As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 9, 2011

Registration No. 333-173191

 

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Amendment No. 3
to

Form S-1

 

 

1614 15th Street
Suite 300
Denver, Colorado 80202
(720) 457-6060

(Address, including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

Brian F. Bierbach
President and Chief Executive Officer
1614 15th Street
Suite 300
Denver, Colorado 80202
(720) 457-6060

(Name, Address, including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

 

 

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

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

 

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.

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus we may authorize to be delivered to you. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with additional or 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 the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus.

 

SUMMARY

American Midstream Partners, LP

Overview

 

Business Strategies

	•	Capitalize on Organic Growth Opportunities Associated with Our Existing Assets.   We continually seek to identify and evaluate economically attractive organic expansion and asset enhancement opportunities that leverage our existing asset footprint and strategic relationships with our customers.
	•	Attract Additional Volumes to Our Systems.   We intend to attract new volumes of natural gas to our systems from existing and new customers by continuing to provide superior customer service and reestablishing relationships with customers that were potentially underserved by the previous owner of our assets.
	•	Pursue Strategic and Accretive Acquisitions.   We plan to pursue accretive acquisitions of energy infrastructure assets that are complementary to our existing asset base or that provide attractive potential returns in new operating regions or business lines.
	•	Manage Exposure to Commodity Price Risk.   We will manage our commodity price exposure by targeting a contract portfolio that is weighted towards fee-based and fixed-margin contracts while mitigating direct commodity price exposure by employing a prudent hedging strategy.
	•	Maintain Financial Flexibility and Conservative Leverage.   We plan to pursue a disciplined financial policy and seek to maintain a conservative capital structure that we believe will allow us to consider attractive growth projects and acquisitions even in periods of challenging market environments.
	•	Continue Our Commitment to Safe and Environmentally Sound Operations.   The safety of our employees and the communities in which we operate is one of our highest priorities. We believe it is critical to handle natural gas and NGLs for our customers safely, while striving to minimize the environmental impact of our operations.

 

Competitive Strengths

	•	Well Positioned to Pursue Opportunities Overlooked by Larger Competitors .  Our size and flexibility, in conjunction with our geographically diverse asset base, position us to pursue economically attractive growth projects and acquisitions that may not be large enough to be attractive to many of our larger competitors.
	•	Diversified Asset Base.   Our assets are diversified geographically and by business line, which contributes to the stability of our cash flows and creates a number of potential growth opportunities for our business.
	•	Strategically Located Assets.   Our assets are located in areas where we believe there will be opportunities to access new natural gas supplies and to capture new customers that are underserved by our competitors. We continue to see drilling activity on and around our systems, and we believe that our assets are strategically positioned to capitalize on such activity.
	•	Focus on Delivering Excellent Customer Service.   We view our strong customer relationships as one of our key assets and believe it is critical to maintain operational excellence and ensure best-in-class customer service and reliability.
	•	Experienced and Incentivized Management and Operating Teams.   Our executive management team has an average of over 25 years of experience in the midstream energy industry. The team possesses a comprehensive skill set to support our business and enhance unitholder value through asset optimization, accretive development projects and acquisitions.

 

Our Sponsor

	•	each general partner unit held by our general partner will automatically reverse split into 0.485 general partner units, resulting in the ownership by our general partner of an aggregate of 108,718 general partner units, representing a 2.0% general partner interest in us;

	•	each common unit held by participants in our Long-Term Incentive Plan, or LTIP, will automatically reverse split into 0.485 common units, resulting in their ownership of an aggregate of 50,946 common units, representing an aggregate 0.9% limited partner interest in us;

	•	each outstanding phantom unit granted to participants in our LTIP will automatically reverse split into 0.485 phantom units, resulting in their holding an aggregate of 209,824 phantom units;

	•	each common unit held by AIM Midstream Holdings will automatically reverse split into 0.485 common units, resulting in the ownership by AIM Midstream Holdings of an aggregate of 5,327,205 common units, representing an aggregate 97.1% limited partner interest in us; and

	•	the common units held by AIM Midstream Holdings will automatically convert into 801,139 common units and 4,526,066 subordinated units.

	•	we will issue 3,750,000 common units to the public in this offering;

	•	AIM Midstream Holdings will contribute 76,019 common units to our general partner as a capital contribution;

	•	our general partner will contribute the common units contributed to it by AIM Midstream Holdings to us in exchange for 76,019 general partner units in order to maintain its 2.0% general partner interest in us;

	•	we will use the net proceeds from this offering for the purposes set forth in “Use of Proceeds;”
	•	we will enter into a new credit facility; and
	•	we will use the net proceeds from borrowings under our new credit facility for the purposes set forth in “Use of Proceeds.”

 

Principal Executive Offices and Internet Address

 

General

 

Partnership Agreement Modifications to Fiduciary Duties

 

AIM Midstream Holdings May Engage in Competition with Us

 

The Offering

Common units offered to the public		3,750,000 common units.

		4,312,500 common units, if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional common units.

Units outstanding after this offering		4,526,066 common units and 4,526,066 subordinated units, each representing a 49.0% limited partner interest in us. Our general partner will own 184,737 general partner units, representing a 2.0% general partner interest in us.

 

Use of proceeds		We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering of approximately $69.8 million, after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and structuring fees, but before paying offering expenses, to:

		• repay in full the outstanding balance under our existing credit facility of $59.8 million;

		• pay offering expenses of approximately $3.3 million;

		• terminate, in exchange for a payment of $2.5 million, the advisory services agreement between our subsidiary, American Midstream, LLC, and AIM;

		• establish a cash reserve of $2.2 million related to our non-recurring deferred maintenance capital expenditures for the twelve months ending June 30, 2012; and

		• distribute approximately $2.0 million, on a pro rata basis, to AIM Midstream Holdings, LTIP participants holding common units and our general partner. The portion of the distribution made to AIM Midstream Holdings is a partial reimbursement of capital expenditures that were funded by its initial investment in us.

		We will use the proceeds from borrowings of approximately $30.0 million under our new credit facility to (i) distribute approximately $28.0 million, on a pro rata basis, to AIM Midstream Holdings, LTIP participants holding common units and our general partner and (ii) pay fees and expenses relating to our new credit facility of approximately $2.0 million.

		If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units, we will use the net proceeds from that exercise to redeem from AIM Midstream Holdings a number of common units equal to the number of common units issued upon such exercise, at a price per common unit equal to the proceeds per common unit in this offering before expenses but after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and structuring fees.
		Please read “Use of Proceeds.”

Cash distributions		We intend to pay a minimum quarterly distribution of $0.4125 per unit ($1.65 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.” 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 closing of this offering through September 30, 2011, based on the length of that period.
		Our partnership agreement requires that we distribute all of our available cash each quarter in the following manner:

		•  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 $0.4125 plus any arrearages from prior quarters;

		•  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 $0.4125; and

		•  third , 98.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general partner, until each unit has received a distribution of $0.47438.

		If cash distributions to our unitholders exceed $0.47438 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 amount of as adjusted cash available for distribution generated during the year ended December 31, 2010 and the twelve months ended March 31, 2011 would have been insufficient to allow us to pay the full minimum quarterly distribution ($0.4125 per unit per quarter, or $1.65 on an annualized basis) on all of our common and subordinated units, as well as the corresponding distribution on our 2.0% general partner interest, for such period. 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 annualized minimum quarterly distribution of $0.4125 per unit on all common and subordinated units, as well as the corresponding distribution on our 2.0% general partner interest, for the twelve months ending June 30, 2012.

Subordinated units		AIM Midstream Holdings will initially indirectly own all of our subordinated units. The principal difference between our common units and subordinated units is that in any quarter during the subordination period, holders of the subordinated units are not entitled to receive any distribution of available cash 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) $1.65 (the minimum quarterly distribution on an annualized basis) on each outstanding common and subordinated unit, as well as the corresponding distribution on our 2.0% general partner interest, for each of three consecutive, non-overlapping four-quarter periods ending on or after September 30, 2014 or (ii) $2.475 (150% of the annualized minimum quarterly distribution) on each outstanding common and subordinated unit, as well as the corresponding distribution on our 2.0% general partner interest, in addition to any distribution made in respect of the incentive distribution rights, for any four consecutive quarter period ending on or after September 30, 2012; provided that we have paid at least the minimum quarterly distribution from operating surplus on each outstanding common unit and subordinated unit, as well as the corresponding distribution on our 2.0% general partner interest, for each quarter in that four-quarter period.

		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.

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 66 2 / 3 % of the outstanding limited partner units voting together as a single class, including any limited partner units owned by our general partner and its affiliates, including AIM Midstream Holdings. Upon the closing of this offering, AIM Midstream Holdings will own an aggregate of 58.0% of our common and subordinated units. This will give AIM Midstream Holdings 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 80.0% 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.
Eligible holders and redemption		If our general partner determines that a holder of our common units is not an eligible holder, it may elect not to make distributions or allocate income or loss to such holder. Eligible holders are:
		• U.S. individuals or entities subject to U.S. federal income taxation on the income generated by us; or

		• U.S. entities not subject to U.S. federal income taxation on the income generated by us, so long as all of the entity’s owners are domestic individuals or entities subject to such taxation.

		We have the right, which we may assign to any of our affiliates, but not the obligation, to redeem all of the common units of any holder that is not an eligible holder or that has failed to certify or has falsely certified that such holder is an eligible holder. The purchase price for such redemption would be equal to the lesser of the holder’s purchase price and the then-current market price of the common units. The redemption price will be paid in cash or by delivery of a promissory note, as determined by our general partner.
		Please read “The Partnership Agreement — Non-Citizen Assignees; Redemption” and “The Partnership Agreement — Non-Taxpaying Assignees; Redemption.”

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          , 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 $1.65 per unit, we estimate that your average allocable federal taxable income per year will be no more than $   per unit. Please read “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences — Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Ratio of Taxable Income to Distributions” and “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences — Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.”

 

Material federal income 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 Federal Income Tax Consequences.”

Exchange listing		We intend to apply to list our common units on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ‘‘AMID.”

