30. Superannuation Commitments (continued) The Santos Superannuation Plan has employee accrued benefits an assets as disclosed in the most recent financial report of the plan, as follows: At 31 December 2004 the vested benefits, or the benefits payable in the even t of the termination of employment of each plan member, were $198.2 million (2003: $198.8 million) and the net market value of assets was $202.0 million (2003: $194.2 million). Legal advice in relation to the claims and litigation referred to above indi cates that on the basis of available information, liability in respect of these claims is unlikely to exceed $1.0 million on a consolidated basis. A number of the Australian interests of the Santos Group are located within ar eas the subject of one or more claims or applications for native title determination. Whatever the outcome of those claims or applications, it is n ot believed that they will significantly impact the Santos Group’s asset base. The decision of the High Court of Australia in the “Wik” case has th potential to introduce delay in the grant of mineral and petroleum tenements and consequently to impact generally the timing of exploration, d evelopment and production operations. An assessment of the impact upon the timing of particular operations may require consideration and de termination of complex legal and factual issues. Guarantees provided by Santos Ltd for borrowings in respect of controlled en tities are disclosed in note 15. Santos Ltd has provided parent company guarantees in respect of: (a) the funding obligations of its subsidiary companies, Santos Timor Sea Pipeline Pty Ltd and Santos Darwin LNG Pty Ltd, relating to the construction of a pipeline from the Bayu-Undan Field to Wickham Poin t in Darwin and the construction of the LNG Plant in Darwin respectively, and has provided a funding commitment letter to these subsidiary companies together with Santos (JPDA 91-12) Pty Ltd. As at 31 December 2004 the expenditure commitments of Santos Timor Sea Pipelin Pty Ltd and Santos Darwin LNG Pty Ltd for the above mentioned projects totalled US$41.3 million (2003: US$107.6 million); (b) payment of Santos Egypt Ltd’s financial obligations under a farmout agr eement and certain concessions in the Gulf of Suez in the Arab Republic of Egypt up to a maximum of US$46.9 million. As at 31 December 2003 $million Net market value of assets 195.8 Less present value of employees’ accrued benefits as determined  by actuarial assessment as at 1 January 2004 (194.8) Excess 1.0 Consolidated Santos Ltd 2004 2003 2004 2003 31. Contingent Liabilities $million $million $million $million Santos Ltd and its controlled entities have the following contingent liabilities  arising in respect of: Performance guarantees 9.8 9.6 6.3 6.5 Claims and litigation 8.1 11.0 2.3 2.3 17.9 20.6 8.6 8.8 Annual Report 2004 83