As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 26, 2007

Registration No. 333-146700

 

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

Amendment No. 1
to

Form S-1

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

WESTERN GAS PARTNERS, LP

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

1201 Lake Robbins Drive

The Woodlands, Texas 77380-1046

(832) 636-1000

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of

Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

Robert G. Gwin

1201 Lake Robbins Drive

The Woodlands, Texas 77380-1046

(832) 636-1000

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area

Code, of Agent for Service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

 

 

     Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:  As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

 

 

     If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  o

     If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

     If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

     If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

     If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please check the following box.  o

 

 

     The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

­ ­

 

18,750,000 Common Units

 

 

Representing Limited Partner Interests

 

 

This is the initial public offering of our common units. We currently estimate that the initial public offering price will be between $      and $      per common unit. Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for the common units. We have applied to list our common units on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “WES.”

 

Investing in our common units involves risks.  Please read “Risk factors” beginning on page 18.

 

These risks include the following:

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 2,812,500 common units from us on the same terms and conditions as set forth above if the underwriters sell more than 18,750,000 common units in this offering.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The underwriters expect to deliver the common units on or about          , 2008.

 

UBS Investment Bank

 

 

 

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus and any free writing prospectus prepared by us or on our behalf. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where an offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus is accurate as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Through and including          , 2008 (the 25^th day after the date of this prospectus), federal securities law may require all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, to deliver a prospectus. This requirement is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

						Approximate				Treating		Average
		Asset		Length		# of receipt		Gas compression		capacity		throughput
Area		Type		(miles)		points		(horsepower)		(MMcf/d)		(MMcf/d)
East Texas		Gathering and Treating		577		789		45,633		510			304	(1)
Rocky Mountains		Gathering and Treating		114		162		20,385		92			55
		Transportation		264		19		29,696		—			137
Mid-Continent		Gathering		1,753		1,507		130,720		—			123
West Texas		Gathering		87		50		—		—			185
Total				2,795		2,527		226,434		602			804

(1)	To avoid duplicating volumes, 213 MMcf/d that is gathered on our Dew gathering system and delivered into our Pinnacle gas treating system is included only once in the calculation of average throughput.

Ø	Pursuing accretive acquisitions.  We expect to pursue accretive acquisition opportunities within the midstream energy industry from Anadarko and third parties.
Ø	Capitalizing on organic growth opportunities.  We expect to grow organically by meeting Anadarko’s gathering needs, which we expect to increase as a result of its anticipated drilling activity in our areas of operation.
Ø	Attracting additional third-party volumes to our systems.  We intend to actively market our midstream services to and pursue strategic relationships with third-party producers to attract additional volumes and/or expansion opportunities.
Ø	Minimizing commodity price exposure.  Our midstream services are provided under fee-based arrangements which minimize our direct commodity price exposure. We expect to utilize hedging to manage any significant future commodity price risk that could result from contracts we may acquire or enter into in the future.

Ø	Affiliation with Anadarko.  We believe Anadarko, as the owner of our general partner interest, all of our incentive distribution rights and a 57.3% limited partner interest in us, is motivated to promote and support the successful execution of our business plan and to pursue projects that enhance the value of our business.
Ø	Relatively stable and predictable cash flow.  Our cash flow is largely protected from fluctuations caused by commodity price volatility due to the fee-based, long-term nature of our midstream service agreements.
Ø	Well-positioned, well-maintained and efficient assets. We believe that our established positions in our areas of operation provide us with opportunities to expand and attract additional volumes to our

	systems. Moreover, our systems consist of high-quality, well-maintained assets for which we have implemented modern treating, measuring and operating technologies.

Ø

Financial flexibility to pursue expansion and acquisition opportunities. We have up to $100 million of borrowing capacity available to us under Anadarko’s $750 million credit facility and, concurrently with the closing of this offering, we expect to obtain a $30 million working capital facility from Anadarko. In addition, we will have no indebtedness outstanding at the closing of this offering. We believe that our borrowing capacity and our ability to effectively access debt and equity capital markets provide us with the financial flexibility necessary to achieve our organic expansion and acquisition strategy.

Ø	Experienced management team.  Members of our general partner’s management team have extensive experience in building, acquiring, integrating, financing and managing midstream assets. In addition, our relationship with Anadarko provides us with the services of experienced personnel who successfully managed our assets and operations while they were owned by Anadarko.

Ø	Anadarko will contribute certain midstream assets to us;

Ø	we will issue to Western Gas Holdings, LLC, our general partner and a subsidiary of Anadarko, 921,385 general partner units representing a 2.0% general partner interest in us as well as all of our incentive distribution rights;

Ø	we will issue to Anadarko 3,823,925 common units and 22,573,925 subordinated units, representing an aggregate 57.3% limited partner interest in us;(1)
Ø	we will issue 18,750,000 common units to the public, representing a 40.7% limited partner interest in us;(1)
Ø	we will receive gross proceeds of $375.0 million from the issuance and sale of 18,750,000 common units at an assumed initial offering price of $20.00 per unit;
Ø	we will use the proceeds from this offering to pay underwriting discounts and a structuring fee totaling approximately $24.4 million and other estimated offering expenses of $3.0 million;
Ø	we will use the remaining $347.6 million of aggregate net proceeds of this offering to (i) make a loan of $337.6 million to Anadarko in exchange for a 30-year note bearing interest at a fixed annual rate of 6.00% and (ii) provide $10.0 million for general partnership purposes;

Ø	we will have up to $100 million of long-term borrowing capacity available to us under Anadarko’s $750 million credit facility;

Ø	we will enter into a $30 million working capital facility with Anadarko as the lender;

Ø

we will enter into an omnibus agreement with Anadarko and our general partner pursuant to which, among other things, (i) we will reimburse Anadarko and our general partner for certain expenses incurred on our behalf, including expenses for various general and administrative services rendered by Anadarko and our general partner to us, and (ii) the parties will agree to certain indemnification obligations;

Ø	our general partner will enter into a services and secondment agreement with Anadarko, pursuant to which certain employees of Anadarko will be under our control and render services to us or on our behalf; and

Ø	our general partner will enter into a tax sharing agreement with Anadarko, pursuant to which we will pay Anadarko for our share of state and local income and other taxes that are included in combined or consolidated tax returns filed by Anadarko.

(1)		If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase up to 2,812,500 additional common units within 30 days of this offering, the number of units purchased by the underwriters pursuant to such exercise will be issued to the public instead of Anadarko.

Public Common Units			40.7	%
Anadarko Common and Subordinated Units			57.3	%
General Partner Units			2.0	%
Total			100.0	%

				Marginal percentage interest
		Total quarterly distribution		in distributions(1)
		per unit		Unitholders			General partner
Minimum Quarterly Distribution		$0.300			98.0%			2.0%
First Target Distribution		up to $0.345			98.0%			2.0%
Second Target Distribution		above $0.345 up to $0.375			85.0%			15.0%
Third Target Distribution		above $0.375 up to $0.450			75.0%			25.0%
Thereafter		above $0.450			50.0%			50.0%

(1)		Assumes that there are no arrearages on common units and that our general partner maintains its 2.0% general partner interest and continues to own the incentive distribution rights.

