form_10q.htm
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
S
|
QUARTERLY
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934
|
For the
quarterly period ended September 30, 2009
OR
¨
|
TRANSITION
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934
|
For the
transition period from
to
Commission
File No. 001-33366
Cheniere
Energy Partners, L.P.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
|
|
Delaware
|
20-5913059
|
(State
or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
|
(I.R.S.
Employer Identification No.)
|
|
|
700
Milam Street, Suite 800
|
|
Houston,
Texas
|
77002
|
(Address
of principal executive offices)
|
(Zip
code)
|
(713)
375-5000
(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to
be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant
was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing
requirements for the
past 90 days. Yes SNo ¨
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on
its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be
submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this
chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ¨ No ¨
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
definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller
reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
|
|
Large
accelerated filer ¨
|
Accelerated
filer S
|
Non-accelerated
filer ¨
|
Smaller
reporting company ¨
|
(Do
not check if a smaller reporting
company)
|
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ¨ No S
The
issuer had 26,416,357 common units and 135,383,831 subordinated units
outstanding as of November 5, 2009.
CHENIERE
ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
INDEX
TO FORM 10-Q
PART
I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1.
|
Consolidated
Financial Statements
|
1
|
|
Consolidated
Balance Sheets
|
1
|
|
Consolidated
Statements of Operations
|
2
|
|
Consolidated
Statement of Partners’ Capital (Deficit)
|
3
|
|
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows
|
4
|
|
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
|
5
|
|
|
|
Item 2.
|
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
|
13
|
|
|
|
Item 3.
|
Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
|
24
|
|
|
|
Item 4.
|
Disclosure
Controls and Procedures
|
24
|
PART
II. OTHER INFORMATION
|
|
|
Item 1.
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
25
|
|
|
|
Item 6.
|
Exhibits
|
25
|
PART
I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1.
Consolidated Financial Statements
CHENIERE
ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
(in
thousands, except unit data)
|
|
September
30,
2009
|
|
|
December
31,
2008
|
|
|
|
(unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
ASSETS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CURRENT
ASSETS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
|
$ |
121,613 |
|
|
$ |
7 |
|
Restricted
cash and cash equivalents
|
|
|
54,929 |
|
|
|
235,985 |
|
Accounts
and interest receivable
|
|
|
4,020 |
|
|
|
2,087 |
|
Accounts
receivable—affiliate
|
|
|
360 |
|
|
|
419 |
|
Advances
to affiliate
|
|
|
6,656 |
|
|
|
2,198 |
|
Advances
to affiliate—LNG inventory
|
|
|
3,490 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Prepaid
expenses and other
|
|
|
4,109 |
|
|
|
5,407 |
|
TOTAL
CURRENT ASSETS
|
|
|
195,177 |
|
|
|
246,103 |
|
NON-CURRENT
RESTRICTED CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
|
|
|
82,394 |
|
|
|
137,984 |
|
NON-CURRENT
RESTRICTED U.S. TREASURY SECURITIES
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
20,829 |
|
PROPERTY,
PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET
|
|
|
1,605,079 |
|
|
|
1,517,507 |
|
DEBT
ISSUANCE COSTS, NET
|
|
|
27,907 |
|
|
|
30,748 |
|
ADVANCES
UNDER LONG-TERM CONTRACTS
|
|
|
728 |
|
|
|
10,705 |
|
ADVANCES
TO AFFILIATE—LNG HELD FOR COMMISSIONING
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
9,923 |
|
OTHER
|
|
|
7,665 |
|
|
|
5,036 |
|
TOTAL
ASSETS
|
|
$ |
1,918,950 |
|
|
$ |
1,978,835 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIABILITIES
AND PARTNERS’ DEFICIT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CURRENT
LIABILITIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts
payable
|
|
$ |
19 |
|
|
$ |
137 |
|
Accounts
payable—affiliate
|
|
|
658 |
|
|
|
514 |
|
Accrued
liabilities
|
|
|
74,540 |
|
|
|
40,926 |
|
Accrued
liabilities—affiliate
|
|
|
1,897 |
|
|
|
184 |
|
Deferred
revenue
|
|
|
26,196 |
|
|
|
2,500 |
|
Deferred
revenue—affiliate
|
|
|
63,215 |
|
|
|
62,742 |
|
Derivative
liabilities
|
|
|
409 |
|
|
|
— |
|
TOTAL
CURRENT LIABILITIES
|
|
|
166,934 |
|
|
|
107,003 |
|
LONG-TERM
DEBT, NET OF DISCOUNT
|
|
|
2,109,493 |
|
|
|
2,107,673 |
|
LONG-TERM
DEBT—RELATED PARTY, NET OF DISCOUNT
|
|
|
72,362 |
|
|
|
70,661 |
|
LONG-TERM
DEBT—AFFILIATE
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
2,372 |
|
DEFERRED
REVENUE
|
|
|
34,500 |
|
|
|
37,500 |
|
DEFERRED
REVENUE—AFFILIATE
|
|
|
7,360 |
|
|
|
4,971 |
|
OTHER
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES
|
|
|
331 |
|
|
|
340 |
|
COMMITMENTS
AND CONTINGENCIES
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PARTNERS’
DEFICIT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
unitholders (26,416,357 units issued and outstanding at September 30, 2009
and December 31, 2008)
|
|
|
(40,166
|
) |
|
|
(23,520
|
) |
Subordinated
unitholders (135,383,831 units issued and outstanding at September 30,
2009 and December 31, 2008)
|
|
|
(420,223
|
) |
|
|
(318,994
|
) |
General
partner interest (2% interest with 3,302,045 units issued and outstanding
at September 30, 2009 and December 31, 2008)
|
|
|
(11,641
|
) |
|
|
(9,171
|
) |
TOTAL
PARTNERS’ DEFICIT
|
|
|
(472,030
|
) |
|
|
(351,685
|
) |
TOTAL
LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS’ DEFICIT
|
|
$ |
1,918,950 |
|
|
$ |
1,978,835 |
|
See
accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
CHENIERE
ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in
thousands, except per unit data)
(unaudited)
|
|
Three
Months Ended
September
30,
|
|
|
Nine
Months Ended
September
30,
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
REVENUES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
$ |
65,035 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
97,112 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
Revenues—affiliate
|
|
|
63,498 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
189,665 |
|
|
|
— |
|
TOTAL
REVENUES
|
|
|
128,533 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
286,777 |
|
|
|
— |
|
EXPENSES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating
and maintenance expense
|
|
|
4,752 |
|
|
|
3,256 |
|
|
|
14,445 |
|
|
|
3,434 |
|
Operating
and maintenance expense—affiliate
|
|
|
2,810 |
|
|
|
447 |
|
|
|
8,393 |
|
|
|
447 |
|
Depreciation
expense
|
|
|
8,905 |
|
|
|
1,874 |
|
|
|
22,711 |
|
|
|
1,911 |
|
Development
expense
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
364 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
1,140 |
|
Development
expense—affiliate
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
1,380 |
|
General
and administrative expense
|
|
|
797 |
|
|
|
999 |
|
|
|
2,295 |
|
|
|
2,553 |
|
General
and administrative expense—affiliate
|
|
|
4,902 |
|
|
|
3,086 |
|
|
|
14,887 |
|
|
|
6,009 |
|
TOTAL
EXPENSES
|
|
|
22,166 |
|
|
|
10,026 |
|
|
|
62,731 |
|
|
|
16,874 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
INCOME
(LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS
|
|
|
106,367 |
|
|
|
(10,026
|
) |
|
|
224,046 |
|
|
|
(16,874
|
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OTHER
INCOME (EXPENSE)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
income
|
|
|
65 |
|
|
|
2,169 |
|
|
|
883 |
|
|
|
12,218 |
|
Interest
expense, net
|
|
|
(38,089
|
) |
|
|
(17,704
|
) |
|
|
(104,370
|
) |
|
|
(47,557
|
) |
Interest
expense, net—affiliate
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(33
|
) |
|
|
(13
|
) |
|
|
(72
|
) |
Derivative
gain, net
|
|
|
1,158 |
|
|
|
14,692 |
|
|
|
4,482 |
|
|
|
2,325 |
|
Other
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
12 |
|
|
|
35 |
|
TOTAL
OTHER EXPENSE
|
|
|
(36,866
|
) |
|
|
(871
|
) |
|
|
(99,006
|
) |
|
|
(33,051
|
) |
NET
INCOME (LOSS)
|
|
$ |
69,501 |
|
|
$ |
(10,897 |
) |
|
$ |
125,040 |
|
|
$ |
(49,925 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Allocation
of net income (loss):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Limited
partners’ interest
|
|
|
68,111 |
|
|
|
(10,679
|
) |
|
|
122,539 |
|
|
|
(48,927
|
) |
General
partner’s interest
|
|
|
1,390 |
|
|
|
(218
|
) |
|
|
2,501 |
|
|
|
(998
|
) |
Net
income (loss) for partners
|
|
$ |
69,501 |
|
|
$ |
(10,897 |
) |
|
$ |
125,040 |
|
|
$ |
(49,925 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
and diluted net income (loss) per limited partner unit
|
|
$ |
0.43 |
|
|
$ |
(0.07 |
) |
|
$ |
0.77 |
|
|
$ |
(0.31 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted
average number of limited partner units outstanding used for basic and
diluted net income (loss) per unit calculation:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common
units
|
|
|
26,416 |
|
|
|
26,416 |
|
|
|
26,416 |
|
|
|
26,416 |
|
Subordinated
units
|
|
|
135,384 |
|
|
|
135,384 |
|
|
|
135,384 |
|
|
|
135,384 |
|
|
|
|
161,800 |
|
|
|
161,800 |
|
|
|
161,800 |
|
|
|
161,800 |
|
See
accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
CHENIERE
ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF PARTNERS’ CAPITAL (DEFICIT)
(in
thousands)
(unaudited)
|
|
Common
Units
|
|
|
Subordinated
Units
|
|
|
General
Partner
Units
|
|
|
Total
|
|
Balance
at December 31, 2008
|
|
$ |
(23,520 |
) |
|
$ |
(318,994 |
) |
|
$ |
(9,171 |
) |
|
$ |
(351,685 |
) |
Net
income
|
|
|
20,006 |
|
|
|
102,533 |
|
|
|
2,501 |
|
|
|
125,040 |
|
Distributions
|
|
|
(33,680
|
) |
|
|
(172,615
|
) |
|
|
(4,211
|
) |
|
|
(210,506
|
) |
Special
rights adjustment
|
|
|
(2,972
|
) |
|
|
(31,147
|
) |
|
|
(760
|
) |
|
|
(34,879
|
) |
Balance
at September 30, 2009
|
|
$ |
(40,166 |
) |
|
$ |
(420,223 |
) |
|
$ |
(11,641 |
) |
|
$ |
(472,030 |
) |
See
accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
CHENIERE
ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in
thousands)
(unaudited)
|
|
Nine
Months Ended
|
|
|
|
September
30,
|
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
CASH
FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
income (loss)
|
|
$ |
125,040 |
|
|
$ |
(49,925 |
) |
Adjustments
to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating
activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation
|
|
|
22,711 |
|
|
|
1,911 |
|
Non-cash
derivative (gain) loss
|
|
|
1,639 |
|
|
|
(3,751
|
) |
Amortization
of debt issuance costs
|
|
|
