BP 2015 Annual Report Download - page 119

1. Significant accounting policies, judgements, estimates and assumptions – continued
Decommissioning provisions associated with downstream and petrochemicals facilities are generally not recognized, as the potential obligations
cannot be measured, given their indeterminate settlement dates. The group performs periodic reviews of its downstream and petrochemicals long-
lived assets for any changes in facts and circumstances that might require the recognition of a decommissioning provision.
The provision for environmental liabilities is estimated based on current legal and constructive requirements, technology, price levels and expected
plans for remediation. Actual costs and cash outflows can differ from estimates because of changes in laws and regulations, public expectations,
prices, discovery and analysis of site conditions and changes in clean-up technology.
Other provisions and liabilities are recognized in the period when it becomes probable that there will be a future outflow of funds resulting from past
operations or events and the amount of cash outflow can be reliably estimated. The timing of recognition and quantification of the liability require the
application of judgement to existing facts and circumstances, which can be subject to change. Since the cash outflows can take place many years in
the future, the carrying amounts of provisions and liabilities are reviewed regularly and adjusted to take account of changing facts and
circumstances.
The timing and amount of future expenditures are reviewed annually, together with the interest rate used in discounting the cash flows. The interest
rate used to determine the balance sheet obligation at the end of 2015 was a real rate of 0.75% (2014 0.75%), which was based on long-dated US
government bonds.
Provisions and contingent liabilities relating to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill are discussed in Note 2. Information about the group’s other provisionsis
provided in Note 22. As further described in Note 32, the group is subject to claims and actions. The facts and circumstances relating to particular
cases are evaluated regularly in determining whether a provision relating to a specific litigation should be recognized or revised. Accordingly,
significant management judgement relating to provisions and contingent liabilities is required, since the outcome of litigation is difficult to predict.
Employee benefits
Wages, salaries, bonuses, social security contributions, paid annual leave and sick leave are accrued in the period in which the associated services are
rendered by employees of the group. Deferred bonus arrangements that have a vesting date more than 12 months after the balance sheet date are
valued on an actuarial basis using the projected unit credit method and amortized on a straight-line basis over the service period until the award vests.
The accounting policies for share-based payments and for pensions and other post-retirement benefits are described below.
Share-based payments
Equity-settled transactions
The cost of equity-settled transactions with employees is measured by reference to the fair value at the date at which equity instruments are granted
and is recognized as an expense over the vesting period, which ends on the date on which the employees become fully entitled to the award. A
corresponding credit is recognized within equity. Fair value is determined by using an appropriate, widely used, valuation model. In valuing equity-
settled transactions, no account is taken of any vesting conditions, other than conditions linked to the price of the shares of the company (market
conditions). Non-vesting conditions, such as the condition that employees contribute to a savings-related plan, are taken into account in the grant-date
fair value, and failure to meet a non-vesting condition, where this is within the control of the employee is treated as a cancellation and any remaining
unrecognized cost is expensed.
Cash-settled transactions
The cost of cash-settled transactions is recognized as an expense over the vesting period, measured by reference to the fair value of the corresponding
liability which is recognized on the balance sheet. The liability is remeasured at fair value at each balance sheet date until settlement, with changesin
fair value recognized in the income statement.
Pensions and other post-retirement benefits
The cost of providing benefits under the group’s defined benefit plans is determined separately for each plan using the projected unit credit method,
which attributes entitlement to benefits to the current period to determine current service cost and to the current and prior periods to determine the
present value of the defined benefit obligation. Past service costs, resulting from either a plan amendment or a curtailment (a reduction in future
obligations as a result of a material reduction in the plan membership), are recognized immediately when the company becomes committed to a
change.
Net interest expense relating to pensions and other post-retirement benefits, which is recognized in the income statement, represents the net change
in present value of plan obligations and the value of plan assets resulting from the passage of time, and is determined by applying the discount rate to
the present value of the benefit obligation at the start of the year, and to the fair value of plan assets at the start of the year, taking into account
expected changes in the obligation or plan assets during the year.
Remeasurements of the defined benefit liability and asset, comprising actuarial gains and losses, and the return on plan assets (excluding amounts
included in net interest described above) are recognized within other comprehensive income in the period in which they occur and are not
subsequently reclassified to profit and loss.
The defined benefit pension plan surplus or deficit recognized in the balance sheet for each plan comprises the difference between the present value
of the defined benefit obligation (using a discount rate based on high quality corporate bonds) and the fair value of plan assets out of which the
obligations are to be settled directly. Fair value is based on market price information and, in the case of quoted securities, is the published bid price.
Defined benefit pension plan surpluses are only recognized to the extent they are recoverable, typically by way of refund.
Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognized in the income statement in the period in which they become payable.
Significant estimate or judgement: pensions and other post-retirement benefits
Accounting for pensions and other post-retirement benefits involves judgement about uncertain events, including estimated retirement dates, salary
levels at retirement, mortality rates, determination of discount rates for measuring plan obligations and net interest expense and assumptions for
inflation rates.
These assumptions are based on the environment in each country. The assumptions used may vary from year to year, which would affect future net
income and net assets. Any differences between these assumptions and the actual outcome also affect future net income and net assets.
Pension and other post-retirement benefit assumptions are reviewed by management at the end of each year. These assumptions are used to
determine the projected benefit obligation at the year end and hence the surpluses and deficits recorded on the group’s balance sheet, and pension
and other post-retirement benefit expense for the following year. The assumptions used are provided in Note 23.
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Financial statements