Ø	first, 98.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives a total amount equal to 115% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter;
Ø	second, 85.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 15.0% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives a total amount per unit equal to 125% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter;
Ø	third, 75.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 25.0% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives a total amount per unit equal to 150% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter; and
Ø	thereafter, 50.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 50.0% to our general partner.

Common units offered to the public		18,750,000 common units

		21,562,500 common units, if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional common units

Units outstanding after this offering		22,573,925 common units(1) and 22,573,925 subordinated units, each representing a 49.0% limited partner interest in us. Our general partner will own 921,835 general partner units, representing a 2.0% general partner interest in us.

Use of proceeds		We expect to receive gross proceeds of $375.0 million from this offering. We will use the proceeds to (i) make a loan of $337.6 million to Anadarko in exchange for a 30-year note bearing interest at a fixed annual rate of 6.00%, (ii) provide $10.0 million for general partnership purposes and (iii) pay underwriting discounts and a structuring fee totaling approximately $24.4 million and other estimated offering expenses of $3.0 million.
		The net proceeds from any exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units will be used to reimburse Anadarko for capital expenditures it incurred with respect to the assets contributed to us during the two-year period prior to this offering.
Cash distributions		Our general partner will adopt a cash distribution policy that will require us to pay a minimum quarterly distribution of $0.30 per unit ($1.20 per unit on an annualized basis) to the extent we have sufficient cash from operations after establishment of cash reserves and payment of fees and expenses, including payments to our general partner and its affiliates. We refer to this cash as “available cash,” and it is defined in our partnership agreement included in this prospectus as Appendix A and in the glossary included in this prospectus as Appendix B. Our ability to pay the minimum quarterly distribution is subject to various restrictions and other factors described in more detail under the caption “Our cash distribution policy and restrictions on distributions.” We will adjust the minimum quarterly distribution payable for the period from the completion of this offering through March 31, 2008, based on the actual length of that period.
		Our partnership agreement requires that we distribute all of our available cash each quarter in the following manner:
		Ø first, 98.0% to the holders of common units and 2.0% to our general partner, until each common unit has received the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.30 plus any arrearages from prior quarters;
		Ø second, 98.0% to the holders of subordinated units and 2.0% to our general partner, until each subordinated unit

		has received the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.30; and
		Ø third, 98.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general partner, until each unit has received a distribution of $0.345.
		If cash distributions to our unitholders exceed $0.345 per unit in any quarter, our general partner will receive, in addition to distributions on its 2.0% general partner interest, increasing percentages, up to 48.0%, of the cash we distribute in excess of that amount. We refer to these distributions as “incentive distributions.” Please read “Provisions of our partnership agreement relating to cash distributions.”

		The amounts of pro forma available cash generated during each of the year ended December 31, 2006 and twelve months ended September 30, 2007 would have been sufficient to allow us to pay the full minimum quarterly distribution ($0.30 per unit per quarter, or $1.20 on an annualized basis) on all of our common and subordinated units for such periods. Please read “Our cash distribution policy and restrictions on distributions.”

		We believe that, based on the Statement of Estimated Adjusted EBITDA included under the caption “Our cash distribution policy and restrictions on distributions,” we will have sufficient cash available for distribution to pay the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.30 per unit on all common and subordinated units and the corresponding distributions on our general partner’s 2.0% interest for the four quarters ending December 31, 2008.

Subordinated units		Anadarko will initially indirectly own all of our subordinated units. The principal difference between our common and subordinated units is that in any quarter during the subordination period, holders of the subordinated units are not entitled to receive any distribution until the common units have received the minimum quarterly distribution plus any arrearages in the payment of the minimum quarterly distribution from prior quarters. Subordinated units will not accrue arrearages.
Conversion of subordinated units		The subordination period will end on the first business day after we have earned and paid at least (i) $1.20 (the minimum quarterly distribution on an annualized basis) on each outstanding unit and the corresponding distribution on our general partner’s 2.0% interest for each of three consecutive, non-overlapping four quarter periods ending on or after December 31, 2010 or (ii) $0.45 per quarter (150% of the minimum quarterly distribution, which is $1.80 on an annualized basis) on each outstanding unit and the corresponding distributions on our general partner’s 2.0% interest for each of four consecutive quarters.
		In addition, the subordination period will end upon the removal of our general partner other than for cause if the units

		held by our general partner and its affiliates are not voted in favor of such removal.
		When the subordination period ends, all subordinated units will convert into common units on a one-for-one basis, and all common units thereafter will no longer be entitled to arrearages.
General partner’s right to reset the target distribution levels		Our general partner has the right, at any time when there are no subordinated units outstanding and it has received incentive distributions at the highest level to which it is entitled (48%) for each of the prior four consecutive fiscal quarters, to reset the initial target distribution levels at higher levels based on our cash distributions at the time of the exercise of the reset election. Following a reset election by our general partner, the minimum quarterly distribution will be adjusted to equal the reset minimum quarterly distribution, and the target distribution levels will be reset to correspondingly higher levels based on the same percentage increases above the reset minimum quarterly distribution.

		If our general partner elects to reset the target distribution levels, it will be entitled to receive Class B units and general partner units. The Class B units will be entitled to the same cash distributions per unit as our common units and will be convertible into an equal number of common units. The number of Class B units to be issued to our general partner will be equal to that number of common units which would have entitled their holder to an average aggregate quarterly cash distribution in the prior two quarters equal to the average of the distributions to our general partner on the incentive distribution rights in the prior two quarters. Our general partner will be issued the number of general partner units necessary to maintain our general partner’s interest in us immediately prior to the reset election. Please read “Provisions of our partnership agreement relating to cash distributions—General partner’s right to reset incentive distribution levels.”

Issuance of additional units		We can issue an unlimited number of units without the consent of our unitholders. Please read “Units eligible for future sale” and “The partnership agreement—Issuance of additional securities.”
Limited voting rights		Our general partner will manage and operate us. Unlike the holders of common stock in a corporation, you will have only limited voting rights on matters affecting our business. You will have no right to elect our general partner or its directors on an annual or continuing basis. Our general partner may not be removed except by a vote of the holders of at least 662/3% of the outstanding units voting together as a single class, including any units owned by our general partner and its affiliates, including Anadarko. Upon consummation of this offering, Anadarko will own an aggregate of 58.5% of our common and subordinated units. This will give Anadarko the ability to

		prevent the involuntary removal of our general partner. Please read “The partnership agreement—Voting rights.”
Limited call right		If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80% of the outstanding common units, our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to purchase all of the remaining common units at a price that is not less than the then-current market price of the common units.
Estimated ratio of taxable income to distributions		We estimate that if you own the common units you purchase in this offering through the record date for distributions for the period ending December 31, 2010, you will be allocated, on a cumulative basis, an amount of federal taxable income for that period that will be     % or less of the cash distributed to you with respect to that period. For example, if you receive an annual distribution of $1.20 per unit, we estimate that your average allocable federal taxable income per year will be no more than $           per unit. Please read “Material tax consequences—Tax consequences of unit ownership—Ratio of taxable income to distributions.”
Material tax consequences		For a discussion of other material federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States, or the U.S., please read “Material tax consequences.”

