13. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Litigation

In the ordinary course of business, we are the subject of, or party to a number of pending or threatened legal actions and administrative proceedings. While many of these matters involve inherent uncertainty, we believe that, other than as described below, the amount of the liability, if any, ultimately incurred with respect to proceedings or claims will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position as a whole or on our liquidity, capital resources or future annual results of operations.

We estimate and provide for potential losses that may arise out of legal proceedings and claims to the extent that such losses are probable and can be reasonably estimated. Significant judgment is required in making these estimates and our final liabilities may ultimately be materially different from these estimates. When preparing our estimates, we consider, among other factors, the progress of each legal proceeding and claim, our experience and the experience of others in similar legal proceedings and claims, and the opinions and views of legal counsel. Legal costs related to litigation contingencies are expensed as incurred.

U.S. Well Services Inc. and U.S. Well Services, LLC (collectively, “USWS”) v. Halliburton Company and Cimarex Energy Co. (collectively, “Halliburton”): In April 2021, USWS filed a patent infringement suit against Halliburton in United States District Court for the Western District of Texas Waco Division. In the suit, USWS alleges willful infringement of seven U.S. patents based on Halliburton’s “All-Electric Fracturing Fleet.” In August 2023, a jury returned a verdict in this case in favor of USWS, which Halliburton has indicated it intends to appeal.

In June 2021, Halliburton filed inter partes review (“IPR”) petitions against these USWS patents. In January 2023, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”) entered final written decisions finding certain claims of these patents invalid. In March 2023, USWS filed a notice of appeal of the final written decisions invalidating certain claims of three of these patents. Other appeal deadlines remain open. In May 2023, the Western District of Texas ruled certain claims of five of the USWS patents are invalid.
 

In May 2022, Halliburton filed an amended answer to this patent infringement suit counterclaiming for declaratory judgment of invalidity of USWS’ patents asserted against Halliburton in this matter and willful infringement of seven of Halliburton’s U.S. patents based on USWS’ clean fleets and conventional fleets. In June 2022, USWS filed IPR petitions against four of Halliburton’s patents. In December 2022, the PTAB denied institution of IPR against these four patents.

The outcome of Halliburton’s counterclaim against us is uncertain and the ultimate resolution of it could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial statements in the period in which the resolution is recorded.

Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Halliburton US Technologies, Inc., and Halliburton Group Technologies, Inc. (collectively, “Halliburton”) v. U.S. Well Services, LLC (“USWS”): In September 2022, Halliburton filed two patent infringement suits against USWS in United States District Court for the Western District of Texas Waco Division. In the first lawsuit, Halliburton alleges willful infringement of three of its previously asserted patents as well as five additional U.S. patents. In the second lawsuit, Halliburton alleges willful infringement of two of its previously asserted patents as well as five additional U.S. patents. Both lawsuits allege infringement based on all of USWS and ProFrac LLC’s fleets. The two lawsuits are scheduled together and set for trial in June 2024.
 

In January 2023, USWS filed amended answers to these patent infringement suits counterclaiming for declaratory judgment of invalidity of Halliburton’s patents asserted against USWS in this matter and willful infringement of two additional USWS’ U.S. patents based on Halliburton’s “All-Electric Fracturing Fleet.” In February 2023, Halliburton filed IPR petitions against these USWS patents.
However, this case has been stayed pending resolution of certain IPRs filed by USWS.

We are currently unable to estimate the reasonably possible loss or range of loss in respect of these matters. These matters remain in an early stage, with few or no substantive legal decisions by the court defining the scope of the claims or the potential damages. As these matters develop and we receive additional information, we may be able to estimate reasonably possible losses or range of loss for these matters. The outcomes of these cases are uncertain and the ultimate resolution of them could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial statements in the period in which the resolution is recorded.
 

Purchase Commitments

As of December 31, 2023, we had purchase commitments of $29.8 million in 2024 for hydraulic fracturing equipment components.