2,863 |
|
|
|
3,086 |
|
Amortization
of debt discount
|
|
|
3,521 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Interest
income on restricted cash and cash equivalents
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(14,332
|
) |
Use
of (investment in) restricted cash and cash equivalents
|
|
|
(41,197
|
) |
|
|
21,018 |
|
Changes
in operating assets and liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts
and interest receivable
|
|
|
1,866 |
|
|
|
2,555 |
|
Accounts
receivable—affiliate
|
|
|
59 |
|
|
|
(6,118
|
) |
Accounts
payable and accrued liabilities
|
|
|
33,221 |
|
|
|
26,236 |
|
Accounts
payable and accrued liabilities—affiliate
|
|
|
1,844 |
|
|
|
8,536 |
|
Advances
to affiliate
|
|
|
(4,458
|
) |
|
|
(2,544
|
) |
Deferred
revenue
|
|
|
21,170 |
|
|
|
17,388 |
|
Prepaid
and other
|
|
|
72 |
|
|
|
(5,534
|
) |
NET
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
168,351 |
|
|
|
(1,474
|
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CASH
FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Use
of restricted cash and cash equivalents
|
|
|
189,665 |
|
|
|
357,520 |
|
LNG
terminal construction-in-process, net
|
|
|
(97,253
|
) |
|
|
(333,848
|
) |
Advances
under long-term contracts
|
|
|
(404
|
) |
|
|
(7,077
|
) |
Advances
to affiliate—LNG held for commissioning, net of amounts transferred to LNG
receiving terminal construction-in-process
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(16,595
|
) |
NET
CASH PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
92,008 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CASH
FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distribution
to unitholders
|
|
|
(210,506
|
) |
|
|
(34,368
|
) |
Proceeds
from issuance of Sabine Pass LNG notes
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
144,965 |
|
Borrowings
from long-term debt—affiliate
|
|
|
114 |
|
|
|
1,472 |
|
Repayment
of long-term debt—affiliate
|
|
|
(2,467
|
) |
|
|
— |
|
Debt
issuance costs
|
|
|
(23
|
) |
|
|
(4,586
|
) |
Affiliate
payable
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Special
rights adjustment
|
|
|
(34,879
|
) |
|
|
|
|
Use
of (investment in) restricted cash and cash equivalents
|
|
|
109,008 |
|
|
|
(106,012
|
) |
NET
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES
|
|
|
(138,753
|
) |
|
|
1,472 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NET
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
|
|
|
121,606 |
|
|
|
(2
|
) |
CASH
AND CASH EQUIVALENTS—beginning of period
|
|
|
7 |
|
|
|
13 |
|
CASH
AND CASH EQUIVALENTS—end of period
|
|
$ |
121,613 |
|
|
$ |
11 |
|
See
accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
CHENIERE
ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(unaudited)
NOTE
1—Basis of Presentation
The
accompanying unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements of Cheniere Energy
Partners, L.P. have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial
information and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include
all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial
statements. Certain items in the prior year financial statements have been
reclassified to conform to the 2009 presentation. In our opinion, all
adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments necessary for a
fair presentation, have been included. As used in these Notes to Consolidated
Financial Statements, the terms “Cheniere Partners”, “we”, “us” and “our” refer
to Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless
otherwise stated or indicated by context.
Results
of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009 are not
necessarily indicative of the results of operations that will be realized for
the year ended December 31, 2009.
With the
exception of our wholly-owned subsidiary, Sabine Pass LNG-GP, Inc. (“Sabine Pass
GP”), we are not subject to either federal or state income tax, as the partners
are taxed individually on their proportionate share of our earnings. Sabine Pass
GP is a corporation and is subject to both federal and state income tax.
However, since Sabine Pass GP’s inception, its activities have been strictly
limited to holding a non-income or loss bearing general partner interest in our
wholly-owned subsidiary, Sabine Pass LNG, L.P. (“Sabine Pass LNG”) and, thus,
this entity has not realized any taxable net income to date and is not expected
to realize any taxable net income in the future.
In the
second quarter of 2009, Sabine Pass LNG purchased Sabine Pass Tug Services, LLC
(“Tug Services”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Cheniere Energy, Inc.
(“Cheniere”). As a result, Sabine Pass LNG acquired a lease (the “Tug
Agreement”) for the use of tug boats and marine services at the Sabine Pass LNG
receiving terminal (see Note 10—“Lease”). In connection with this acquisition,
Tug Services entered into a Terminal Marine Services Agreement (the “Tug Sharing
Agreement”) with our three terminal use agreement (“TUA”) customers to provide
their LNG cargo vessels with tug boat and marine services at the Sabine Pass LNG
receiving terminal (see Note 10—“Lease”).
We have
evaluated subsequent events through November 5, 2009.
For
further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and
footnotes included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2008.
NOTE
2—Advances to Affiliate-LNG Held for Commissioning
Liquified
natural gas (“LNG”) purchased on behalf of Sabine Pass LNG by Cheniere
Marketing, LLC (“Cheniere Marketing”), formerly Cheniere Marketing, Inc.,
for commissioning of the LNG storage tanks and other LNG regasification
equipment at the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal has been funded by Sabine
Pass LNG and is recorded at historical cost and classified as a non-current
asset on our Consolidated Balance Sheets as Advances to Affiliate—LNG Held for
Commissioning (See Note 9—“Related Party Transactions”); for this LNG, Cheniere
Marketing holds title to the LNG at all times, sells all regasified LNG and
remits the net proceeds from such sales back to Sabine Pass LNG. The LNG used in
the commissioning process is capitalized net of amounts received from the sale
of natural gas.
As of
September 30, 2009, commissioning activities and construction of the Sabine Pass
LNG receiving terminal were substantially complete; therefore we no longer
needed the remaining LNG for commissioning. We had 1,115,000 MMBtu of Advances
to Affiliate—LNG Held for Commissioning remaining at September 30, 2009, which
was reclassified to current assets as $3.5 million of Advances to affiliate—LNG
inventory, representing the market value of the LNG inventory that we retained
for operational needs.
At
December 31, 2008, we had $9.9 million recorded as Advances to
Affiliate—LNG Held for Commissioning on our Consolidated Balance
Sheets.
CHENIERE
ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(unaudited)
NOTE
3—Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents and U.S. Treasury Securities
Restricted
cash and cash equivalents and U.S. Treasury securities consist of cash that has
been contractually restricted as to usage or withdrawal, as
follows:
Sabine Pass LNG Receiving Terminal Construction Reserve
In
November 2006, Sabine Pass LNG issued an aggregate principal amount of $2,032.0
million of Senior Secured Notes consisting of $550.0 million of 7¼% Senior
Secured Notes due 2013 (the “2013 Notes”) and $1,482.0 million of 7½% Senior
Secured Notes due 2016 (the “2016 Notes” and collectively with the 2013 Notes,
the “Senior Notes”). In September 2008, Sabine Pass LNG completed an additional
$183.5 million, before discount, of 2016 Notes whose terms were identical to the
previously outstanding 2016 Notes. The additional issuance and the previously
outstanding 2016 Notes are treated as a single series of notes under the
indenture governing the Senior Notes (“Sabine Pass Indenture”) (See Note
6—“Long-Term Debt”). Under the terms and conditions of the Senior Notes, Sabine
Pass LNG was required to fund a cash reserve account for approximately $987
million to pay the remaining costs to complete the Sabine Pass LNG receiving
terminal. The cash accounts are controlled by a collateral trustee, and
therefore, are shown as restricted cash and cash equivalents on our Consolidated
Balance Sheets. As of September 30, 2009, the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal
construction reserve account balance was zero. As of December 31, 2008,
$27.4 million related to accrued construction costs had been classified as part
of current restricted cash and cash equivalents, and $43.7 million related to
remaining construction costs had been classified as a non-current asset on our
Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Senior
Notes Debt Service Reserve
As
described above, Sabine Pass LNG consummated a private offering of an aggregate
principal amount of $2,215.5 million of Senior Notes (See Note 6—“Long-Term
Debt”). Under the Sabine Pass Indenture governing the Senior Notes, except for
permitted tax distributions, Sabine Pass LNG may not make distributions until
certain conditions are satisfied. There must be on deposit in an interest
payment account an amount equal to one-sixth of the semi-annual interest payment
multiplied by the number of elapsed months since the last semi-annual interest
payment. In addition, there must be on deposit in a permanent debt service
reserve fund an amount equal to one semi-annual interest payment of
approximately $82.4 million. Distributions are permitted only after satisfying
the foregoing funding requirements, a fixed charge coverage ratio test of 2:1
and other conditions specified in the Sabine Pass Indenture. As of September 30,
2009 and December 31, 2008, we classified $54.9 million and $13.7 million,
respectively, as current restricted cash and cash equivalents for the payment of
interest due within twelve months. As of September 30, 2009 and
December 31, 2008, we classified $82.4 million as non-current restricted
cash and cash equivalents. These cash accounts are controlled by a collateral
trustee, and therefore, are shown as restricted cash and cash equivalents on our
Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Distribution
Reserve
At the
closing of our initial public offering, we funded a distribution reserve of
$98.4 million, which was invested in U.S. Treasury securities. The distribution
reserve, including interest earned thereon, was available to be used to pay
quarterly distributions of $0.425 per common unit for all common units, as well
as related distributions to Cheniere Partners’ general partner, through the
distribution made in respect of the quarter ended September 30, 2009. The U.S.