 

Summary Historical Financial and Operating Data

			American Midstream Partners Predecessor										American Midstream Partners, LP and Subsidiaries (Successor)
													Period from
								10 Months					August 20, 2009
			Year Ended					Ended					(Inception Date)					Year Ended				Quarter Ended				Quarter Ended
			December 31,					October 31,					to December 31,					December 31,				March 31,				March 31,
			2008					2009					2009					2010				2010				2011
			(in thousands, except per unit and operating data)
Statement of Operations Data:
Revenue			$	366,348				$	143,132				$	32,833				$	211,940			$	54,712			$	67,265
Unrealized gain (loss) on commodity derivatives				—					—					—					—				—				(3,500	)
Total revenue				366,348					143,132					32,833					211,940				54,712				63,765
Operating expenses:
Purchases of natural gas, NGLs and condensate				323,205					113,227					26,593					173,821				44,964				54,953
Direct operating expenses				13,423					10,331					1,594					12,187				2,692				3,058
Selling, general and administrative expenses(1)				8,618					8,577					1,346					8,854				2,113				2,675
One-time transaction costs				—					—					6,404					303				74				288
Depreciation expense				13,481					12,630					2,978					20,013				4,966				5,037
Total operating expenses				358,727					144,765					38,915					215,178				54,809				66,011
Operating income (loss)				7,621					(1,633	)				(6,082	)				(3,238	)			(97	)			(2,246	)
Other (income) expenses:
Interest expense				5,747					3,728					910					5,406				1,357				1,264
Income tax expense				—					—					—					—				—				—
Other (income) expenses				(854	)				(24	)				—					—				—				—
Net income (loss)			$	2,728				$	(5,337	)			$	(6,992	)			$	(8,644	)		$	(1,454	)		$	(3,510	)
General partner’s interest in net income (loss)														(140	)				(173	)			(29	)			(70	)
Limited partners’ interest in net income (loss)														(6,852	)				(8,471	)			(1,425	)			(3,440	)
Limited partners’ net income (loss) per unit													$	(1.52	)			$	(0.81	)		$	(0.14	)		$	(0.30	)
Pro forma earnings per common unit(2)																										$	(0.61	)
Pro forma weighted average common units outstanding(2)																											5,668
Statement of Cash Flows Data:
Net cash provided by (used in):
Operating activities			$	18,155				$	14,589				$	(6,531	)			$	13,791			$	2,323			$	5,067
Investing activities				(10,486	)				(853	)				(151,976	)				(10,268	)			(494	)			(1,291	)
Financing activities				(7,929	)				(14,008	)				159,656					(4,609	)			(2,888	)			(3,686	)
Other Financial Data:
Adjusted EBITDA(3)			$	21,956				$	11,021				$	3,450				$	18,263			$	5,197			$	6,914
Gross margin(4)				43,143					29,905					6,240					38,119				9,748				12,312
Segment gross margin:
Gathering and Processing				27,354					20,024					3,698					24,595				6,098				8,167
Transmission				15,789					9,881					2,542					13,524				3,650				4,145
Balance Sheet Data (At Period End):
Cash and cash equivalents			$	421				$	149				$	1,149				$	63			$	90			$	153
Accounts receivable, net and unbilled revenue				9,532					8,756					19,776					22,850				17,446				22,248
Property, plant and equipment, net				216,903					205,126					149,266					146,808				151,167				143,394
Total assets				277,242					250,162					174,470					173,229				173,217				169,693
Total debt (current and long-term)(5)				60,000					—					61,000					56,370				58,380				56,500
Operating Data:
Gathering and Processing segment :
Throughput (MMcf/d)				179.2					211.8					169.7					175.6				164.3				242.8
Plant inlet volume (MMcf/d)(6)				12.5					11.7					11.4					9.9				11.1				15.2
Gross NGL production (Mgal/d)(6)				40.2					39.3					38.2					34.1				35.2				56.6
Transmission segment :
Throughput (MMcf/d)				336.2					357.6					381.3					350.2				360.6				446.0
Firm transportation — capacity reservation (MMcf/d)				627.3					613.2					701.0					677.6				702.8				762.1
Interruptible transportation — throughput (MMcf/d)				141.6					121.0					118.0					80.9				80.2				76.5

(1)		Includes LTIP expenses for the period from August 20, 2009 to December 31, 2009, for the year ended December 31, 2010, for the quarter ended March 31, 2010 and for the quarter ended March 31, 2011 of $0.2 million, $1.7 million, $0.3 million and $0.5 million, respectively. Of these amounts, $0.2 million, $1.2 million, $0.3 million and $0.3 million, respectively, represent non-cash expenses.

(2)		The pro forma earnings per common unit gives effect to the recapitalization transactions as of March 31, 2011 and the additional number of common units issued in this offering (at an assumed offering price of $20.00 per unit) necessary to pay the portion of the distribution to AIM Midstream Holdings, LTIP Participants holding common units and our general partner described in “Use of Proceeds” that will be funded from the proceeds of this offering that exceeds net income for the three months ended March 31, 2011.

(3)		For a definition of adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation to its most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP, please read “Selected Historical Financial and Operating Data — How We Evaluate Our Operations,” and for a discussion of how we use adjusted EBITDA to evaluate our operating performance, please read “— How We Evaluate Our Operations.”

(4)		For a definition of gross margin and a reconciliation to its most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP, please read Note 12 to our unaudited consolidated financial statements and Note 18 to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus and for a discussion of how we use gross margin to evaluate our operating performance, please read “— How We Evaluate Our Operations.”

(5)		Excludes Predecessor Note payable to Enbridge Midcoast Limited Holdings, L.L.C. of $39.3 million as of December 31, 2008.

(6)		Excludes volumes and gross production under our elective processing arrangements. For a description of our elective processing arrangements, please read “Business — Gathering and Processing Segment — Gloria System.”

 

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.

 

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 $0.4125 per unit, or $1.65 per unit on an annualized basis, we will require available cash of approximately $3.8 million per quarter, or $15.2 million per year, based on the number of common and subordinated units and the 2.0% general partner interest 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:

 

 

In addition, the actual amount of cash we will have available for distribution will depend on other factors, 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.”

 

On a historical as adjusted basis we would not have had sufficient cash available for distribution to pay the full minimum quarterly distribution on all of our units for the year ended December 31, 2010 and for the twelve months ended March 31, 2011.

 

We must generate approximately $15.2 million of available cash to pay the minimum quarterly distribution for four quarters on all of our common and subordinated units that will be outstanding immediately following this offering, as well as the corresponding distribution on our 2.0% general partner interest. The amount of historical as adjusted available cash generated during the year ended December 31, 2010 and for the twelve months ended March 31, 2011 would not have been sufficient to allow us to pay the full minimum quarterly distribution on our common and subordinated units as well as the corresponding distribution on our 2.0% general partner interest, during those periods. Specifically, the amount of historical as adjusted available cash generated during the year ended December 31, 2010 would have been sufficient to pay the minimum quarterly distribution on all of our common units, but only 31.6% of the minimum quarterly distribution on our subordinated units. Likewise, the amount of historical as adjusted available cash generated during the twelve months ended March 31, 2011 would have been sufficient to pay the minimum quarterly distribution on all of our common units, but only 43.1% of the minimum quarterly distribution on our subordinated units. For a calculation of our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders based on our historical as adjusted results, 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 June 30, 2012. 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, including risks that expansion projects do not result in an increase in gathered and transported volumes, 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.

 

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

 

The natural gas volumes that support our business are dependent on the level of production from natural gas and oil wells connected to our 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 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 in our areas of operation and (ii) our ability to compete for volumes from successful new wells.

 

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 systems or the rate at which production from a well declines. In addition, we have no control over producers or their drilling or production decisions, which are affected by, among other things:

 

 

Fluctuations in energy prices can also greatly affect the development of new oil and natural gas reserves. Further 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 assets.

 

Because of these and other 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. If reductions in drilling activity result in our inability to maintain the current levels of throughput on our systems, it could reduce our revenue and cash flow and adversely affect our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

 

Natural gas, NGL and other commodity prices are volatile, and a reduction in these prices in absolute terms, or an adverse change in the prices of natural gas and NGLs relative to one another, could adversely affect our gross margin and cash flow and our ability to make distributions to our unitholders.

 

We are subject to risks due to frequent and often substantial fluctuations in commodity prices. In the past, the prices of natural gas and crude oil have been extremely volatile, and we expect this volatility to continue. The NYMEX daily settlement price for natural gas for the forward month contract in 2010 ranged from a high of $6.01 per MMBtu to a low of $3.29 per MMBtu. Natural gas prices reached relatively high levels in 2005 and early 2006 and have exhibited significant volatility since then, including a sustained decline beginning in 2008, with the forward month gas futures contracts closing at a seven-year low of $2.51 per MMBtu in September 2009. NGL prices are generally positively correlated to the price of WTI crude oil, which has also exhibited frequent and substantial fluctuations. The NYMEX daily settlement price for WTI crude oil for the forward month contract in 2010 ranged from a high of $91.51 per Bbl to a low of $66.88 per Bbl. Crude oil prices reached historically high levels in July 2008, hitting a peak of $145.63 per Bbl, and have demonstrated substantial volatility since then, with the forward month crude oil futures contracts ranging from $30.81 per Bbl in December 2008 to above $100.00 per Bbl in March 2011.

 

The markets for and prices of natural gas, NGLs and other hydrocarbon commodities depend on factors that are beyond our control. These factors include the supply of and demand for these commodities, which fluctuate with changes in market and economic conditions and other factors, including:

 

 

 

In our Gathering and Processing segment, we have exposure to direct commodity price risk under percent-of-proceeds processing contracts as well as under our elective processing arrangements. Under percent-of-proceeds arrangements, we generally purchase natural gas from producers and retain an agreed percentage of the proceeds (in cash or in-kind) from the sale at market prices of pipeline-quality natural gas and NGLs resulting from our processing activities. We also purchase natural gas at various receipt points, process the gas at a third-party owned natural gas processing facility and sell our portion of the residue gas and NGLs. Under percent-of-proceeds arrangements, our revenue and our cash flows increase or decrease as the prices of natural gas and NGLs fluctuate. When we process natural gas that we purchase for our own account, the relationship between natural gas prices and NGL prices also affects our profitability. When natural gas prices are low relative to NGL prices, it is more profitable for us to process the natural gas that we purchase and process for our own account. When natural gas prices are high relative to NGL prices, it is less profitable for us and our customers to process natural gas both because of the higher value of natural gas and because of the increased cost (principally that of natural gas shrink that occurs during processing and use of natural gas as a fuel) of separating the mixed NGLs from the natural gas. As a result, we may experience periods in which higher natural gas prices relative to NGL prices reduce our processing margins or reduce the volume of natural gas processed pursuant to our elective processing arrangements. For the year ended December 31, 2010 and for the quarter ended March 31, 2011, percent-of-proceeds arrangements accounted for approximately 34.6% and 40.5%, respectively, of our gross margin, or 53.6% and 61.0%, respectively, of the segment gross margin in our Gathering and Processing segment. For a discussion of these arrangements, please read “Industry Overview — Typical Midstream Contractual Arrangements.”