Exchange listing		We have applied to list our common units on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “WES.”

Ø	the receipt by the Partnership of gross proceeds of $375.0 million from the issuance and sale of 18,750,000 common units at an assumed initial offering price of $20.00 per unit;

Ø	the use of the proceeds from this offering to pay underwriting discounts and a structuring fee totaling approximately $24.4 million and other estimated offering expenses of $3.0 million; and

Ø	the use of the remaining $347.6 million of aggregate net proceeds of this offering to (i) make a loan of $337.6 million to Anadarko in exchange for a 30-year note bearing interest at a fixed annual rate of 6.00% and (ii) provide $10.0 million for general partnership purposes.

																						Partnership pro forma
																						as adjusted
		Predecessor combined																				Nine months
														Nine months ended								ended				Year ended
		Year ended December 31,												September 30,								September 30,				December 31,
		2006				2005				2004				2007				2006				2007				2006
		(in thousands, except for operating and per unit data)
Statement of Income Data:
Total revenues		$	81,152			$	71,650			$	68,049			$	85,513			$	57,481			$	85,513			$	93,304
Costs and expenses			39,960				35,720				31,301				33,184				29,057				33,184				43,857
Depreciation			18,009				15,447				14,841				17,104				12,635				17,104				19,710
Total operating expenses			57,969				51,167				46,142				50,288				41,692				50,288				63,567
Operating income			23,183				20,483				21,907				35,225				15,789				35,225				29,737
Other (expense) income			26				(66	)			—				—				25				—				377
Interest expense (income)			9,631				8,650				7,146				6,643				7,943				(15,022	)			(20,030	)
Income tax expense			3,814				4,789				5,504				10,469				1,740				160				978
Net income		$	9,712			$	7,110			$	9,257			$	18,113			$	6,081			$	50,087			$	48,412
General partner interest in pro forma net income																							1,315				968
Common unitholders’ interest in pro forma net income																							24,386				23,722
Subordinated unitholder’s interest in pro forma net income																							24,386				23,722
Net income per common unit (basic and diluted)																						$	1.08			$	1.05
Net income per subordinated unit (basic and diluted)																						$	1.08			$	1.05
Balance Sheet Data (at period end):
Net, property, plant and equipment		$	310,871			$	200,451			$	196,065			$	353,894			$	302,057			$	353,894
Total assets			332,228				206,373				199,110				360,692				324,772				708,306
Total parent net equity			238,531				160,585				162,542				273,507				234,063				691,561
Cash Flow Data:
Net cash provided by (used in):
Operating activities			27,323				30,131				31,160				41,810				12,941
Investing activities			(42,713	)			(21,076	)			(16,548	)			(37,247	)			(27,952	)
Financing activities			15,844				(9,067	)			(14,596	)			(5,021	)			15,007
Adjusted EBITDA(1)			41,192				35,930				36,748				52,329				28,424				52,329				49,447
Capital expenditures, net			42,299				20,841				16,548				37,020				27,709

																						Partnership pro forma
																						as adjusted
		Predecessor combined																				Nine months
														Nine months ended								ended				Year ended
		Year ended December 31,												September 30,								September 30,				December 31,
		2006				2005				2004				2007				2006				2007				2006
		(in thousands, except for operating and per unit data)
Operating Data:
Affiliate
Throughput, MMBtu/d			820				757				715				904				778				904				878
Average rate per MMBtu		$	0.22			$	0.21			$	0.21			$	0.28			$	0.22			$	0.28			$	0.23
Third Party
Throughput, MMBtu/d			72				41				31				90				64				90				93
Average rate per MMBtu		$	0.19			$	0.16			$	0.13			$	0.25			$	0.21			$	0.25			$	0.23
Total
Throughput, MMBtu/d			892				798				746				994				842				994				971
Average rate per MMBtu		$	0.21			$	0.21			$	0.21			$	0.28			$	0.22			$	0.28			$	0.23

(1)		Adjusted EBITDA is defined in “—Non-GAAP financial measure” below.

Ø	our operating performance as compared to other publicly traded partnerships in the midstream energy industry, without regard to financing methods, capital structure or historical cost basis;
Ø	the ability of our assets to generate sufficient cash flow to make distributions to our unitholders; and
Ø	the viability of acquisitions and capital expenditure projects and the returns on investment of various investment opportunities.

																						Partnership pro forma
		Predecessor combined																				as adjusted
																						Nine months
		Year ended												Nine months								ended				Year ended
		December 31,												ended September 30,								September 30,				December 31,
		2006				2005				2004				2007				2006				2007				2006
		(in thousands)
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income
Net income		$	9,712			$	7,110			$	9,257			$	18,113			$	6,081			$	50,087			$	48,412
Add:
Interest expense (income)			9,631				8,650				7,146				6,643				7,943				(15,022	)			(20,030	)
Income tax expense			3,814				4,789				5,504				10,469				1,740				160				978
Depreciation			18,009				15,447				14,841				17,104				12,635				17,104				19,710
Less:
Other income (expense)			(26	)			66				—				—				(25	)			—				(377	)
Adjusted EBITDA		$	41,192			$	35,930			$	36,748			$	52,329			$	28,424			$	52,329			$	49,447
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities		$	27,323			$	30,131			$	31,160			$	41,810			$	12,941			$	66,880			$	64,888
Interest expense (income)			9,631				8,650				7,146				6,643				7,943				(15,022	)			(20,030	)
Current income tax expense			—				—				—				3,406				—				1				—
Other income (expense)			(26	)			66				—				—				(25	)			—				(377	)
Changes in operating working capital:
Accounts receivable			(374	)			662				(933	)			1,062				1,410				1,062				(374	)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses			4,556				(3,373	)			551				(580	)			6,015				(580	)			4,556
Other, including changes in non-current assets and liabilities			30				(74	)			(1,176	)			(12	)			90				(12	)			30
Adjusted EBITDA		$	41,192			$	35,930			$	36,748			$	52,329			$	28,424			$	52,329			$	49,447

(1)	Includes impact of change in accounting principle.

 

Risk factors

 

Limited partner units are inherently different from capital stock of a corporation, although many of the business risks to which we are subject are similar to those that would be faced by a corporation engaged in similar businesses. We urge you to carefully consider the following risk factors together with all of the other information included in this prospectus in evaluating an investment in our common units.

 

If any of the following risks were to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In that case, we might not be able to pay the minimum quarterly distribution on our common units, the trading price of our common units could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment in us.

 

RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS

 

We are dependent on a single natural gas producer, Anadarko, for almost all of the natural gas that we gather and transport. A material reduction in Anadarko’s production gathered or transported by our assets would result in a material decline in our revenues and cash available for distribution.