Treasury securities were acquired at a discount from their maturity values equal
to an average of approximately 4.87% per year.
In August
2009, we determined we would not need the remaining balance in the distribution
reserve account to make distributions because we had adequate available cash
from Sabine Pass LNG. We therefore distributed the remaining balance of $34.9
million in the distribution reserve account to Cheniere pursuant to the terms of
our partnership agreement. This contractual distribution has been
presented as a Special rights adjustment to the equity accounts of Cheniere’s
ownership on our Consolidated Statement of Partners’ Capital (Deficit) as of
September 30, 2009.
As of
December 31, 2008, we classified $11.9 million as non-current restricted
cash and $20.8 million as non-current restricted U.S. Treasury securities on our
Consolidated Balance Sheets that were reserved to pay quarterly
distributions.
CHENIERE
ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(unaudited)
NOTE
4—Property, Plant and Equipment
Property,
plant and equipment is comprised of LNG terminal construction-in-process
expenditures, LNG site and related costs and fixed assets, as follows (in
thousands):
|
|
September
30,
2009
|
|
|
December
31,
2008
|
|
LNG
TERMINAL COSTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LNG
receiving terminal
|
|
$ |
1,596,236 |
|
|
$ |
919,776 |
|
LNG
terminal construction-in-process
|
|
|
38,065 |
|
|
|
604,398 |
|
LNG
site and related costs, net
|
|
|
178 |
|
|
|
183 |
|
Accumulated
depreciation
|
|
|
(30,084
|
) |
|
|
(7,752
|
) |
Total
LNG terminal costs, net
|
|
|
1,604,395 |
|
|
|
1,516,605 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FIXED
ASSETS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Computer
and office equipment
|
|
|
259 |
|
|
|
200 |
|
Vehicles
|
|
|
421 |
|
|
|
421 |
|
Machinery
and equipment
|
|
|
751 |
|
|
|
751 |
|
Other
|
|
|
360 |
|
|
|
254 |
|
Accumulated
depreciation
|
|
|
(1,107
|
) |
|
|
(724
|
) |
Total
fixed assets, net
|
|
|
684 |
|
|
|
902 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PROPERTY,
PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET
|
|
$ |
1,605,079 |
|
|
$ |
1,517,507 |
|
Costs
associated with the construction of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal have
been capitalized as construction-in-process since the date the project satisfied
our criteria for capitalization. For the nine-month periods ended September 30,
2009 and 2008, we capitalized $25.6 million and $69.4 million, respectively, of
interest expense related to the construction of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving
terminal.
We began
depreciating equipment and facilities associated with the initial 2.6 Bcf/d of
sendout capacity and 10.1 Bcf of storage capacity of the Sabine Pass LNG
receiving terminal when they were ready for use in the third quarter of 2008. We
began depreciating equipment and facilities associated with the remaining 1.4
Bcf/d of sendout capacity and 6.8 Bcf of storage capacity of the Sabine Pass LNG
receiving terminal when they were ready for use in the third quarter of 2009.
The Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal is depreciated using the straight-line
depreciation method applied to groups of LNG receiving terminal assets with
varying useful lives. The identifiable components of the Sabine Pass LNG
receiving terminal with similar estimated useful lives have a depreciable range
between 10 and 50 years.
Asset
Retirement Costs
We
recognize asset retirement obligations (“AROs”) for legal obligations associated
with the retirement of long-lived assets that result from the acquisition,
construction, development and/or normal use of the asset and for conditional
AROs in which the timing or method of settlement are conditional on a future
event that may or may not be within our control. The fair value of a liability
for an ARO is recognized in the period in which it is incurred, if a reasonable
estimate of fair value can be made. The fair value of the liability is added to
the carrying amount of the associated asset. This additional carrying amount is
depreciated over the estimated useful life of the asset. Our recognition of
asset retirement obligations is described below:
Sabine
Pass LNG Receiving Terminal
Based on
the real property lease agreement at the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal, at
the expiration of the term of the lease we are required to surrender the LNG
receiving terminal in good working order and repair, with normal wear and tear
and casualty expected. Our property lease agreement at the Sabine Pass LNG
receiving terminal has a term of up to 90 years including renewal options. Due
to the language in the real property lease agreement, we have determined that
the cost to surrender the LNG receiving terminal in the required condition will
be minimal, and therefore have not recorded an ARO associated with the Sabine
Pass LNG receiving terminal.
CHENIERE
ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(unaudited)
NOTE
5—Accrued Liabilities
As of
September 30, 2009 and December 31, 2008, accrued liabilities consisted of
the following (in thousands):
|
|
September
30,
2009
|
|
|
December
31,
2008
|
|
Interest
and related debt fees
|
|
$ |
55,349 |
|
|
$ |
14,152 |
|
LNG
terminal construction costs
|
|
|
19,026 |
|
|
|
26,617 |
|
Affiliate
|
|
|
1,897 |
|
|
|
184 |
|
Other
|
|
|
165 |
|
|
|
157 |
|
Total accrued
liabilities
|
|
$ |
76,437 |
|
|
$ |
41,110 |
|
NOTE
6—Long-Term Debt
As of
September 30, 2009 and December 31, 2008, our long-term debt consisted of
the following (in thousands):
|
September
30,
2009
|
|
December
31,
2008
|
|
Senior
Notes, net of discount
|
$
|
2,109,493
|
|
$
|
2,107,673
|
|
Senior
Notes, net of discount—related party
|
|
72,362
|
|
|
70,661
|
|
Long-term
note—affiliate
|
|
—
|
|
|
2,372
|
|
Total long-term debt, net of
discount
|
$
|
2,181,855
|
|
$
|
2,180,706
|
|
Senior
Notes
In
November 2006, Sabine Pass LNG issued an aggregate principal amount of $2,032.0
million of Senior Notes, consisting of $550.0 million of the 2013 Notes and
$1,482.0 million of the 2016 Notes. In September 2008, Sabine Pass LNG issued an
additional $183.5 million, before discount, of 2016 Notes whose terms were
identical to the previously outstanding 2016 Notes. The net proceeds received
from the additional issuance of 2016 Notes were $145.0 million. One of the
lenders of the additional issuance of the 2016 Notes is GSO Capital Partners,
L.P. (“GSO”), an affiliate of one member of the board of directors of our
general partner. GSO did not receive any fees in connection with the additional
issuance of 2016 Notes. The additional issuance and the previously outstanding
2016 Notes are treated as a single series of notes under the Sabine Pass
Indenture. Sabine Pass LNG placed $100.0 million of the $145.0 million of net
proceeds from the additional issuance of the 2016 Notes into a construction
account to pay construction expenses of cost overruns related to the
construction, cool down, commissioning and completion of the Sabine Pass LNG
receiving terminal. In addition, Sabine Pass LNG placed $40.8 million of the
remaining net proceeds into an account in accordance with the cash waterfall
requirements of the security deposit agreement Sabine Pass LNG entered into in
connection with the Senior Notes, which are used by Sabine Pass LNG for working
capital and other general business purposes.
Interest
on the Senior Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on May 30 and
November 30 of each year. The Senior Notes are secured on a first-priority
basis by a security interest in all of Sabine Pass LNG’s equity interests and
substantially all of its operating assets. Under the Sabine Pass Indenture,
except for permitted tax distributions, Sabine Pass LNG may not make
distributions until certain conditions are satisfied: there must be on deposit
in an interest payment account an amount equal to one-sixth of the semi-annual
interest payment multiplied by the number of elapsed months since the last
semi-annual interest payment, and there must be on deposit in a permanent debt
service reserve fund an amount equal to one semi-annual interest payment of
approximately $82.4 million. Distributions are permitted only after satisfying
the foregoing funding requirements, a fixed charge coverage ratio test of 2:1
and other conditions specified in the Sabine Pass Indenture. During the three
and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2009, Sabine Pass LNG made
distributions of $73.2 million and $222.5 million, respectively, to us after
satisfying all the applicable conditions in the Sabine Pass
Indenture.
CHENIERE
ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(unaudited)
Long-Term
Note—Affiliate
In March
2007, we entered into a $12.0 million unsecured revolving credit note with
Cheniere LNG Financial Services, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cheniere, to
be paid upon demand but no sooner than January 1, 2010, or the date on
which we have sufficient available cash. The purpose of this note was to provide
funds for the payment of certain public company and other expenses that cannot
be funded by the Senior Notes. Interest on borrowings under this note was at a
fixed rate of 7½% with unpaid interest compounded semi-annually. In January
2009, we repaid the $2.5 million outstanding balance on our $12.0 million
unsecured revolving credit note.
NOTE
7—Description of Equity Interests
The
common units and subordinated units represent limited partner interests in us.
The holders of the units are entitled to participate in partnership
distributions and exercise the rights and privileges available to limited
partners under our partnership agreement. On May 31, 2007, Cheniere LNG
Holdings, LLC (“Holdings”) contributed all of its 135,383,831 subordinated units
to Cheniere Subsidiary Holdings, LLC.
The
common units and general partner units have the right to receive minimum
quarterly distributions of $0.425 and $0.069 per unit, respectively, plus any
arrearages thereon, before any distribution is made to the holders of the
subordinated units. Subordinated units will convert into common units on a
one-for-one basis when the subordination period ends. The subordination period
will end when we meet financial tests specified in the partnership
agreement.
The
general partner interest is entitled to at least 2% of all distributions made by
us. In addition, the general partner holds incentive distribution rights, which
allow the general partner to receive a higher percentage of quarterly
distributions of available cash from operating surplus after the minimum
distributions have been achieved and as additional target levels are met. The
higher percentages range from 15% up to 50%.
