of its capital projects; Ø Reduce Occidental’s revenues, operating income or cash flows; Ø Reduce the amounts of Occidental’s estimated proved oil, natural gas and NGL reserves; Ø Reduce the carrying value of Occidental’s oil and natural gas properties due to recognizing impairments of proved properties, unproved properties and exploration assets; Ø Reduce the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows relating to oil, natural gas and NGL reserves; Ø Limit Occidental’s access to, or increase the cost of, sources of capital such as equity and long-term debt; and Ø Adversely affect the ability of Occidental’s partners to fund their working interest capital requirements. Generally, Occidental’s historical practice has been to remain exposed to the market prices of commodities. In 2019, management elected to hedge a portion of Occidental’s expected 2020 oil production to enhance cash flow stability following the Acquisition. In the future, management may elect to hedge some of the risk of oil, natural gas and NGL price fluctuations. Past or future commodity price risk management activities may prevent us from fully benefiting from price increases and may expose us to regulatory and other risks. The prices obtained for Occidental’s chemical products correlate to the health of the United States and global economies, as well as chemical industry expansion and contraction cycles. Occidental also depends on feedstocks and energy to produce chemicals, which are commodities subject to significant price fluctuations. RISK FACTORS Occidental may experience delays, cost overruns, losses or other unrealized expectations in development efforts and exploration activities. Oil, natural gas and NGL exploration and production activities are subject to numerous risks beyond our control, including the risk that drilling will not result in commercially viable oil, natural gas and NGL production. In its development and exploration activities, Occidental bears the risks of: Ø Equipment failures; Ø Construction delays; Ø Escalating costs or competition for services, materials, supplies or labor; Ø Property or border disputes; Ø Disappointing drilling results or reservoir performance; Ø Title problems and other associated risks that may affect its ability to profitably grow production, replace reserves and achieve its targeted returns; Ø Actions by third-party operators of our properties; Ø Delays and costs of drilling wells on lands subject to complex development terms and circumstances; and Ø Oil, natural gas or NGL gathering, transportation and processing availability, restrictions or limitations. Exploration is inherently risky and is subject to delays, misinterpretation of geologic or engineering data, unexpected geologic conditions or finding reserves of disappointing quality or quantity, which may result in significant losses. Governmental actions and political instability may affect Occidental’s results of operations. Occidental’s businesses are subject to the actions and decisions of many federal, state, local and foreign governments and political interests. As a result, Occidental faces risks of: Ø New or amended laws and regulations, or new or different applications or interpretations of existing laws and regulations, including those related to drilling, manufacturing or production processes (including well stimulation techniques such as hydraulic fracturing and acidization), pipelines, labor and employment, taxes, royalty rates, permitted production rates, entitlements, import, export and use of raw materials, equipment or products, use or increased use of land, water and other natural resources, safety, the manufacturing of chemicals, asset integrity management, the marketing or export of commodities, security and environmental protection, all of which may restrict or prohibit activities of Occidental or its contractors, increase Occidental’s costs or reduce demand for Occidental’s products. In addition, violation of certain governmental laws and regulations may result in strict, joint and several liability and the imposition of significant civil and criminal fines and penalties; Ø Refusal of, or delay in, the extension or grant of exploration, development or production contracts; and Ø Development delays and cost overruns due to approval delays for, or denial of, drilling, construction, environmental and other regulatory approvals, permits and authorizations. As an example of local governmental actions, some counties in Colorado have amended their land use regulations to impose new requirements on oil and gas development while other local governments have entered memoranda of agreement with oil and gas producers to accomplish the same objective. Further, voters in Colorado have proposed or advanced ballot initiatives restricting or banning oil and gas development in Colorado. In the event that these ballot initiatives are adopted or the county-level regulations are implemented in areas where we conduct operations, we may incur significant costs to comply with such requirements or may experience delays or curtailment in the permitting or pursuit of exploration, development or production activities. In addition, Occidental has and may continue to experience adverse consequences, such as risk of loss or production limitations, because certain of its international operations are located in countries affected by political instability, nationalizations, corruption, armed conflict, terrorism, insurgency, civil unrest, security problems, labor unrest, OPEC production restrictions, equipment import restrictions and sanctions. Exposure to such risks may increase if a greater percentage of Occidental’s future oil and gas production or revenue comes from international sources. Occidental’s oil and gas business operates in highly competitive environments, which affect, among other things, its ability to make acquisitions to grow production and replace reserves. Results of operations, reserves replacement and growth in oil and gas production depend, in part, on Occidental’s ability to profitably acquire additional reserves. Occidental has