 

We rely on Anadarko for virtually all of the natural gas that we gather and transport. For the nine months ended September 30, 2007, Anadarko accounted for over 90% of our natural gas gathering and transportation volumes. We may be unable to negotiate on favorable terms, if at all, extensions or replacements of our contracts to gather, compress, treat and transport Anadarko’s production. Furthermore, Anadarko may suffer a decrease in production volumes in the areas serviced by us and is under no contractual obligation to maintain its production dedicated to us. The loss of a significant portion of the natural gas volumes supplied by Anadarko would result in a material decline in our revenues and our cash available for distribution. In addition, Anadarko may determine in the future that drilling activity in other areas of operation is strategically more attractive. A shift in Anadarko’s focus away from our areas of operation could result in reduced throughput on our system and a material decline in our revenues.

 

We may not have sufficient cash from operations following the establishment of cash reserves and payment of fees and expenses, including cost reimbursements to our general partner, to enable us to pay the minimum quarterly distribution to holders of our common and subordinated units.

 

In order to pay the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.30 per unit per quarter, or $1.20 per unit per year, we will require available cash of approximately $13.8 million per quarter, or $55.3 million per year, based on the number of common and subordinated units to be outstanding immediately after completion of this offering. We may not have sufficient available cash from operating surplus each quarter to enable us to pay the minimum quarterly distribution. The amount of cash we can distribute on our units principally depends upon the amount of cash we generate from our operations, which will fluctuate from quarter to quarter based on, among other things:

 

 

Risk factors

 

 

 

In addition, the actual amount of cash we will have available for distribution will depend on other factors, some of which are beyond our control, including:

 

 

For a description of additional restrictions and factors that may affect our ability to make cash distributions, please read “Our cash distribution policy and restrictions on distributions.”

 

The amount of cash we have available for distribution to holders of our common and subordinated units depends primarily on our cash flow rather than on our profitability, which may prevent us from making distributions, even during periods in which we record net income.

 

The amount of cash we have available for distribution depends primarily upon our cash flow and not solely on profitability, which will be affected by non-cash items. As a result, we may make cash distributions during periods when we record losses for financial accounting purposes and may not make cash distributions during periods when we record net earnings for financial accounting purposes.

 

The amount of available cash we need to pay the minimum quarterly distribution on all of our units to be outstanding immediately after this offering and the corresponding distribution on our general partner’s 2.0% interest for four quarters is approximately $55.3 million. The amounts of pro forma available cash generated during each of the year ended December 31, 2006 and twelve months ended September 30, 2007 would have been sufficient to allow us to pay the full minimum quarterly distribution on all of our common and subordinated units for such periods. For a calculation of our ability to make distributions to unitholders based on our pro forma results for 2006, please read “Our cash distribution policy and restrictions on distributions.”

 

The assumptions underlying the forecast of cash available for distribution that we include in “Our cash distribution policy and restrictions on distributions” are inherently uncertain and are subject to significant business, economic, financial, regulatory and competitive risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those forecasted.

 

The forecast of cash available for distribution set forth in “Our cash distribution policy and restrictions on distributions” includes our forecasted results of operations, Adjusted EBITDA and cash available for distribution for the twelve months ending December 31, 2008. The financial forecast has been prepared by management, and we have not received an opinion or report on it from our or any other independent auditor. The assumptions underlying the forecast are inherently uncertain and are subject to significant business, economic, financial, regulatory and competitive risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those forecasted. If we do not achieve the forecasted results, we may not be able to pay the full minimum quarterly distribution or any amount on our common or subordinated units, in which event the market price of our common units may decline materially.

 

Risk factors

 

 

Because of the natural decline in production from existing wells, our success depends on our ability to obtain new sources of natural gas, which is dependent on certain factors beyond our control. Any decrease in the volumes of natural gas that we gather and transport could adversely affect our business and operating results.

 

The volumes that support our business are dependent on the level of production from natural gas wells connected to our gathering systems, the production of which will naturally decline over time. As a result, our cash flows associated with these wells will also decline over time. In order to maintain or increase throughput levels on our gathering systems, we must obtain new sources of natural gas. The primary factors affecting our ability to obtain non-dedicated sources of natural gas include (i) the level of successful drilling activity near our systems and (ii) our ability to compete for volumes from successful new wells.

 

While Anadarko has dedicated production from certain of its properties to us, we have no control over the level of drilling activity in our areas of operation, the amount of reserves associated with wells connected to our gathering systems or the rate at which production from a well declines. In addition, we have no control over Anadarko or other producers or their drilling or production decisions, which are affected by, among other things, the availability and cost of capital, prevailing and projected energy prices, demand for hydrocarbons, levels of reserves, geological considerations, governmental regulations, the availability of drilling rigs and other production and development costs. Fluctuations in energy prices can also greatly affect investments by Anadarko and third parties in the development of new natural gas reserves. Declines in natural gas prices could have a negative impact on exploration, development and production activity, and if sustained, could lead to a material decrease in such activity. Sustained reductions in exploration or production activity in our areas of operation would lead to reduced utilization of our gathering and treating assets.

 

Because of these factors, even if new natural gas reserves are known to exist in areas served by our assets, producers may choose not to develop those reserves. Moreover, Anadarko may not develop the acreage it has dedicated to us. If competition or reductions in drilling activity result in our inability to maintain the current levels of throughput on our systems, it could reduce our revenue and impair our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

 

We typically do not obtain independent evaluations of natural gas reserves connected to our gathering and transportation systems; therefore, in the future, volumes of natural gas on our systems could be less than we anticipate.

 

We typically do not obtain independent evaluations of natural gas reserves connected to our systems. Accordingly, we do not have independent estimates of total reserves dedicated to our systems or the anticipated life of such reserves. If the total reserves or estimated life of the reserves connected to our gathering systems are less than we anticipate and we are unable to secure additional sources of natural gas, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and our ability to make cash distributions to you.

 

Lower natural gas and oil prices could adversely affect our business.

 

Lower natural gas and oil prices could impact natural gas and oil exploration and production activity levels and result in a decline in the production of natural gas and condensate, resulting in reduced throughput on our systems. Any such decline may cause our current or potential customers to delay drilling or shut in production. In addition, such a decline would reduce the amount of condensate we retain and sell. As a result, lower natural gas prices could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and our ability to make cash distributions to you.

 

Risk factors

 

 

In general terms, the prices of natural gas, oil, condensate, NGLs and other hydrocarbon products fluctuate in response to changes in supply and demand, market uncertainty and a variety of additional factors that are beyond our control. These factors include:

 

 

Our industry is highly competitive, and increased competitive pressure could adversely affect our business and operating results.

 

We compete with similar enterprises in our areas of operation. Our competitors may expand or construct gathering, compression, treating or transportation systems that would create additional competition for the services we provide to our customers. In addition, our customers, including Anadarko, may develop their own gathering, compression, treating or transportation systems in lieu of using ours. Our ability to renew or replace existing contracts with our customers at rates sufficient to maintain current revenues and cash flow could be adversely affected by the activities of our competitors and our customers. All of these competitive pressures could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and ability to make cash distributions to you.

 

Our operating income could be affected by a change in oil prices relative to the price of natural gas.