NOTE
8—Financial Instruments
On behalf
of Sabine Pass LNG, Cheniere Marketing has entered into financial derivatives to
hedge the exposure to variability in expected future cash flows attributable to
the future sale of natural gas from Sabine Pass LNG’s LNG commissioning cargoes
(“LNG commissioning cargo derivatives”). The net cost (LNG commissioning cargo
purchase price less natural gas sales proceeds) of Sabine Pass LNG’s LNG
commissioning cargoes is capitalized on our Consolidated Balance Sheets, as it
is directly related to the LNG receiving terminal construction and is incurred
to place the LNG receiving terminal in usable condition. However, changes in the
fair value of Sabine Pass LNG’s LNG commissioning cargo derivatives are reported
in earnings because they do not meet the criteria to be designated as a hedging
instrument that is required to qualify for cash flow hedge
accounting.
Effective
January 1, 2008, we adopted accounting standards that establish a framework
for measuring fair value, expanded disclosures about fair value measurements and
permitted entities to choose to measure many financial instruments and certain
other items at fair value. We elected not to measure any additional
financial assets or liabilities at fair value, other than those which were
recorded at fair value prior to adoption.
The
estimated fair value of financial instruments is the amount at which the
instrument could be exchanged currently between willing parties. The fair value
of our commodity futures contracts are based on inputs that are quoted prices in
active markets for identical assets or liabilities, resulting in Level 1
categorization of such measurements. The following table (in thousands) sets
forth, by level within the fair value hierarchy, the fair value of our financial
assets and liabilities at September 30, 2009:
|
|
Quoted Prices in
Active Markets for
Identical Instruments
(Level
1)
|
|
|
Significant Other
Observable Inputs
(Level
2)
|
|
|
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level
3)
|
|
|
Total Carrying
Value
|
|
Derivatives
liability
|
|
$ |
409 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
409 |
|
Derivatives
liability reflect positions held by Cheniere Marketing on behalf of Sabine Pass
LNG related to natural gas swaps entered into to hedge the cash flows from the
sale of excess LNG purchased for commissioning.
CHENIERE
ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(unaudited)
The
estimated fair value of financial instruments, including those financial
instruments for which the fair value option was not elected are set forth in the
table below. The carrying amounts reported on our Consolidated Balance Sheets
for cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and cash equivalents, accounts
receivable, interest receivables, and accounts payable approximate fair value
due to their short-term nature.
Financial
Instruments (in thousands):
|
|
September
30,
2009
|
|
|
December
31,
2008
|
|
|
|
Carrying
Amount
|
|
|
Estimated
Fair
Value
|
|
|
Carrying
Amount
|
|
|
Estimated
Fair
Value
|
|
2013
Notes (1)
|
|
$ |
550,000 |
|
|
$ |
492,250 |
|
|
$ |
550,000 |
|
|
$ |
412,500 |
|
2016
Notes, net of discount (1)
|
|
|
1,631,855 |
|
|
|
1,387,077 |
|
|
|
1,628,334 |
|
|
|
1,204,967 |
|
Note
to affiliate (2)
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
2,372 |
|
|
|
2,379 |
|
Restricted
U.S. Treasury securities (3)
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
20,829 |
|
|
|
22,901 |
|
(1)
|
The
fair value of the Senior Notes was based on quotations obtained from
broker-dealers who made markets in these and similar instruments as of
September 30, 2009 and December 31,
2008.
|
(2)
|
The
note to affiliate bears interest at a fixed 7½% rate. Management estimates
that the carrying amount is a reasonable approximation of the fair value
as of December 31, 2008.
|
(3)
|
The
fair value of our restricted U.S. Treasury securities was based on
quotations obtained from broker-dealers who made markets in these and
similar instruments as of December 31,
2008.
|
NOTE
9—Related Party Transactions
As of
September 30, 2009 and December 31, 2008, we had $6.7 million and $2.2
million, respectively, of advances to affiliates. In addition, we or Sabine Pass
LNG have entered into the following related party transactions:
TUA
Agreement
Cheniere
Marketing has reserved approximately 2.0 Bcf/d of regasification capacity under
a firm commitment TUA, and is required to make capacity payments aggregating
approximately $250 million per year for the period from January 1, 2009,
through at least the third quarter of 2028. Cheniere has guaranteed Cheniere
Marketing’s obligations under its TUA.
LNG
Lease Agreement
In
September 2008, Sabine Pass LNG entered into an agreement in the form of a lease
with Cheniere Marketing that enabled Sabine Pass LNG to hedge the exposure to
variability in expected future cash flows of its commissioning cargoes. The
agreement permits Cheniere Marketing to deliver LNG to the Sabine Pass LNG
receiving terminal and to receive regasified LNG for redelivery as natural gas
in exchange for the use of the properties of the LNG to cool down the Sabine
Pass LNG receiving terminal. Under the terms of the agreement, Sabine Pass LNG
pays Cheniere Marketing a fixed fee based on the delivered quantity of LNG in
each LNG cargo. Sabine Pass LNG assumes full price risk of the purchase and sale
of the LNG and also finances all activities relating to the LNG. Cheniere
Marketing holds title to the LNG at all times and sells all redelivered LNG and
remits the net proceeds from such sales back to Sabine Pass LNG.
LNG
purchased on Sabine Pass LNG’s behalf by Cheniere Marketing that has been funded
by Sabine Pass LNG is recorded at historical cost and classified as a
non-current asset on our Consolidated Balance Sheets as Advances to
Affiliate—LNG Held for Commissioning. LNG that is lost, used as fuel or sold
results in the reduction of Advances to Affiliate—LNG Held for Commissioning on
our Consolidated Balance Sheets at historical cost. During the second quarter of
2008 and the first quarter of 2009, Sabine Pass LNG advanced Cheniere Marketing
funds to purchase LNG. As of September 30, 2009, commissioning activities and
construction of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal were substantially
complete; therefore we no longer needed the remaining LNG for commissioning. We
had 1,115,000 MMBtu of Advances to Affiliate—LNG Held for Commissioning
remaining at September 30, 2009, which was reclassified to current assets as
$3.5 million of Advances to affiliate—LNG inventory, representing the market
value of the LNG inventory that we retained for operational needs.
At
December 31, 2008, we had $9.9 million recorded as Advances to
Affiliate—LNG Held for Commissioning on our Consolidated Balance
Sheets.
During the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2009 and 2008,
Sabine Pass LNG incurred fixed fees from Cheniere Marketing of $0.3 million and
$0.6 million, respectively, which we capitalized as property, plant and
equipment on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.
CHENIERE
ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(unaudited)
Service
Agreements
In
February 2005, Sabine Pass LNG entered into a 20-year operation and maintenance
agreement with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cheniere pursuant to which we
receive all necessary services required to construct, operate and maintain the
Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal. Prior to substantial completion of the
Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal, as defined in Sabine Pass LNG’s engineering,
procurement and construction (“EPC”) contract with Bechtel Corporation
(“Bechtel”), Sabine Pass LNG was required to pay a fixed monthly fee of $95,000
(indexed for inflation) under the agreement. The fixed monthly fee increased to
$130,000 (indexed for inflation) upon the achievement of substantial completion
of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal in March 2009, and the counterparty is
entitled to a bonus equal to 50% of the salary component of labor costs in
certain circumstances to be agreed upon between Sabine Pass LNG and the
counterparty at the beginning of each operating year. In addition, Sabine Pass
LNG is required to reimburse the counterparty for its operating expenses, which
consist primarily of labor expenses.
In
February 2005, Sabine Pass LNG entered into a 20-year management services
agreement with its general partner, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of us,
pursuant to which its general partner was appointed to manage the construction
and operation of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal, excluding those matters
provided for under the operation and maintenance agreement described in the
paragraph above. In August 2008, the general partner of Sabine Pass LNG assigned
all of its rights and obligations under the management services agreement to
Cheniere LNG Terminals, Inc. (“Cheniere Terminals”), a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Cheniere. Prior to substantial completion of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving
terminal, as defined in Sabine Pass LNG’s EPC contract with Bechtel, Sabine Pass
LNG was required to pay Cheniere Terminals a monthly fixed fee of $340,000
(indexed for inflation). With the achievement of substantial completion of the
Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal in March 2009, the monthly fixed fee
increased to $520,000 (indexed for inflation).
In March
2007, we entered into a services agreement with Cheniere Terminals pursuant to
which we pay Cheniere Terminals an annual administrative fee of $10 million
(adjusted for inflation) for the provision of various general and administrative
services for our benefit following the closing of our initial public offering.
Payments under this services agreement commenced January 1, 2009. In
addition, we reimburse Cheniere Terminals for its services in an amount equal to
the sum of all out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by Cheniere Terminals
that are directly related to our business or activities.
During
the three-month periods ended September 30, 2009 and 2008, we paid an aggregate
of $4.6 million and $1.3 million, respectively, under the foregoing service
agreements from restricted cash and cash equivalents. During the nine-month
periods ended September 30, 2009 and 2008, we paid an aggregate of $13.9 million
and $3.9 million, respectively, under the foregoing service agreements from
restricted cash and cash equivalents.
Agreement
to Fund Sabine Pass LNG’s Cooperative Endeavor Agreements (“CEAs”)
In July
2007, Sabine Pass LNG executed Cooperative Endeavor Agreements (“CEAs”) with
various Cameron Parish, Louisiana taxing authorities that allow them to collect
certain annual property tax payments from Sabine Pass LNG in 2007 through 2016.
This ten-year initiative represents an aggregate $25.0 million commitment and
will make resources available to the Cameron Parish taxing authorities on an
accelerated basis in order to aid in their reconstruction efforts following
Hurricane Rita. In exchange for Sabine Pass LNG’s payments of annual ad valorem
taxes, Cameron Parish will grant Sabine Pass LNG a dollar for dollar credit
against future ad valorem taxes to be levied against the Sabine Pass LNG
receiving terminal starting in 2019. In September 2007, Sabine Pass LNG modified
its TUA with Cheniere Marketing, pursuant to which Cheniere Marketing will pay
Sabine Pass LNG additional TUA revenues equal to any and all amounts payable
under the CEAs in exchange for a similar amount of credits against future TUA
payments it would owe Sabine Pass LNG under its TUA starting in 2019. These TUA
payments were recorded to other assets, and payments from Cheniere Marketing
that Sabine Pass LNG utilized to make the ad valorem tax payments were recorded
as deferred revenue. As of September 30, 2009 and December 31, 2008, we had
$7.4 million and $5.0 million of other assets and deferred revenue resulting
from Sabine Pass LNG’s ad valorem tax payments and the advance TUA payments
received from Cheniere Marketing, respectively.
