APA CorpAPA
APA Corp Commitments Disclosure
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Legal Matters
The Company is party to various legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business, including litigation and governmental and regulatory controls, which also may include controls related to the potential impacts of climate change. As of December 31, 2025, the Company has an accrued liability of approximately $23 million for all legal contingencies that are deemed to be probable of occurring and can be reasonably estimated. The Company’s estimates are based on information known about the matters and its experience in contesting, litigating, and settling similar matters. Although actual amounts could differ from management’s estimate, none of the actions are believed by management to involve future amounts that would be material to the Company’s financial position, results of operations, or liquidity after consideration of recorded accruals. With respect to material matters for which the Company believes an unfavorable outcome is reasonably possible, the Company has disclosed the nature of the matter and a range of potential exposure, unless an estimate cannot be made at this time. It is management’s opinion that the loss for any other litigation matters and claims that are reasonably possible to occur will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, or liquidity.
Australian Operations Divestiture Dispute
Pursuant to a Sale and Purchase Agreement dated April 9, 2015 (Quadrant SPA), the Company and its subsidiaries divested Australian operations to Quadrant Energy Pty Ltd (Quadrant). Closing occurred on June 5, 2015. In April 2017, the Company filed suit against Quadrant for breach of the Quadrant SPA. In its suit, the Company seeks approximately AUD $80 million. In December 2017, Quadrant filed a defense of equitable set-off to the Company’s claim and a counterclaim seeking approximately AUD $200 million in the aggregate. In 2018, Quadrant was acquired by Australian oil and gas company Santos, Ltd., who assumed Quadrant’s place in the ongoing litigation. In early 2025, Santos amended the pending counterclaims to abandon a number of claims that had been asserted against the Company but maintaining counterclaims for approximately AUD $57 million. Santos then filed a new lawsuit in the Supreme Court of Western Australia contending that it may be liable to the Australian Taxation Office for assessments, penalties, and interest related to the 2014 and 2015 tax years of approximately AUD $133 million and asserting that, if such amounts must be paid, the Company is liable to Santos for those amounts under the Quadrant SPA. All lawsuits related to the Quadrant SPA have now been consolidated into the same proceeding. The Company will vigorously prosecute its claim while vigorously defending against any counterclaims.
Delaware Litigation
On September 10, 2020, the State of Delaware filed suit, individually and on behalf of the people of the State of Delaware, against over 25 oil and gas companies alleging damages as a result of global warming. Plaintiffs seek unspecified damages and abatement under various tort theories. The Company is vigorously defending the suit.
Kulp Minerals Lawsuit
On or about April 7, 2023, Apache was sued in a purported class action in New Mexico styled Kulp Minerals LLC v. Apache Corporation, Case No. D-506-CV-2023-00352 in the Fifth Judicial District. The Kulp Minerals case was not certified and sought to represent a group of owners allegedly owed statutory interest under New Mexico law as a result of purported late oil and gas payments. On December 5, 2025, the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed the case with prejudice.
Environmental Matters
As of December 31, 2025, the Company had an undiscounted reserve for environmental remediation of approximately $2 million.
The Company is not aware of any environmental claims existing as of December 31, 2025, that have not been provided for or would otherwise have a material impact on its financial position, results of operations, or liquidity. There can be no assurance, however, that current regulatory requirements will not change or past non-compliance with environmental laws will not be discovered on the Company’s properties.
Potential Decommissioning Obligations on Sold Properties
In 2013, Apache sold its Gulf of America (GOA) Shelf operations and properties and its GOA operating subsidiary, GOM Shelf LLC (GOM Shelf) to Fieldwood Energy LLC (Fieldwood). Fieldwood assumed the obligation to decommission the properties held by GOM Shelf and the properties acquired from Apache and its other subsidiaries (collectively, the Legacy GOA Assets). On February 14, 2018, Fieldwood filed for (and subsequently emerged from) Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. On August 3, 2020, Fieldwood filed for (and subsequently emerged from) Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for a second time. Upon emergence from this second bankruptcy, the Legacy GOA Assets were separated into a standalone company, which was subsequently merged into GOM Shelf. Under GOM Shelf’s limited liability company agreement, the proceeds of production of the Legacy GOA Assets are to be used to fund the operation of GOM Shelf and the decommissioning of Legacy GOA Assets. The decommissioning obligations for the Legacy GOA Assets are partially secured by a trust account of which Apache is a beneficiary and which is funded by net profits interests (NPIs) depending on future oil prices. In addition, after such sources have been exhausted, Apache agreed upon resolution of GOM Shelf’s second bankruptcy to loan GOM Shelf up to $400 million to perform decommissioning, with such loans and related obligations secured by first and prior liens on the Legacy GOA Assets.