many competitors (including national oil companies), some of which: (i) are larger and better funded; (ii) may be willing to accept greater risks; (iii) have greater access to capital; (iv) have substantially larger staffs; or (v) have special competencies. Competition for reserves may make it more difficult to find attractive investment opportunities or require delay of reserve replacement efforts. Further, during periods of low product prices, any cash conservation efforts may delay production growth and reserve replacement efforts. Also, there is substantial competition for capital available for investment in the oil and natural gas industry. Our failure to acquire properties, grow production, replace reserves and attract and retain qualified personnel could have a material adverse effect on our cash flows and results of operations. RISK FACTORS In addition, Occidental’s acquisition activities carry risks that it may: (i) not fully realize anticipated benefits due to less-than-expected reserves or production or changed circumstances, such as declines in oil, NGL, and natural gas prices; (ii) bear unexpected integration costs or experience other integration difficulties; (iii) experience share price declines based on the market’s evaluation of the activity; or (iv) be subject to liabilities that are greater than anticipated. Occidental’s oil and gas reserves are estimates based on professional judgments and may be subject to revision. Reported oil and gas reserves are an estimate based on periodic review of reservoir characteristics and recoverability, including production decline rates, operating performance and economic feasibility at the prevailing commodity prices, assumptions concerning future oil and natural gas prices, future operating costs and capital expenditures, workover and remedial costs, assumed effects of regulation by governmental agencies, the quantity, quality and interpretation of relevant data, taxes and availability of funds. The procedures and methods for estimating the reserves by our internal engineers were reviewed by independent petroleum consultants; however, there are inherent uncertainties in estimating reserves. Actual production, revenues, expenditures, oil, NGL and natural gas prices and taxes with respect to our reserves may vary from estimates, and the variance may be material. If Occidental were required to make significant negative reserve revisions, its results of operations and stock price could be adversely affected. In addition, the discounted cash flows included in this Form 10-K should not be construed as the fair value of the reserves attributable to our properties. The estimated discounted future net cash flows from proved reserves are based on an unweighted 12-month average first-day-of-the-month prices in accordance with SEC regulations. Actual future prices and costs may differ materially from SEC regulation-compliant prices and costs used for purposes of estimating future discounted net cash flows from proved reserves. Also, actual future net cash flows may differ from these discounted net cash flows due to the amount and timing of actual production, availability of financing for capital expenditures necessary to develop our undeveloped reserves, supply and demand for oil, NGL and natural gas, increases or decreases in consumption of oil, natural gas and NGL and changes in governmental regulations or taxation. Climate change and further regulation of greenhouse gas emissions may adversely affect Occidental’s operations or results. Continuing political and social attention to the issue of climate change has resulted in both existing and pending international agreements and national, regional and local legislation and regulatory programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In December 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases endanger public health and the environment because emissions of such gases are, according to the EPA, contributing to warming of the Earth’s atmosphere and other climatic changes. Based on these findings, the EPA began adopting and implementing regulations to restrict emissions of greenhouse gases under existing provisions of the Clean Air Act (CAA). For example, the EPA issued rules restricting methane emissions from hydraulically fractured and refractured gas wells, compressors, pneumatic controls, storage vessels, and natural gas processing plants. In addition, in August 2019, the EPA issued the Affordable Clean Energy rule that designates heat rate improvement, or efficiency improvement, as the best system of emissions reduction for carbon dioxide from existing coal-fired electric utility generating units. In the absence of federal legislation to significantly reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to date, many state governments have established rules aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including greenhouse gas cap and trade programs. Most of these cap and trade programs work by requiring major sources of emissions, such as electric power plants, or major producers of fuels, including refineries and natural gas processing plants, to acquire and surrender emission allowances. In the future, the United States may also choose to adhere to international agreements targeting greenhouse gas reductions. These and other government actions relating to greenhouse gas emissions could require Occidental to incur increased operating and maintenance costs, such as costs to purchase and operate emissions control systems, to acquire emissions allowances, pay carbon taxes, or comply with new regulatory or reporting requirements, or they could promote the use of alternative sources of energy and thereby decrease demand for oil, natural gas, NGL and other products that Occidental’s businesses produce. Any such legislation or regulatory programs could also increase the cost of consuming, and thereby reduce demand for, oil, natural gas, NGL and other products produced by Occidental’s businesses and lower the value of its reserves. Consequently, government actions designed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases could have an adverse effect on Occidental’s business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and reserves. It is difficult to predict the timing and certainty of such government actions and their ultimate effect on Occidental, which could depend on, among other things, the type and extent of greenhouse gas reductions required, the availability and price of emissions allowances or credits, the availability and price of alternative fuel sources, the energy sectors covered, and Occidental’s ability to recover the costs incurred through its operating agreements or the pricing of its oil, natural gas, NGL and other products. There also have been efforts in the investment community, including investment advisers and certain sovereign wealth, pension and endowment funds, as well as other stakeholders, promoting divestment of fossil fuel equities and pressuring lenders to limit funding to companies engaged in the extraction of fossil fuel reserves. Such environmental activism and initiatives aimed at limiting climate change and reducing air pollution could interfere with our business activities, operations and ability to access capital. Such initiatives could cause the market value of our securities to decrease, our cost of capital to RISK FACTORS increase and adversely affect our reputation. Finally, increasing attention to climate change risks has resulted in an increased possibility of governmental investigations and additional private litigation against Occidental without regard to causation or our contribution to the asserted damage, which could increase our costs or otherwise adversely affect our business. Occidental has been named in certain private litigation relating to these matters. Occidental’s businesses may experience catastrophic events. The occurrence of events such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, earthquakes or other acts of nature, well blowouts, pandemics, fires, explosions, pipeline ruptures, chemical releases, oil releases, including maritime releases, releases into navigable waters, and groundwater contamination, material or mechanical failure, industrial accidents, physical attacks, abnormally pressured or structured formations and other events that cause operations to cease or be curtailed may negatively affect Occidental’s businesses and the communities in which it operates. Coastal operations are particularly susceptible to disruption from extreme weather events. Any of these risks could adversely affect our ability to conduct operations or result in substantial losses to us as a result of: Ø Damage to and destruction of property and equipment; Ø Damage to natural resources; Ø Pollution and other environmental damage, including spillage or mishandling of recovered chemicals or fluids; Ø Regulatory investigations and penalties; Ø Loss of well location, acreage, expected production and related reserves; Ø Suspension or delay of our operations; Ø Substantial liability claims; and Ø Repair and remediation costs. Third-party insurance may not provide adequate coverage or Occidental may be self-insured with respect to the related losses. In addition, under certain circumstances, we may be liable for environmental damage caused by previous owners or operators of properties that we own, lease or operate. As a result, we may incur substantial liabilities to third parties or governmental entities for environmental matters for which we do not have insurance coverage, which could reduce or eliminate funds available for exploration, development or acquisitions or cause us to incur losses. Occidental uses CO2 for its enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations, and its production from these operations may decline if Occidental is not able to obtain sufficient amounts of CO2. Occidental’s CO2 EOR operations are critical to Occidental’s long-term strategy. Oil production from Occidental’s EOR projects depends largely on having access to sufficient amounts of naturally occurring or anthropogenic CO2. Occidental’s ability to produce oil from its EOR projects would be hindered if the supply of CO2 was limited due to, among other things, problems with current CO2 producing wells and facilities, including compression equipment, catastrophic pipeline failure or the ability to economically purchase naturally occurring or anthropogenic CO2. This could have a material adverse effect on Occidental’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. Future oil production from its EOR operations is dependent on the timing, volumes and location of CO2 injections and, in particular, Occidental’s ability to obtain sufficient volumes of CO2. Market conditions may cause the delay or cancellation of the development of naturally occurring CO2 sources or construction of plants that produce anthropogenic CO2 as a byproduct that can be purchased, thus limiting the amount of CO2 available for use in Occidental’s EOR operations. Occidental is exposed to cyber-related risks. The oil and gas industry is increasingly dependent on digital and industrial control technologies to conduct certain exploration, development and production activities. Occidental relies on digital and industrial control systems, related infrastructure, technologies and networks to run its business and to control and manage its oil and gas, chemicals, marketing and pipeline operations. Use of the internet, cloud services, mobile communication systems and other public networks exposes Occidental’s business and that of other third parties with whom Occidental does business to cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks on businesses have escalated in recent years. Information and industrial control technology system failures, network disruptions and breaches of data security could disrupt our operations by causing delays, impeding processing of transactions and reporting financial results, resulting in the unintentional disclosure of company, partner, customer or employee information or could damage our reputation. A cyber-attack involving our information or industrial control systems and related