CHENIERE
ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
(unaudited)
Contracts
for Sale and Purchase of Natural Gas
In 2007,
we entered into a number of related party agreements for the purchase and sale
of natural gas with Cheniere Marketing. During the nine-month periods ended
September 30, 2009 and 2008, Sabine Pass LNG did not sell or purchase any
natural gas under its purchase and sale agreements with Cheniere
Marketing.
Contract
for Commissioning Activities
Sabine
Pass LNG has entered into a number of related party agreements for commissioning
activities with Cheniere Marketing. During the three-month periods ended
September 30, 2009 and 2008, Sabine Pass LNG paid an aggregate of zero and $1.8
million, respectively, under these commissioning activities agreements with
Cheniere Marketing. During the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2009 and
2008, Sabine Pass LNG paid an aggregate of zero and $32.8 million, respectively,
under these commissioning activities agreements with Cheniere
Marketing.
NOTE
10—Lease
As
described in Note 1—“Basis of Presentation,” in the second quarter of 2009
Sabine Pass LNG acquired a lease for the use of tug boats and marine services at
the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal as a result of our purchase of Tug
Services. The term of the Tug Agreement commenced in January 2008 for
a period of 10 years, with an option to renew two additional, consecutive terms
of five years each. The Tug Agreement contains an operating lease for the tugs
specified in the Tug Agreement, and as such, the equipment
component of the Tug Agreement will be charged to expense over the term of the
Tug Agreement as it becomes payable.
In
connection with this acquisition, Tug Services entered into a Terminal Marine
Services Agreement (the “Tug Sharing Agreement”) with Sabine Pass LNG’s three
TUA customers to provide their LNG cargo vessels with tug boat and marine
services at the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal and effectively offset the
cost of our lease. The Tug Sharing Agreement provides for each of Sabine Pass
LNG’s customers to pay Tug Services an annual service fee.
NOTE
11—Supplemental Cash Flow Information and Disclosures of Non-cash
Transactions
The
following table provides supplemental disclosure of cash flow information (in
thousands):
|
Nine
Months Ended
September
30,
|
|
|
2009
|
|
2008
|
|
Cash
paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized
|
|
$ |
56,767 |
|
|
$ |
6,104 |
|
Construction-in-process
and debt issuance additions funded with accrued
liabilities
|
|
|
7,916 |
|
|
|
43,406 |
|
Item 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND
ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
INFORMATION
REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This
quarterly report contains certain statements that are, or may be deemed to be,
“forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All
statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are
“forward-looking statements.” Included among “forward-looking statements” are,
among other things:
|
•
|
statements
regarding our ability to pay distributions to our
unitholders;
|
|
•
|
statements
regarding our estimate of the end of the subordination period related to
our subordinated units;
|
|
•
|
statements
relating to the operation of the Sabine Pass liquefied natural gas (“LNG”)
receiving terminal, including statements concerning the costs related
thereto and certain characteristics, including amounts of regasification
and storage capacity;
|
|
•
|
statements
relating to the construction and operation of facilities related to the
Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal;
|
|
•
|
our
expected receipt of cash distributions from Sabine Pass LNG, L.P. (“Sabine
Pass LNG”);
|
|
•
|
statements
regarding any financing transactions or arrangements, or ability to enter
into such transactions or
arrangements;
|
|
•
|
statements
regarding any terminal use agreement (“TUA”) or other commercial
arrangements presently contracted, optioned or marketed or potential
arrangements to be performed substantially in the future, including any
cash distributions and revenues anticipated to be received and the
anticipated timing thereof, and statements regarding the amounts of LNG
regasification capacity that are, or may become, subject to TUAs or other
contracts;
|
|
•
|
statements
regarding counterparties to our TUAs, construction contracts and other
contracts;
|
|
•
|
statements
regarding any business strategies, any business plans or any other plans,
forecasts, projections or objectives, any or all of which are subject to
change;
|
|
•
|
statements
regarding conflicts of interest with Cheniere Energy, Inc. (“Cheniere”)
and its affiliates;
|
|
•
|
statements
regarding legislative, governmental, regulatory, administrative or other
public body actions, requirements, permits, investigations, proceedings or
decisions; and
|
|
•
|
any
other statements that relate to non-historical or future
information.
|
These
forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of terms such as
“achieve,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “plan,”
“potential,” “project,” “propose,” “strategy” and similar terms. Although we
believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are
reasonable, they involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these
expectations may prove to be incorrect. You should not place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this
quarterly report.
As used
herein, the terms “Cheniere Partners,” “we,” “our” and “us” refer to Cheniere
Energy Partners, L.P. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries effective March 26,
2007 upon the closing of its initial public offering, and to certain entities
under common control prior to March 26, 2007, unless otherwise stated or
indicated by context.
Our
actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these
forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those
discussed under “Risk Factors” in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2008. All forward-looking statements attributable to us
or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by
these risk factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, we assume
no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements or provide
reasons why actual results may differ.
The
following discussion and analysis presents management’s view of our business,
financial condition and overall performance and should be read in conjunction
with our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes in
Item 1. “Consolidated Financial Statements.” This information is intended
to provide investors with an understanding of our past performance, current
financial condition and outlook for the future.
Overview
We are a
Delaware limited partnership formed by Cheniere. Through our wholly-owned
subsidiary, Sabine Pass LNG, L.P. (“Sabine Pass LNG”), we own and operate the
Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal currently under construction in western
Cameron Parish, Louisiana on the Sabine Pass Channel.
In the
second quarter of 2009, Sabine Pass LNG purchased Sabine Pass Tug Services, LLC
(“Tug Services”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Cheniere. As a result, Sabine
Pass LNG acquired a lease (the “Tug Agreement”) for the use of tug boats and
marine services at the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal (see Note 10—“Lease”
for further information on the Tug Agreement). In connection with this
acquisition, Tug Services entered into a Terminal Marine Services Agreement (the
“Tug Sharing Agreement”) with our three TUA customers to provide their LNG cargo
vessels with tug boat and marine services at the Sabine Pass LNG receiving
terminal.
Following
the achievement of commercial operability of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving
terminal in September 2008, Sabine Pass LNG began receiving capacity reservation
fee payments from Cheniere Marketing, LLC (“Cheniere Marketing”), formerly
Cheniere Marketing, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cheniere, under its TUA.
In December 2008, Cheniere Marketing began paying Sabine Pass LNG its monthly
capacity reservation fee payment on a quarterly basis. Sabine Pass
LNG also began receiving capacity reservation fee payments from Total Gas and
Power North America, Inc. (formerly known as Total LNG USA, Inc.) (“Total”) and
Chevron U.S.A., Inc. (“Chevron”) under their TUAs in March 2009 and June 2009,
respectively, when Total and Chevron made their first monthly capacity
reservation fee payments.
Overview
of Significant 2009 Events
In the
first half of 2009, we maintained commercial operability of the Sabine Pass LNG
receiving terminal and continued to execute our strategy to complete
construction of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal and to generate steady
and reliable revenues under Sabine Pass LNG’s long-term TUAs. The major events
of the first nine months of 2009 include the following:
|
•
|
receipt
of capacity reservation fee payments from Cheniere Marketing, Total and
Chevron;
|
|
•
|
purchase,
transportation and successful unloading of an additional LNG commissioning
cargo for the Sabine Pass LNG receiving
terminal;
|
|
•
|
commencement
of distributions to our subordinated unitholder;
and
|
|
•
|
substantially
completed construction and achieved full operability of the Sabine Pass
LNG receiving terminal with approximately 4.0 Bcf/d of total sendout
capacity and five LNG storage tanks with approximately 16.9 Bcf of
aggregate storage capacity.
|
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
Cash
and Cash Equivalents
As of
September 30, 2009, we had $121.6 million of cash and cash equivalents and
$137.3 million of restricted cash and cash equivalents. Of this
amount, $121.4 million of cash and cash equivalents was held in our subsidiary,
Sabine Pass LNG. The restricted cash and cash equivalents of $137.3 million was
held by Sabine Pass LNG to pay interest on the Senior Notes.
The
foregoing funds are anticipated to be sufficient to fund the remaining accrued
liabilities related to construction, operating expenditures and interest
requirements. Regardless whether Sabine Pass LNG receives revenues from Cheniere
Marketing (or Cheniere, as guarantor), Sabine Pass LNG expects to have
sufficient cash flow from payments made under its Total and Chevron TUAs to
allow it to meet its future operating expenditures and interest payment
requirements until maturity of the 2013 Notes. In order for us to fund our
operations and make distributions to our unitholders, we are dependent on the
ability of Sabine Pass LNG to make distributions to us. Sabine Pass LNG must
satisfy certain restrictions under the Sabine Pass Indenture governing the
Sabine Pass Notes before being able to make distributions to us, which will
require that Cheniere Marketing make a substantial portion of its TUA payments
to Sabine Pass LNG. Cheniere Marketing has a limited operating history, limited
capital and no credit rating. If Sabine Pass LNG is unable to make restricted
cash distributions to us, then we will likely be unable to fund our operations
or make our anticipated future quarterly cash distributions on our units. Under
such circumstances and absent additional external funding, Cheniere Marketing
and Cheniere would likely be unable to meet their ongoing TUA and guarantee
obligations to Sabine Pass LNG.
Construction
Construction
at the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal was substantially completed in the
third quarter of 2009. Our estimated aggregate construction,
commissioning and operating cost budget through the achievement of full
operability of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal (with approximately 4.0
Bcf/d of total sendout capacity and five LNG storage tanks with approximately
16.9 Bcf of aggregate storage capacity) was approximately $1,559 million,
excluding financing costs. As of September 30, 2009, we had
substantially completed construction and attained full operability of the Sabine
Pass LNG receiving terminal, and such was accomplished within our
budget.