 

Under our gathering agreements, we retain and sell condensate, which falls out of the natural gas stream during the gathering process, and compensate shippers with a thermally equivalent volume of natural gas. Condensate sales comprised approximately 9% of our gathering system revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2007. The price we receive for our condensate is generally tied to the market price of oil. The relationship between natural gas prices and oil prices therefore affects the margin on our condensate sales. When natural gas prices are high relative to oil prices, the profit margin we realize on our condensate sales is low due to the higher value of natural gas. Correspondingly, when natural gas prices are low relative to oil prices, the profit margin is high.

 

If third-party pipelines or other facilities interconnected to our gathering or transportation systems become partially or fully unavailable, or if the volumes we gather or transport do not meet the natural gas quality requirements of such pipelines or facilities, our revenues and cash available for distribution could be adversely affected.

 

Our natural gas gathering and transportation systems connect to other pipelines or facilities, the majority of which are owned by third parties. The continuing operation of such third-party pipelines or facilities is not within our control. If any of these pipelines or facilities becomes unable to transport natural gas, or if the volumes we gather or transport do not meet the natural gas quality requirements of such pipelines or facilities, our revenues and cash available for distribution could be adversely affected.

 

Risk factors

 

 

Our interstate natural gas transportation operations are subject to regulation by FERC, which could have an adverse impact on our ability to establish transportation rates that would allow us to earn a reasonable return on our investment, or even recover the full cost of operating our pipeline, thereby adversely impacting our ability to make distributions to you.

 

MIGC, our interstate natural gas transportation system, is subject to regulation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, under the Natural Gas Act of 1938, or the NGA, and the Energy Policy Act of 2005, or the EPAct 2005.

 

Under the NGA, FERC has the authority to regulate natural gas companies that provide natural gas pipeline transportation services in interstate commerce. Federal regulation extends to such matters as:

 

 

 

Natural gas companies are prohibited from charging rates that have been determined to be not just and reasonable by FERC. In addition, FERC prohibits natural gas companies from unduly preferring or unreasonably discriminating against any person with respect to pipeline rates or terms and conditions of service.

 

The rates and terms and conditions for our interstate pipeline services are set forth in a FERC-approved tariff. Pursuant to FERC’s jurisdiction over rates, existing rates may be challenged by complaint and proposed rate increases may be challenged by protest. Any successful complaint or protest against our rates could have an adverse impact on our revenues associated with providing transportation service.

 

Should we fail to comply with all applicable FERC-administered statutes, rules, regulations and orders, we could be subject to substantial penalties and fines. Under the EPAct 2005, FERC has civil penalty authority under the NGA to impose penalties for current violations of up to $1,000,000 per day for each violation. FERC also has the power to order disgorgement of profits from transactions deemed to violate the NGA and EPAct 2005.

 

A change in the jurisdictional characterization of some of our assets by federal, state or local regulatory agencies or a change in policy by those agencies could result in increased regulation of our assets, which could cause our revenues to decline and operating expenses to increase.

 

Section 1(b) of the NGA exempts natural gas gathering facilities from the jurisdiction of FERC. We believe that our natural gas pipelines, other than MIGC, meet the traditional tests FERC has used to determine if a pipeline is a gathering pipeline and is, therefore, not subject to FERC jurisdiction. The distinction between FERC-regulated transmission services and federally unregulated gathering services is the subject of substantial ongoing litigation and, over time, FERC policy concerning where to draw the line between activities it regulates and activities excluded from its regulation has changed. The classification and regulation of our gathering facilities are subject to change based on future determinations by FERC, the courts or Congress. State regulation of gathering facilities generally includes various safety, environmental and, in some circumstances, nondiscriminatory take requirements

 

Risk factors

 

 

and complaint-based rate regulation. In recent years, FERC has taken a more light-handed approach to regulation of the gathering activities of interstate pipeline transmission companies, which has resulted in a number of such companies transferring gathering facilities to unregulated affiliates. As a result of these activities, natural gas gathering may begin to receive greater regulatory scrutiny at both the state and federal levels.

 

FERC regulation of MIGC, including the outcome of certain FERC proceedings on the appropriate treatment of tax allowances included in regulated rates and the appropriate return on equity, may reduce our transportation revenues, affect our ability to include certain costs in regulated rates and increase our costs of operations, and thus adversely affect our cash available for distribution.

 

FERC has pending certain proceedings concerning the appropriate allowance for income taxes that may be included in cost-based rates for FERC regulated pipelines owned by publicly traded partnerships that do not directly pay federal income tax. FERC issued a policy permitting such tax allowances in 2005. FERC’s policy and its initial application in a specific case were upheld on appeal by the D.C. Circuit in May of 2007 and the D.C. Circuit’s decision is final. In December 2006, FERC issued another order addressing the income tax allowance in rates, in which it reaffirmed prior statements regarding its income tax allowance policy, but raised a new issue regarding the implication of the policy statement for publicly traded partnerships. FERC noted that the tax deferral features of a publicly traded partnership may cause some investors to receive, for some indeterminate duration, cash distributions in excess of their taxable income, creating an opportunity for those investors to earn an additional return, funded by ratepayers. Responding to this concern, FERC adjusted the equity rate of return of the pipeline at issue downward based on the percentage by which the publicly traded partnership’s cash flow exceeded taxable income. Rehearing is currently pending before FERC.

 

FERC also has pending a proceeding on the appropriate composition of proxy groups for purposes of determining natural gas and oil pipeline equity returns to be included in cost-of-service based rates. In a policy statement issued July 19, 2007, FERC proposed to permit inclusion of publicly traded partnerships in the proxy group analysis relating to return on equity determinations in rate proceedings, provided that the analysis be limited to actual publicly traded partnership distributions capped at the level of the pipeline’s earnings and that evidence be provided in the form of a multiyear analysis of past earnings demonstrating a publicly traded partnership’s ability to provide stable earnings over time. In November 2007, the FERC requested additional comments and announced a technical conference regarding the method to be used for creating growth forecasts for publicly traded partnerships.

 

The ultimate outcome of these proceedings is not certain and may result in new policies being established at FERC that would limit the amount of income tax allowance permitted to be recovered in regulated rates or disallow the full use of distributions to unitholders by pipeline publicly traded partnerships in any proxy group comparisons used to determine return on equity in future rate proceedings. Any such policy developments may adversely affect the ability of MIGC to achieve a reasonable level of return or impose limits on its ability to include a full income tax allowance in cost of service, and therefore could adversely affect our cash available for distribution.

 

We are subject to stringent environmental laws and regulations that may expose us to significant costs and liabilities.

 

Our natural gas gathering, compression, treating and transportation operations are subject to stringent and complex federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations that govern the discharge of materials into the environment or otherwise relate to environmental protection. Examples of these laws include:

 

 

Risk factors

 

 

 

These laws and regulations may impose numerous obligations that are applicable to our operations, including the acquisition of permits to conduct regulated activities, the incurrence of capital expenditures to limit or prevent releases of materials from our pipelines and facilities, and the imposition of substantial liabilities for pollution resulting from our operations. Numerous governmental authorities, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or the EPA, and analogous state agencies, have the power to enforce compliance with these laws and regulations and the permits issued under them, oftentimes requiring difficult and costly corrective actions. Failure to comply with these laws, regulations and permits may result in the assessment of administrative, civil and criminal penalties, the imposition of remedial obligations and the issuance of injunctions limiting or preventing some or all of our operations.

 

There is an inherent risk of incurring significant environmental costs and liabilities in connection with our operations due to historical industry operations and waste disposal practices, our handling of hydrocarbon wastes and potential emissions and discharges related to our operations. Joint and several, strict liability may be incurred, without regard to fault, under certain of these environmental laws and regulations in connection with discharges or releases of hydrocarbon wastes on, under or from our properties and facilities, many of which have been used for midstream activities for a number of years, oftentimes by third parties not under our control. Private parties, including the owners of the properties through which our gathering or transportation systems pass and facilities where our wastes are taken for reclamation or disposal, may also have the right to pursue legal actions to enforce compliance as well as to seek damages for non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations or for personal injury or property damage. In addition, changes in environmental laws and regulations occur frequently, and any such changes that result in more stringent and costly waste handling, storage, transport, disposal or remediation requirements could have a material adverse effect on our operations or financial position. We may not be able to recover all or any of these costs from insurance. Please read “Business—Environmental matters” for more information.

 

Our construction of new assets may not result in revenue increases and will be subject to regulatory, environmental, political, legal and economic risks, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

 

One of the ways we intend to grow our business is through the construction of new midstream assets. The construction of additions or modifications to our existing systems and the construction of new midstream assets involve numerous regulatory, environmental, political and legal uncertainties that are beyond our control. Such expansion projects may also require the expenditure of significant amounts of capital, and financing may not be available on economically acceptable terms or at all. If we undertake these projects, they may not be completed on schedule, at the budgeted cost, or at all. Moreover, our revenues may not increase immediately upon the expenditure of funds on a particular project. For

 

Risk factors

 

 

instance, if we expand a pipeline, the construction may occur over an extended period of time, yet we will not receive any material increases in revenues until the project is completed. Moreover, we could construct facilities to capture anticipated future growth in production in a region in which such growth does not materialize. Since we are not engaged in the exploration for and development of natural gas and oil reserves, we often do not have access to third-party estimates of potential reserves in an area prior to constructing facilities in that area. To the extent we rely on estimates of future production in our decision to construct additions to our systems, such estimates may prove to be inaccurate as a result of the numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of future production. As a result, new facilities may not be able to attract enough throughput to achieve our expected investment return, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. In addition, the construction of additions to our existing gathering and transportation assets may require us to obtain new rights-of-way. We may be unable to obtain such rights-of-way and may, therefore, be unable to connect new natural gas volumes to our systems or capitalize on other attractive expansion opportunities. Additionally, it may become more expensive for us to obtain new rights-of-way or to renew existing rights-of-way. If the cost of renewing or obtaining new rights-of-way increases, our cash flows could be adversely affected.

 

If Anadarko were to limit divestitures of midstream assets to us or if we were to be unable to make acquisitions on economically acceptable terms from Anadarko or third parties, our future growth would be limited, and the acquisitions we do make may reduce, rather than increase, our cash generated from operations on a per unit basis.

 

Our ability to grow depends, in part, on our ability to make acquisitions that increase our cash generated from operations on a per unit basis. The acquisition component of our strategy is based, in large part, on our expectation of ongoing divestitures of midstream energy assets by industry participants, including, most notably, Anadarko. A material decrease in such divestitures would limit our opportunities for future acquisitions and could adversely affect our ability to grow our operations and increase our distributions to our unitholders.

 

If we are unable to make accretive acquisitions from Anadarko or third parties, either because we are (i) unable to identify attractive acquisition candidates or negotiate acceptable purchase contracts, (ii) unable to obtain financing for these acquisitions on economically acceptable terms or (iii) outbid by competitors, then our future growth and ability to increase distributions will be limited. Furthermore, even if we do make acquisitions that we believe will be accretive, these acquisitions may nevertheless result in a decrease in the cash generated from operations on a per unit basis.

 

Any acquisition involves potential risks, including, among other things:

 

 

If we consummate any future acquisitions, our capitalization and results of operations may change significantly, and you will not have the opportunity to evaluate the economic, financial and other relevant information that we will consider in determining the application of these funds and other resources.

 

Risk factors

 

 

 

We do not own all of the land on which our pipelines and facilities are located, which could result in disruptions to our operations.

 

We do not own all of the land on which our pipelines and facilities have been constructed, and we are, therefore, subject to the possibility of more onerous terms and/or increased costs to retain necessary land use if we do not have valid rights-of-way or if such rights-of-way lapse or terminate. We obtain the rights to construct and operate our pipelines on land owned by third parties and governmental agencies for a specific period of time. Our loss of these rights, through our inability to renew right-of-way contracts or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and ability to make cash distributions to you.

 

Our business involves many hazards and operational risks, some of which may not be fully covered by insurance. If a significant accident or event occurs for which we are not fully insured, our operations and financial results could be adversely affected.

 

Our operations are subject to all of the risks and hazards inherent in the gathering, compressing, treating and transportation of natural gas, including:

 

 

 

 

These risks could result in substantial losses due to personal injury and/or loss of life, severe damage to and destruction of property and equipment and pollution or other environmental damage. These risks may also result in curtailment or suspension of our operations. A natural disaster or other hazard affecting the areas in which we operate could have a material adverse effect on our operations. We are not fully insured against all risks inherent in our business. For example, we do not have any property insurance on any of our underground pipeline systems that would cover damage to the pipelines. In addition, although we are insured for environmental pollution resulting from environmental accidents that occur on a sudden and accidental basis, we may not be insured against all environmental accidents that might incur, some of which may result in toxic tort claims. If a significant accident or event occurs for which we are not fully insured, it could adversely affect our operations and financial condition. Furthermore, we may not be able to maintain or obtain insurance of the type and amount we desire at reasonable rates. As a result of market conditions, premiums and deductibles for certain of our insurance policies may substantially increase. In some instances, certain insurance could become unavailable or available only for reduced amounts of coverage. Additionally, we may be unable to recover from prior owners of our assets, pursuant to our indemnification rights, for potential environmental liabilities.

 

Risk factors

 

 

We are exposed to the credit risk of Anadarko, and any material non-payment or non-performance by Anadarko, including with respect to our gathering and transportation agreements and our $337.6 million note receivable, could reduce our ability to make distributions to our unitholders.

 

We are dependent on Anadarko for the majority of our revenues. In addition, we anticipate using the proceeds of this offering to make a loan to Anadarko. Consequently, we are subject to the risk of non-payment or non-performance by Anadarko, including with respect to our gathering and transportation agreements and our $337.6 million note receivable. Any such non-payment or non-performance could reduce our ability to make distributions to our unitholders. Furthermore, Anadarko is subject to its own financial, operating and regulatory risks, which could increase the risk of default on its obligations to us. We cannot predict the extent to which Anadarko’s business would be impacted if conditions in the energy industry were to deteriorate nor can we estimate the impact such conditions would have on Anadarko’s ability to perform under our gathering and transportation agreements or note receivable. Further, unless and until we receive full repayment of the $337.6 million note from Anadarko, we will be subject to the risk of non-payment or late payment of the interest payments and principal of the note. Interest income on the note receivable from Anadarko will be allocated in accordance with the general profit and loss allocation provisions included in our partnership agreement. Accordingly, any material non-payment or non-performance by Anadarko could reduce our ability to make distributions to our unitholders.