 

A decrease in demand for natural gas, NGLs or condensate by the petrochemical, refining or heating industries, could adversely affect the profitability of our midstream business.

 

A decrease in demand for natural gas, NGLs or condensate by the petrochemical, refining or heating industries, could adversely affect the profitability of our midstream business. Various factors impact the demand for natural gas, NGLs and condensate, including general economic conditions, extended periods of ethane rejection, increased competition from petroleum-based products due to pricing differences, adverse weather conditions, availability of natural gas processing and transportation capacity and government regulations affecting prices and production levels of natural gas, NGLs and condensate.

 

Our hedging activities may not be effective in reducing our direct exposure to commodity price risk and the variability of our cash flows and may, in certain circumstances, increase the variability of our cash flows.

 

We have entered into derivative transactions related to only a portion of the equity volumes of NGLs to which we take title. As a result, we will continue to have direct commodity price risk to the unhedged portion of our NGL equity volumes. We currently have no hedges in place beyond December 2012. Our actual future volumes may be significantly higher or lower than we estimated at the time we entered into the derivative transactions for that period. If the actual amount is higher than we estimated, we will have greater commodity price risk than we intended. If the actual amount is lower than the amount that is subject to our derivative financial instruments, we might be forced to satisfy all or a portion of our derivative transactions without the benefit of the cash flow from our sale of the underlying physical commodity, resulting in a reduction of our

liquidity. The derivative instruments we utilize for these hedges are based on posted market prices, which may be lower than the actual NGL prices that we realize in our operations. As a result of these factors, our hedging activities may not be as effective as we intend in reducing the variability of our cash flows, and in certain circumstances may actually increase the variability of our cash flows. To the extent we hedge our commodity price risk, we may forego the benefits we would otherwise experience if commodity prices were to change in our favor. We do not enter into derivative transactions with respect to the volumes of natural gas or condensate that we purchase and sell.

 

We may not successfully balance our purchases and sales of natural gas, which would increase our exposure to commodity price risks.

 

We purchase from producers and other suppliers a substantial amount of the natural gas that flows through our pipelines and processing facilities for sale to third parties, including natural gas marketers and other purchasers. We are exposed to fluctuations in the price of natural gas through volumes sold pursuant to percent-of-proceeds arrangements as well as through volumes sold pursuant to our fixed-margin contracts.

 

In order to mitigate our direct commodity price exposure, we do not enter into natural gas hedge contracts, but rather attempt to balance our natural gas sales with our natural gas purchases on an aggregate basis across all of our systems. We may not be successful in balancing our purchases and sales, and as such may become exposed to fluctuations in the price of natural gas. For example, we are currently net purchasers of natural gas on certain of our systems and net sellers of natural gas on certain of our other systems. Our overall net position with respect to natural gas can change over time and our exposure to fluctuations in natural gas prices could materially increase, which in turn could result in increased volatility in our revenue, gross margin and cash flows.

 

Although we enter into back-to-back purchases and sales of natural gas in our fixed-margin contracts in which we purchase natural gas from producers or suppliers at receipt points on our systems and simultaneously sell an identical volume of natural gas at delivery points on our systems, we may still be exposed to commodity price risks. For example, the volumes or timing of our purchases and sales may not correspond. In addition, a producer or supplier could fail to deliver contracted volumes or deliver in excess of contracted volumes, or a purchaser could purchase less than contracted volumes. Any of these actions could cause our purchases and sales to become unbalanced. If our purchases and sales are unbalanced, we will face increased exposure to commodity price risks, which in turn could result in increased volatility in our revenue, gross margin and cash flows.

 

We are a relatively small enterprise, and our management has limited history with our assets and no experience in managing our business as a publicly traded partnership. As a result, operational, financial and other events in the ordinary course of business could disproportionately affect us, and our ability to grow our business could be significantly limited.

 

We will be smaller than many of the other companies in our industry for the foreseeable future, not only in terms of market capitalization but also in terms of managerial, operational and financial resources. Consequently, an operational incident, customer loss or other event that would not significantly impact the business and operations of the larger companies in our industry may have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations. In addition, our executive management team is relatively small with no experience in managing our business as a publicly traded partnership and has managed our business and assets for less than two years. As a result, we may not be able to anticipate or respond to material changes or other events in our business as effectively as if our executive management team had such experience and had managed our business and assets for many years. Furthermore, acquisitions and other growth projects may place a significant strain on our management resources. As a result, our ability to execute our growth strategy and to integrate acquisitions and expansion projects successfully into our existing operations could be significantly limited.

We currently have a limited accounting staff, and if we fail to develop or maintain an effective system of internal controls, we may not be able to report our financial results timely and accurately or prevent fraud, which would likely have a negative impact on the market price of our common units.

 

Upon the completion of this offering, we will become subject to the public reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable and timely financial reports, prevent fraud and to operate successfully as a publicly traded partnership. We prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP, but our internal accounting controls may not meet all standards applicable to companies with publicly traded securities. Our efforts to develop and maintain our internal controls may not be successful, and we may be unable to maintain effective controls over our financial processes and reporting in the future or to comply with our obligations under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which we refer to as Section 404. For example, Section 404 will require us, among other things, to annually review and report on, and our independent registered public accounting firm to attest to, the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting. We must comply with Section 404 for our fiscal year ending December 31, 2012. Any failure to develop, implement or maintain effective internal controls or to improve our internal controls could harm our operating results or cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations.

 

Prior to this offering, we have been a private company and have not been required to file reports with the SEC. We currently have limited accounting personnel, and while we have begun the process of evaluating the adequacy of our accounting personnel staffing level and other matters related to our internal controls over financial reporting, we cannot predict the outcome of our review at this time.

 

Given the difficulties inherent in the design and operation of internal controls over financial reporting, in addition to our limited accounting personnel and management resources, we can provide no assurance as to our, or our independent registered public accounting firm’s, future conclusions about the effectiveness of our internal controls, and we may incur significant costs in our efforts to comply with Section 404. Any failure to implement and maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting will subject us to regulatory scrutiny and a loss of confidence in our reported financial information, which could have an adverse effect on our business and would likely have a negative effect on the trading price of our common units.

 

We depend on a relatively small number of customers for a significant portion of our gross margin. The loss of any one or more of these customers could adversely affect our ability to make distributions to you.

 

A significant percentage of the gross margin in each of our segments is attributable to a relatively small number of customers. Additionally, a number of customers upon which our business depends are small companies that may in the future have limited access to capital or that may, as a result of operational incidents or other events, be disproportionately affected as a compared to larger, better capitalized companies. In our Gathering and Processing segment, Contango Operators Inc. and Venture Oil & Gas Co. accounted for approximately 19% and 13%, respectively, of our segment gross margin for the year ended December 31, 2010 and approximately 15% and 23%, respectively, of our segment gross margin for the quarter ended March 31, 2011. In our Transmission segment, Calpine Corporation accounted for approximately 38% of our segment gross margin for the year ended December 31, 2010 and approximately 30% of our segment gross margin for the quarter ended March 31, 2011. Although we have gathering, processing or transmission contracts with each of these customers of varying duration and commercial terms, if one or more of these customers were to default on their contract or if we were unable to renew our contract with one or more of these customers on favorable terms, we may not be able to replace any of these customers in a timely fashion, on favorable terms or at all. In any of these situations, our gross margin and cash flows and our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders may be adversely affected. We expect our exposure to concentrated risk of non-payment or non-performance to continue as long as we remain substantially dependent on a relatively small number of customers for a substantial portion of our gross margin.

If third-party pipelines or other midstream 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 revenue and cash available for distribution could be adversely affected.

 

Our natural gas gathering and processing and transportation systems connect to other pipelines or facilities, the majority of which, such as the Southern Natural Gas Company, or Sonat, pipeline, the Toca plant, oil gathering lines on Quivira and the Burns Point processing plant, as well as the Destin, Tennessee Gas and Transco pipelines, are owned and operated by third parties. For example, our elective processing arrangements are entirely dependent on the Toca plant for processing services and the Sonat pipeline for natural gas takeaway capacity and are substantially dependent on the Tennessee Gas Pipeline, or TGP, for natural gas supply volumes. The continuing operation of such third-party pipelines and other midstream facilities is not within our control. These pipelines and other midstream facilities may become unavailable because of testing, turnarounds, line repair, reduced operating pressure, lack of operating capacity, regulatory requirements, curtailments of receipt or deliveries due to insufficient capacity or because of damage from hurricanes or other operational hazards. If any of these pipelines or other midstream facilities becomes unable to receive or 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 revenue and cash available for distribution could be adversely affected.

 

Our reliance on our key customers exposes us to their credit risks, and any material nonpayment or nonperformance by our key customers or purchasers could have a material adverse effect on our revenue, gross margin and cash flows.

 

We are subject to risks of loss resulting from nonpayment or nonperformance by our customers to which we provide services and sell commodities. Our three largest purchasers of natural gas in our Gathering and Processing segment are ConocoPhillips, Enbridge Marketing (U.S.) L.P., or EMUS, and Dow Hydrocarbons and Resources, which accounted for approximately 34%, 29% and 10%, respectively, of our segment revenue for the year ended December 31, 2010 and approximately 59%, 15% and 8%, respectively, of our segment revenue for the quarter ended March 31, 2011. Additionally, ExxonMobil and Calpine Corporation are the two largest purchasers of natural gas and transmission capacity, respectively, in our Transmission segment and accounted for approximately 43% and 10%, respectively, of our segment revenue for the year ended December 31, 2010 and approximately 50% and 7%, respectively, of our segment revenue for the quarter ended March 31, 2011.

 

Some of our customers may be highly leveraged or under-capitalized and subject to their own operating and regulatory risks, which could increase the risk that they may default on their obligations to us. In addition, some of our customers, such as Calpine Corporation, which emerged from bankruptcy in 2008, may have a history of bankruptcy or other material financial and liquidity issues. Any material nonpayment or nonperformance by any of our key customers could have a material adverse effect on our revenue, gross margin and cash flows and our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

 

Our gathering, processing and transportation contracts subject us to renewal risks.