TUA
Revenues
The
entire approximately 4.0 Bcf/d of regasification capacity at the Sabine Pass LNG
receiving terminal has been fully reserved under two 20-year, firm commitment
TUAs with unaffiliated third parties, and a third TUA with Cheniere Marketing.
Each of the three customers at the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal must make
the full contracted amount of capacity reservation fee payments under its TUA
whether or not it uses any of its reserved capacity. Capacity reservation fee
TUA payments will be made by the Sabine Pass LNG third-party customers as
follows:
|
•
|
Total
has reserved approximately 1.0 Bcf/d of regasification capacity and has
agreed to make monthly capacity payments to Sabine Pass LNG aggregating
approximately $125 million per year for 20 years that commenced
April 1, 2009. Total, S.A. has guaranteed Total’s obligations under
its TUA up to $2.5 billion, subject to certain exceptions;
and
|
|
•
|
Chevron
has reserved approximately 1.0 Bcf/d of regasification capacity and has
agreed to make monthly capacity payments to Sabine Pass LNG aggregating
approximately $125 million per year for 20 years that commenced
July 1, 2009. Chevron Corporation has guaranteed Chevron’s
obligations under its TUA up to 80% of the fees payable by
Chevron.
|
In
addition, Cheniere Marketing has reserved the remaining 2.0 Bcf/d of
regasification capacity and is entitled to use any capacity not utilized by
Total and Chevron. Cheniere Marketing has agreed to make monthly capacity
reservation fee payments aggregating approximately $250 million per year for the
period from January 2009 through at least the third quarter of 2028; however,
they have elected to make their capacity reservation fee payments on a quarterly
basis. Cheniere Marketing has a limited operating history, limited capital and
no credit rating. Cheniere, which has guaranteed the obligations of Cheniere
Marketing under its TUA, has a non-investment grade corporate
rating.
Under
each of these TUAs, Sabine Pass LNG is also entitled to retain 2% of the LNG
delivered for the customer’s account, which Sabine Pass LNG will use primarily
as fuel for revaporation and self-generated power at the Sabine Pass LNG
receiving terminal.
Each of
Total and Chevron previously paid Sabine Pass LNG $20.0 million in nonrefundable
advance capacity reservation fees, which are being amortized over a 10-year
period as a reduction of each customer’s regasification capacity fees payable
under its respective TUA.
Sources
and Uses of Cash
The
following table (in thousands) and the explanatory paragraphs following the
table summarize the sources and uses of our cash and cash equivalents for the
nine months ended September 30, 2009 and 2008. The table presents capital
expenditures on a cash basis; therefore, these amounts differ from the amounts
of capital expenditures, including accruals, that are referred to elsewhere in
this document.
|
|
Nine
Months Ended
September
30,
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
SOURCES
OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Use
of restricted cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$ |
298,673 |
|
|
$ |
357,520 |
|
Borrowings
from long-term debt
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
144,965 |
|
Borrowings
from long-term debt—affiliate
|
|
|
114 |
|
|
|
1,472 |
|
Operating
cash flow
|
|
|
168,351 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Affiliate
payable
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Total
sources of cash and cash equivalents
|
|
|
467,138 |
|
|
|
503,958 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
USES
OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distribution
to unitholders
|
|
|
(210,506
|
) |
|
|
(34,368
|
) |
Special
rights adjustment
|
|
|
(34,879
|
) |
|
|
— |
|
LNG
terminal construction-in-process, net
|
|
|
(97,253
|
) |
|
|
(333,848
|
) |
Advances
to affiliate—LNG held for commissioning, net of transfers to
LNG receiving terminal construction-in-process
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(16,595
|
) |
Investment
in restricted cash and cash equivalents
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(106,012
|
) |
Operating
cash flow
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(1,474
|
) |
Repayment
of long-term debt—affiliate
|
|
|
(2,467
|
) |
|
|
— |
|
Advances
under long-term contracts
|
|
|
(404
|
) |
|
|
(7,077
|
) |
Debt
issuance costs
|
|
|
(23
|
) |
|
|
(4,586
|
) |
Total
uses of cash and cash equivalents
|
|
|
(345,532
|
) |
|
|
(503,960
|
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NET
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
|
|
|
121,606 |
|
|
|
(2
|
) |
CASH
AND CASH EQUIVALENTS—beginning of period
|
|
|
7 |
|
|
|
13 |
|
CASH
AND CASH EQUIVALENTS—end of period
|
|
$ |
121,613 |
|
|
$ |
11 |
|
Use
of restricted cash and cash equivalents
In
November 2006, Sabine Pass LNG issued an aggregate principal amount of $2,032.0
million of Senior Secured Notes consisting of $550.0 million of 7¼% Senior
Secured Notes due 2013 (the “2013 Notes”) and $1,482.0 million of 7½% Senior
Secured Notes due 2016 (the “2016 Notes” and collectively with the 2013 Notes,
the “Senior Notes”). In September 2008, Sabine Pass LNG completed an additional
$183.5 million, before discount, of 2016 Notes whose terms were identical to the
previously outstanding 2016 Notes. Under the indenture governing the Senior
Notes (the “Sabine Pass Indenture”), a portion of the proceeds from the Senior
Notes was required to be used for scheduled interest payments and to fund the
cost to complete construction of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal. Due to
these restrictions imposed by the Sabine Pass Indenture, the proceeds are not
presented as cash and cash equivalents. Therefore, when proceeds from the Senior
Notes are used, they are presented as a source of cash and cash equivalents. In
the nine months ended September 30, 2009 and 2008, the $298.7 million and $357.5
million, respectively, of restricted cash and cash equivalents were primarily
used to pay for scheduled interest payments and construction activities at the
Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal. In addition, $222.5 million of restricted
cash was used by Sabine Pass LNG in the nine-month period ended September 30,
2009, to fund distributions to us.
Operating
cash flow
During
the nine-month period ended September 30, 2009, cash from operations increased
$168.4 million as a result of TUA payments received by Sabine Pass LNG from
Cheniere Marketing, Total and Chevron.
Distribution
to unitholders
During
the nine months ended September 30, 2009, we made $210.5 million of
distributions to our common unitholders, subordinated unitholders and general
partner. For the nine months ended September 30, 2008, we made a $34.4 million
distribution to our common and subordinated unitholders and general
partner.
Special
rights adjustment
In August
2009, we determined we would not need the remaining balance in the distribution
reserve account to make distributions because we had adequate available cash
from Sabine Pass LNG. We therefore distributed the remaining balance of $34.9
million in the distribution reserve account to Cheniere pursuant to the terms of
our partnership agreement. This contractual distribution has been
presented as a Special rights adjustment to the equity accounts of Cheniere’s
ownership on our Consolidated Statement of Partners’ Capital (Deficit) as of
September 30, 2009.
LNG
terminal construction-in-process, net
Capital
expenditures for the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal were $97.3 million and
$333.8 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2009 and 2008,
respectively. Our capital expenditures decreased in the nine months ended
September 30, 2009 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2008 as a
result of the achievement of commercial operability of the initial 2.6 Bcf/d of
sendout capacity and 10.1 Bcf of storage capacity in September
2008.
Advances
to affiliate—LNG held for commissioning, net of transfers to LNG receiving
terminal construction-in-process
During
the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2009 and 2008, Sabine Pass LNG made
zero and $16.6 million, respectively, in advances to Cheniere Marketing, net of
transfers to LNG terminal construction-in-process. As of September 30, 2009, we
reclassified all LNG utilized in the commissioning process to
construction-in-process and the remaining LNG to Advances to affiliate—LNG inventory, as
commissioning activities and construction of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving
terminal were substantially complete. As of September 30, 2008, we acquired
several LNG commissioning cargoes for the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal and
successfully unloaded the LNG into the Sabine Pass LNG receiving
terminal.
Repayment
of long-term debt—affiliate
In
January 2009, we repaid the $2.5 million outstanding balance on our $12.0
million unsecured revolving credit note with a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Cheniere. The purpose of this note was to provide funds for the payment of
certain public company and other expenses that cannot be funded by the Senior
Notes.
Advances
under long-term contracts
Advances
under long-term contracts decreased in the nine months ended September 30, 2009
compared to the same period in 2008 primarily as a result of the achievement of
commercial operability of the initial 2.6 Bcf/d of sendout capacity and 10.1 Bcf
of storage capacity of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal in September
2008.
Cash
Distributions to Unitholders
We
deposited all of the net proceeds that we received from our public offering into
a distribution reserve in a separate account. The deposited amount was invested
in U.S. Treasury securities maturing as to principal and interest at such times
and in such amounts sufficient to pay the $0.425 initial quarterly distribution
per common unit for all common units, as well as related distributions to our
general partner, through the distribution made in respect of the quarter ended
June 30, 2009. As provided under our partnership agreement, any amount remaining
in the distribution reserve was to be distributed to Cheniere. We received
sufficient cash from Sabine Pass LNG to make distributions to all of our
unitholders for the quarter ended June 30, 2009 without withdrawing funds from
the distribution reserve account. We therefore distributed $34.9 million to
Cheniere from the distribution reserve account in August 2009 pursuant to the
terms of our partnership agreement.
Our
partnership agreement requires that, within 45 days after the end of each
quarter, we distribute all of our available cash (as defined in our partnership
agreement). Our available cash is our cash on hand at the end of a quarter less
the amount of any reserves established. All distributions paid to date have been
made from operating surplus. The following provides a summary of distributions
paid by us during the nine months ended September 30, 2009:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Distribution (in thousands)
|
|
Date
Paid
|
|
|
Period
Covered by Distribution
|
|
|
Distribution
Per Unit
|
|
|
Common
and General Partner Units
|
|
|
Subordinated
Units
|
|
February
13, 2009
|
|
|
October
1 – December 31, 2008
|
|
|
|
$ |
0.425 |
|
|
$ |
12,630 |
|
|
$ |
57,538 |
|
May
15, 2009
|
|
|
January
1 – March 31, 2009
|
|
|
|
|
0.425 |
|
|
$ |
12,630 |
|
|
$ |
57,538 |
|
August
14, 2009
|
|
|
April
1 – June 30, 2009
|
|
|
|
|
0.425 |
|
|
$ |
12,630 |
|
|
$ |
57,538 |
|
Pursuant
to our partnership agreement, all of the subordinated units will convert into
common units on a one-for-one basis on the first business day following the
distribution of available cash to partners in respect of any quarter ending on
or after June 30, 2010, when certain conditions that are defined in our
partnership agreement are met. Based on our current projections, the
earliest we anticipate that our subordination period may end would be no sooner
than the first business day after the distribution is made in respect of
the quarter ending March 31, 2012.