 

Anadarko’s credit facility and other debt instruments contain financial and operating restrictions that may limit our access to credit. In addition, our ability to obtain credit in the future may be affected by Anadarko’s credit rating.

 

We have the ability to incur up to $100 million of indebtedness under Anadarko’s $750 million credit facility. However, this $100 million of borrowing capacity will be available to us only to the extent that sufficient amounts remain unborrowed by Anadarko. As a result, borrowings by Anadarko could restrict our access to credit. In addition, if we or Anadarko were to fail to comply with the terms of Anadarko’s credit facility, we could be unable to make any borrowings under Anadarko’s credit facility, even if capacity were otherwise available. As a result, the restrictions in Anadarko’s credit facility could adversely affect our ability to finance our future operations or capital needs or to engage in, expand or pursue our business activities, and could also prevent us from engaging in certain transactions that might otherwise be considered beneficial to us.

 

Anadarko’s and our ability to comply with the terms of Anadarko’s debt instruments may be affected by events beyond its and our control, including prevailing economic, financial and industry conditions. If market or other economic conditions deteriorate, Anadarko’s and our ability to comply with the terms of Anadarko’s debt instruments may be impaired. We and Anadarko are subject to financial covenants and ratios under Anadarko’s credit facility. Should we or Anadarko fail to comply with such financial covenants and ratios, we could be unable to make any borrowings under Anadarko’s credit facility. Additionally, a default by Anadarko under one of Anadarko’s debt instruments may cause a cross-default under Anadarko’s other debt instruments, including the credit facility under which we are a co-borrower. Accordingly, a breach by Anadarko of certain of the covenants or ratios in another debt instrument could cause the acceleration of any indebtedness we have outstanding under the credit facility. In the event of an acceleration, we might not have, or be able to obtain, sufficient funds to make the required repayments of debt, finance our operations and pay distributions to unitholders. For more information regarding our debt agreements, please read “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations—Liquidity and capital resources.”

 

Due to our relationship with Anadarko, our ability to obtain credit will be affected by Anadarko’s credit rating. Even if we obtain our own credit rating or separate financing arrangement, any future change in Anadarko’s credit rating would likely also result in a change in our credit rating. Regardless

 

Risk factors

 

 

of whether we have our own credit rating, a downgrading of Anadarko’s credit rating could limit our ability to obtain financing in the future upon favorable terms or at all.

 

Debt we incur in the future may limit our flexibility to obtain financing and to pursue other business opportunities.

 

Our future level of debt could have important consequences to us, including the following:

 

 

Our ability to service our debt will depend upon, among other things, our future financial and operating performance, which will be affected by prevailing economic conditions and financial, business, regulatory and other factors, some of which are beyond our control. If our operating results are not sufficient to service any future indebtedness, we will be forced to take actions such as reducing distributions, reducing or delaying our business activities, acquisitions, investments or capital expenditures, selling assets or seeking additional equity capital. We may not be able to effect any of these actions on satisfactory terms or at all.

 

Increases in interest rates could adversely impact our unit price, our ability to issue equity or incur debt for acquisitions or other purposes and our ability to make cash distributions at our intended levels.

 

Interest rates may increase in the future to counter possible inflation. As a result, interest rates on future credit facilities and debt offerings could be higher than current levels, causing our financing costs to increase accordingly. As with other yield-oriented securities, our unit price is impacted by our level of our cash distributions and implied distribution yield. The distribution yield is often used by investors to compare and rank yield-oriented securities for investment decision-making purposes. Therefore, changes in interest rates, either positive or negative, may affect the yield requirements of investors who invest in our units, and a rising interest rate environment could have an adverse impact on our unit price, our ability to issue equity or incur debt for acquisitions or other purposes and our ability to make cash distributions at our intended levels.

 

RISKS INHERENT IN AN INVESTMENT IN US

 

Anadarko owns and controls our general partner, which has sole responsibility for conducting our business and managing our operations. Anadarko and our general partner have conflicts of interest and may favor Anadarko’s interests to your detriment.

 

Following this offering, Anadarko will own and control our general partner, as well as appoint all of the officers and directors of our general partner, some of whom will also be officers of Anadarko. Although our general partner has a fiduciary duty to manage us in a manner that is beneficial to us and our unitholders, the directors and officers of our general partner have a fiduciary duty to manage our general partner in a manner that is beneficial to its owner, Anadarko. Conflicts of interest may arise between Anadarko and our general partner, on the one hand, and us and our unitholders, on the other hand. In resolving these conflicts of interest, our general partner may favor its own interests and the

 

Risk factors

 

 

interests of Anadarko over our interests and the interests of our unitholders. These conflicts include the following situations, among others:

 

 

Risk factors

 

 

 

Please read “Conflicts of interest and fiduciary duties.”

 

Anadarko is not limited in its ability to compete with us and is not obligated to offer us the opportunity to acquire additional assets or businesses, which could limit our ability to grow and could adversely affect our results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.

 

Anadarko is not prohibited from owning assets or engaging in businesses that compete directly or indirectly with us. In addition, in the future, Anadarko may acquire, construct or dispose of additional midstream or other assets and may be presented with new business opportunities, without any obligation to offer us the opportunity to purchase or construct such assets or to engage in such business opportunities. Moreover, while Anadarko may offer us the opportunity to buy additional assets from it, it is under no contractual obligation to do so and we are unable to predict whether or when such acquisitions might be completed.

 

Cost reimbursements due to Anadarko and our general partner for services provided to us or on our behalf will be substantial and will reduce our cash available for distribution to you. The amount and timing of such reimbursements will be determined by our general partner.

 

Prior to making distributions on our common units, we will reimburse our general partner and its affiliates for all expenses they incur on our behalf. These expenses will include all costs incurred by Anadarko and our general partner in managing and operating us. While our reimbursement of allocated general and administrative expenses is capped under the omnibus agreement, we are required to reimburse Anadarko and our general partner for all direct operating expenses incurred on our behalf. These direct operating expense reimbursements and the reimbursement of incremental general and administrative expenses we will incur as a result of becoming a publicly traded partnership are not capped. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us. The reimbursements to Anadarko and our general partner will reduce the amount of cash otherwise available for distribution to our unitholders.

 

Our general partner intends to limit its liability regarding our obligations.

 

Our general partner intends to limit its liability under contractual arrangements so that the counterparties to such arrangements have recourse only against our assets, and not against our general partner or its assets. Our general partner may therefore cause us to incur indebtedness or other obligations that are nonrecourse to our general partner. Our partnership agreement provides that any action taken by our general partner to limit its liability is not a breach of our general partner’s fiduciary duties, even if we could have obtained more favorable terms without the limitation on liability. In addition, we are obligated to reimburse or indemnify our general partner to the extent that it incurs obligations on our behalf. Any such reimbursement or indemnification payments would reduce the amount of cash otherwise available for distribution to our unitholders.

 

Our partnership agreement requires that we distribute all of our available cash, which could limit our ability to grow and make acquisitions.

 

We expect that we will distribute all of our available cash to our unitholders and will rely primarily upon external financing sources, including commercial bank borrowings and the issuance of debt and equity securities, to fund our acquisitions and expansion capital expenditures. As a result, to the extent we are unable to finance growth externally, our cash distribution policy will significantly impair our ability to grow. Furthermore, we anticipate using substantially all of the net proceeds of this offering to

 

Risk factors

 

 

make a loan to Anadarko, and therefore, the net proceeds of this offering will not be directly used to grow our business.

 

In addition, because we distribute all of our available cash, our growth may not be as fast as that of businesses that reinvest their available cash to expand ongoing operations. To the extent we issue additional units in connection with any acquisitions or expansion capital expenditures, the payment of distributions on those additional units may increase the risk that we will be unable to maintain or increase our per unit distribution level. There are no limitations in our partnership agreement or in Anadarko’s credit facility, under which we are a co-borrower, on our ability to issue additional units, including units ranking senior to the common units. The incurrence of additional commercial borrowings or other debt to finance our growth strategy would result in increased interest expense, which, in turn, may impact the available cash that we have to distribute to our unitholders.

 

Our partnership agreement limits our general partner’s fiduciary duties to holders of our common and subordinated units.

 

Our partnership agreement contains provisions that modify and reduce the fiduciary standards to which our general partner would otherwise be held by state fiduciary duty law. For example, our partnership agreement permits our general partner to make a number of decisions in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner, or otherwise free of fiduciary duties to us and our unitholders. This entitles our general partner to consider only the interests and factors that it desires and relieves it of any duty or obligation to give any consideration to any interest of, or factors affecting, us, our affiliates or our limited partners. Examples of decisions that our general partner may make in its individual capacity include:

 

 

By purchasing a common unit, a common unitholder agrees to become bound by the provisions in the partnership agreement, including the provisions discussed above. Please read “Conflicts of interest and fiduciary duties—Fiduciary duties.”

 

Our partnership agreement restricts the remedies available to holders of our common and subordinated units for actions taken by our general partner that might otherwise constitute breaches of fiduciary duty.

 

Our partnership agreement contains provisions that restrict the remedies available to unitholders for actions taken by our general partner that might otherwise constitute breaches of fiduciary duty under state fiduciary duty law. For example, our partnership agreement:

 

 

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In connection with a situation involving a transaction with an affiliate or a conflict of interest, any determination by our general partner must be made in good faith. If an affiliate transaction or the resolution of a conflict of interest is not approved by our common unitholders or the special committee and the board of directors of our general partner determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the affiliate transaction or conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in subclauses (c) and (d) above, then it will be presumed that, in making its decision, the board of directors acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or the partnership, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption.

 

Our general partner may elect to cause us to issue Class B and general partner units to it in connection with a resetting of the target distribution levels related to its incentive distribution rights, without the approval of the special committee of its board of directors or the holders of our common units. This could result in lower distributions to holders of our common units.

 

Our general partner has the right, at any time when there are no subordinated units outstanding and it has received incentive distributions at the highest level to which it is entitled (48%) for each of the prior four consecutive fiscal quarters, to reset the initial target distribution levels at higher levels based on our distributions at the time of the exercise of the reset election. Following a reset election by our general partner, the minimum quarterly distribution will be adjusted to equal the reset minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reset to correspondingly higher levels based on percentage increases above the reset minimum quarterly distribution.

 

If our general partner elects to reset the target distribution levels, it will be entitled to receive a number of Class B units and general partner units. The Class B units will be entitled to the same cash distributions per unit as our common units and will be convertible into an equal number of common units. The number of Class B units to be issued to our general partner will be equal to that number of common units which would have entitled their holder to an average aggregate quarterly cash distribution in the prior two quarters equal to the average of the distributions to our general partner on

 

Risk factors

 

 

the incentive distribution rights in the prior two quarters. Our general partner will be issued the number of general partner units necessary to maintain our general partner’s interest in us that existed immediately prior to the reset election. We anticipate that our general partner would exercise this reset right in order to facilitate acquisitions or internal growth projects that would not be sufficiently accretive to cash distributions per common unit without such conversion. It is possible, however, that our general partner could exercise this reset election at a time when it is experiencing, or expects to experience, declines in the cash distributions it receives related to its incentive distribution rights and may, therefore, desire to be issued Class B units, which are entitled to distributions on the same priority as our common units, rather than retain the right to receive incentive distributions based on the initial target distribution levels. As a result, a reset election may cause our common unitholders to experience a reduction in the amount of cash distributions that our common unitholders would have otherwise received had we not issued new Class B units and general partner units to our general partner in connection with resetting the target distribution levels. Please read “Provisions of our partnership agreement relating to cash distributions—General partner’s right to reset target distribution levels.”

 

Holders of our common units have limited voting rights and are not entitled to elect our general partner or its directors.

 

Unlike the holders of common stock in a corporation, unitholders have only limited voting rights on matters affecting our business and, therefore, limited ability to influence management’s decisions regarding our business. Unitholders will have no right on an annual or ongoing basis to elect our general partner or its board of directors. The board of directors of our general partner will be chosen by Anadarko. Furthermore, if the unitholders are dissatisfied with the performance of our general partner, they will have little ability to remove our general partner. As a result of these limitations, the price at which the common units will trade could be diminished because of the absence or reduction of a takeover premium in the trading price. Our partnership agreement also contains provisions limiting the ability of unitholders to call meetings or to acquire information about our operations, as well as other provisions limiting the unitholders’ ability to influence the manner or direction of management.

 

Even if holders of our common units are dissatisfied, they cannot initially remove our general partner without its consent.

 

The unitholders initially will be unable to remove our general partner without its consent because our general partner and its affiliates will own sufficient units upon completion of this offering to be able to prevent its removal. The vote of the holders of at least 662/3% of all outstanding units voting together as a single class is required to remove our general partner. Following the closing of this offering, Anadarko will own 58.5% of our outstanding common and subordinated units. Also, if our general partner is removed without cause during the subordination period and units held by our general partner and its affiliates are not voted in favor of that removal, all remaining subordinated units will automatically convert into common units and any existing arrearages on our common units will be extinguished. A removal of our general partner under these circumstances would adversely affect our common units by prematurely eliminating their distribution and liquidation preference over our subordinated units, which would otherwise have continued until we had met certain distribution and performance tests. Cause is narrowly defined to mean that a court of competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-appealable judgment finding our general partner liable for actual fraud, gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct in its capacity as our general partner. Cause does not include most cases of charges of poor management of the business, so the removal of our general partner because of the unitholder’s dissatisfaction with our general partner’s performance in managing our partnership will most likely result in the termination of the subordination period and conversion of all subordinated units to common units.

 

Risk factors