 

We gather, purchase, process, transport and sell most of the natural gas and NGLs on our systems under contracts with terms of various durations. As these contracts expire, we may have to negotiate extensions or renewals with existing suppliers and customers or enter into new contracts with other suppliers and customers. We may be unable to obtain new contracts on favorable commercial terms, if at all. We also may be unable to maintain the economic structure of a particular contract with an existing customer or the overall mix of our contract portfolio. For example, depending on prevailing market conditions at the time of a contract renewal, gathering and processing customers with percent-of-proceeds contracts may choose to switch to fee-based gathering and transportation contracts, or a producer with whom we have a natural gas purchase contract may choose to enter into a transportation contract with us and retain title to its natural gas. To the extent we are unable to renew our existing contracts on terms that are favorable to us or successfully manage our overall contract mix over time, our revenue, gross margin and cash flows could decline and our ability to make distributions to our unitholders could be materially and adversely affected.

 

The contracts on which our elective processing arrangements are based are month-to-month, and the loss of these contracts would materially and adversely affect our revenue and gross margin in our Gathering and Processing segment.

 

A substantial portion of our revenue and gross margin in our Gathering and Processing segment is generated by processing natural gas under our percent-of-proceeds arrangements with Enterprise Products Partners L.P. at its Toca plant. Our month-to-month contracts with producers on the Gloria and Lafitte systems permit us to determine, on a month-to-month basis, whether it would be more profitable for us to purchase natural gas from those producers for processing for our own account at the Toca plant or transport that natural gas in exchange for a fee. Similarly, we have the ability to purchase natural gas at the Lafitte/TGP interconnect for processing at the Toca plant when it would profitable to do so. We refer to the flexibility built into these contracts as our elective processing arrangements. During the year ended December 31, 2010, 7% and 20% of our revenue and segment gross margin, respectively, in our Gathering and Processing segment were generated under our elective processing arrangements. During the quarter ended March 31, 2011, 9% and 23% of our revenue and segment gross margin, respectively, in our Gathering and Processing segment was generated under our elective processing arrangements. Our processing contracts with Enterprise at its Toca plant are currently renewing on a month-to-month basis. Our revenue, segment gross margin and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected if we were unable to negotiate an extension of such elective processing arrangements or if Enterprise were to demand commercial terms that are less favorable to us.

 

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

 

We compete with other midstream companies in our areas of operation. In addition, some of our competitors are large companies that have greater financial, managerial and other resources than we do. Our competitors may expand or construct gathering, compression, treating, processing or transportation systems that would create additional competition for the services we provide to our customers. In addition, our customers may develop their own gathering, compression, treating, processing 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 revenue 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 our unitholders.

 

Significant portions of our pipeline systems have been in service for several decades and we have a limited ownership history with respect to all of our assets. There could be unknown events or conditions or increased maintenance or repair expenses and downtime associated with our pipelines that could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

 

We purchased our assets from Enbridge in November 2009. Significant portions of the pipeline systems that we purchased have been in service for many decades. In addition, our executive management team was hired shortly before that purchase and, consequently, has a limited history of operating our assets. There may be historical occurrences or latent issues regarding our pipeline systems that our executive management may be unaware of and that may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. The age and condition of our pipeline systems could also result in increased maintenance or repair expenditures, and any downtime associated with increased maintenance and repair activities could materially reduce our revenue. Any significant increase in maintenance and repair expenditures or loss of revenue due to the age or condition of our pipeline systems could adversely affect our business and results of operations and our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

 

We may incur significant costs and liabilities as a result of pipeline integrity management program testing and related repairs.

 

Pursuant to the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002, as reauthorized and amended by the Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement and Safety Act of 2006, the U.S. Department of Transportation, or DOT, has adopted regulations requiring pipeline operators to develop integrity management programs for

transmission pipelines located where a leak or rupture could harm “high consequence areas,” including high population areas, unless the operator effectively demonstrates by risk assessment that the pipeline could not affect the area. The regulations require operators, including us, to:

 

 

Upon reviewing the integrity maintenance plan we inherited, we determined that we have an additional sixteen high consequence areas that we identified after we acquired our assets.

 

In addition, many states have adopted regulations similar to existing DOT regulations for intrastate gathering and transmission lines. Although many of our natural gas facilities fall within a class that is not subject to these requirements, we may incur significant costs and liabilities associated with repair, remediation, preventative or mitigation measures associated with our non-exempt pipelines, particularly our AlaTenn and Midla pipelines. We currently estimate that we will incur future costs of approximately $2.1 million during 2012 to complete the testing required by existing DOT regulations. This estimate does not include the costs, if any, for repair, remediation, preventative or mitigating actions that may be determined to be necessary as a result of the testing program, which could be substantial. Such costs and liabilities might relate to repair, remediation, preventative or mitigating actions that may be determined to be necessary as a result of the testing program, as well as lost cash flows resulting from shutting down our pipelines during the pendency of such repairs. Additionally, should we fail to comply with DOT regulations, we could be subject to penalties and fines.

 

We intend to grow our business in part by seeking strategic acquisition opportunities. If we are unable to make acquisitions on economically acceptable terms from third parties, our future growth will 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. 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 third parties, whether 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 or for any other reason, 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 our unitholders 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.

 

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 organic growth projects. The construction of additions or modifications to our existing systems and the construction of new midstream assets involve numerous regulatory, environmental, political, legal and economic 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 revenue may not increase immediately upon the expenditure of funds on a particular project.

 

For 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 revenue until the project is completed and placed into service. Moreover, we could construct facilities to capture anticipated future growth in production in a region in which such growth does not materialize or only materializes over a period materially longer than expected. 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 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 materially, our cash flows could be adversely affected.

 

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

 

We do not intend to obtain independent evaluations of natural gas reserves connected to our systems on a regular or ongoing basis. Accordingly, we may not have independent estimates of total reserves dedicated to some or all of our systems or the anticipated life of such reserves. If the total reserves or estimated life of the reserves connected to our gathering and transportation 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 our unitholders.

Recent incidents and their aftermath could lead to additional governmental regulation of the offshore exploration and production industry, which may result in substantial cost increases or delays in offshore drilling as well as our offshore natural gas gathering activities.

 

In April 2010, a deepwater exploration well located in the Gulf of Mexico, owned and operated by companies unrelated to us, sustained a blowout and subsequent explosion leading to the leaking of hydrocarbons. In response to this event, certain federal agencies and governmental officials ordered additional inspections of deepwater operations in the Gulf of Mexico. On May 28, 2010, a six-month federal moratorium was implemented on all offshore deepwater drilling projects. On October 12, 2010, the Department of the Interior announced it was lifting the deepwater drilling moratorium. Despite the fact that the drilling moratorium was lifted, this spill and its aftermath has led to additional governmental regulation of the offshore exploration and production industry and delays in the issuance of drilling permits, which may result in volume impacts, cost increases or delays in our offshore natural gas gathering activities, which could materially impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. Although none of our offshore gathering systems currently depend on deepwater production, we cannot predict with any certainty what form any additional regulation or limitations would take or what impact they may have on offshore drilling activity in general or the producers to which we provide offshore gathering services.

 

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 adequately 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, processing and transportation of natural gas, including:

 

 

For example, in April 2010, there was a rupture in our Bazor Ridge gathering pipeline which gathers natural gas high in hydrogen sulfide content which resulted in an extended shut-down of a significant portion of that system until the pipeline could be inspected and repaired. The affected portion of the line is the one that gathers the most significant volumes of gas on this system and delivers it to our Bazor Ridge plant, and we were required to curtail a portion of this flow volume until we built a new bypass pipeline, the Winchester Lateral, connecting this production, as well as potential new production, to the Bazor Ridge plant. The affected section of line was fully shut down for approximately 25 days and, until our Winchester Lateral was completed approximately 177 days later, we were able to gather only approximately 70% of pre-rupture flow volume. The Winchester Lateral cost $3.9 million to construct and the repairs to, and testing of, the affected sections of pipe cost approximately $0.5 million.

 

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 casualty insurance on our underground pipeline systems that would cover damage to the pipelines. Additionally, we do not have business interruption/loss of income insurance that would provide coverage in the event of damage to any of our underground facilities. 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 occur, 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.

 

Our interstate natural gas pipelines are subject to regulation by the FERC, which could adversely affect our ability to make distributions to our unitholders.

 

Our AlaTenn and Midla interstate natural gas transportation systems are subject to regulation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, under the Natural Gas Act of 1938, or the NGA. Under the NGA, the rates for and terms of conditions of service on these interstate facilities must be just and reasonable and not unduly discriminatory. The rates and terms and conditions for our interstate pipeline services are set forth in tariffs that must be filed with and approved by the FERC. Pursuant to the 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 revenue associated with providing transportation service.

 

Under the NGA, the FERC has the authority to regulate companies that provide natural gas pipeline transportation services in interstate commerce. The FERC’s authority over such companies includes such matters as:

 

 

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 amended the NGA to add an anti-manipulation provision. Pursuant to the amended NGA, the FERC established rules prohibiting energy market manipulation. Also, the FERC’s rules require interstate pipelines and their affiliates to adhere to Standards of Conduct that, among other things, require that transportation employees function independently of marketing employees. The FERC also requires interstate pipelines to adhere to its rules regarding the filing and approval of transportation agreements that include provisions which differ from the transportation agreements included in their FERC gas tariff. We are conducting a review of the transportation agreements entered into by our predecessor to determine whether, and to what extent, any of our transportation agreements include such provisions. We are subject to audit by the FERC of our compliance in general, including adherence to all its rules and regulations. A violation of these rules, or any other rules, regulations or orders issued or administered by the FERC, may subject us to civil penalties, disgorgement of unjust profits, or appropriate non-monetary remedies imposed by the FERC. In addition, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 amended the NGA and the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978, or NGPA, to increase civil and criminal penalties for any violation of the NGA, NGPA and any rules, regulations or orders of the FERC up to $1.0 million per day per violation.

Additionally, existing rates may not reflect our current costs of operations, which may have risen since the last time our rates were approved by the FERC. Because proposed rate increases are procedurally complicated, we may have a significant period of time during which our gross margin from such FERC-regulated systems may be materially less than we have historically obtained.

 

The application of certain FERC policy statements could affect the rate of return on our equity we are allowed to recover through rates and the amount of any allowance (if any) our interstate systems can include for income taxes in establishing their rates for service, which would in turn impact our revenue and/or equity earnings.