Debt
Agreements
Senior
Notes
Sabine
Pass LNG has issued an aggregate principal amount of $2,215.5 million of Senior
Notes consisting of $550.0 million of 7¼% Senior Secured Notes due 2013 and
$1,665.5 million of 7½% Senior Secured Notes due 2016. Interest on the Senior
Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on May 30 and November 30 of
each year. The Senior Notes are secured on a first-priority basis by a security
interest in all of Sabine Pass LNG’s equity interests and substantially all of
its operating assets. Under the Sabine Pass Indenture governing the Senior
Notes, except for permitted tax distributions, Sabine Pass LNG may not make
distributions until certain conditions are satisfied: there must be on deposit
in an interest payment account an amount equal to one-sixth of the semi-annual
interest payment multiplied by the number of elapsed months since the last
semi-annual interest payment, and there must be on deposit in a permanent debt
service reserve fund an amount equal to one semi-annual interest payment of
approximately $82.4 million. Distributions are permitted only after satisfying
the foregoing funding requirements, a fixed charge coverage ratio test of 2:1
and other conditions specified in the Sabine Pass Indenture. During the three
and nine months ended September 30, 2009, Sabine Pass LNG made distributions of
$73.2 million and $222.5 million, respectively, to us after satisfying all the
applicable conditions in the Sabine Pass Indenture.
Long-Term
Note—Affiliate
In March
2007, we entered into a $12.0 million unsecured revolving credit note with
Cheniere LNG Financial Services, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cheniere, to
be paid upon demand but no sooner than January 1, 2010, or the date on
which we have sufficient available cash. The purpose of this note was to provide
funds for the payment of certain public company and other expenses that could
not be funded by the Senior Notes. Interest on borrowings under this note was at
a fixed rate of 7½% with unpaid interest compounded semi-annually. In January
2009, we repaid the $2.5 million outstanding balance on our $12.0 million
unsecured revolving credit note.
Services
Agreements
In
February 2005, Sabine Pass LNG entered into a 20-year operation and maintenance
agreement with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cheniere pursuant to which we
receive all necessary services required to construct, operate and maintain the
Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal. Prior to substantial completion of the
Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal, as defined in Sabine Pass LNG’s engineering,
procurement and construction (“EPC”) contract with Bechtel Corporation
(“Bechtel”), Sabine Pass LNG was required to pay a fixed monthly fee of $95,000
(indexed for inflation) under the agreement. The fixed monthly fee increased to
$130,000 (indexed for inflation) upon the achievement of substantial completion
of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal in March 2009, and the counterparty is
entitled to a bonus equal to 50% of the salary component of labor costs in
certain circumstances to be agreed upon between Sabine Pass LNG and the
counterparty at the beginning of each operating year. In addition, Sabine Pass
LNG is required to reimburse the counterparty for its operating expenses, which
consist primarily of labor expenses.
In
February 2005, Sabine Pass LNG entered into a 20-year management services
agreement with its general partner, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of us,
pursuant to which its general partner was appointed to manage the construction
and operation of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal, excluding those matters
provided for under the operation and maintenance agreement described in the
paragraph above. In August 2008, the general partner of Sabine Pass LNG assigned
all of its rights and obligations under the management services agreement to
Cheniere LNG Terminals, Inc. (“Cheniere Terminals”), a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Cheniere. Prior to substantial completion of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving
terminal, as defined in Sabine Pass LNG’s EPC contract with Bechtel, Sabine Pass
LNG was required to pay Cheniere Terminals a monthly fixed fee of $340,000
(indexed for inflation). With the achievement of substantial completion of the
Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal in March 2009, the monthly fixed fee
increased to $520,000 (indexed for inflation).
In March
2007, we entered into a services agreement with Cheniere Terminals pursuant to
which we pay Cheniere Terminals an annual administrative fee of $10 million
(adjusted for inflation) for the provision of various general and administrative
services for our benefit following the closing of our initial public offering.
Payments under this services agreement commenced January 1, 2009. In
addition, we reimburse Cheniere Terminals for its services in an amount equal to
the sum of all out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by Cheniere Terminals
that are directly related to our business or activities.
During
the three-month periods ended September 30, 2009 and 2008, we paid an aggregate
of $4.6 million and $1.3 million, respectively, under the foregoing service
agreements from restricted cash and cash equivalents. During the nine-month
periods ended September 30, 2009 and 2008, we paid an aggregate of $13.9 million
and $3.9 million, respectively, under the foregoing service agreements from
restricted cash and cash equivalents.
State
Tax Sharing Agreement
In
November 2006, Sabine Pass LNG entered into a state tax sharing agreement with
Cheniere effective for tax returns first due on or after January 1, 2008.
Under this agreement, Cheniere has agreed to prepare and file all Texas
franchise tax returns which it and Sabine Pass LNG are required to file on a
combined basis and to timely pay the combined tax liability. If Cheniere, in its
sole discretion, demands payment, Sabine Pass LNG will pay to Cheniere an amount
equal to the Texas franchise tax that Sabine Pass LNG would be required to pay
if its Texas franchise tax liability were computed on a separate company basis.
This agreement contains similar provisions for other state and local taxes that
Cheniere and Sabine Pass LNG are required to file on a combined, consolidated or
unitary basis.
Results
of Operations
Three
Months Ended September 30, 2009 vs. Three Months Ended September 30,
2008
Overall
Operations
Our
consolidated net income was $69.5 million for the three months ended September
30, 2009 compared to a net loss of $10.9 million for the three months ended
September 30, 2008. The increase in consolidated net income was the result of
commencement of revenues under the Cheniere Marketing TUA beginning
October 1, 2008, the Total TUA beginning April 1, 2009, and the Chevron TUA
beginning July 1, 2009.
Operating
and maintenance expense (including affiliate expense)
Operating
and maintenance expense increased $3.9 million in the three months ended
September 30, 2009 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2008. The
increase relates to the commencement of operations as a result of the
achievement of commercial operability of the initial 2.6 Bcf/d of sendout
capacity and 10.1 Bcf of storage capacity of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving
terminal in the third quarter of 2008.
Depreciation
expense
Depreciation
expense increased $7.0 million in the three months ended September 30, 2009
compared to the three months ended September 30, 2008. This increase was
primarily related to beginning deprecation on the costs associated with the
initial 2.6 Bcf/d of sendout capacity and 10.1 Bcf of storage capacity that was
placed into service in the third quarter of 2008 and the remaining 1.4 Bcf/d of
sendout capacity and 6.8 Bcf of storage capacity that was placed into service in
the third quarter of 2009 of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving
terminal.
General
and administrative expense (including affiliate expense)
General
and administrative expense increased $1.6 million in the three months ended
September 30, 2009 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2008. This
increase was primarily related to an increase in the amount of service agreement
charges due to the achievement of substantial completion of the Sabine Pass LNG
receiving terminal in March 2009 and due to the commencement of the Sabine Pass
LNG services agreement with Cheniere Terminals on January 1,
2009.
Interest
Income
Interest
income decreased $2.1 million in the three months ended September 30, 2009
compared to the three months ended September 30, 2008. This decrease was a
result of less unrestricted and restricted cash and cash equivalents invested
and lower interest rates during the three months ended September 30, 2009
compared to the three months ended September 30, 2008.
Interest
Expense, net (including affiliate expense)
Interest
expense, net of amounts capitalized, increased $20.4 million in the three months
ended September 30, 2009 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2008.
This increase in interest expense primarily resulted from the additional $183.5
million, before discount, of 2016 Notes issued in September 2008, and a decrease
in interest expense subject to capitalization in the three months ended
September 30, 2009 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2008 due to
the costs associated with placing the initial 2.6 Bcf/d of sendout capacity and
10.1 Bcf of storage capacity of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal into
service in September 2008.
Derivative
gain, net
Derivative
gain, net decreased $13.5 million in the three months ended September 30, 2009
from a gain of $14.7 million in the three months ended September 30, 2008
compared to a gain of $1.2 million in the three months ended September 30, 2009.
This decrease in derivative gain, net primarily resulted from settling our
derivative positions as Sabine Pass LNG used its LNG for
commissioning. We use derivative instruments from time to time to
reduce cash flow risk related to the sale of natural gas resulting from the
commissioning process and operations. As the price of natural gas
decreases, these derivative instruments generally will increase in
value.
Nine
Months Ended September 30, 2009 vs. Nine Months Ended September 30,
2008
Overall
Operations
Our
consolidated net income was $125.0 million for the nine months ended September
30, 2009 compared to a net loss of $49.9 million for the nine months ended
September 30, 2008. The increase in consolidated net income was the result of
commencement of revenues under the Cheniere Marketing TUA beginning
October 1, 2008, the Total TUA on April 1, 2009 and the Chevron TUA on July
1, 2009.
Operating
and maintenance expense (including affiliate expense)
Operating
and maintenance expense increased $19.0 million in the nine months ended
September 30, 2009 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2008. The
increase relates to the commencement of operations as a result of the
achievement of commercial operability of the initial 2.6 Bcf/d of sendout
capacity and 10.1 Bcf of storage capacity of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving
terminal in the third quarter of 2008.
Depreciation
expense
Depreciation
expense increased $20.8 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2009
compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2008. This increase was
primarily related to beginning deprecation on the costs associated with the
initial 2.6 Bcf/d of sendout capacity and 10.1 Bcf of storage capacity of the
Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal that was placed into service in the third
quarter of 2008.
General
and administrative expense (including affiliate expense)
General
and administrative expense increased $8.6 million in the nine months ended
September 30, 2009 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2008. This
increase was primarily related to an increase in the amount of service agreement
charges due to the achievement of substantial completion of the Sabine Pass LNG
receiving terminal in March 2009 and due to the commencement of the services
agreement with Cheniere Terminals on January 1, 2009.