By letter dated April 5, 2022 (replacing two earlier letters) and by subsequent letter dated March 1, 2023, GOM Shelf notified the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) that it was unable to fund the decommissioning obligations that it was obligated to perform on certain of the Legacy GOA Assets. As a result, Apache and other current and former owners in these assets have received orders from BSEE and demands from third parties to decommission certain of the Legacy GOA Assets included in GOM Shelf’s notifications to BSEE. Apache expects to receive similar orders and demands on the other Legacy GOA Assets included in GOM Shelf’s notification letters. Apache has also received orders to decommission other Legacy GOA Assets that were not included in GOM Shelf’s notification letters. Further, Apache anticipates that GOM Shelf may send additional such notices to BSEE in the future and that it may receive additional orders from BSEE requiring it to decommission other Legacy GOA Assets.
As of December 31, 2025, the Company recorded an asset of $40 million representing the remaining amount the Company expects to be reimbursed from remaining security related to these decommissioning costs. Of the total asset recorded as of December 31, 2025, $21 million is reflected under the caption “Decommissioning security for sold Gulf of America properties,” and $19 million is reflected under “Other current assets” in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet.
As of December 31, 2025, Apache estimates that its potential liability to fund the remaining decommissioning of Legacy GOA Assets and assets previously sold to other operators ranges from $0.9 billion to $1.2 billion on an undiscounted basis. Management does not believe any specific estimate within this range is a better estimate than any other. Accordingly, the Company recorded contingent liabilities in the amounts of $881 million and $1.0 billion as of December 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, respectively. Of the total liability recorded as of December 31, 2025, $782 million is reflected under the caption “Decommissioning contingency for sold Gulf of America properties” and $99 million is reflected under “Other current liabilities” in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. Changes in significant assumptions impacting Apache’s estimated liability, including expected well decommissioning spread rates, derrick barge rates, planned abandonment logistics, and future cash flows of GOM Shelf, could result in a liability in excess of the amount accrued.
The Company recognized $60 million of gains on previously sold Gulf of America properties during 2025 to reflect the net impact of decreased estimated decommissioning costs of Legacy GOA Assets which BSSE may order the Company to decommission. The Company recognized losses on previously sold Gulf of America properties of $273 million and 212 million during 2024 and 2023, respectively, in the Company’s statement of consolidated operations.
Leases and Contractual Obligations
The Company determines if an arrangement is an operating or finance lease at the inception of each contract. If the contract is classified as an operating lease, the Company records a Right-of-Use (ROU) asset and corresponding liability reflecting the total remaining present value of fixed lease payments over the expected term of the lease agreement. The expected term of the lease may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option. If the Company’s lease does not provide an implicit rate in the contract, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate when calculating the present value. In the normal course of business, the Company enters into various lease agreements for real estate, drilling rigs, vessels, aircrafts, and equipment related to its exploration and development activities, which are typically classified as operating leases under the provisions of the standard. ROU assets are reflected within “Deferred charges and other assets” on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet, and the associated operating lease liabilities are reflected within “Other current liabilities” and “Other” within “Deferred Credits and Other Noncurrent Liabilities,” as applicable.
Operating lease expense associated with ROU assets is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Lease expense is reflected on the statement of consolidated operations commensurate with the leased activities and nature of the services performed. Gross fixed operating lease expense, inclusive of amounts billable to partners and other working interest owners, was $148 million, $170 million, and $168 million for the years ended 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively. As allowed under the standard, the Company accounts for non-lease and lease components as a single lease component for all asset classes and has elected to exclude short-term leases (those with terms of 12 months or less) from the balance sheet presentation. Costs incurred for short-term leases were $69 million, $85 million, and $71 million in 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively. In 2025 and 2024, these costs primarily related to short term drilling rigs in the U.S. and decommissioning work in the Gulf of America. In 2023 these costs primarily related to decommissioning work in the Gulf of America.
Finance lease assets are included in “Property and Equipment” on the consolidated balance sheet, and the associated finance lease liabilities are reflected within “Current debt” and “Long-term debt,” as applicable. Depreciation on the Company’s finance lease asset was $2 million in each of the years 2025, 2024, and 2023. Interest on the Company’s finance lease liability was $1 million in each of the years 2025, 2024, and 2023.
The following table represents the Company’s weighted average lease term and discount rate as of December 31, 2025:
| Operating Leases | Finance Lease | |||||||||||||
| Weighted average remaining lease term | 6.8 years | 7.7 years | ||||||||||||
| Weighted average discount rate | 5.9 | % | 4.4 | % | ||||||||||
At December 31, 2025, contractual obligations for long-term operating leases, finance leases, and purchase obligations are as follows:
Net Minimum Commitments(1) | Operating Leases(2) | Finance Lease(3) | Purchase Obligations(4) | |||||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | $ | 103 | $ | 4 | $ | 243 | ||||||||||||||
| 2027 | 70 | 4 | 214 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2028 | 53 | 4 | 182 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2029 | 41 | 4 | 156 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2030 | 25 | 4 | 119 | |||||||||||||||||
| Thereafter | 136 | 14 | 57 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total future minimum payments | 428 | 34 | $ | 971 | ||||||||||||||||
| Less: imputed interest | (111) | (6) | N/A | |||||||||||||||||
| Total lease liabilities | 317 | 28 | N/A | |||||||||||||||||
| 97 | 3 | N/A | ||||||||||||||||||
| $ | 220 | $ | 25 | N/A | ||||||||||||||||
(1)Excludes commitments for jointly owned fields and facilities for which the Company is not the operator.
(2)Amounts represent future payments associated with oil and gas operations inclusive of amounts billable to partners and other working interest owners. Such payments may be capitalized as a component of oil and gas properties and subsequently depreciated, impaired, or written off as exploration expense.
(3)Amounts represent the Company’s finance lease obligation related to the Company’s Midland, Texas regional office building.
(4)Amounts represent any agreements to purchase goods or services that are enforceable and legally binding and that specify all significant terms. These include minimum commitments associated with take-or-pay contracts, NGL processing agreements, drilling work program commitments, and agreements to secure capacity rights on third-party pipelines. Amounts exclude certain product purchase obligations related to marketing and trading activities for which there are no minimum purchase requirements or the amounts are not fixed or determinable. Total costs incurred under take-or-pay and throughput obligations were $263 million, $245 million, and $182 million in 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively.
The lease liability reflected in the table above represents the Company’s fixed minimum payments that are settled in accordance with the lease terms. Actual lease payments during the period may also include variable lease components such as common area maintenance, usage-based sales taxes and rate differentials, or other similar costs that are not determinable at the inception of the lease. Gross variable lease payments, inclusive of amounts billable to partners and other working interest owners were $52 million, $48 million, and $74 million in 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 26, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Feb 28, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Feb 22, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Feb 23, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Feb 22, 2022 | |
About Commitments Disclosures
Commitments and contingencies disclosures catalog a company's off-balance-sheet obligations and legal exposures — purchase commitments, guarantee arrangements, pending litigation, and regulatory proceedings. These items represent potential future cash outflows that may not appear as liabilities on the balance sheet until they become probable and estimable.
Key signals: litigation reserves and disclosed loss ranges quantify management's estimate of legal exposure, but unquantified "reasonably possible" losses often represent the larger risk. Watch for changes in language around pending cases — shifts from "remote" to "reasonably possible" or increases in estimated loss ranges signal deteriorating outcomes. Unconditional purchase obligations and take-or-pay contracts create fixed cost structures that reduce operational flexibility. Guarantee arrangements for subsidiaries or joint ventures can create cascading obligations. Compare the total commitment schedule against projected free cash flow to assess whether the company can meet its obligations without additional financing.