infrastructure, or that of our business associates, could negatively impact our operations in a variety of ways, including but not limited to, the following: Ø Unauthorized access to seismic data, reserves information, strategic information, or other sensitive or proprietary information could have a negative impact on our ability to compete for oil and natural gas resources; Ø Data corruption, communication or systems interruption or other operational disruption during drilling activities could result in delays and failure to reach the intended target or cause a drilling incident; RISK FACTORS Ø Data corruption, communication or systems interruption or operational disruptions of production-related infrastructure could result in a loss of production or accidental discharge; Ø A cyber-attack on our chemical operations could result in a disruption of the manufacturing and marketing of our products or a potential environmental hazard; Ø A cyber-attack on a vendor or service provider could result in supply chain disruptions, which could delay or halt our construction and development projects; Ø A cyber-attack on third-party gathering, pipeline, processing, or other infrastructure systems could delay or prevent us from transporting, processing and marketing our production; Ø A cyber-attack involving commodities exchanges or financial institutions could slow or halt commodities trading, thus preventing us from marketing our production or engaging in hedging activities; Ø A cyber-attack that halts activities at a power generation facility or refinery using natural gas as feedstock could have a significant impact on the natural gas market; Ø A cyber-attack on a communications network or power grid could cause operational disruption; Ø A cyber-attack on our automated and surveillance systems could cause a loss in production and potential environmental hazards; Ø A deliberate corruption of our financial or operating data could result in events of non-compliance which could then lead to regulatory fines or penalties; and Ø A cyber-attack resulting in the loss or disclosure of, or damage to, our or any of our customer’s or supplier’s data or confidential information could harm our business by damaging our reputation, subjecting us to potential financial or legal liability, and requiring us to incur significant costs, including costs to repair or restore our systems and data or to take other remedial steps. Even though Occidental has implemented controls and multiple layers of security to mitigate the risks of a cyber-attack that it believes are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such cyber security measures will be sufficient to prevent security breaches of its systems from occurring, and if a breach occurs, it may remain undetected for an extended period of time. Further, Occidental has no control over the comparable systems of the third parties with whom it does business. While Occidental has experienced cyber-attacks in the past, Occidental has not suffered any material losses. However, if in the future Occidental’s cyber security measures are compromised or prove insufficient, the potential consequences to Occidental’s businesses and the communities in which it operates could be significant. As cyber-attacks continue to evolve in magnitude and sophistication, Occidental may be required to expend additional resources in order to continue to enhance Occidental’s cyber security measures and to investigate and remediate any digital and operational systems, related infrastructure, technologies and network security vulnerabilities, which would increase our costs. A system failure or data security breach, or a series of such failures or breaches, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. Occidental’s oil and gas reserve additions may not continue at the same rate and a failure to replace reserves may negatively affect Occidental’s business. Producing oil and natural gas reservoirs generally are characterized by declining production rates that vary depending upon reservoir characteristics and other factors. Unless Occidental conducts successful exploration or development activities, acquires properties containing proved reserves, or both, proved reserves will generally decline and negatively impact our business. The value of our securities and our ability to raise capital will be adversely impacted if we are not able to replace reserves that are depleted by production or replace our declining production with new production. Management expects improved recovery, extensions and discoveries to continue as main sources for reserve additions but factors such as geology, government regulations and permits, the effectiveness of development plans and the ability to make the necessary capital investments or acquire capital are partially or fully outside management’s control and could cause results to differ materially from expectations. Occidental’s commodity-price risk management may prevent us from fully benefiting from price increases and may expose us to regulatory and other risks. To the extent that we engage in activities to protect Occidental’s cash flows from commodity-price declines, we may be prevented from realizing the full benefits of price increases above the levels of the derivative instruments used to manage price risk. In addition, Occidental’s commodity-price risk management may expose us to the risk of financial loss in certain circumstances, including instances in which the following occur: Ø Occidental’s production is less than the notional volume; Ø The counterparties to Occidental’s hedging or other price risk management contracts fail to perform under those arrangements; or Ø A sudden, unexpected event materially impacts oil, natural gas or NGL prices. RISK FACTORS Occidental’s operations and financial results could be significantly negatively impacted by its offshore operations. Occidental is vulnerable to risks associated with our offshore operations that could negatively impact our operations and financial results. Occidental conducts offshore operations in the Gulf of Mexico and Ghana. Occidental’s