 

In setting authorized rates of return for interstate natural gas pipelines, the FERC uses a discounted cash flow model that incorporates the use of proxy groups to develop a range of reasonable returns earned on equity interests in companies with corresponding risks. The FERC then assigns a rate of return on equity within that range to reflect specific risks of that pipeline when compared to the proxy group companies. The FERC allows master limited partnerships, or MLPs, to be included in the proxy group to determine return on equity. However, as to such MLPs, the FERC will generally adjust the long-term growth rate used to calculate the equity cost of capital. The FERC stated that the long-term growth projection for natural gas pipeline MLPs will be equal to fifty percent of gross domestic product, or GDP, as compared to the unadjusted GDP used for corporations. Therefore, to the extent that MLPs are included in a proxy group, the FERC’s policy lowers the return on equity that might otherwise be allowed if there were no adjustment to the MLP growth projection used for the discounted cash flow model. This could lower the return on equity that we would otherwise be able to obtain.

 

The FERC currently allows partnerships, including MLPs, to include in their cost-of-service an income tax allowance if the partnership’s owners have actual or potential income tax liability, a matter that will be reviewed by the FERC on a case-by-case basis. Any changes to the FERC’s treatment of income tax allowances in cost-of-service rates or an adverse determination with respect to the inclusion of an income tax allowance in our interstate pipelines’ rates could result in an adjustment in a future rate case of our interstate pipelines’ respective equity rates of return that underlie their recourse rates and may cause their recourse rates to be set at a level that is different, and in some instances lower, than the level otherwise in effect.

 

A change in the jurisdictional characterization or regulation 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 materially and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

Intrastate transportation facilities that do not provide interstate transmission services are exempt from the jurisdiction of the FERC under the NGA. Although the FERC has not made any formal determinations with respect to any of our facilities, we believe that our intrastate natural gas pipelines and related facilities that are not engaged in providing interstate transmission services are engaged in exempt gathering and intrastate transportation and, therefore, are not subject to FERC jurisdiction. We believe that our natural gas gathering pipelines meet the traditional tests that the FERC has used to determine if a pipeline is a gathering pipeline and is therefore not subject to the FERC’s jurisdiction. The distinction between FERC-regulated transmission services and federally unregulated gathering services is the subject of substantial ongoing litigation and, over time, the FERC’s policy for determining which facilities it regulates has changed. In addition, the distinction between FERC-regulated transmission facilities, on the one hand, and intrastate transportation and gathering facilities, on the other, is a fact-based determination made by the FERC on a case by case basis. If the FERC were to consider the status of an individual facility and determine that the facility and/or services provided by it are not exempt from FERC regulation under the NGA, the rates for, and terms and conditions of, services provided by such facility would be subject to regulation by the FERC under the NGA. Such regulation could decrease revenue, increase operating costs, and, depending upon the facility in question, could adversely affect our results of operations and cash flows. In addition, if any of our facilities were found to have provided services or otherwise operated in violation of the NGA or NGPA, this could result in the imposition of civil

penalties as well as a requirement to disgorge charges collected for such service in excess of the cost-based rate established by the FERC.

 

Moreover, FERC regulation affects our gathering, transportation and compression business generally. The FERC’s policies and practices across the range of its natural gas regulatory activities, including, for example, its policies on open access transportation, market manipulation, ratemaking, capacity release and market transparency and market center promotion, directly and indirectly affect our gathering business. In addition, the classification and regulation of our gathering and intrastate transportation facilities also are subject to change based on future determinations by the FERC, the courts or Congress.

 

State regulation of gathering facilities generally includes various safety, environmental and, in some circumstances, nondiscriminatory take requirements and complaint-based rate regulation. In recent years, the 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 these companies transferring gathering facilities to federally 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.

 

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:

 

 

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 or operating expenditures to limit or prevent releases of materials from our pipelines and facilities, and the imposition of substantial liabilities and remedial obligations 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. In addition, we may experience a delay in obtaining or be unable to obtain required permits, which

may cause us to lose potential and current customers, interrupt our operations and limit our growth and revenue.

 

There is a risk that we may incur 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. For example, an accidental release from one of our pipelines could subject us to substantial liabilities arising from environmental cleanup and restoration costs, claims made by neighboring landowners and other third parties for personal injury and property damage and fines or penalties for related violations of environmental laws or regulations. In addition, changes in environmental laws 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 operations may impact the environment or cause environmental contamination, which could result in material liabilities to us.

 

Our operations use hazardous materials, generate limited quantities of hazardous wastes and may affect runoff or drainage water. In the event of environmental contamination or a release of hazardous materials, we could become subject to claims for toxic torts, natural resource damages and other damages and for the investigation and clean up of soil, surface water, groundwater, and other media. Such claims may arise out of conditions at sites that we currently own or operate, as well as at sites that we previously owned or operated, or may acquire. Our liability for such claims may be joint and several, so that we may be held responsible for more than our share of the contamination or other damages, or even for the entire share. These and other impacts that our operations may have on the environment, as well as exposures to hazardous substances or wastes associated with our operations, could result in costs and liabilities that could have a material adverse effect on us. Please read “Business — Environmental Matters.”

 

Climate change legislation, regulatory initiatives and litigation could result in increased operating costs and reduced demand for the natural gas services we provide.

 

In recent years, the U.S. Congress has been considering legislation to restrict or regulate emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, that are understood to contribute to global warming. The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, passed by the House of Representatives, would, if enacted by the full Congress, have required greenhouse gas, or GHG, emissions reductions by covered sources of as much as 17% from 2005 levels by 2020 and by as much as 83% by 2050. It presently appears unlikely that comprehensive climate legislation will be passed by either house of Congress in the near future, although energy legislation and other initiatives are expected to be proposed that may be relevant to GHG emissions issues. In addition, almost half of the states, either individually or through multi-state regional initiatives, have begun to address GHG emissions, primarily through the planned development of emission inventories or regional GHG cap and trade programs. Most of these cap and trade programs work by requiring either major sources of emissions, such as electric power plants, or major producers of fuels, such as refineries and gas processing plants, to acquire and surrender emission allowances. The number of allowances available for purchase is reduced each year until the overall GHG emission reduction goal is achieved. Depending on the scope of a particular program, we could be required to purchase and surrender allowances for GHG emissions resulting from our operations (e.g., at compressor stations). Although most of the state-level initiatives have to date been focused on large sources of GHG emissions, such as electric power plants, it is possible that smaller

sources such as our gas-fired compressors could become subject to GHG-related regulation. Depending on the particular program, we could be required to control emissions or to purchase and surrender allowances for GHG emissions resulting from our operations.

 

Independent of Congress, the EPA is beginning to adopt regulations controlling GHG emissions under its existing Clean Air Act authority. For example, on December 15, 2009, the EPA officially published its findings that emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and other GHGs present an endangerment to human health and the environment because emissions of such gases are, according to the EPA, contributing to warming of the earth’s atmosphere and other climatic changes. These findings by the EPA allow the agency to proceed with the adoption and implementation of regulations that would restrict emissions of greenhouse gases under existing provisions of the federal Clean Air Act. In 2009, the EPA adopted rules regarding regulation of GHG emissions from motor vehicles. In addition, on September 22, 2009, the EPA issued a final rule requiring the reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from specified large greenhouse gas emission sources in the U.S. beginning in 2011 for emissions occurring in 2010. Our Bazor Ridge facility is currently required to report under this rule beginning in 2011. On November 30, 2010, the EPA published a final rule expanding its existing GHG emissions reporting rule for petroleum and natural gas facilities, including natural gas transmission compression facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons or more of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. The rule, which went into effect on December 30, 2010, requires reporting of greenhouse gas emissions by regulated facilities to EPA by March 2012 for emissions during 2011 and annually thereafter. Three of our onshore compression facilities will likely be required to report under this rule, with the first report due to the EPA on March 31, 2012. In 2010, EPA also issued a final rule, known as the “Tailoring Rule,” that makes certain large stationary sources and modification projects subject to permitting requirements for greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. Several of EPA’s greenhouse gas rules are being challenged in pending court proceedings and, depending on the outcome of such proceedings, such rules may be modified or rescinded or the EPA could develop new rules.

 

Although it is not possible at this time to accurately estimate how potential future laws or regulations addressing greenhouse gas emissions would impact our business, any future federal laws or implementing regulations that may be adopted to address greenhouse gas emissions could require us to incur increased operating costs and could adversely affect demand for the natural gas we gather, treat or otherwise handle in connection with our services. The potential increase in the costs of our operations resulting from any legislation or regulation to restrict emissions of greenhouse gases could include new or increased costs to operate and maintain our facilities, install new emission controls on our facilities, acquire allowances to authorize our greenhouse gas emissions, pay any taxes related to our greenhouse gas emissions and administer and manage a greenhouse gas emissions program. While we may be able to include some or all of such increased costs in the rates charged by our pipelines or other facilities, such recovery of costs is uncertain. Moreover, incentives to conserve energy or use alternative energy sources could reduce demand for natural gas, resulting in a decrease in demand for our services. We cannot predict with any certainty at this time how these possibilities may affect our operations.

 

Our pipelines may become subject to more stringent safety regulation.

 

Proposed pipeline safety legislation requiring more stringent spill reporting and disclosure obligations was introduced in the U.S. Congress and passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010, but was not voted on in the U.S. Senate. Similar legislation has been proposed in the current session of Congress, either independently or in conjunction with the reauthorization of the Pipeline Safety Act. The Department of Transportation, or DOT, has also recently proposed legislation providing for more stringent oversight of pipelines and increased penalties for violations of safety rules, which is in addition to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s announced intention to strengthen its rules. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, or the PHMSA, which is part of DOT, recently issued a final rule, effective October 1, 2011, applying safety regulations to certain rural low-stress hazardous liquid pipelines that were not covered previously by some of its safety regulations. We believe that this rule does not apply to any of our pipelines. While we cannot predict the outcome of other proposed legislative or regulatory initiatives, such legislative and regulatory changes could have a material effect on our operations particularly by

extending more stringent and comprehensive safety regulations (such as integrity management requirements) to pipelines not previously subject to such requirements. Additionally, legislative and regulatory changes may also result in higher penalties for the violation of federal pipeline safety regulations. While we expect any legislative or regulatory changes to allow us time to become compliant with new requirements, costs associated with compliance may have a material effect on our operations. We cannot predict with any certainty at this time the terms of any new laws or rules or the costs of compliance associated with such requirements.

 

The adoption and implementation of new statutory and regulatory requirements for swap transactions could have an adverse impact on our ability to hedge risks associated with our business and increase the working capital requirements to conduct these activities.