Interest
Income
Interest
income decreased $11.3 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2009
compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2008. This decrease was a result
of less unrestricted and restricted cash and cash equivalents invested and lower
interest rates during the nine months ended September 30, 2009 compared to the
nine months ended September 30, 2008.
Interest
Expense, net (including affiliate expense)
Interest
expense, net of amounts capitalized, increased $56.8 million in the nine months
ended September 30, 2009 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2008.
This increase in interest expense primarily resulted from the additional $183.5
million, before discount, of 2016 Notes issued in September 2008, and a decrease
in interest expense subject to capitalization in the nine months ended September
30, 2009 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2008 due to the costs
associated with placing the initial 2.6 Bcf/d of sendout capacity and 10.1 Bcf
of storage capacity of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal into service in
September 2008.
Derivative
gain, net
Derivative
gain, net increased $2.2 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2009
from a gain of $2.3 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2008 compared
to a gain of $4.5 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2009. This
increase in derivative gain, net primarily resulted from the decrease in natural
gas commodity prices. We use derivative instruments from time to time
to reduce cash flow risk related to the sale of natural gas resulting from the
commissioning process and operations. As the price of natural gas
decreases, these derivative instruments generally will increase in
value.
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements
As of
September 30, 2009, we had no “off-balance sheet arrangements” that may have a
current or future material affect on our financial position or results of
operations.
Summary
of Critical Accounting Policies
The
selection and application of accounting policies is an important process that
has developed as our business activities have evolved and as the accounting
rules have developed. Accounting rules generally do not involve a selection
among alternatives but involve an implementation and interpretation of existing
rules, and the use of judgment, to apply the accounting rules to the specific
set of circumstances existing in our business. In preparing our financial
statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles
(“GAAP”), we endeavor to comply properly with all applicable rules on or before
their adoption, and we believe that the proper implementation and consistent
application of the accounting rules are critical. However, not all situations
are specifically addressed in the accounting literature. In these cases, we must
use our best judgment to adopt a policy for accounting for these situations. We
accomplish this by analogizing to similar situations and the accounting guidance
governing them.
Accounting
for LNG Activities
Generally,
expenditures for direct construction activities, major renewals and betterments
are capitalized, while expenditures for maintenance and repairs and general and
administrative activities are charged to expense as incurred. Beginning in 2006,
site rental costs have been expensed.
We
capitalize interest and other related debt costs during the construction period
of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal. Upon commencement of operations,
capitalized interest, as a component of the total cost, will be amortized over
the estimated useful life of the asset. Upon commencement of operations,
capitalized interest, as a component of the total cost, will be amortized over
the estimated useful life of the asset.
Revenue
Recognition
LNG
regasification capacity fees are recognized as revenue over the term of the
respective TUAs. Advance capacity reservation fees are initially deferred and
amortized over a 10-year period as a reduction of a customer’s regasification
capacity fees payable under its TUA.
Cash
Flow Hedges
We have
used, and may in the future use, derivative instruments to limit our exposure to
variability in expected future cash flows. Cash flow hedge transactions hedge
the exposure to variability in expected future cash flows. In the case of cash
flow hedges, the hedged item (the underlying risk) is generally unrecognized
(i.e., not recorded on the balance sheet prior to settlement), and any changes
in the fair value, therefore, will not be recorded within earnings.
Conceptually, if a cash flow hedge is effective, this means that a variable,
such as a movement in interest rates, has been effectively fixed so that any
fluctuations will have no net result on either cash flows or earnings.
Therefore, if the changes in fair value of the hedged item are not recorded in
earnings, then the changes in fair value of the hedging instrument (the
derivative) must also be excluded from the income statement or else a one-sided
net impact on earnings will be reported, despite the fact that the establishment
of the effective hedge results in no net economic impact. To prevent such a
scenario from occurring, U.S. GAAP requires that the fair value of a derivative
instrument designated as a cash flow hedge be recorded as an asset or liability
on the balance sheet, but with the offset reported as part of other
comprehensive income, to the extent that the hedge is effective. We assess, both
at the inception of each hedge and on an on-going basis, whether the derivatives
that are used in our hedging transactions are highly effective in offsetting
changes in cash flows of the hedged items. On an on-going basis, we monitor the
actual dollar offset of the hedges’ market values compared to hypothetical cash
flow hedges. Any ineffective portion of the cash flow hedges will be reflected
in earnings. Ineffectiveness is the amount of gains or losses from derivative
instruments that are not offset by corresponding and opposite gains or losses on
the expected future transaction.
New
Accounting Standards and Recently Issued Accounting Standards Not Yet
Adopted
In April
2009, the Financial Accountings Standard Board (“FASB”) issued a staff position
providing additional guidance on factors to consider in estimating fair value
when there has been a significant decrease in market activity for a financial
asset. The guidance was effective for interim and annual periods ending after
June 15, 2009. The implementation of this standard did not have a material
impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash
flow.
In April
2009, the FASB issued a staff position requiring fair value disclosures in both
interim as well as annual financial statements in order to provide more timely
information about the effects of current market conditions on financial
instruments. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods ending
after June 15, 2009. The implementation of this standard did not have a material
impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash
flow.
In May
2009, the FASB issued new requirements for reporting subsequent events. These
requirements set forth the period after the balance sheet date during which
management of a reporting entity should evaluate events or transactions that may
occur for potential recognition or disclosure in the financial statements, the
circumstances under which an entity should recognize events or transactions
occurring after the balance sheet date in its financial statements, and
disclosures that an entity should make about events or transactions that
occurred after the balance sheet date. Disclosure of the date through which an
entity has evaluated subsequent events and the basis for that date is also
required. This disclosure should alert all users of financial statements that an
entity has not evaluated subsequent events after that date set forth in the
financial statements being presented. The Company started adhering to these
requirements in the second quarter of 2009.
In June
2009, the FASB issued SFAS No. 168, FASB Accounting Standards
Codification and the Hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles. SFAS No. 168 establishes the FASB Accounting Standards
Codification (the “Codification”) as the single source of authoritative GAAP
recognized by the FASB to be applied by nongovernmental entities. Rules and
interpretive releases of the SEC under authority of federal securities laws are
also sources of authoritative GAAP for SEC registrants. SFAS No. 168 and the
Codification are effective for financial statements issued for interim and
annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. As of July 1, 2009, the
Codification supersedes all existing non-SEC accounting and reporting standards.
We adopted this statement for the period ended September 30, 2009. The
Codification does not change or alter existing GAAP and it does not have an
impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash
flow.
Item 3.
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Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures About Market
Risk
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Cash
Investments
We have
cash investments that we manage based on internal investment guidelines that
emphasize liquidity and preservation of capital. Such cash investments are
stated at historical cost, which approximates fair market value on our balance
sheet.
Marketing
and Trading Commodity Price Risk
On behalf
of Sabine Pass LNG, Cheniere Marketing has entered into exchange cleared natural
gas swaps accounted for as derivatives. The natural gas swaps were entered into
to hedge the exposure to variability in expected future cash flows related to
commissioning cargoes purchased by Cheniere Marketing that are expected to be
sold as part of the testing phase of the commissioning process and operations.
As of September 30, 2009, Cheniere Marketing, on behalf of Sabine Pass LNG, had
entered into a total of 979,458 MMBtu of natural gas swaps through
October 31, 2009 for which we will receive fixed prices of $4.300 to $5.983
per MMBtu. At September 30, 2009, the value of the derivatives was a liability
of $0.4 million.
Item 4.
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Disclosure
Controls and Procedures
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Based on
their evaluation as of the end of the quarter ended September 30, 2009, our
general partner’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer
have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules
13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) are effective to ensure that
information required to be disclosed in reports that we file or submit under the
Exchange Act are (i) accumulated and communicated to our management, including
our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate,
to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and (ii) recorded,
processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the
SEC’s rules and forms.
During
the most recent fiscal quarter, there have been no changes in our internal
control over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are
reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial
reporting.
PART
II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1.
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Legal
Proceedings
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In the
future, we may be involved as a party to various legal proceedings, which are
incidental to the ordinary course of business. We regularly analyze current
information and, as necessary, provide accruals for probable liabilities on the
eventual disposition of these matters. In the opinion of management of our
general partner and legal counsel, as of September 30, 2009, there were no known
threatened or pending legal matters that could reasonably be expected to have a
material adverse impact on our consolidated results of operations, financial
position or cash flows.
(a) Each
of the following exhibits is filed herewith:
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10.1
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Change
Order 61 to Lump Sum Turnkey Engineering, Procurement and Construction
Agreement dated December 18, 2004, between Sabine Pass LNG, L.P. and
Bechtel Corporation (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Cheniere
Energy, Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (SEC File No. 001-16383), for
the quarter ended September 30, 2009)
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10.2
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Change
Order 62 to Lump Sum Turnkey Engineering, Procurement and Construction
Agreement dated December 18, 2004, between Sabine Pass LNG, L.P. and
Bechtel Corporation (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to Cheniere
Energy, Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (SEC File No. 001-16383), for
the quarter ended September 30, 2009)
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10.3
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Change
Orders 13, 14, 15 and 16 to Engineer, Procure and Construct (EPC) LNG Unit
Rates Soil Contract, dated July 21, 2006, between Sabine Pass LNG, L.P.
and Remedial Construction Services, L.P. (Incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 10.3 to Cheniere Energy, Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (SEC
File No. 001-16383), for the quarter ended September 30,
2009)
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31.1
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Certification
by Chief Executive Officer required by Rule 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under
the Exchange Act.
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31.2
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Certification
by Chief Financial Officer required by Rule 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under
the Exchange Act.
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32.1
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Certification
by Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as
adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002.
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32.2
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Certification
of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as
adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned
thereunto duly authorized.
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CHENIERE
ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
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By:
Cheniere Energy Partners GP, LLC, its general partner
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/s/ JERRY D. SMITH
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Jerry
D. Smith
Chief
Accounting Officer (on behalf of the registrant and as principal
accounting officer)
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Date:
November 5, 2009
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