37. ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES AND JUDGMENTS
The Group’s financial condition and results of operations are sensitive to accounting methods, assumptions and estimates that underlie the preparation of the consolidated financial statements. Management bases the assumptions and estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that it believes to be reasonable and which form the basis for making judgments about matters that are not readily apparent from other sources. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates its estimates. Actual results may differ from those estimates as facts, circumstances and conditions change.
The selection of critical accounting policies, the judgments and other uncertainties affecting application of such policies and the sensitivity of reported results to changes in conditions and assumptions are factors to be considered when reviewing the consolidated financial statements. The significant accounting policies are set forth in Note 2. Management believes the following critical accounting policies involve the most significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements.
Oil and gas properties and reserves
The accounting for the exploration and production’s oil and gas activities is subject to accounting rules that are unique to the oil and gas industry. There are two methods to account for oil and gas business activities, the successful efforts method and the full cost method. The Group has elected to use the successful efforts method. The successful efforts method reflects the volatility that is inherent in exploring for mineral resources in that costs of unsuccessful exploratory efforts are charged to expense as they are incurred. These costs primarily include dry hole costs, seismic costs and other exploratory costs. Under the full cost method, these costs are capitalized and written-off or depreciated over time.
Engineering estimates of the Group’s oil and gas reserves are inherently imprecise and represent only approximate amounts because of the subjective judgments involved in developing such information. There are authoritative guidelines regarding the engineering criteria that have to be met before estimated oil and gas reserves can be designated as “proved”. Proved and proved developed reserves estimates are updated at least annually and take into account recent production and technical information about each field. In addition, as prices and cost levels change from year to year, the estimate of proved and proved developed reserves also changes. This change is considered a change in estimate for accounting purposes and is reflected on a prospective basis in relation to depreciation rates. Oil and gas reserves have a direct impact on the assessment of the recoverability of the carrying amounts of oil and gas properties reported in the financial statements. If proved reserves estimates are revised downwards, earnings could be affected by changes in depreciation expense or an immediate write-down of the property’s carrying amount.
Future dismantlement costs for oil and gas properties are estimated with reference to engineering estimates after taking into consideration the anticipated method of dismantlement required in accordance with industry practices in similar geographic area, including estimation of economic life of oil and gas properties, technology and price level. The present values of these estimated future dismantlement costs are capitalized as oil and gas properties with equivalent amounts recognized as provision for dismantlement costs.
Despite the inherent imprecision in these engineering estimates, these estimates are used in determining depreciation expense, impairment loss and future dismantlement costs. Capitalized costs of proved oil and gas properties are amortized on a unit-of-production method based on volumes produced and reserves.
Impairment for long-lived assets
If circumstances indicate that the net book value of a long-lived asset may not be recoverable, the asset may be considered “impaired”, and an impairment loss may be recognized in accordance with IAS 36 “Impairment of Assets”. The carrying amounts of long-lived assets are reviewed periodically in order to assess whether the recoverable amounts have declined below the carrying amounts. These assets are tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their recorded carrying amounts may not be recoverable. When such a decline has occurred, the carrying amount is reduced to recoverable amount. For goodwill, the recoverable amount is estimated annually. The recoverable amount is the greater of the net selling price and the value in use. It is difficult to precisely estimate selling price because quoted market prices for the Group’s assets or cash-generating units are not readily available. In determining the value in use, expected cash flows generated by the asset or the cash-generating unit are discounted to their present value, which requires significant judgment relating to level of sale volume, selling price, amount of operating costs and discount rate. Management uses all readily available information in determining an amount that is a reasonable approximation of recoverable amount, including estimates based on reasonable and supportable assumptions and projections of sale volume, selling price, amount of operating costs and discount rate.
Depreciation
Property, plant and equipment, other than oil and gas properties, are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets, after taking into account the estimated residual value. Management reviews the estimated useful lives of the assets at least annually in order to determine the amount of depreciation expense to be recorded during any reporting period. The useful lives are based on the Group’s historical experience with similar assets and take into account anticipated technological changes. The depreciation expense for future periods is adjusted if there are significant changes from previous estimates.
Impairment for bad and doubtful debts
Management estimates impairment losses for bad and doubtful debts resulting from the inability of the Group’s customers to make the required payments. Management bases the estimates on the aging of the accounts receivable balance, customer credit-worthiness, and historical write-off experience. If the financial condition of the customers were to deteriorate, actual write-offs would be higher than estimated.
Allowance for diminution in value of inventories
If the costs of inventories become higher than their net realizable values, an allowance for diminution in value of inventories is recognized. Net realizable value represents the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less the estimated costs of completion and the estimated costs necessary to make the sale. Management bases the estimates on all available information, including the current market prices of the finished goods and raw materials, and historical operating costs. If the actual selling prices were to be lower or the costs of completion were to be higher than estimated, the actual allowance for diminution in value of inventories could be higher than estimated.