 

In July 2010 federal legislation known as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or the Dodd-Frank Act, was enacted. The Dodd-Frank Act provides new statutory requirements for swap transactions, including oil and gas hedging transactions. These statutory requirements must be implemented through, regulation primarily through rules to be adopted by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, or the CFTC. The Dodd-Frank Act provisions are intended to change fundamentally the way swap transactions are entered into, transforming an over-the-counter market in which parties negotiate directly with each other into a regulated market in which most swaps are to be executed on registered exchanges or swap execution facilities and cleared through central counterparties. Many market participants will be newly regulated as swap dealers or major swap participants, with new regulatory capital requirements and other regulations that may impose business conduct rules and mandate how they hold collateral or margin for swap transactions. All market participants will be subject to new reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

 

The impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on our hedging activities is uncertain at this time, and the CFTC has not yet promulgated final regulations implementing the key provisions. Although we do not believe we will need to register as a swap dealer or major swap participant, and do not believe we will be subject to the new requirements to trade on an exchange or swap execution facility or to clear swaps through a central counterparty, we may have new regulatory burdens. Moreover, the changes to the swap market as a result of Dodd-Frank implementation could significantly increase the cost of entering into new swaps or maintaining existing swaps, materially alter the terms of new or existing swap transactions and/or reduce the availability of new or existing swaps.

 

Depending on the rules and definitions adopted by the CFTC, we might in the future be required to provide cash collateral for our commodities hedging transactions under circumstances in which we do not currently post cash collateral. Posting of such additional cash collateral could impact liquidity and reduce our cash available for capital expenditures or other partnership purposes. A requirement to post cash collateral could therefore reduce our willingness or ability to execute hedges to reduce commodity price uncertainty and thus protect cash flows. If we reduce our use of swaps as a result of the Dodd-Frank Act and regulations, our results of operations may become more volatile and our cash flows may be less predictable.

 

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 our unitholders.

Restrictions in our new credit facility could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, ability to make distributions to unitholders and value of our common units.

 

We expect to enter into a new credit facility concurrently with the closing of the offering. Our new credit facility is likely to limit our ability to, among other things:

 

 

Our new credit facility also will likely contain covenants requiring us to maintain certain financial ratios.

 

The provisions of our new credit facility may affect our ability to obtain future financing and pursue attractive business opportunities and our flexibility in planning for, and reacting to, changes in business conditions. In addition, a failure to comply with the provisions of our new credit facility could result in a default or an event of default that could enable our lenders to declare the outstanding principal of that debt, together with accrued and unpaid interest, to be immediately due and payable. If the payment of our debt is accelerated, our assets may be insufficient to repay such debt in full, and our unitholders could experience a partial or total loss of their investment.

 

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.

 

As our common units will be yield-oriented securities, 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. 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.

 

We currently have a small management team, and our ability to operate our business effectively could be impaired if we fail to attract and retain key management personnel.

 

We currently have a small management team, and our ability to operate our business and implement our strategies depends on the continued contributions of certain executive officers and key employees of our general partner. Our general partner has a smaller managerial, operational and financial staff than many of the companies in our industry. Given the small size of our management team, the loss of any one member of our management team could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, certain of our field operating managers are approaching retirement age. We believe that our future success will depend on our continued ability to attract and retain highly skilled management personnel with midstream natural gas industry experience and competition for these persons in the midstream natural gas industry is intense. Given our small size, we may be at a disadvantage, relative to our larger competitors, in the competition for these personnel. We may not be able to continue to employ our senior executives and key personnel or attract and retain qualified personnel in the future, and our failure to retain or attract our senior executives and key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our ability to effectively operate our business.

 

A shortage of skilled labor in the midstream natural gas industry could reduce labor productivity and increase costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

 

The gathering, treating, processing and transporting of natural gas requires skilled laborers in multiple disciplines such as equipment operators, mechanics and engineers, among others. We have from time to time encountered shortages for these types of skilled labor. If we experience shortages of skilled labor in the future, our labor and overall productivity or costs could be materially and adversely affected. If our labor prices increase or if we experience materially increased health and benefit costs with respect to our general partner’s employees, our results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

 

Our work force could become unionized in the future, which could adversely affect the stability of our production and materially reduce our profitability.

 

All of our systems are operated by non-union employees of our general partner. Our employees have the right at any time under the National Labor Relations Act to form or affiliate with a union. If our employees choose to form or affiliate with a union and the terms of a union collective bargaining agreement are significantly different from our current compensation and job assignment arrangements with our employees, these arrangements could adversely affect the stability of our operations and materially reduce our profitability.

 

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.

 

AIM Midstream Holdings directly owns and controls our general partner, which has sole responsibility for conducting our business and managing our operations. AIM Midstream Holdings and our general partner have conflicts of interest with us and limited fiduciary duties, and they may favor their own interests to the detriment of us and our unitholders.

 

Following this offering, AIM Midstream Holdings 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 AIM Midstream Holdings. 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, AIM Midstream Holdings. Conflicts of interest may arise between AIM Midstream Holdings 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 interests of AIM Midstream Holdings over our interests and the interests of our unitholders. These conflicts include the following situations, among others:

 

 

 

 

 

Please read “Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties.”

 

AIM Midstream Holdings 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.

 

AIM Midstream Holdings is not prohibited from owning assets or engaging in businesses that compete directly or indirectly with us. In addition, in the future, AIM Midstream Holdings 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 AIM Midstream Holdings 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.

 

There is no existing market for our common units, and a trading market that will provide you with adequate liquidity may not develop. Following this offering, the market price of our common units may fluctuate significantly, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

 

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common units. After this offering, there will be only 3,750,000 publicly traded common units, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units. In addition, AIM Midstream Holdings will own 725,120 common units and 4,526,066 subordinated units, representing an aggregate of approximately 56.8% limited partner interest in us. We do not know the extent to which investor interest will lead to the development of a trading market or how liquid that market might be. Furthermore, this offering is smaller than initial public offerings for midstream companies in recent years, which may lead to an even greater lack of liquidity than normal. You may not be able to resell your common units at or above the initial public offering price. Additionally, the lack of liquidity may result in wide bid-ask spreads, contribute to significant fluctuations in the market price of the common units and limit the number of investors who are able to buy the common units.

 

The initial public offering price for the common units will be determined by negotiations between us and the representatives of the underwriters and may not be indicative of the market price of the common units that will prevail in the trading market. The market price of our common units may decline below the initial public offering price. The market price of our common units may also be influenced by many factors, some of which are beyond our control, including:

 

 

 

The NYSE does not require a publicly traded partnership like us to comply with certain of its corporate governance requirements.

 

We intend to apply to list our common units on the NYSE. Because we will be a publicly traded partnership, the NYSE does not require us to have a majority of independent directors on our general partner’s board of directors or to establish a compensation committee or a nominating and corporate governance committee. Additionally, any future issuance of additional common units or other securities, including to affiliates, will not be subject to the NYSE’s shareholder approval rules. Accordingly, unitholders will not have the same protections afforded to certain corporations that are subject to all of the NYSE corporate governance requirements. Please read “Management.”

 

If you are not an eligible holder, you may not receive distributions or allocations of income or loss on your common units and your common units will be subject to redemption.

 

We have adopted certain requirements regarding those investors who may own our common and subordinated units. Eligible holders are U.S. individuals or entities subject to U.S. federal income taxation on the income generated by us or entities not subject to U.S. federal income taxation on the income generated by us, so long as all of the entity’s owners are U.S. individuals or entities subject to such taxation. If you are not an eligible holder, our general partner may elect not to make distributions or allocate income or loss on your units, and you run the risk of having your units redeemed by us at the lower of your purchase price cost and the then-current market price. The redemption price may be paid in cash or by delivery of a promissory note, as determined by our general partner. Please read “The Partnership Agreement — Non-Citizen Assignees; Redemption.”

 

Common units held by persons who are non-taxpaying assignees will be subject to the possibility of redemption.

 

Our partnership agreement gives our general partner the power to amend the agreement to avoid any adverse effect on the maximum applicable rates chargeable to customers by us under FERC regulations, or in order to reverse an adverse determination that has occurred regarding such maximum rate. If our general partner determines that our not being treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes, coupled with the tax status (or lack of proof thereof) of one or more of our limited partners, has, or is reasonably likely to have, a material adverse effect on the maximum applicable rates chargeable to customers by us, then our general partner may adopt such amendments to our partnership agreement as it determines are necessary or advisable to obtain proof of the U.S. federal income tax status of our limited partners (and their owners, to the extent relevant) and permit us to redeem the units held by any person whose tax status has or is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the maximum applicable rates or who fails to comply with the procedures instituted by our general partner to obtain proof of the U.S. federal income tax status. Please read “The Partnership Agreement — Non-Taxpaying Assignees; Redemption.”

 

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.

 

In addition, because we distribute all of our available cash, we may not grow as quickly as 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, and we do not anticipate there being limitation in our new credit facility, 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:

 

 

 

(a) approved by the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner, although our general partner is not obligated to seek such approval;

 

(b) approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding any common units owned by our general partner and its affiliates;

 

(c) on terms no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties; or

 

(d) fair and reasonable to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships among the parties involved, including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to us.

 

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 conflicts 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 common units to it in connection with a resetting of the target distribution levels related to our general partner’s incentive distribution rights without the approval of the conflicts committee of our general partner’s board or our unitholders. This election may result in lower distributions to our common unitholders in certain situations.

 

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 (48.0%) for each of the prior four consecutive fiscal quarters, to reset the initial target distribution levels at higher levels based on our cash distribution at the time of the exercise of the reset election. Following a reset election by our general partner, the minimum quarterly distribution will be reset to an amount equal to the average cash distribution per unit for the two fiscal quarters immediately preceding the reset election (such amount is referred to as 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.

 

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; however, it is possible that our general partner could exercise this reset election at a time when we are experiencing declines in our aggregate cash distributions or at a time when our general partner expects that we will experience declines in our aggregate cash distributions in the foreseeable future. In such

situations, our general partner may be experiencing, or may expect to experience, declines in the cash distributions it receives related to its incentive distribution rights and may therefore desire to be issued common units, which are entitled to specified priorities with respect to our distributions and which therefore may be more advantageous for the general partner to own in lieu of the right to receive incentive distribution payments based on target distribution levels that are less certain to be achieved in the then current business environment. As a result, a reset election may cause our common unitholders to experience dilution in the amount of cash distributions that they would have otherwise received had we not issued common units to our general partner in connection with resetting the target distribution levels related to our general partner’s incentive distribution rights. Please read “Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions — General Partner’s Right to Reset Incentive 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 AIM Midstream Holdings. 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 the closing of this offering to be able to prevent its removal. The vote of the holders of at least 66 2 / 3 % of all outstanding limited partner units voting together as a single class is required to remove our general partner. Following the closing of this offering, AIM Midstream Holdings will own 58.0% 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 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.

