Company: OXY-WT
Filing Date: 2025-02-18
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000797468-25-000029
Chunk: 125

Company: OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORP /DE/
Filing Date: 2025-02-18
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 125
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 on Occidental’s results of operations, liquidity and financial condition.

In April 2014, Anadarko and Kerr-McGee entered into a settlement agreement for $5.2 billion, resolving, among other things, all claims that were or could have been asserted in connection with the May 2009 lawsuit filed by Tronox against Anadarko and Kerr-McGee 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. 

The IRS 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, in November 2018, filed a petition with the U.S. Tax Court to dispute the disallowance. Trial was held in May 2023. The parties filed post-trial briefs throughout 2023 and 2024. Closing arguments were held in May 2024. The Tax Court may issue an opinion at any time. If the Tax Court opines that all or a portion of the original $5.2 billion deduction is not deductible, a computation phase will commence where the parties will compute the tax amount to be included in the Tax Court’s decision. Once the parties submit their computation, the Tax Court judge will formally enter the decision reflecting the computed tax amount. To pursue an appeal of the Tax Court’s decision, any tax due as a result of the Tax Court’s decision must be fully bonded or paid within 90 days of the decision’s entry. If Anadarko does not pursue an appeal, the IRS will assess any resulting tax deficiency, including interest, and issue a notice demanding payment thereof.

In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 740’s guidance on the accounting for uncertain tax positions, as of December 31, 2024, Occidental had recorded no tax benefit on the tentative cash tax refund of $881 million. Additionally, Occidental has recorded no tax benefit on approximately $500 million of additional cash tax benefits realized from the utilization of tax attributes generated as a result of the deduction of