operations and financial results could be significantly impacted by conditions in some of these areas and are also vulnerable to certain unique risks associated with operating offshore, including those relating to the following: Ø Hurricanes and other adverse weather conditions; Ø Geological complexities and water depths associated with such operations; Ø Limited number of partners available to participate in projects; Ø Oilfield service costs and availability; Ø Compliance with environmental, safety, and other laws and regulations; Ø Terrorist attacks or piracy; Ø Remediation and other costs and regulatory changes resulting from oil spills or releases of hazardous materials; Ø Failure of equipment or facilities; and Ø Response capabilities for personnel, equipment, or environmental incidents. In addition, Occidental conducts some of its exploration in deep waters (greater than 1,000 feet) where operations, support services, and decommissioning activities are more difficult and costly than in shallower waters. The deep waters in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as international deepwater locations, lack the physical and oilfield service infrastructure present in shallower waters. As a result, deepwater operations may require significant time between a discovery and the time that Occidental can market its production, thereby increasing the risk involved with these operations. Additional domestic and international deepwater drilling laws, regulations and other restrictions, delays in the processing and approval of drilling permits and exploration, development, oil spill response and decommissioning plans and other offshore-related developments may have a material adverse effect on Occidental’s business, financial condition or results of operations. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement have imposed more stringent permitting procedures and regulatory safety and performance requirements for new wells to be drilled in federal waters. In addition, these governmental agencies are continuing to evaluate, develop and implement new, more restrictive regulatory requirements, which could result in additional costs, delays, restrictions or obligations with respect to oil exploration and production operations conducted offshore. For example, the BOEM has considered, and may adopt, supplemental bonding procedures for the decommissioning of offshore wells, platforms, pipelines and other facilities, which may be material. Compliance with these more stringent regulatory requirements and with existing environmental and oil spill regulations, together with any uncertainties or inconsistencies in decisions and rulings by governmental agencies, delays in the processing and approval of drilling permits or exploration, development, oil spill-response and decommissioning plans, and possible additional regulatory initiatives could result in difficult and more costly actions and adversely affect or delay new drilling and ongoing development efforts. Occidental’s indebtedness may make it more vulnerable to economic downturns and adverse developments in its business. A downgrade in Occidental’s credit ratings or future increases in interest rates may negatively impact Occidental’s cost of and ability to access the capital markets. Occidental incurred indebtedness and other payment obligations in connection with the Acquisition. Occidental’s higher level of indebtedness could increase Occidental’s vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic and industry conditions, economic downturns and adverse developments in its business and/or limit Occidental’s flexibility in planning for or reacting to changes in its business and the industries in which it operates. From time to time, Occidental has relied on access to the capital markets for funding, including in connection with the Acquisition. There can be no assurance that additional debt or equity financing will be available to Occidental in the future on acceptable terms, or at all. Occidental’s ability to obtain additional financing or refinancing will be subject to a number of factors, including general economic and market conditions, Occidental’s performance, investor sentiment and its existing debt compliance requirements. If Occidental is unable to generate sufficient funds from its operations to satisfy its capital requirements, including its existing debt obligations, or to raise additional capital on acceptable terms, Occidental’s business could be adversely affected. In addition, a downgrade in the credit rating of Occidental could negatively impact its cost of and ability to access capital and to effectively execute aspects of its strategy, and may require Occidental to provide collateral, letters of credit, or other forms of security under certain contractual agreements, which would increase Occidental’s operating costs. As a result, a downgrade below investment grade in Occidental’s credit ratings could have a material adverse impact on Occidental’s financial condition, operating results, or liquidity. Further, a portion of Occidental’s indebtedness bears interest at fluctuating interest rates, some of which is tied to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). LIBOR tends to fluctuate based on general interest rates, rates set by the Federal Reserve and other central banks, the supply of and demand for credit in the London interbank market and general economic conditions. In July 2017, the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR, announced that it intends to stop compelling banks RISK FACTORS to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR after 2021. The U.S. Federal Reserve, in conjunction with the Alternative Reference Rates Committee, is considering replacing U.S. dollar LIBOR with a newly created index, calculated based on repurchase agreements backed by treasury securities. It is not possible to predict the effect of these changes, other reforms or the establishment of alternative reference rates in the United Kingdom, the United States or elsewhere. These reforms and other pressures may cause LIBOR to disappear entirely or to perform differently than in the past. The consequences of these developments cannot be entirely predicted, but may include an increase in the cost of Occidental’s variable rate indebtedness, including floating rate notes and interest rate swaps, which may have an adverse effect on Occidental’s financial condition, operating results or cash flows. Risks related to Occidental’s Acquisition of Anadarko Occidental may not be able to integrate Anadarko successfully, and many of the anticipated benefits of combining Occidental and Anadarko may not be realized. Occidental acquired Anadarko with the expectation that the Acquisition will result in various benefits, including, among other things, operating efficiencies. Achieving those anticipated benefits is subject to a number of uncertainties, including whether Occidental can integrate the business of Anadarko in an efficient and effective manner. Occidental cannot ensure that those benefits will be realized as quickly as expected or at all. If Occidental does not achieve anticipated benefits, costs could increase, expected net income could decrease, the stock price could decline, and future business, financial condition, operating results and prospects could suffer. The integration process could take longer than anticipated and involve unanticipated costs. Disruptions of each company’s ongoing businesses, processes and systems or inconsistencies in standards, controls, procedures, practices, policies and compensation arrangements could adversely affect the combined company. Occidental may also have difficulty addressing differences in corporate cultures and management philosophies and harmonizing other systems and business practices. Although Occidental expects that the elimination of certain duplicative costs, as well as the realization of other efficiencies related to the integration of the two businesses, will over time offset the substantial incremental transaction and Acquisition-related costs, Occidental may not achieve this net benefit in the near term, or at all. Moreover, even if the integration of Anadarko is successful, the integration process places a significant burden on Occidental’s management and internal resources. The diversion of management’s attention away from day-to-day business concerns and any difficulties encountered in the integration process could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. Future results will be negatively impacted if Occidental does not effectively manage its expanded operations. With completion of the Acquisition, the size of Occidental’s business has increased significantly. Occidental’s continued success depends, in part, upon its ability to manage this expanded business, which poses substantial challenges for management, including challenges related to the management and monitoring of new operations and associated increased costs and complexity. Occidental cannot assure that it will be successful or that it will realize the expected operating efficiencies, cost savings and other benefits from the combination currently anticipated. Anadarko’s Tronox settlement may not be deductible for income tax purposes, and Occidental may be required to repay the tax refund Anadarko received in 2016 related to the deduction of the Tronox settlement payment, which may have a material adverse effect on Occidental’s results of operations, liquidity and financial condition. In April 2014, Anadarko and Kerr-McGee Corporation and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, Kerr-McGee) entered into a settlement agreement for $5.15 billion, resolving all claims that were or could have been asserted in connection with the May 2009 lawsuit filed by Tronox against Anadarko and Kerr-McGee Corporation (and certain of its subsidiaries) in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. After the settlement became effective in January 2015, Anadarko paid $5.2 billion and deducted this payment on its 2015 federal income tax return. Due to the deduction, Anadarko had a net operating loss carryback for 2015, which resulted in a tentative tax refund of $881 million in 2016. Occidental’s consolidated financial statements include an uncertain tax position greater than the amount of the tentative tax refund received. The IRS has audited Anadarko’s tax position regarding the deductibility of the payment and in September 2018 issued a statutory notice of deficiency rejecting Anadarko’s refund claim. Anadarko disagreed and filed a petition with the U.S. Tax Court to dispute the disallowance in November 2018. It is possible that Occidental may not ultimately succeed in defending this deduction. If the payment is ultimately determined not to be deductible, Occidental would be required to repay the tentative refund received plus interest totaling approximately $1.1 billion as of December 31, 2019, which could have a material adverse effect on our statement of operations, liquidity and consolidated balance sheets. This amount is not covered by insurance. For additional information on income taxes, see Note 11 - Lawsuits, Claims, Commitments and Contingencies in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. RISK FACTORS Occidental may not be able to complete its planned divestitures of certain assets on favorable terms or at all. Occidental announced a $15 billion divestiture program in connection with the Acquisition. The completion of these divestitures is subject to customary closing conditions, and certain of the divestitures are conditioned on the receipt of required government and regulatory approvals. Occidental may not be able to complete its planned divestitures on favorable terms, in a timely manner or at all. Any difficulties with respect to the completion of the planned divestitures could have a material adverse effect on Occidental’s business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and/or stock price. See Note 4 - Acquisitions, Dispositions and Other Transactions in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II Item 8 of this Form 10-K for information about the Total transaction. ITEM 1B.