 

Our partnership agreement restricts the voting rights of unitholders owning 20% or more of our common units.

 

Unitholders’ voting rights are further restricted by a provision of our partnership agreement providing that any units held by a person that owns 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, other than our general partner, its affiliates, their transferees and persons who acquired such units with the prior approval of the board of directors of our general partner, cannot vote on any matter.

Our general partner interest or the control of our general partner may be transferred to a third party without unitholder consent.

 

Our general partner may transfer its general partner interest to a third party in a merger or in a sale of all or substantially all of its assets without the consent of the unitholders. Furthermore, our partnership agreement does not restrict the ability of AIM Midstream Holdings to transfer all or a portion of its ownership interest in our general partner to a third party. The new owner of our general partner would then be in a position to replace the board of directors and officers of our general partner with its own designees and thereby exert significant control over the decisions made by the board of directors and officers.

 

You will experience immediate and substantial dilution in net tangible book value of $8.13 per common unit.

 

The estimated initial public offering price of $20.00 per common unit exceeds our pro forma net tangible book value of $11.87 per unit. Based on the estimated initial public offering price of $20.00 per common unit, you will incur immediate and substantial dilution of $8.13 per common unit. Please read “Dilution.”

 

We may issue additional units without your approval, which would dilute your existing ownership interests.

 

Our partnership agreement does not limit the number of additional limited partner interests that we may issue at any time without the approval of our unitholders. The issuance by us of additional common units or other equity securities of equal or senior rank will have the following effects:

 

 

AIM Midstream Holdings may sell units in the public or private markets, and such sales could have an adverse impact on the trading price of the common units.

 

After the sale of the common units offered by this prospectus, assuming that the underwriters do not exercise their option to purchase additional common units, AIM Midstream Holdings will hold an aggregate of 725,120 common units and 4,526,066 subordinated units. All of the subordinated units will convert into common units at the end of the subordination period. The sale of these units in the public or private markets could have an adverse impact on the price of the common units or on any trading market that may develop.

 

Our general partner has a limited call right that may require you to sell your units at an undesirable time or price.

 

If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80% of the common units, our general partner will have the right, which it may assign to any of its affiliates or to us, but not the obligation, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the common units held by unaffiliated persons at a price that is not less than their then-current market price, as calculated pursuant to the terms of our partnership agreement. As a result, you may be required to sell your common units at an undesirable time or price and may not receive any return on your investment. You may also incur a tax liability upon a sale of your units. At the closing of this offering, and assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units, AIM Midstream Holdings will own approximately 16.0% of our outstanding common units. At the end of the

subordination period, assuming no additional issuances of common units (other than upon the conversion of the subordinated units), AIM Midstream Holdings will own approximately 58.0% of our outstanding common units. For additional information about this right, please read “The Partnership Agreement — Limited Call Right.”

 

Your liability may not be limited if a court finds that unitholder action constitutes control of our business.

 

A general partner of a partnership generally has unlimited liability for the obligations of the partnership, except for those contractual obligations of the partnership that are expressly made without recourse to the general partner. Our partnership is organized under Delaware law, and we conduct business in a number of other states. The limitations on the liability of holders of limited partner interests for the obligations of a limited partnership have not been clearly established in some of the other states in which we do business. You could be liable for any and all of our obligations as if you were a general partner if a court or government agency were to determine that:

 

 

For a discussion of the implications of the limitations of liability on a unitholder, please read “The Partnership Agreement — Limited Liability.”

 

Unitholders may have liability to repay distributions that were wrongfully distributed to them.

 

Under certain circumstances, unitholders may have to repay amounts wrongfully returned or distributed to them. Under Section 17-607 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, we may not make a distribution to you if the distribution would cause our liabilities to exceed the fair value of our assets. Delaware law provides that for a period of three years from the date of an impermissible distribution, limited partners who received the distribution and who knew at the time of the distribution that it violated Delaware law will be liable to the limited partnership for the distribution amount. Substituted limited partners are liable both for the obligations of the assignor to make contributions to the partnership that were known to the substituted limited partner at the time it became a limited partner and for those obligations that were unknown if the liabilities could have been determined from the partnership agreement. Neither liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interest nor liabilities that are non-recourse to the partnership are counted for purposes of determining whether a distribution is permitted.

 

We will incur increased costs as a result of being a publicly traded partnership.

 

We have no history operating as a publicly traded partnership. As a publicly traded partnership, we will incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and related rules subsequently implemented by the SEC and the New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE, have required changes in the corporate governance practices of publicly traded companies. We expect these rules and regulations to increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make activities more time-consuming and costly. For example, as a result of becoming a publicly traded partnership, we are required to have at least three independent directors, create an audit committee and adopt policies regarding internal controls and disclosure controls and procedures, including the preparation of reports on internal controls over financial reporting. In addition, we will incur additional costs associated with our publicly traded partnership reporting requirements. We also expect these new rules and regulations to make it more difficult and more expensive for our general partner to obtain director and officer liability insurance and to possibly result in our general partner having to accept reduced policy limits and coverage. As a result, it may be more difficult for our general partner to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on its board of directors or as executive officers. We have included $2.3 million of estimated annual incremental costs associated with being a publicly traded

partnership in our financial forecast included elsewhere in this prospectus. However, it is possible that our actual incremental costs of being a publicly traded partnership will be higher than we currently estimate.

 

Moreover, treatment of us as an investment company would prevent our qualification as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, in which case we would be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. As a result, we would pay federal income tax on our taxable income at the corporate tax rate, distributions to you would generally be taxed again as corporate distributions and none of our income, gains, losses or deductions would flow through to you. If we were taxed as a corporation, our cash available for distribution to you would be substantially reduced. Therefore, treatment of us as an investment company would result in a material reduction in the anticipated cash flow and after-tax return to the unitholders, likely causing a substantial reduction in the value of our common units. For a discussion of the federal income tax implications that would result from our treatment as a corporation in any taxable year, please read “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences — Partnership Status.”

 

In addition to reading the following risk factors, you should read “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences” for a more complete discussion of the expected material federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of common units.

 

Our tax treatment depends on our status as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. If the IRS were to treat us as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, which would subject us to entity-level taxation, then our cash available for distribution to our unitholders would be substantially reduced.

 

The anticipated after-tax economic benefit of an investment in the common units depends largely on our being treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. We have not requested, and do not plan to request, a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, on this or any other tax matter affecting us.

 

Despite the fact that we are a limited partnership under Delaware law, it is possible in certain circumstances for a partnership such as ours to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. A change in our business or a change in current law could cause us to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes or otherwise subject us to taxation as an entity.

 

If we were treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, we would pay federal income tax on our taxable income at the corporate tax rate, which is currently a maximum of 35.0%, and would likely pay state and local income tax at varying rates. Distributions would generally be taxed again as corporate distributions (to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits), and no income, gains, losses, deductions, or credits would flow through to you. Because a tax would be imposed upon us as a corporation, our cash available for distribution to you would be substantially reduced. Therefore, if we were treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes there would be material reduction in the anticipated cash flow and after-tax return to our unitholders, likely causing a substantial reduction in the value of our common units.

 

Our partnership agreement provides that, if a law is enacted or existing law is modified or interpreted in a manner that subjects us to taxation as a corporation or otherwise subjects us to entity-level taxation for federal, state or local income tax purposes, the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution amounts may be adjusted to reflect the impact of that law on us.

 

If we were subjected to a material amount of additional entity-level taxation by individual states, it would reduce our cash available for distribution to our unitholders.

 

Changes in current state law may subject us to additional entity-level taxation by individual states. Because of widespread state budget deficits and other reasons, several states are evaluating ways to subject partnerships to entity-level taxation through the imposition of state income, franchise and other forms of taxation. Imposition of such a tax on us by Texas, and if applicable by any other state, will reduce the cash available for distribution to you. Our partnership agreement provides that, if a law is enacted or existing law is modified or interpreted in a manner that subjects us to entity-level taxation, the minimum quarterly

distribution amount and the target distribution amounts may be adjusted to reflect the impact of that law on us.

 

The tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships or an investment in our common units could be subject to potential legislative, judicial or administrative changes and differing interpretations, possibly on a retroactive basis.

 

The present federal income tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships, including us, or an investment in our common units may be modified by administrative, legislative or judicial interpretation at any time. Recently, members of the U.S. Congress have considered substantive changes to the existing federal income tax laws that affect certain publicly traded partnerships, which, if enacted, may or may not be applied retroactively. Although we are unable to predict whether any of these changes or any other proposals will ultimately be enacted, any such changes could negatively impact the value of an investment in our common units.

 

Our unitholders’ share of our income will be taxable to them for U.S. federal income tax purposes even if they do not receive any cash distributions from us.

 

Because a unitholder will be treated as a partner to whom we will allocate taxable income which could be different in amount than the cash we distribute, a unitholder’s allocable share of our taxable income will be taxable to it, which may require the payment of federal income taxes and, in some cases, state and local income taxes on its share of our taxable income even if it receives no cash distributions from us. Our unitholders may not receive cash distributions from us equal to their share of our taxable income or even equal to the actual tax liability that results from that income.

 

If the IRS contests the federal income tax positions we take, the market for our common units may be adversely impacted and the cost of any IRS contest will reduce our cash available for distribution to our unitholders.

 

We have not requested a ruling from the IRS with respect to our treatment as a partnership for federal income tax purposes or any other matter affecting us. The IRS may adopt positions that differ from the conclusions of our counsel expressed in this prospectus or from the positions we take, and the IRS’s positions may ultimately be sustained. It may be necessary to resort to administrative or court proceedings to sustain some or all of our counsel’s conclusions or the positions we take and such positions may not ultimately be sustained. A court may not agree with some or all of our counsel’s conclusions or the positions we take. Any contest with the IRS, and the outcome of any IRS contest, may have a materially adverse impact on the market for our common units and the price at which they trade. In addition, our costs of any contest with the IRS will be borne indirectly by our unitholders and our general partner because the costs will reduce our cash available for distribution.

 

Tax gain or loss on the disposition of our common units could be more or less than expected.

 

If you sell your common units, you will recognize a gain or loss for federal income tax purposes equal to the difference between the amount realized and your tax basis in those common units. Because distributions in excess of your allocable share of our net taxable income decrease your tax basis in your common units, the amount, if any, of such prior excess distributions with respect to the common units you sell will, in effect, become taxable income to you if you sell such common units at a price greater than your tax basis in those common units, even if the price you receive is less than your original cost. Furthermore, a substantial portion of the amount realized on any sale of your common units, whether or not representing gain, may be taxed as ordinary income due to potential recapture items, including depreciation recapture. In addition, because the amount realized includes a unitholder’s share of our nonrecourse liabilities, if you sell your common units, you may incur a tax liability in excess of the amount of cash you receive from the sale. Please read “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences — Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss” for a further discussion of the foregoing.

Tax-exempt entities and non-U.S. persons face unique tax issues from owning our common units that may result in adverse tax consequences to them.

 

Investment in common units by tax-exempt entities, such as employee benefit plans and individual retirement accounts (known as IRAs), and non-U.S. persons raises issues unique to them. For example, virtually all of our income allocated to organizations that are exempt from federal income tax, including IRAs and other retirement plans, will be unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to them. Distributions to non-U.S. persons will be reduced by withholding taxes at the highest applicable effective tax rate, and non-U.S. persons will be required to file U.S. federal income tax returns and pay tax on their share of our taxable income. If you are a tax-exempt entity or a non-U.S. person, you should consult a tax advisor before investing in our common units.

 

We will treat each purchaser of common units as having the same tax benefits without regard to the actual common units purchased. The IRS may challenge this treatment, which could adversely affect the value of the common units.

 

Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of common units and because of other reasons, we will adopt depreciation and amortization positions that may not conform to all aspects of existing Treasury Regulations. A successful IRS challenge to those positions could adversely affect the amount of tax benefits available to you. Our counsel is unable to opine as to the validity of such filing positions. It also could affect the timing of these tax benefits or the amount of gain from your sale of common units and could have a negative impact on the value of our common units or result in audit adjustments to your tax returns. Please read “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences — Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Section 754 Election” for a further discussion of the effect of the depreciation and amortization positions we will adopt.

 

We prorate our items of income, gain, loss and deduction for U.S. federal income tax purposes between transferors and transferees of our units each month based upon the ownership of our units on the first day of each month, instead of on the basis of the date a particular unit is transferred. The IRS may challenge this treatment, which could change the allocation of items of income, gain, loss and deduction among our unitholders.

 

We will prorate our items of income, gain, loss and deduction for U.S. federal income tax purposes between transferors and transferees of our units each month based upon the ownership of our units on the first day of each month, instead of on the basis of the date a particular unit is transferred. The use of this proration method may not be permitted under existing Treasury Regulations. Recently, however, the U.S. Treasury Department issued proposed Treasury Regulations that provide a safe harbor pursuant to which publicly traded partnerships may use a similar monthly simplifying convention to allocate tax items among transferor and transferee unitholders. Nonetheless, the proposed regulations do not specifically authorize the use of the proration method we have adopted. If the IRS were to challenge this method or new Treasury regulations were issued, we may be required to change the allocation of items of income, gain, loss and deduction among our unitholders. Andrews Kurth LLP has not rendered an opinion with respect to whether our monthly convention for allocating taxable income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations. Please read “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences — Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees.”

 

A unitholder whose common units are loaned to a “short seller” to cover a short sale of common units may be considered as having disposed of those common units. If so, he would no longer be treated for federal income tax purposes as a partner with respect to those common units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition.

 

Because a unitholder whose common units are loaned to a “short seller” to cover a short sale of common units may be considered as having disposed of the loaned common units, he may no longer be treated for federal income tax purposes as a partner with respect to those common units during the period of the loan to the short seller and the unitholder may recognize gain or loss from such disposition. Moreover, during the period of the loan to the short seller, any of our income, gain, loss or deduction with respect to those common

units may not be reportable by the unitholder and any cash distributions received by the unitholder as to those common units could be fully taxable as ordinary income. Our counsel has not rendered an opinion regarding the treatment of a unitholder where common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units; therefore, our unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of gain recognition from a loan to a short seller are urged to consult a tax advisor to discuss whether it is advisable to modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from loaning their common units.

 

We will adopt certain valuation methodologies and monthly conventions for U.S. federal income tax purposes that may result in a shift of income, gain, loss and deduction between our general partner and our unitholders. The IRS may challenge this treatment, which could adversely affect the value of the common units.

 

When we issue additional units or engage in certain other transactions, we will determine the fair market value of our assets and allocate any unrealized gain or loss attributable to our assets to the capital accounts of our unitholders and our general partner. Our methodology may be viewed as understating the value of our assets. In that case, there may be a shift of income, gain, loss and deduction between certain unitholders and our general partner, which may be unfavorable to such unitholders. Moreover, under our valuation methods, subsequent purchasers of common units may have a greater portion of their Internal Revenue Code Section 743(b) adjustment allocated to our tangible assets and a lesser portion allocated to our intangible assets. The IRS may challenge our valuation methods, or our allocation of the Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to our tangible and intangible assets, and allocations of taxable income, gain, loss and deduction between our general partner and certain of our unitholders.

 

A successful IRS challenge to these methods or allocations could adversely affect the amount of taxable income or loss being allocated to our unitholders. It also could affect the amount of taxable gain from our unitholders’ sale of common units and could have a negative impact on the value of the common units or result in audit adjustments to our unitholders’ tax returns without the benefit of additional deductions.

 

The sale or exchange of 50% or more of our capital and profits interests during any twelve-month period will result in the termination of our partnership for federal income tax purposes.

 

We will be considered to have technically terminated our partnership for federal income tax purposes if there is a sale or exchange of 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. For purposes of determining whether the 50% threshold has been met, multiple sales of the same interest will be counted only once. Our technical termination would, among other things, result in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders, which would result in us filing two tax returns (and our unitholders could receive two Schedules K-1 if relief was not available, as described below) for one fiscal year and could result in a deferral of depreciation deductions allowable in computing our taxable income. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than a fiscal year ending December 31, the closing of our taxable year may also result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in his taxable income for the year of termination. Our termination currently would not affect our classification as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, but instead we would be treated as a new partnership for tax purposes. If treated as a new partnership, we must make new tax elections and could be subject to penalties if we are unable to determine that a termination occurred. The IRS has recently announced a publicly traded partnership technical termination relief program whereby, if a publicly traded partnership that technically terminated requests publicly traded partnership technical termination relief and such relief is granted by the IRS, among other things, the partnership will only have to provide one Schedule K-1 to unitholders for the year notwithstanding two partnership tax years. Please read “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences — Disposition of Common Units — Constructive Termination” for a discussion of the consequences of our termination for federal income tax purposes.

As a result of investing in our common units, you may become subject to state and local taxes and return filing requirements in jurisdictions where we operate or own or acquire properties.

 

In addition to federal income taxes, our unitholders will likely be subject to other taxes, including state and local taxes, unincorporated business taxes and estate, inheritance or intangible taxes that are imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we conduct business or own property now or in the future, even if they do not live in any of those jurisdictions. Our unitholders will likely be required to file state and local income tax returns and pay state and local income taxes in some or all of these various jurisdictions. Further, our unitholders may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. We will initially own property or conduct business in a number of states, most of which currently impose a personal income tax on individuals. Most of these states also impose an income tax on corporations and other entities. As we make acquisitions or expand our business, we may own property or conduct business in additional states that impose a personal income tax. It is your responsibility to file all U.S. federal, state and local tax returns. Our counsel has not rendered an opinion on the state or local tax consequences of an investment in our common units.

 

Compliance with and changes in tax laws could adversely affect our performance.

 

We are subject to extensive tax laws and regulations, including federal, state and foreign income taxes and transactional taxes such as excise, sales/use, payroll, franchise and ad valorem taxes. New tax laws and regulations and changes in existing tax laws and regulations are continuously being enacted that could result in increased tax expenditures in the future. Many of these tax liabilities are subject to audits by the respective taxing authority. These audits may result in additional taxes as well as interest and penalties.

 

We expect to receive net proceeds of approximately $69.8 million (based on an assumed initial offering price of $20.00 per unit), after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and structuring fees, but before paying offering expenses, from the issuance and sale of common units offered by this prospectus. We will use the net proceeds from this offering to:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Immediately following the repayment of the outstanding balance under our existing credit facility with the net proceeds of this offering, we will terminate our existing credit facility and enter into a new credit facility and borrow approximately $30.0 million under that credit facility. We will use the proceeds from our borrowings to (i) fund a distribution of approximately $28.0 million, on a pro rata basis, to AIM Midstream Holdings, LTIP participants holding common units and our general partner and (ii) pay fees and expenses of approximately $2.0 million relating to our new credit facility.

 

The following table illustrates our use of the net proceeds from this offering and our borrowings under our new credit facility.

 

 

A portion of the amounts to be repaid under our existing credit facility with the net proceeds of this offering were used to finance our acquisition of our assets in November 2009. As of June 6, 2011, we had approximately $59.8 million of indebtedness outstanding under our existing credit facility. This indebtedness had a weighted average interest rate of 7.3% as of June 6, 2011. At March 31, 2011, we had $56.5 million of borrowings outstanding under our existing credit facility. Our existing credit facility matures in November 2012.

 

Our estimates assume an initial public offering price of $20.00 per common unit and no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units. An increase or decrease in the initial public offering price of $1.00 per common unit would cause the net proceeds from the offering, after deducting underwriting discounts, to increase or decrease by $3.5 million. Any increase or decrease in the initial public offering price will result in a corresponding adjustment to the distribution to AIM Midstream Holdings, the LTIP participants holding common units and our general partner from the net proceeds of this offering.

 

If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units, we will use the net proceeds from that exercise to redeem from AIM Midstream Holdings a number of common units equal to the number of common units issued upon such exercise, at a price per common unit equal to the proceeds per common unit in this offering before expenses but after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and structuring fees.

 

The underwriters may, from time to time, engage in transactions with and perform services for us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of business. Please read “Underwriting.”

 

The following table shows:

 

 

 

 

 

We derived this table from, and it should be read in conjunction with and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, our historical consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. You should also read this table in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” This table assumes that the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units is not exercised.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dilution is the amount by which the offering price paid by the purchasers of common units sold in this offering will exceed the pro forma net tangible book value per unit after the offering. On a pro forma basis as of March 31, 2011, after giving effect to the recapitalization transactions and the offering of common units and the application of the related net proceeds, and assuming the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units is not exercised, our net tangible book value was $109.7 million, or $11.87 per unit. Purchasers of common units in this offering will experience substantial and immediate dilution in net tangible book value per common unit for financial accounting purposes, as illustrated in the following table:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following table sets forth the number of units that we will issue and the total consideration contributed to us by our general partner and its affiliates and by the purchasers of common units in this offering upon the closing of the transactions contemplated by this prospectus: